Chapter 402: Milf Hunter
Their fathers weren’t dead. That would have been easier, somehow—a clean absence, a noble sacrifice.
No, the truth was far more complicated and far more painful.
While the mares regularly risked their lives riding out on dangerous guard patrols to protect the Queen, the males stayed behind in the safety of the settlement under the guise of ’defending the territory.’
And when the mothers were away, the fathers were tasked with watching the children.
But ’watching’ was a generous term.
Following ancient, rigid centaur traditions, the men simply left the young fillies to their own devices.
Basically, handing them basic rations, assigning them chores, and then lounging around doing absolutely nothing.
No head pats. No hugs. No goodnight kisses.
No walks through the village.
No stories before bed.
None of the warmth and affection that a father should provide.
Nothing.
They simply didn’t care.
Of course, if the children had been male, things might have been different.
A son would have been treated with respect, groomed to continue the family line, given attention and guidance.
But daughters? Female centaurs? They were considered lesser. Unimportant.
Merely future mothers who would one day serve the same role their own mothers served now.
This was the long-standing tradition of their people. A tradition that had persisted for generations, unquestioned and unchallenged.
And the ones who suffered most were the little ones.
So when Luca ruffled their hair and played their games, he was offering something they had never experienced before.
The warmth of a father figure.
No wonder they were huddling around him like this.
No wonder they couldn’t bring themselves to see him as an enemy, despite their earlier declarations of war.
He was giving them something precious, something they craved with an intensity they probably didn’t fully understand.
What was even more heartbreaking was how some of them kept glancing at his hands, clearly wanting to ask for head pats of their own but holding back out of some misplaced sense of duty.
It was pitiful to see.
But Luca, being Luca, noticed immediately.
"Now then!" He announced cheerfully, clapping his hands together. "Who wants a bunch of head pats from the Evil Hero? I have two hands, so I can take two of you at a time!"
The reaction was immediate and unmistakable.
The children’s tails began swishing back and forth at high speed, their eyes lighting up with barely suppressed excitement.
But then—hesitation.
They exchanged uncertain glances, clearly remembering that Luca was supposed to the villain who had disgraced their commander.
Accepting head pats from the enemy would be tantamount to surrender.
It would be like a righteous knight giving in to the temptations of a villain.
They couldn’t just give in no matter how much they wanted to.
Sigrid felt a pang of sympathy for them. She was about to step in, to find some excuse that would allow them to accept Luca’s offer without losing face—
But Luca beat her to it.
"You know." He said thoughtfully. "In the human world, head pats are actually considered a form of apology."
Nella’s ears perked up. "Really?"
Luca nodded sagely. "Absolutely. When you want to apologize to someone, especially to children, you give them head pats. It’s how adults express their remorse for any mistakes they’ve made."
He paused, letting the information sink in.
"Now, who wants head pats?" He caught himself and corrected: "I mean—who wants my apologies for what I just did? For tricking you so cruelly?"
Every single ounce of their earlier resistance crumbled into dust.
"Me! Me! Me!"
A silver-haired filly with enormous blue eyes launched herself forward, practically throwing her head into Luca’s waiting hand.
"You have to apologize to me first! I was the one who cried the most!"
"No, no, pet my head first!"
Another child, this one with wild black curls grabbed at Luca’s other hand and pressed it against her own head.
"I have really fluffy hair! It’ll be nice to pet! Nicer than everyone else’s!"
"That’s not true!" The silver-haired filly whirled on her rival. "Her hair is stinky! Your hand will get stinky if you touch it, Hero! Do mine instead!"
Before the black-haired child could retaliate, a third filly, threw herself between them, tears welling in her eyes.
"You’re both wrong! I’m the one who thought the Hero was dead! I was picking out flowers for his grave! I deserve the most apologies!"
In a matter of seconds, Luca was completely mobbed.
The ponies began grabbing his hands, physically dragging his palms toward their heads in a wild, hilarious tug-of-war.
"Woah, calm down, calm down!" Luca laughed heartily, letting himself be pulled around. "There’s enough apologies for everyone!"
He began working his way through the crowd, his large, warm hands gently fluffing up every single head of hair he could reach.
From a soft silver mane to a head of tight black curls, Luca rubbed their fluffy ears, ruffled their bangs, and gave them endless, soothing head pats.
The square filled with the joyous sound of squealing, giggling baby centaurs.
"Evil Hero, your hands feel so nice!" One filly giggled, leaning heavily into his palm.
"They’re so big!" Another chimed in, holding her own tiny hand up against his. "They’re bigger than my whole head!"
"It’s so different from when Mama does it...it’s firm, but it’s so warm and comforting! Why does it feel so good?!"
Nella, being the smartest of the group, had clearly recognized that Luca was bending the truth to save their dignity.
She tried to hold back, to maintain her position as the dignified leader who was still angry at their enemy.
But as she watched her friends receive their head pats one by one, their faces glowing with happiness, her resolve crumbled completely.
"Me too! Me too!" She shouted, throwing herself into the crowd. "You have to apologize to me the most! I cried for you! I was planning your funeral! I deserve the biggest apology!"
Luca chuckled and brought both hands down on her head, ruffling her chestnut hair with extra enthusiasm.
"You’re absolutely right." He said solemnly. "I owe you the greatest apology of all. Please accept my deepest, most sincere head pats."
Nella’s face melted into a goofy, blissful smile despite her best efforts to maintain her dignity
—
Watching the heartwarming scene, Sigrid felt something flutter in her chest.
She couldn’t control it—this was pure instinct. The deeply ingrained female response to seeing a man who was good with children.
’This is the kind of man you want by your side.’
That instinct whispered.
’Someone who can protect. Someone who can provide. Someone who will love your children as much as you do.’
She shook her head firmly, banishing the thoughts.
’Don’t be foolish, Sigrid. He is the Hero. You are his steed by covenant. That is all. Nothing more.’
She turned away from the heartwarming scene, seeking distraction, and her gaze fell upon the mothers.
And she immediately took several steps backward.
Something...was very, very wrong with them.
The women who had been watching their children play with Luca were now staring at him with an intensity that was almost frightening.
Some were biting their lips. Others were running their tongues across their teeth. A few wore smiles that could only be described as predatory.
Their gazes alone seemed capable of melting metal!
Sigrid felt a chill run down her spine.
She had known these women her entire life. They were her comrades, her friends, the mothers of the children she had helped train.
But right now, they looked like complete strangers.
—
But it made sense why they were looking at Luca like they wanted to suck him dry.
If a maiden like Sigrid, who had no children felt her heart flutter at the sight, the mothers were feeling it a thousand times worse.
These women had spent years watching their daughters suffer under the cold, neglected tradition of their absent, lazy husbands.
They had watched their little girls put on brave faces, lying through their teeth saying. "I’m okay, Mama, Father played with me today" when they knew damn well the fathers had ignored them all day.
They hated their husbands for it. They hated the tradition.
So now, seeing Luca step in and effortlessly fulfill every single silent dream they had ever held for their children’s happiness...
...their maternal and romantic instincts had ignited into a roaring inferno.
They wanted Luca. No, they needed Luca!
Not for themselves or at least, not only for themselves, but for their children. For the happiness of their precious daughters.
For the chance to finally give them the father figure they deserved.
And they looked ready to fight for him!