Chapter 7: Pride and Honour
It had been over an hour since Raven sent out the troops meant to stir up trouble in that tiny little village of Springvale. The plan was to attract the Grimm; with enough negative emotions, it would attract the Grimm nearby; it should be enough to bring them out to the village with enough negative emotion. And maybe and a little bit a bit hoping attract the rare Grimm in the Forbidden Valley. It was to cause panic and destruction and pique her curiosity since this Grimm is rarely seen; even photos are more occasional. Even a single picture of these Grimm could be worth a lot of Lien to the right buyer, especially someone obsessed with the Grimm. Yet, in this situation seems that it's not going to happen since she's overlooking the village; hearing screams seems the attack is still ongoing. And from the sounds of the riots, it seems to be the Villagers and not her man since she's confident that it was her man screaming. There would be no need for her in this case, especially since Springvale was small-fry compared to their previous marks. They're ill-equipped to fight off the Grimm, yet it's ironic in this situation. The village uses Grimm to protect them, yet it's the Grimm they need to be protected from.
However, the party didn't return after their departure ten minutes earlier, as they couldn't hold their excitement and bloodlust. This isn't unusual, as this has happened many times. But they haven't been gone for this long before. Usually, they come back quickly to the camp to celebrate after every successful raid and never stay behind. Did they experience some sort of problem? Were there Huntsmen among the villagers or a retired Huntsman that she didn't expect and are better than she thought?
If need be, she can go and investigate herself. Since Raven's semblance can allow her to cut open a gateway, that would enable her to reach people she had a connection to. For example, any time she was so pleased, she could see her husband Tai and maybe daughter Yang. Though she's confident that the girl had a life of her own. Old enough to make a decision and strong enough to rely on to take care of herself.
The idea was already unnecessary, then she saw someone approach her out of the corner of her eye. She turned and saw it's one of her men limping toward her, face pale and soaked in red; he smells like lead; you could taste it in the air. Even his clothes are drenched in blood, not leaving a single spot of the original colour of his clothes. But as he approached, a foul smell lingered in the air. Vernal almost gagged of the scent and quickly pinched her nose. As it turns out, the men soiled and continued his march, with his eye wide and frightened as if they were just faced with death.
Shock and on edge, Raven spoke sternly, almost demanding. "What happened!?"
"I-I-I d-d-don't know…" the men stuttered pathetically, falling to his knees and his hands over his face with his fingers clenching onto his face, his nails almost pierced and clawing down on his face, while shaking vigorously, like he went through a war zone and lost the will to live
"…I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPEN!?" he screams in panic can't stop shaking in fear as his hands are now gripping patches of his hair, almost ripping them off from the scalp.
"T-those things! They came! And-and he…ordered them to….Oh, gods. Oh, gods!" whatever he saw down there left the poor men in a pitiful shape, without dignity, he spews all over the ground before he slumped into a fetal position on his sick. "They're gone! Dead! And taken away to the Forbidden Valley!"
Raven's Eyes widen in shock after hearing that her men were killed and were dragged to the Forbidden Valley. Obviously, the culprit was the Grimm of the Forbidden Valley, but why? They never leave the Valley, but Raven realize when he says "he". Her brow creased, and she stared down at the village, of curiosity, confusion, and if she was lying, fear included. There was a threat to her plans. A random variable. Springvale is a small mark. At best, whatever resources they could glean would only accommodate the Branwen Tribe for a couple of days, not like they need it. Since they were already swimmingly of resources from their previous raids of larger settlements not too long ago. However, the loss of her men is of little consequence; compared to them and her main forces, they were weaker and not worth remembering their names. It's best to leave Springvale to avoid more casualties and loss. But Raven Branwen is Prideful; someone dared to humiliate her by denying her prize, and a loss isn't something she bode well. Pride was often the downfall of many men and women. She would be no different. After all, only the true strong survive, proving those men aren't vital to be part of the Branwen tribe. Whoever did it, just save her the trouble of weeding out the weak from of the tribe.
The Direwolves pack rout had been a short yet bloody affair. As Jaune had suspected, the villagers were naturally frightened of him. The Grimm scattered around the village, keeping watch while some are finishing up mopping the remains of the bandits being dragged to the Forbidden Valley. But only to leave the remains of the fallen villagers. The villagers weren't sure to be happy or afraid to trade one evil for another.
The deaths of the bandits weren't pleasant to watch for the villagers, especially the children. Those who fought back were killed in a terrifyingly and painful way. They were mauled to death by the Direwolve's fangs and claws, being ripped apart by a small pack of four to five. Those who were lucky were the only ones killed by Fenrir, instantly killing them in a mundane fashion. The unlucky died quickly thanks to Fenrir's great strength and sharp claws. Those who were very unfortunate enough to be struck by Fenrir found themselves seriously injured, suffering from internal injuries or having several broken bones. Then be dragged to the forbidden Valley alive by the pack. Those who tried to flee were given cruel deaths, mauled alive and still breathing when being pulled away. One of those Bandits who attempted to flee found his stomach ripped open, spilling out his guts and innards while only his head remained attached to his otherwise severed body. Another idiot had tried to convince one of his fellow tribesmen to be his shield while he escaped, which they didn't follow when they saw another pack pounce on the fool and was eaten alive. Rendering his stomach into bloody mush before dragging the remains away.
Jaune will admit that was a grizzly sight, traumatizing, no doubt, given that there were children in the group who had witnessed it happen. Jaune had been worried that his strategy wouldn't work. Letting a pack of Grimm worked against him in the end, but he didn't want to appear weak as he still took command of the group, especially Fenrir. Realizing Jaune has been standing into space, snapping himself out to see the surviving villagers are all crowded together staring at him in both fear and hesitation. So Jaune took the initiative of the situation and walked towards the villagers.
"which among you is the village chief?" he calls out to the people; he waited in silence for a few moments. Till an elderly man with a cane steps forward in wears of a farmer.
"I am the village chief, Torb, of Springvale. Thank you for saving ar-" before Torb could finish, Jaune drew his sword, silencing the Elder before him. Fearing his death, but to his surprise, Jaune staked his blade into the ground kneel before the Chief. Shocking both him and the villagers in shock and denial, they see the Grimm bowing before them. Like a Knight bowing before the king.
"I'm sorry..." Jaune's voice saddens confusing the Chief.
"that I couldn't save them..." noticing Jaune's hand gripping his sword with regret.
"I'm a failure as a Knight and hero. I can only ask for your forgiveness. For that, I'm sorry..." before their eyes are the Grimm knight. Stories of his legend, a hero stories that's been passed down from parent to child. Known to be feared by his enemies but respected by allies, they would expect him to be a cold and distant hero. Expect before them, they don't see the Grimm Knight; they see just a man trying to save everyone with regret and sorrow. Close to the verge of tears, they finally understand, the Grimm Knight isn't a hero because of his strength and power; it's causing him just human living and trying to live up to his legend.
"Wa-wait, Sir Knight!" the Elder approaches the Knight and pull him up to stand before him.
"You're still the same hero from the stories that my grandfather told me. And it is your legend that made every future huntsman aware that you can't save everyone. Harsh, it may be, but it's true. So please, don't shame yourself; you're still a hero to my people and me. For that, we thank you..." He bowed his head towards the Knight, followed by the villagers, while the Knight came silently for a moment and gave a nod of understanding. The discussion then moves up to repairing and recovery of the village and maybe perhaps finding saviours among the dead.
The Chief asks questions, like these types of Grimm, where he has been all these years, and how he could still move freely like he's still in his youth. Jaune's answers were vaguely truth without revealing his Mother or the Grimm lands. He explains that the Grimm are called Direwolves and explains the differences between them and the Beowolves. As for the last two questions, Jaune has to vaguely lie to the Elder but convincingly enough to believe his word for word. After reading a novel that Emerald gave him, he came up with a compelling story and said it was a popular book in Remant to which the Elder believed.
"I've recently woke up after an unfortunate event during my travels to Mantle. However, I got caught in a middle of a snowstorm in the high mountains; it got too violent that it caused an avalanche; sadly and unfortunate, I got caught. Suddenly, I lost all forms of direction and bearings while rolling along the mountainside. I tried to grab on hold on to anything like a tree or a rock. But unfortunately, instead, I have beaten and bruised by the elements, I was starting to lose conscience. The last thing I remember when I was caught in the Avalanche, I was falling, then landed on the ice and then everything went cold, wet and dark. I think I landed on a frozen lake and lost conscience. The next thing, I woke up in a melting ice cavern. I think I was trapped for a couple of days trying to find a way out. When I finally found my way out of the cavern, I climbed out of the cavern only to find myself in a different world. The small village I remembered became a city, architecture that I had never seen before, iron beast soaring to the skies, carrying people to distance land that would take days to travel but it would take hours. Weapons I had never seen before that almost killed if it weren't for my aura. I was lost and confused; I went to a park to calm myself and found a memorial of a statute of a war veteran, who looked familiar. That's when I realized I was frozen over a thousand years because that statue that I saw was a statue of an old comrade."
The story awed the village chief of such a story that the legend was frozen alive to return in the current century of Remnant. But Jaune couldn't help but give the Village Elder a deadpan expression of how easily he believed that story. Although the Chief does look over eighty years old and does not sound disrespectful to his elders, he seems a bit senile. He continues questioning Jaune till it starts to annoy Jaune and tries to snap the Chief to the matter at hand and continue the efforts to assist in rebuilding and recovery of the village, snapping the Elder to focus on the situation at hand.
While Jaune and the villagers discussed their roles of recovering and repairing the village. Jaune can already tell that his presence is very concerning; they hesitate even when he announced he would help. But if it weren't for the elder Chief's support, things would have been difficult to form relationships and connections to someone who controls the Grimm. But to their surprise, when Jaune volunteers to assist the villagers with his Grimm, they are hesitant. But Jaune assured them that his Grimm would be the most respectable of handling the dead and form a perimeter protecting the village if the bandits return to attack the town. And true to his word, the Grimm were respectable of handling remains of villagers gently being carried in coffins on their back, digging spots of graves while being instructed by the Elder and burying. Some of the younger Direwolves played with some children and kept them company. Eventually, the villager has already forgotten that they were Grimm in the first place, to the villagers surprise of how fast the Elder adapt to the situation of seeing Grimm handling their fallen while the villagers repair the damage.
While the village repair and recover, Jaune wanders around the village, asking if they need assistance. But kindly appreciate the gesture, but there was no need for his help. Jaune continues walking around town, stopping by one of the houses. It hasn't been destroyed and rests against the wall close to the corner of the building. While he watches in silence overlooking the progress of the village. He hears a thump in the opposite corner and knows who it is, Cinder.
"did everything go according to plan?" he whispers but enough but loud enough for Cinder to hear him.
"Yes. All of Remnant now knows the Grimm knight has returned. At the start, people believe you're a fake, posing as one. But everything changed when you were commanding the Direwolves." She smiles while she cutely nuzzles Ember in her arms.
"Sorry, you have to pose as one of the villagers, just to record the whole fight." He smiles, looking over his shoulder towards Cinder.
"Don't worry about it. I can handle myself. And thanks to your scroll, it's amazing." She states while admiring Jaune's scroll on her hands.
" I have to admit, it was easy to give a live stream without the assist of a CCT tower. A scroll to able sends a signal like a long-range radio to reach a nearby kingdom."
"if you want, I can get one made for you. But you have to get the required components." Jaune smiles while Cinder smiles with him.
"I can do that." she smiled while playing with Ember, then slowly frowned to concern.
"Jaune..."
"hmm?"
"Are you sure this is a good idea to announce the world of your return?" she waited for a response, but he stayed quiet, which annoyed Cinder, forcing her to ask again but in a more serious tone.
"I don't know how you run things back in your time. But today, we work better in secret to get the upper hand of Ozpin. Now you just lost your technical advantage over him."
"I understand your concern. If this works out as I plan, Ozmas will believe the Grimm Knight is just another Grimm created by Mother, in my image." He explains, which got Cinder's attention as she looked towards Jaune with a raised brow.
"what makes you positive that he'll think it's another Grimm?" as Jaune raise his fore and middle finger.
"two things. One, Ozmas killed me in the past and two, the last time he saw me was when he buried me in a tomb. That is now which I believe under his school." This gave Cinder more questions to ask of what she was hearing.
"Wait, that didn't make sense. Ozpin did what?" Cinder ask as Jaune notice a small group of villagers with the Chief talking in concern, as he smiles.
"Another time, Cinder. For now, keep shadowing me and record everything that transpires here." He orders as he walks away while Cinder heads in the opposite direction.
"It seems more problems keep on stacking." He sighs as he approaches the Chief.
"Village chief," Jaune calls
"Sir Knight." He smiles with relief
"Is there a problem?"
"I just got word from one of my people that a bullhead is arriving at the village." He replies.
"Bullhead? Is that a type of Grimm?" Jaune asks, giving the group a surprised look of silence till the Elder remembered Jaune's awaken story.
"no, sir Knight. It's the ones you call metal flying beast. They're transport ships that sore in the air instead of the sea." The Elder explained while Jaune acted amazed to put a front, sticking to his story.
"I see...is it friend or foe?" he asked, then the group looked at each other in concern, hesitating to ask.
"that's the thing; we're not sure about it." The Elder replies growing more concerned and hesitant even further to ask Jaune. Jaune understood the situation and knew what the Chief would ask, as Jaune raised his hands to the group.
"Be at ease; I'll handle it. But just to be safe, gather all the surviving villagers in your house. When you are done, meet me in the town square. I'll order my Grimm to hide in the shadows just to be safe." He assures them while the group sighs in relief with a smile.
"Yes, of course."
The Elder didn't waste and did what he instructed while Jaune stood waiting in the town square, while his Grimm hid in the shadows as planned. It didn't take long for the Chief to return to Jaune and didn't take long for the bullhead to arrive; the side door opens, and figures of five people leap out of the bullhead as it continues to fly away. The group lands in front of Jaune and the Chief, four of them look like young adults being led by an older drunk.
One is a brown-haired Fauna with brown hair, brown eyes, and brown rabbit ears. She wears Cropped brown jacket over a thin black top and brown pants almost entirely covered by thigh-high black boots. Accenting her brown and black colour scheme are gold pauldrons, cuffs, a belt, and the trim of her shoes. And a box attached to the back of her belt.
The next one reminds Jaune of a royal, based on how she's dressed as she stands out from the group. With her fair skin, short dark-brown hair, wearing sunglasses. A wavy locks on one side of her face, dyed with a gradient that starts as dark brown and transitions to caramel.
Her clothes consist of a long, cocoa-coloured shirt with an inverted layered frill collar with a black strap waist cincher. She wears tight black leather pants with a golden etched around the pockets and a ribbon attached to the back of a golden zipper around her knees. A sizeable cocoa-coloured belt with bullets on the left side and a large golden crosshair buckle. She wears a pair of black, high-heeled leather calf-high boots with golden buckles. While carrying a small handbag, which confuses Jaune, believing she might take the wrong bullhead.
The next one is a young man with dark skin and dark, messy copper hair with a long fringe. Wearing a sleeveless, orange zipper vest with black lining with a high collar, black jeans, and brown laced shoes. His eyes are white, showing that he's blind. His arms are covered in scars and a vertical scar on his lips. He seems most experienced in combat and is finally armed with long blades attached to his wrist.
Then there's the tallest member of the group with shaved black hair and tanned skin, wearing pale-green and brown pants.
He wore a long short-sleeved robe, which he wears over one of his shoulders, over a tight black shirt. An armoured leather belt with two pouches fastened the robe at the waist. He also wears brown pants and black-and-green boots. His left arm bears a 5-layer side that extends up past his shoulder. Jaune approved that at least one of them appreciates having armour instead of relying on their aura. And his enormous sword and the way he handles it, showing his strength.
Then finally, there's the oldest member of the group and the leader. He has greying black, spiky hair, faded red eyes, and slight stubble along his jawline. Along with a red, tattered cloak, he wears a grey dress shirt with a long tail, black dress pants and black dress shoes. His weapon, a Longsword, holster on the back of his waist, contains gears near the crossguard area.
Yet something about him that made Jaune's nose twitch, and it's not the smell of alcohol coming from the men. It's something else, something...magic...
Cinder, meanwhile, was overlooking the area spying on the arrive huntsman and huntresses. To her shock of surprise, seeing one of them that she recognizes. The older drunk, Opin's trusted ally, Qrow Branwen. Cinder grimaced with the situation and needed to warn Jaune but would risk exposing herself to Qrow and being compromised. For now, she'll just monitor the status and wait for an opportunity to get Jaune out of here. She watches as Qrow approaches Jaune and the Elder with his hands in his pockets.
"I'm Qrow Branwen, huntsman of Vale. We came as soon we received your transmission?" Qrow focuses on the two but mainly on the Knight while the chief scowls towards the huntsman.
"I would thank you for arriving for our time of need. But if it weren't-" before the Chief could finish criticizing the Huntsman, Jaune steps forward and interrupts.
"there's no need, Chief. Hello, I am the Grimm Knight. I came across this village when those bandits attacked." Jaune introduced himself.
"The Grimm Knight, eh? We saw your video on our way here. Yet you didn't do anything for a Knight. You just let those Grimm kill'em off," Qrow smirks as Jaune can tell him, trying to provoke him.
"Bandits like them don't deserve to fall by my hand. For the crimes they committed, they deserve a fate worse than death." Jaune states with his hand on his sword, stopping Qrow in his track.
"Woah, easy there. I just wanna Thank you for saving the village." Crow raises his hands in surrender with a joking smile, but neither the Knight nor the Chief is smiling. If anything, it just made the chief scowl even more to Qrow. Then Jaune notices a gasp from the Hare Faunus as Qrow sees the young team.
"oh right, I forgot to introduce them. These are second-year students of Beacon Academy. Huntsman-in-training team CFVY (coffee). Introduce yourself, kids." Qrow lazily explains nonchalantly as they approach and introduces themselves one by one, starting with the royal.
"what's up? I'm Coco Adel, leader of team CFVY" she smiles, lowering her glasses eyeing the Knight up and down, admiring the armour and his cape.
"Coco, have some restraint. I'm Fox Alistair." He states that the teen approached.
"I am Yatsuhashi Daichi." He bows then turn to the final member.
"I-I'm Velvet Scarlatina." She stutters as Jaune nods to the group then a death howl is heard in the distance. Turning their heads towards the direction, startling the Huntsman-in-training and Qrow, drawing their weapons.
"what was that?" Coco startles as her handbag transforms into a large mini-gun, ready to fire.
"I never heard a Grimm like that before!" Fox states with his arms raised, Yatsuhashi with Coco ready behind him. While Jaune ignores it and heads towards the sound.
"Hey, wait! Where do you think you're going?" Qrow asks, and Jaune stops and turns to the group.
"where do you think. I'm going to investigate." He replies, then turns to the Chief.
"chief, the situation has changed. Move the villagers to the storage house, and I'll have my Grimm hold a perimeter. Till I have an understanding of the situation." Jaune orders while the team of huntsman heard of what they just heard.
"understood, sir Knight." He replies as he rushes back to the villagers, as Jaune returns to the howl, but stop as soon a large silver blade is rested on his shoulder.
"Mr Branwen!" Velvet shouts
"Did I hear that right? Did you say "YOUR" Grimm?" he scowls as Jaune looks over his shoulder.
"if I did, what are you going to do about it? Kill me? Go ahead, I invite it. But then, the Bandits won't be your only problem."
And just like that, Fox gasped in turning his head in every direction in shock and horror; it wasn't hard for his team to notice.
"Fox, what's wrong?" Yatsuhashi ask his partner
"Grimm." He states, alerting the team to check their surroundings but seeing nothing. But they trust Fox's senses that they never failed the group before.
"where?" Velvet asks, but Fox pauses in the silence of fear, too afraid to answer as it might be his last.
"Everywhere..." he whispers, but the team still sees nothing out of the ordinary.
"Fox, I don't see anything. Are you sure your senses aren't acting up!?" Coco retorts, and slowly Direwolves appear from the shadows and out to the clearing. All snarling and growling towards the team with dread, clearly outnumbered but what took them by surprise was the large albino alpha Direwolf snarling threateningly directly towards Qrow.
"w-what the? What's with that alpha?" Qrow frights, and with that moment of distraction, Jaune took action. He immediately swings his cape directly towards Qrow's face, blocking his field of view. This is followed by a quick kick towards Qrow's wrist, forcing him to let go while his sword twirls in the air. While Jaune quickly turns, facing Qrow, grabbing the sword just as it descends in a fluid motion. And with a great swing of the blade, directly towards at the side of Qrow's neck, stopping inches away from contact. It was freezing everyone in place, unsure what to do; it happened so fast that they didn't have time to react.
"I don't have time for your squabbles. You and I are huntsmen; our job is to protect humanity. The difference is, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to ensure humanity's protection. Even if it means working with the Grimm for a future. You, however, reek and drown yourself of self-pity, using alcohol as an excuse to escape reality instead of facing it and move on." Giving Qrow a broad eye expression of the Grimm knights analysis.
"so I'm giving you and the trainees a choice. Leave the village to me, so I can focus on protecting the villagers or..." as Jaune spins the sword around, passing the handle of the blade towards Qrow.
"...help me protect this village…" a few seconds pass of the seriousness of Jane's tone of the situation; Qrow nods before grabbing hold on to his sword. The surroundings Grimm leaves the area, while Jaune heads to his original destination while the huntsman of Vale follows.
Omake:
The knock on Jaune's door is sound, stopping the Prince from his daily activity of polishing his armour and heading to the door. As he opened his door, it was Watts with a close and expressive smile across his face, which to Jaune, it's rare to see Watts smiling this wide. Usually, when he likes this, he either makes an extraordinary discovery or makes Cinder the biggest fool in front of Salem.
"Um…Watts, Good Afternoon. You seem happy. Did something happen?" Jaune greeted with a slight concern.
"Oh my Prince, Good afternoon. And yes, an extraordinary event has occurred, and your Mother has requested your presence." He smiles jolly and slightly bubbly he couldn't hold himself his excitement any longer. Unsure what to do, Jaune complies quickly before Watts gets any weirder.
"S-Sure, let's go." But immediately, Watts stopped him with his hand raised, stopping Jaune on the spot and his deminer change in a hundred and eighty degrees. From calm, happy and bubbly to severe and furious.
"I'm afraid I cannot allow you, my Prince. You see, your Mother has invited special guests for you to meet, and as the Prince of Royal, you must dress the part." He states as he handed Jaune a black garment bag. Without a word, Jaune quietly walks away, closes his door, and changes to Watts's clothes, while Watts smiles triumphantly and waits for Jaune excitedly with his scroll ready at hand. Just as he came out wearing an all-black suit, fixing the cuffs of his black tailcoat suit in red embroidered of markings matching the Grimm along the coat's edge and around the cuffs. The only thing that offsets Jaune's all-black suit is the white cravat hanging around his neck while it's been held together by a red gem brooch. And the Renaissance shoulder cape that covers his entire left arm with his Mother's family emblem but in reverse and in gold colour.
And just on cue, Watts immediately takes pictures of Jaune from every angle, surprising Jaune with how fast Watts moves. After the photoshoot and with a triumph smile, Watts directly sends the photos to Salem and with that done and without a word, he escorts Jaune to the war room.
"This was getting weird… Why do I need to wear this just to meet more of Mother's allies? I could just wear my armour! and I just finished polishing it too." Jaune cries to himself, then looks at Watts, concerned about his attitude to see him "jolly" and happier than usual.
"Could it be…" Jaune ponders till it finally snaps.
"Of course! Special guest, Formalwear, a meeting in the war room with Mother! It's obvious, the special guest must be members of the Council. Mother's inside of Rement's Council, and this must be my introduction to meet Mother's allies!"
Just as they arrive with Watts waiting by the door, Jaune does last-minute preparation to look a bit more presentable and even comb his hair back to look even cleaner. With Watts's final inspection and approval, Jaune signals Watts to begin. As he opened the door, he announced Jaune's entrance.
"Afternoon, everyone. I would like to present to you, The Prince of Grimm Jaune." As Watts called, Jaune walked out through the door on cue and in a presentably royal and stoic expression. The room was filled with people Jaune had never seen or recognized before. All in formal wear applauding him while heading to his Mother, seated on her throne.
Just as he stands before his Mother, he gently raises his left arm with his cape and a quick swing of his arm. His cloak is carried in the air while Jaune kneels before Salem. With his right hand over his heart and bowing his head. Just as the cape gentle falls back onto his side.
"You have called for me, Mother?" Jaune calls in a solemn tone, which Salem smiles towards her son.
"Yes, Jaune, I'm sure you are aware that we have special guests here to meet you. Especially their daughters." She smiles as that last bit caught Jaune's attention.
"wait…what?" as he turns around and sees a group of girls all standing for him. All excited and flustered about seeing the Prince.
"Um…M-Mother…what is this?" Jaune blushed, startled as he stood up and then firm grasp on his shoulder and force him back as he sat on his Mother's throne. Surprise by the sudden push, Salem held him in place with a smile as she stood by his side while Jaune had an unease feeling that he had been had by his own Mother.
"You see, Jaune. You learned to be patient when you lived as long as I have. But sometimes, patients have a limit when it comes to family. So instead of you looking for a lover or Harem." She lets go of Jaune's shoulder and walks in front of Jaune.
"As your Mother, I am partly to blame for your dedication to our cause, everting your attention away from your social life. So I thought it would be efficient to bring these lovely ladies to you. And for you to choose your bride or concubine." She smiles and returns to Jaune's side with a triumph smile while Jaune's face blushes heavily with embarrassment and covers his face, wishing for this nightmare to end.
"B-but mom…I-I can't just simply pick a girl assumed that she loved me. I-I want to meet someone nice, someone to appreciate who I am, not so much cause I'm handsome and robust. Because I want to get to know each other about our interests. And we get to spend time exploring the world together and sharing the beautiful things in life that makes it extraordinary." He blushes heavily, covering his face, surprising the crowd, including Salem, by Jaune's pure innocence. Immediately was hugged by his mother by surprise.
"Awe, Jaune! I taught you so well! I am so proud of you! You would make a perfect Husband!" Salem Awe while the daughters of the crowd felt their heart skip a beat, with all one thing in their minds.
'Dibs…'