"I want to see him... Azel." Mynes stood at the hospital counter with Stella positioned next to her, both of them still catching their breath from rushing back.
After dropping Azel off at the hospital, they’d had to report imdiately to the Emperor about the situation.
The audience had taken far longer than either of them wanted, filled with questions about the red sky’s disappearance and Azel’s role in it. Now they’d finally returned, anxious to check on his condition.
"The Silver Valkyrie and other won claiming to be his wives have already taken him off." The receptionist reported in a professional tone, consulting the records in front of her. "Sir Azel was healed the mont he ca to consciousness."
Mynes’s pupil twitched involuntarily at that information.
The Silver Valkyrie was soone that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere during the fight against the monsters that descended when the red sky covered the world.
She had defeated a dragon alongside another combatant who’d been given the title "Murder Man" for his brutal efficiency.
They had achieved impressive enough feats that the Emperor himself had rewarded them with an old mansion that belonged to one of the now-extinct early families of the Empire.
And apparently, this Silver Valkyrie was claiming to be one of Azel’s wives.
"They took him away?" Stella’s voice carried a note of frustration and concern mixed together. "Just like that?"
The front door of the hospital suddenly burst open and Sybil ran inside, her usual composure completely abandoned.
"I heard Azel was here! Where is he?" She demanded breathlessly as the doors closed on their own behind her with a controlled burst of wind magic.
She had dark circles shadowing the skin under her eyes, evidence of sleepless nights spent worrying. She looked like she hadn’t rested properly in weeks.
"They said he was taken by his other wives," Mynes explained, still processing that information herself.
Then she turned back to the receptionist, rembering the others who’d fallen from the sky. "How is Mira doing?"
"Lady Mira is stable and will probably be awake by now." The receptionist checked her notes again. "They took her with them as well when they collected Sir Azel."
Mynes exchanged glances with Stella and Sybil, all three of them clearly thinking the sa thing. They needed to find out where Azel had been taken.
...
Mira’s eyes twitched as consciousness slowly returned to her. The transition from unconsciousness to awareness was gradual, like surfacing from deep water.
The last thing that she could rember with any clarity was staring directly at Bael’zaroth’s face, those crimson eyes boring into her soul then the overwhelming Death force had crushed down on her and everything had gone black as she fainted.
Her hands shook slightly as the mories flooded back. She flexed her fingers experintally, testing her body’s responses. Then she realized sothing crucial... she was no longer in the Underworld.
The oppressive Death force was completely absent from the air around her. She could finally gather aura from the surrounding environnt properly again, pulling in energy that felt clean and alive.
Which ant they were back on Earth and back in the world of the living.
"I wouldn’t recomnd moving that much." A voice spoke from nearby.
Mira turned her head and saw a silver-haired woman in an immaculate maid dress standing over her bedside. Next to the maid stood Irielle, looking much better than the last ti Mira had seen her.
"Oh Mira, how do you feel now?" Irielle asked with genuine concern in her voice.
Mira blinked at her forr companion before letting out a long sigh of relief. "I feel fine, all things considered."
She took a mont to assess her body more thoroughly.
"Where are we exactly?"
"We’re currently in Master’s house." Irielle replied while spinning in a small twirl, her mood noticeably lighter than it had been in the Underworld. "Master’s wives are so kind-hearted... I absolutely love them already."
Mira sighed again, processing that information. She rembered that Azel had several wives, not that she minded the arrangent particularly, as long as she was treated properly and with respect.
’I shouldn’t be thinking about this right now...’ She thought with a ntal shake, feeling her cheeks turning pink despite her situation then she looked up at the silver-haired maid standing over her with an appraising expression.
"What do you want to do to ...?" Mira asked cautiously.
"You’re coming directly from the Underworld and the residual energy has seeped deep into your body." Anya’s tone was matter-of-fact and professional. "My Prince said it was very poisonous to living beings, so I have to expel it from you as soon as possible before it causes permanent damage."
"If Azel said so... That’s who your prince is, right?" Mira asked.
Anya nodded.
"Then I guess it’s fine." Mira relaxed slightly, trusting Azel’s judgnt on magical matters, after that she turned her attention back to Irielle, rembering the others who’d been with them. "Is everyone okay? Including Rene?"
Both Irielle and Anya’s expressions imdiately grew sad, their faces falling in unison. Mira felt her stomach drop as she understood that sothing terrible had happened to the boy.
"We weren’t conscious for it, but Master said that the devil... ate Rene." Irielle’s voice was barely above a whisper.
Mira’s eyes widened in shock and horror. Veins popped up visibly on her arms as rage and sorrow surged through her, though they faded shortly after as she forced herself to calm down.
"... I see. Rene sacrificed himself to save us." She muttered, trying to process the information.
It wouldn’t be the first ti that a child had died in the line of duty or in the chaos of battle. The world was saved from whatever catastrophe the red sky represented, but at what cost? A young boy was dead, consud by a devil.
Although she had only first t Rene when he and Azel had co to collect her for the Underworld mission, she’d beco attached to that innocent child during their journey. His curiosity, his bravery despite his fear and his determination to help.
’I’m a Knight Captain so I can’t cry in front of others...’ She thought while desperately holding in her tears, forcing them back through sheer willpower.
Anya raised one hand over Mira’s face, holding a piece of special paper that began to glow with soft light. Sothing began seeping out of Mira’s body in response to the magic.
Mira could see it with her own eyes... darkness literally seeping out through her skin like black oil, drawn toward the paper. The more of the corrupted energy that left her system, the more she felt at ease.
Her breathing beca easier and her muscles felt less tense.
Anya maintained the spell for a full minute before finally pulling her hand back and folding the now-blackened paper carefully.
"We’re done with the extraction." Anya said professionally, then bowed respectfully before turning toward the door. "Lady Mira... you’re free to stay here in this mansion as long as you want. I was told Master was hurt and went to the Capital quickly the mont he heard that you were in danger, so I want you to know that Master cherishes you deeply."
That simple statent made Mira’s cheeks heat up with a blush she couldn’t suppress. Before she could formulate any kind of response to that revelation, the bedroom door opened.
A little girl with vibrant purple hair stepped inside, carrying a tray with drinks.
"Papa said I should give the drinks to the three of you." Lillia announced with a wide smile that seed to light up her entire face.
She hadn’t smiled like this genuinely in all the months when Azel was gone. The joy of having him back was written clearly across her features.
Anya imdiately snagged one of the cups from the tray and examined it.
"It’s orange juice," she observed, then sipped carefully through the straw. Her eyes widened slightly. "It tastes very sweet."
Lillia grinned with obvious pride as she walked in Mira’s direction. "Of course it is! , Papa, Lysandra and Raphael all made it together as a family."
Mira watched Lillia approach with the tray extended toward her. The girl’s excitent was infectious and endearing. Mira took one of the offered cups.
"This girl looks so cute... I wonder if this is how our child will look soday." Mira muttered the thought aloud without thinking, then imdiately blushed as she realized what she’d said.
Lillia’s pupils widened dramatically at those words.
"Ah, not yet though..." Lillia said seriously, shaking her head. "I just got a new brother and sister recently... besides, it’s Mama Veyra’s turn to have a baby next. After that will be Mama Anya’s turn."
Upon hearing that casual announcent, Anya visibly blushed while drinking down the entire contents of her cup in one long pull.
She didn’t deny the statent at all... she genuinely wanted her Prince to give her a child. However, in the presence of these other beautiful won, she really didn’t feel like she stood much of a chance at catching his romantic attention.
Instead of dwelling on those thoughts, she quickly excused herself and ran off, closing the door behind her.
’What a lively family...’ Mira thought with a mixture of amusent and slight bewildernt. ’But they’re actually taking organized turns at getting pregnant? When will it get to my turn in this rotation?’
The thought made her blush deepen even as Lillia walked over to Irielle with the last cup.
"Papa specially made this one for you. See, it even has your na on it." Lillia grinned and pointed to the side of the cup where "Irielle" was written in careful letters.
Irielle looked at the personalized cup with obvious delight and took it carefully, drinking down the juice imdiately with appreciation.
"I love my Master so much~" She declared happily.
"Hey, I love my papa too~" Lillia responded with equal enthusiasm.
Then suddenly, Lillia’s expression changed as she set down the tray and collected the first two empty cups. Her deanor shifted from playful to attentive.
"Papa’s calling . It was nice to et you properly, Lady Mira." She said respectfully, her manners impeccable despite her young age.
Right in front of their watching eyes, Lillia disappeared completely, vanishing with a soft displacent of air.
...
There were several firm knocks on the front door of the mansion. Azel sat in the main living area with Raphael and Lysandra clinging to him like small koalas, their arms wrapped around his sides and their faces pressed against him.
They were being incredibly clingy even though he’d already promised multiple tis that he wouldn’t be leaving them again. He understood their behavior completely though.
Well, he couldn’t bla them for their attachnt. If he was a child and his father had appeared for the first ti since the day he was born, then vanished for two entire months, of course he would remain clingy and refuse to let go.
Lillia appeared next to him in a shimr of teleportation magic. The two children imdiately stiffened at her arrival, recognizing her magical presence.
"Lillia, can you make them stand properly for a mont?" Azel asked gently. "I need to answer the door."
Lillia waved one hand and her mana surrounded both Raphael and Lysandra in a gentle grip. They stopped clinging to Azel’s sides and floated briefly through the air before being set down standing beside her.
Raphael looked as if he was about to tear up at being separated from his father. Lysandra’s lower lip trembled with the sa threat of tears.
Azel imdiately patted both of their heads with warm affection and smiled reassuringly at them.
"I’m just going to the door, okay? You can see from here the entire ti." He explained patiently, making sure they understood. "I’m not leaving. I promise."
He stood up slowly and walked toward the entrance, keeping his movents calm and unhurried so they wouldn’t panic.
He had to admit to himself that they were even more adorable now than when they were tiny babies. Their personalities were starting to show through clearly.
Gwendolyn floated invisibly at his side, her ghostly presence undetectable to everyone except Azel. She was wishing desperately that she could materialize and tug on these babies’ cheeks... they were just so impossibly cute.
’You said this was your family mansion, right...?’ Azel thought toward her as he crossed the room.
"Yes, exactly." Gwendolyn nodded at his side even though no one else could see the gesture. "This is my family’s ancestral mansion and all the secrets of my advanced magic as well as our accumulated money and other valuable resources are hidden here sowhere... we’ll have to find so ti to search it thoroughly and claim everything."
’I see.’ Azel acknowledged as he reached the door and grasped the handle. ’Later tonight then, after the children are asleep...’
His body still trembled involuntarily when he thought about Rene and what had happened.
The image of the boy being consud was seared into his mory but he had to stay strong since he was currently with the children... the breakdown at the hospital had been enough. They didn’t need to see him cry again and add to their worries.
He opened the door.
"Oh—" He didn’t finish whatever greeting he’d been planning to say.
Stella imdiately grabbed his face and dragged it downward, making sure it pressed firmly against her motherly breasts. The action surprised both Sybil and Mynes who were standing behind her.
"Do you know how worried you made ...?" Stella’s voice carried genuine emotion as she pulled him into a tight hug. "I may be a mother already, but it’s still not right to play with a woman’s heart like this, you know."
Stella then tilted his face upward gently until she could look directly into his eyes. In those crimson depths, she could see profound sadness that hadn’t been there before.
It was clear that the trip to the Underworld had been deeply traumatic for him in ways he wasn’t fully expressing.
"I missed you so much."
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