dusa yawned as she stretched her hands, the back of her neck cracking lightly.
'I feel… weird,' she thought, glancing down at her stomach.
Her small baby bump was visible now… It seed she was maturing faster than the average human woman, maybe she wouldn't need to carry for nine months.
The living room felt unusually warm today with the late afternoon sunlight spilling across the table where she sat with Veyra, Anya, and Edna.
What were the three won doing?
They were playing cards.
Of course, this wasn't an ordinary card ga… it was Cardfold, a popular magical ga played across the Empire.
Each card had mana and were marked with glowing glyphs that changed depending on who held them.
"I understand that you t him first and all," Veyra said as she shuffled her glowing deck, her long silver hair tied lazily over one shoulder.
She placed a bright card down… 『Arcane Knight Reverse』.
It was a defensive summon. "But if he's spending ti with his won according to how he t them… doesn't that an I'll be the last?"
dusa stopped tracing her stomach and placed a glowing card onto the table as well…
『Queen of Flas』... the card released a gentle red aura.
"You shouldn't worry about that… you're married to him, after all," dusa said calmly.
That made Veyra choke mid-breath.
"I'm married, sure," she muttered, dropping another card… 『Frozen Blessing』, which countered dusa's fla. "But he barely acts like we are. Sure, we kiss and all…"
She sighed, flicking the edge of her card. "But can't he manhandle like he did the rest of you?"
Edna placed her next card quietly… 『Twilight Curse』 , it was a dark-type card that consud both of Veyra's active summons.
"Azel loves treating his won specially," Edna said with her usual patient tone as she was his first wife. "I'm sure you'll get your turn soon. I'm more worried about Lady Anya over here."
All eyes turned to the youngest among them.
Anya was sitting straight.
Her hands clutched her glowing cards nervously, her eyes darting between them as if she'd been caught doing sothing wrong.
"You might be considerably younger than us," Edna continued with a teasing smile, "but that doesn't an we'll be holding back. Everyone wants their share of Azel, so you need to fight for yours. Staying quiet won't help you, you know. Besides—"
She flicked her card onto the table, "you were supposed to be the first. You're his childhood friend."
Veyra grinned, resting her chin on her palm. "True. You should be fighting for your man. But you'll have to do it behind , because I'm doubling my efforts."
"I-I see…" Anya muttered, still red in the face.
Then, with sudden confidence, she pulled a glowing card from her hand and slamd it onto the table.
The golden aura flared brightly… 『Uno Emperor』which was a finisher card.
"I win."
"Huh?"
The other three won blinked, then leaned in.
It was true…
"That's… actually impressive," dusa said, narrowing her eyes.
"I refuse to lose like this," Veyra said, grabbing her deck again. "Another round!"
Before they could begin, the front door creaked open.
A familiar voice called out from the hallway.
"Welco ho—" Edna started, but froze as soon as she saw him. "Is that blood…?"
The rest turned, and their eyes widened in unison.
Azel stood in the doorway with his shirt half-open and his tie loosened.
There were scratches marking his chest and face.
Blood streaked across his cheek, already drying in crimson lines.
"Yes," he said casually, closing the door behind him, "but it's not mine."
He walked across the living room, taking off his uniform coat and tie.
He wiped his face clean with the tie before dropping both onto the floor.
"This damn academy is too troubleso…" he muttered, pulling off his shirt completely.
"Hubby, did anything happen?" Veyra asked softly.
"No, nothing much," Azel said, his tone too nonchalant for comfort. "I'm just trying to fight an enemy that's seemingly immortal."
That silenced the room.
He undid the buttons on his trousers and slipped them off, standing in just his black boxers as he neatly folded his clothes.
Then, almost as if the thought ca to him in that mont, he turned to Veyra.
"Would you like to help ?"
Veyra's eyes widened. Was he… serious?
Was this the mont she'd been waiting for… where he'd finally ask her to fight beside him, not just sit in safety?
"S-sure…" she stamred, smiling despite her confusion. "I'll be happy to help you."
"Can I co as well?" Anya asked, her voice sounded hopeful.
Azel nodded. "I'll need all the help I can get."
He looked toward Edna and dusa next. "It's going to be a big one… but who'll take care of Lillia and Isolde?"
"Feng ca out of his closed cultivation today," Edna replied thoughtfully. "They're asleep now, but I'm sure he can watch them."
"Good." Azel nodded once. "Then that settles it. We need to hurry then, I'll put on so casual clothes."
[Twenty Minutes Later]
The group stood on the academy's vast open field… the sa place where the first years had done their physical training earlier that day.
The sky was slowly turning amber.
"I thought you asked for our help with a fight," Veyra said, looking around the empty field.
dusa, standing beside her, nodded in agreent.
"If you fight that thing, you'll die," Azel said simply.
He walked forward, stopping at the center of the field and kneeling down.
"It adapts," he continued, pressing his palm to the ground.
A blue light spread from his hand across the grass. "It's already adjusted to ice magic. So, Veyra, your spells won't do much. The sa goes for my normal attacks."
Veyra's expression fell. "So we ca here just to watch you die, then?"
"No," he replied. "Rather you're here for sothing more important… We're setting a trap for the damn thing."
"A trap?" Veyra asked, sure they set traps over in the Winter region but why did he need their help?
"It's not an ordinary trap… We're going to turn this whole field into one."
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