Chapter 247: A Class Is a Simple Title

Nat blinked, his arrogant smirk faltering as he tilted his head back, trying to look up at her face from his shoulder. "What? Ignore me? How come? I’m not gonna let that happen. Can you even live without me? Come on,"

"Watch me," April countered coldly, her voice dropping into a dangerously calm, low tone right next to his ear. "If you don’t want that to happen then... Put. Me. Down."

Nat grumbled under his breath, muttering something about her being completely heartless, but he finally complied. He carefully slid her down his chest, keeping his hands hovering near her waist until her boots hit the pavement securely.

The moment her feet touched the ground, April smoothed down her clothes with effortless grace, stepping right between the two glaring men.

Alexander immediately moved to her side, his expression softening with genuine concern as he looked her over. "Are you alright, April? He didn’t hurt you, did he?"

"I’m fine, Alexander," April murmured, her dark eyes shifting straight onto Nat, who was leaning back with a crooked, expectant grin.

"Alright, sweetheart," Nat said, stepping closer and invading her personal space without a shred of hesitation. His golden eyes gleamed with intense, chaotic curiosity. "You got my attention. Now what’s this about ignoring me? You know you can’t resist your favorite man for that long."

When did I start playing favorites?

Her eyes drifted down to the heavy weapon slung across his chest. She crossed her arms, studying him with a deadpan stare. "Nat, why do you have a shotgun on you? The world is still very functional, in case you haven’t noticed."

"Oh, this?" Nat drawled.

He nonchalantly racked the action of the shotgun with a sharp, heavy CLACK.

Alexander flinched slightly, his posture instantly stiffening as his hand twitched toward his coat. Nat merely let out a low, mocking chuckle at the reaction, resting the warm barrel casually against his shoulder.

"Well, I just came back from clearing some filth, that’s why," Nat said, his eyes glinting with ruthless satisfaction. "A few leftover vermin from the Morgan Group thought they could quietly haul away the crate of black-market explosives from Pier 9 before my men arrived. I had to personally remind them who owns the docks now."

He leaned in a fraction closer to April, his wicked smirk softening into something almost endearing. "So you see, sweetheart, I was out working hard for the reward you gave me."

April shook her head softly, a faint, exasperated sigh escaping her lips. Of course he went straight from a gunfight to throwing me over his shoulder. Typical of him.

"You’re just so unbelievable," April murmured.

"I’m dedicated," Nat corrected smoothly, his gaze locking onto her lips with a playful, dangerous spark. "Now... where were we before blondie over here tried to steal my spotlight?"

Just then Xavier voice cut through the driveway breeze before he even stepped into view.

"What in the world is going on out here? I could hear shouting all the way from the east wing."

Xavier walked down the marble steps of the courtyard, his suit jacket tailored to perfection, adjusting his silver cufflinks with cool, effortless grace. Samuel was following with crisp moemtns, adjusting his glasses.

His dark, sharp eyes swept over the scene—taking in Alexander’s furious posture, Nat leaning forward casually, and April standing right in the middle of the chaos.

The barbarian has struck again, Samuel casually thought as he took in the scene and the weapon Nat was carrying.

Xavier paused mid-step, his brows drawing together in subtle, refined bewilderment.

"I assumed there was a sudden perimeter breach," Xavier said smoothly, his quiet, commanding presence instantly shifting the atmosphere of the courtyard. He looked directly at Nat, then at Alexander, before his gaze softened as it landed on April. "Instead, I find my estate grounds being used for a shouting match."

"Tell your guest to keep his hands off April, Reed," Alexander snapped, stepping forward, his knuckles still white with tension. "He practically kidnapped her out of the car."

Nat threw his head back and let out a booming, arrogant laugh, slinging the shotgun over his broad shoulder. "Kidnapped? I rescued her from your boring presence, blondie! You’re welcome. Now, there’s something that’s still stuck in my mind." he looked towards April, his eyes locking onto hers. "What was this about an ’appointed class’. I don’t think we’re taking lessons, hm?"

April smoothed down the lapels of her jacket, her expression returning to its usual cool, unbothered composure as Xavier and Samuel stepped closer.

"A class is simply a title—a role I designate to those closest to me..." April explained smoothly, neatly bypassing any mention of the system. "Xavier is my Saint. Alexander is my Knight."

Alexander stood a little taller at her words, a proud, satisfied smirk curving his lips as he cast a condescending glance toward the warlord. "It carries a solemn weight, Collins. Something a brute wouldn’t understand."

"Is that so, blondie?" Nat scoffed, resting a heavy hand on his hip. "And what am I supposed to be in this little game of yours?"

Behind Xavier, Samuel subtly adjusted the wire-rimmed bridge of his glasses with a single finger. The assistant stared directly at Nat, his mind instantly categorizing the man’s wild, unrefined nature.

Samuel lifted a hand to cover his mouth, coughing softly into his fist as a quiet word slipped out: "A barbarian."

The entire courtyard fell dead silent.

Xavier paused, Alexander’s smirk widened, and Nat’s eyes snapped toward the chief assistant with a sharp, dangerous twitch of his eyebrow.

Samuel immediately lowered his hand, his face smoothing back into a completely blank, professional mask as if he hadn’t just uttered a single word. He adjusted his glasses once again, staring straight ahead into the distance. "My apologies. I felt a slight tickle in my throat."

A sudden, low chuckle escaped April’s lips, rapidly turning into a clear laugh that brightened her dark eyes.

It was rare to see Samuel drop such a deadpan jab, and the sheer absurdity of the moment washed away the remaining tension.

"A barbarian isn’t too far off," April murmured, her laughter subsiding into a fond, amused smile as she looked back at Nat. "But no. That’s not your class."

She didn’t know what these classes would do to them or how it would affect them once the apocalypse began, so she didn’t want to mindlessly give out titles.

A barbarian was close but Nat was not without reason. He was smart, maybe too smart. And yes, he had unrefined and dangerous means, it was still all within his thought process and plans. It was those dangerous and unrefined methods that made him the Lord of the underworld he was today.

Nat narrowed his eyes, stepping closer until his shadow completely engulfed her. "Then what is it, sweetheart? What does this class even do? Does it have something to do with our future?"

"Who knows?" April replied softly, tilting her head up to meet his intense gaze. "Even I don’t know every detail. I am simply moving according to fate."

She paused, her eyes locking onto his with absolute seriousness. "So, Nat... will you be my Villain? Will you be the one who takes on the brunt of the dark work, who handles the dirty tasks without hesitation, and who tears down anything that threatens me with your crude and unrefined methods?"

Before she could even finish her sentence, Nat let out a low, vibrant growl of sheer satisfaction.