Heaven's Greatest Professor

By the end of the recruitment, they had enlisted eighteen new rankers into their ranks for the expedition. Warden thought the day would end there, but no, the nobles decided it would be good to subject the recruits to drills.

Thankfully, Warden was spared from the drills—not that they were particularly challenging for him but rather tedious. Instead, he was tasked with cooking food for everyone, and he was happy to comply.

He was nearly finished with that when the healer elf approached him and asked him to cook more, as a few more people were going to join.

Warden stared at her for several seconds, saying nothing.

"Don't blame me; it's Marcus who couldn't control his libido and invited a group of girls," she explained.

Unlike June and her ethereal beauty, the half-elf healer possessed a more homely charm. With her pointed ears delicately peeking through a cascade of chestnut curls, she stood at a mere five feet tall. Now, Warden knew elves aged slower, as pure-born elves only reached adulthood in their fifth decade, but it seemed to be different for half-elves.

Warden hadn't asked her, but May's emerald green eyes, which sparkled with a curious and mischievous glint every now and then, were answer enough.

"Yes, thank you for giving me someone else to blame for it," Warden said flatly, then moved to prepare more food.

"I don't know what your problem is," the half-elf shrugged. "Didn't you say you drove a lovely girl crazy by giving her some dessert? Perhaps you'll be lucky today and get to bed with one of those great beauties tonight..."

She laughed, gesturing with her eyes toward where Young Marcus was conversing with another familiar group. And of course, needless to say, she was merely joking...

Besides, if he really wanted to sleep with someone, he would have easier alternatives. Honestly, he didn't think it would be hard to charm some female soldiers into bed for the night. After all, brothels and whorehouses were a thing.

But Warden wasn't the type to waste his time solely on fleshly desires without any emotional involvement. He didn't care for those one-time flings either, not that he had ever sought one after waking up in the mud a couple of months ago.

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Could it be that I'm an ever-virtuous great wizard? Warden considered, then shook his head immediately. No, he was more like a sage who had tasted the forbidden fruit and only had desires for women he loved.

Wait, women? Plural? Huh, what am I thinking? As if I'm so lucky...

"Stop looking at them with your mouth hanging open like a fool," May chuckled. "Those are high-class ladies... You need to have some accomplishments behind you even to court them... And even if you manage to win their hearts, you have to marry into their house... The Azalea Garden has strict rules for these women."

"Who are they?" Warden asked, becoming quite curious about this whole organization.

"Are you deaf? Didn't I just say they are from Azalea Garden?" May shot him an incredulous look. "Don't tell me you've never heard of them. Huh, as if—" She stopped to study the oblivious look on his face. "You don't know about Azalea Garden?"

"I'm merely a janitor," Warden played his card shamelessly.

"Are you serious? Even common villagers from another country know about Azalea Garden."

"Umm, what can I say... I had a very sheltered childhood."

May snorted, clearly not believing him. In the end, Warden had to urge her and bribe her with a stuffed steamed bun to get the answer. "Azalea Garden is a Diamond Rank guild, though they operate differently compared to most guilds. Other than being wholly composed of women, they function more like a Great House than a clan. Oh, there is no trial or test to join Azalea Garden.

As far as I know, most women were adopted in their childhood, before they even came into their power."

Warden nodded in understanding. "Do they adopt the girls out of goodwill, or is there some catch... I mean, you know."

"You're asking if the girls were subjected to terrible things against their will?" May quirked her eyebrows. "Why? So what if they were put through terrible practices, are you going to save them, Mr Janitor?"

Warden's lips curled up as he swung his broom once to shove it back into the sheath again. "Maybe I will."

"Thankfully, those women do not need your savings," May snorted. She had finished the bun by this point, and now her eyes were wandering from where Warden brought it out.

Honestly, Warden did not know what the deal was with these women. Who keeps them unfed? It's not like they have their figure to maintain. With the primal energy and putting themselves through training, they could remain in shape forever.

"Azalea Garden has great influence throughout the known world, not to mention their own power," May explained. She stopped, her eyes glued to where Warden kept the steamed bun. He gave her another, and only then did she begin talking. "While it's true that the women of Azalea Garden have to undergo very difficult training from the time they are adopted, it's nothing of our concern.

Most clans and guilds subject their members to tough training.

"As for your concerns about those women... I find them mostly unnecessary. Although there were some rumours that Azalea Garden only breeds these beautiful women to entertain high rankers, it's a commonly known deceit. You know, a few decades ago, some young masters of House Menmar captured a few of Azalea Garden's young women and did terrible things to them...

Now, have you heard the name of House Menmar?"

Warden shook his head, hearing it for the first time.

"Of course, you haven't. Most people haven't heard of them," May chuckled, probably having a great time telling the story. "Because House Menmar doesn't exist anymore. The event brought the head of Azalea Garden from her secret abode. Within a day, she not only killed those who captured her girls but even wiped out the entire House Menmar when it escalated. And by the whole house, I mean it...

Perhaps the children were left alone, but all their gold rankers, silver rankers, even a possible Transcendent ranker lost their lives for the mistake of a few young fools."

Warden didn't know what to say after she finished. But as he opened his mouth, a new voice interrupted them.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Warden turned to find the leader of the women from Azalea standing behind them with interest in their eyes.

"No, not at all," May said, greeting in a slight bow. "Lady Cassandra, we were just talking about..."

"Yes, I heard," she said as her eyes moved to his figure, gleaming with curiosity.

Misunderstanding, Warden asked, "Do you want to eat something?"

Well, after all, that seemed to be most people's concern with him in this new role.

"Umm, yes," she said softly. "Thank you."

Warden prepared her a plate of steamed bun and soup, while May pestered her with questions.

"Lady Cassandra, is the whole thing with House Menmar true?"

Cassandra was a head taller than the half-elf, with long and silky dark purple hair cascading over her shoulder. Her beauty was more ethereal as well, but unlike something pure, there was an edge to her beauty. A danger, as if the more you appreciated her, the harder it would be for you to stop.

She looked as if she was prepared to give the answer. "While I have not lived that long and cannot provide evidence of the event," Cassandra said softly. "I can safely say it has transpired, and Mistress Azalea had every reason to act in such a cold manner with House Menmar."

"No, no, from what I heard, they deserve nothing better than what they got," May said brightly, not even thinking too much about the genocide where probably more than a thousand people died.

Cassandra nodded slightly. "Thankfully, this event has led people to think twice about acting against a woman of Azalea Garden, as to this day, many fear that if they hurt one of my sisters, Mistress Scarlett Azalea will descend on them to blaze their bodies afire in righteous rage."

She chuckled softly, as though her whole personality was carved through a thick runic stylus. Truly, Warden found nothing wrong with her beauty or presence, but her personality seemed very overt, like she would have to appear as a proper lady all the time. Well, Warden hadn't been in her presence for long, but still, the poise and calmness she carried with herself were not natural.

There was no fault in them at any point.

Warden handed her the plate as she sat down on the seat on the barren ground with a very ladylike poise. Before eating anything, she turned to the half-elf. "Miss May, will you please ensure that at least no one will bother me when I eat? You know how it is for women like us... I haven't eaten anything today."

"Of course, Lady Cassandra, you can be at ease. I wouldn't even let Marcus come near you."

Cassandra gave her a relieved smile as May walked away.

Warden stared at her curiously, as she still didn't begin eating.

"Well, I hadn't thought I'd see you here again, and definitely not as a chef... Mr. Warden." She stared curiously at him as a frown appeared on his brows. But before he could question her, she opened her lips again, "Did I state your name wrong? Please forgive me if I did..."