Chapter 135: Reunited Once Again
Edna woke up on his bed, her lashes fluttering as the first pale glow of morning filtered through the curtains.
Her eyes snapped open, and she yawned softly, stretching in the warmth of the thick blankets.
She instinctively reached to the side, her fingers brushing against the empty sheets.
A small frown tugged at her lips.
Azel wasn’t there.
Again.
She groaned and collapsed back against the pillow, letting her hand linger on the cool space where his body should have been.
’I miss him so much...’
It had been like this for the past three days.
Empty mornings, empty sheets, and an ache in her chest that refused to go away.
She hadn’t realized until now how hard it would be to live without him beside her.
The nights had been the worst — where she lay awake, remembering his warmth, the sound of his voice, the way his hand absentmindedly sought hers even in sleep.
She bit her lip, blinking back the sting in her eyes.
She had thrown herself into study to distract herself by practicing spell formations until her mana almost dried out.
She’d learned a lot of spells these last few days.
She wanted to show him, to prove she wasn’t just waiting idly while he risked his life.
"Fuck..." she muttered under her breath, burying her face into her hands. "I don’t want to be too childish but — today’s the day he’s returning, right?"
Her heart fluttered at the thought.
Turning over, she glanced at the small bundle beside her.
Lillia was sleeping soundly, her small hands tucked under her cheek, her lips parted slightly as she breathed softly.
A faint, dreamy smile lingered on her face.
"Papa..." the little girl murmured in her sleep, voice full of longing.
Edna’s chest tightened.
Right.
She wasn’t the only one missing him.
The morning after Azel left had been chaos.
Lillia had woken up to find him gone, and her reaction had been nothing short of explosive.
Tears, stomping feet, clinging desperately to Edna’s skirt while screaming that she wanted her papa.
For a terrifying moment, Edna had been certain her daughter would actually attempt a teleportation spell on her own.
If not for the fact that Azel was far, far beyond her current reach, she might have succeeded.
But finally — finally today he would return.
She sat up, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, and stood.
Her muscles stretched with relief, her body still humming faintly with mana from last night’s practice.
"Today," she whispered to herself, smiling softly. "Today will be different."
She dressed quickly and stepped into the hallway.
The mansion was already awake.
A few maids bustled past carrying trays and linens, their heads bowed respectfully.
"Please," Edna said gently, stopping one of the maids, "can I see Father-in-law?"
The girl’s eyes lit up immediately, her expression brightening.
"Of course, my lady." She bobbed a curtsy and quickly led her down the grand staircase, her shoes clicking lightly against the steps.
They reached one of the side rooms.
The heavy door was half open, voices filtering out from within.
Inside, Azariah stood tall, his silver hair gleaming in the morning light, his tone calm yet commanding as he conversed with another person.
The moment his eyes landed on her, his stern features softened into warmth.
"Ah," he said, spreading his arms slightly, "welcome, daughter-in-law. Will you accompany me? They’re coming back."
That was all she needed to hear.
Her heart leapt, joy surging through her chest so fiercely she could barely contain herself.
She nodded quickly, barely holding back a squeal of excitement, and turned on her heel.
She practically ran upstairs like a giddy girl, her skirts swishing around her legs.
...
Not long after, they stood near the gates.
Snow crunched faintly underfoot, the wintry air brushing against their cheeks.
Azariah stood tall as always, his presence radiating quiet authority, while Edna tried — and failed to contain her restlessness.
Beside her, Lillia tugged impatiently at her hand, bouncing on her toes.
Both of them were dressed finely, their gowns woven with threads of silver and blue, their hair brushed and gleaming in the morning light.
Edna had insisted on looking her best. For him.
Finally, the platform before them began to glow.
Brilliant blue light rippled across its surface, shimmering like water, vibrating the air.
Lillia’s eyes widened in delight — and in the blink of an eye, her small figure vanished, sucked into the light.
Edna nearly cursed aloud.
’This girl... he’s spoiling her too much.’
Her lips pressed together as she bit back a groan.
She loved her daughter dearly, but sometimes Lillia was just as reckless as Azel.
Still, deep down, Edna couldn’t deny it — she wanted that spell for herself.
The ability to simply teleport into his arms whenever she missed him? That would be paradise.
The glow intensified before finally fading, and silhouettes began to form.
Azel stood there at the front, alongside the Furious Five, with Medusa and Anya at their flanks.
His figure was unmistakable.
Her heart nearly stopped.
Her eyes swept over him in an instant.
His body bore scratches, faint red lines across his skin, but he didn’t seem bothered.
He was shirtless.
Her cheeks heated instantly.
’He’s more muscular than before...’
The contours of his chest, the ridges of muscle across his stomach — he looked stronger than when he left.
And then her eyes narrowed.
The only woman among the Furious Five was looking at him with... something in her gaze, a teasing grin pulling at her lips.
They were joking around, laughing together, and Edna’s stomach twisted.
She didn’t like it.
Not one bit.
But all of them fell silent the moment she stepped forward.
Azel’s eyes landed on her, and warmth spread through his face.
"Hey lo—"
The snow beneath his feet hardened, shifting sharply and making him stagger.
And before he could regain his balance, she captured his lips in a fierce kiss.
"Lucky bastard..." Julius muttered in the background, his voice flat with annoyance.
Then his body flickered, vanishing away into the shadows.
Edna didn’t care.
She pulled back, her arms wrapping around Azel tightly, pressing her face against his chest.
Above, Lillia had already claimed her seat on his shoulders, tiny arms squeezing his head with all the love of a child reunited.
"I missed you..." Edna whispered, her voice breaking slightly as her heart finally began to beat in rhythm again.
The others, to their credit, gave the family some space. Well — most of them.
"Heya~" Veyra’s sultry voice rang out.
Azel froze. His head throbbed. A headache incoming.
"Hey," Edna grumbled darkly, her eyes flicking toward the newcomer.
This unknown woman was undeniably beautiful — and worse, undeniably confident.
More curves, more glamour, more allure.
Edna felt her insecurity spark, hot and ugly as she subconsciously looked at herself.
"I’m his wife," she said firmly, her tone sharper than she intended. "We do this all the time."
Veyra’s expression faltered for just a second before she smoothed it over with a sly smile.
Her gaze slid deliberately to Azel.
"I’m afraid," she purred, hugging her arms across her chest, "that your husband saw me naked. And I want him to take responsibility."
Edna’s eyes widened.
She whipped her head toward Azel, catching the exact moment he averted his gaze.
Her jaw dropped.
"Pervert," she grumbled, her cheeks flaming as she punched him squarely in the stomach.
He wheezed, staggering slightly. "It was a mistake!" he protested quickly, his hands raised.
She was about to argue when another presence silenced them.
Azariah stepped forward, his commanding aura instantly drawing attention.
His eyes, sharp and proud, fixed on Azel.
"Welcome home, my son," he said, his deep voice rumbling through the air. "How was your mission?"