Even though Isa and I convinced Mia to rest, she still insisted on at least taking one of the emergency yard’s beds.

She also had me keep her company until she’d fallen asleep, which I was glad to do.

Mia being so needy raised a few questions, and as expected, she had ulterior motives.

Though they weren’t exactly what I was expecting...

Mia: "...I heard you talking with the others downstairs, yesterday."

Considering she was on such high alert, that wasn’t too much of a surprise, but still...

Mia: "Are you not going with your father?"

The bed’s curtains gave us just enough privacy for Mia to show the tenderness only I was allowed to see.

As we lay together, she seemed to enjoy running a finger across my chest. Sometimes, she’d have the entire palm of her hand on it.

She’d often tell me that feeling my warmth calmed her down.

Miwen: "I’m not good with funerals."

While Anna and the girls managed to save Michaela, Ceres had already killed her other prisoner from Alpha Team by the time they arrived.

Fearing a propaganda hit, the government wanted to classify his death, but Father threatened to leave the team altogether if they weren’t allowed to inform the family.

Piper was shouting the same thing into her phone, while Alex and James went to their contact personally.

In the end, they got permission not only to inform the family, but also to hold a small memorial ceremony.

That meant travelling to another state, though...

Mia: "...Is there anything I can do for you?"

Even though she wasn’t drowsy before, Mia’s stare was at its most focused when reading my expression.

She wasn’t hiding it, either.

The worry in her voice and her gentle demeanor were far from her usual self.

Seeing that honest side she’d usually fight stubbornly against brought a tranquil smile to my face.

Miwen: "...Not really?"

Caressing her head didn’t seem to make her pout any less.

Mia: "I am your wife, Miwen..."

She brushed my arm aside, holding my hand against the bed while stroking my hair.

Only then did I notice.

Her other arm wasn’t just resting against my upper arm. She had it pinned down.

Mia: "I know you’re hurting."

My heart beat faster.

Even though her eyes were incomparably more gentle than during our first time, her intense gaze preyed on me.

Miwen: "I’ll be fine, Mia..."

She furrowed her brows, sharpening her stare even more.

Slowly, she moved her legs until her entire body was resting on mine.

Mia: "When I lost my mother... Both times you were there for me..."

She relaxed her body, releasing my arms.

With a small, reserved smile, she reached for my ear.

Mia: "I know Licia is better than me at this stuff, but she’s hurt and... I want you to rely on me, too."

Her arms wrapped around my back.

Mia: "I would do anything for you."

Her smile grew wider.

But not with expectation, or desire.

Just a comforting warmth.

Miwen: "How much did you plan on resting for?"

Mia: "Three hours."

I stopped my caressing hands and, with a stern look on my face, pinched her cheek.

Like an angry puppy, she wrinkled her nose, making a playful sour face.

Miwen: "Let’s make it four?"

Seeing her cute face, I couldn’t resist rubbing my nose against hers.

Though a little surprised at first, it didn’t take long for her to do the same.

Mia: "...Hnm. I guess I could do four."

Underneath the warm blankets, we cuddled until finally, Mia fell asleep.

After one last kiss, I got out of bed and checked on Isa.

I also updated her on Mia’s plans, saying she wanted an extension.

Isa definitely saw through me, but she said nothing, cheekily nodding her head.

Downstairs, the girls asked if I was going to stay with them today, but as much as I wanted to, I had somewhere else I needed to be.

Agatha helped me outside, warning me to be careful about the ongoing storm.

While the sky was still grey, the lightning at least seemed to have calmed down. Most of the cracks I could see were concentrated around the forest area.

Their intensity, though...

It was a little concerning, but I remained hopeful that Cassandra would soon get Liz back on her feet.

Still, it was interesting to see the Snow White Wolves leaving their homes and working even in this weather.

If anything, seeing how many of them lined up in front of the Guild to trade items and claim quest rewards with Olivia made it seem like they enjoyed it more than the bright, breezy days I usually selected in my system.

Even though it wasn’t in my plans, I offered Olivia some help.

However, she seemed to have it under control, and not wanting to deal with paperwork, I left it at that and headed to the mansion where Albert waited for me.

Albert: "Isabella wasn’t in her room this morning."

We met on the balcony at the end of the corridor leading to Isa’s room.

Leaning on the railing, he adjusted his glasses, looking at the horizon.

Miwen: "I told you to leave it to me."

Joining him, I noticed he had his eyes on the training ground.

I thought I’d find Lenard there, but no matter how much my eyes searched, I couldn’t see him.

Albert: "...I’m in your debt, yet again."

Miwen: "If you wanna thank me, you could pick one of the Snow White Wolves to marry."

I spoke half-jokingly, expecting him to give the annoyed side-eye.

And yet, his response instantly piqued my interest.

Albert: "Actually..."

Miwen: "Oh?"

A slight grin appeared on my face.

As I turned around, I saw Albert pointing his finger at the training ground, where a few of Mia’s tribesmen were training.

Miwen: "Oh..."

His finger pointed to a certain short-haired, rebellious Snow White Wolf.

She was currently fighting against two others, and it didn’t seem like she was going to lose.

Miwen: "Eira, huh? I thought you’d be more interested in someone like Olivia or Agatha."

Albert: "They are certainly great women too, but it’s her spirit that has captivated me."

There was a lot I wanted to say, but considering I had just been with Mia, I was in no position to judge.

If anything, I understood what he meant more than I’d like to admit.

Miwen: "Who would’ve thought she’d be so popular..."

Albert: "What do you mean by that?"

My tongue slipped.

I wanted to root for Albert, or rather, for babies, but...

There was a big obstacle in his way.

Lenard, his own brother, had also told me he had grown to like Eira’s rebelliousness and determination.

They’d eventually figure it out, and I certainly wasn’t interested in taking sides, so for the time being, I told him the same thing I said to his brother.

Miwen: "I was thinking of taming her myself. But that saves me-"

Albert: "Tame her?"

As I expected, his response was the same as Lenard’s.

It surprised me to see him lose his composure just as much as Lenard, but from their perspective, that was a natural response.

However, after experiencing what marriage means to the Snow White Wolves firsthand, I couldn’t put it in a better way.

Miwen: "Yeah... See..."

When I explained the Wolves’ customs to Lenard, he ended up slightly flustered, but also quite fired up about his chances.

Albert, on the other hand, was completely flustered.

I enjoyed every second of his awkward smile, up until we parted ways.

Albert: "...Before I go, there’s one thing I should tell you."

Miwen: "...Hm?"

He turned around, landing a hand on my shoulder.

Albert: "You’re important to Isabella."

Miwen: "You’ve already said that-"

Albert: "So take care of yourself. And if you need a hand... Well, I owe you."

I said nothing.

Understanding what that meant, Albert turned away and left.

Miwen: "So it’s that obvious, huh..."

I looked at the clinic from the balcony, but...

I was afraid of going back.

Every second I spent around the girls, I could feel my control slipping away.

The worst part was that I knew they could tell, too.

And worrying them like that...

I wasn’t willing.

So, I decided to retreat somewhere.

I just needed some time.

Then, I’d be able to endure a little longer.

Just like that, the walls of the Kingdom and even Agatha’s clinic disappeared from my sight, replaced by the windows of Alpha Team’s penthouse.

With no one inside, the entire living room was caught in complete darkness and silence.

Except for the light coming from the TV and the classic 8-bit sounds from Piper’s game.

Miwen: "...You didn’t go with them?"

She was slouching on the couch, mashing buttons while downing a bottle.

Her eyes just briefly glanced at me, widened in surprise at my sudden appearance in the room, and then returned to the game.

Piper: "I sent a clone."

I approached the sofa, the TV light flashing on our faces.

Miwen: "...But you were shouting so much, though?"

Piper: "Yeah, it felt great."

When I sat by her side, I noticed her bra sticking out of her unbuttoned shirt.

Piper: "...What? Oh. Whatever. Nothing you haven’t seen before, am I right?"

We had taken so many baths together that something like this didn’t even faze us.

However, that was also quite a familiar sight.

Whenever my parents would come back from a difficult raid, with one less member in their party than when they left, and Piper visited...

I’d wake up in the dead of the night, only to see her drunk in a similar disheveled state.

Sometimes, she’d be even worse...

Miwen: "Why didn’t you go?"

Piper: "I’m not good with funerals."

...I reached for one of her beers.

Piper: "I thought you said you’d be busy with your girls?"

Miwen: "...They are stronger than me."

Piper raised her brows and walked towards the console, turning it off before turning another on.

Miwen: "Had enough?"

She was struggling a lot, getting a game over almost every minute.

Piper: "You feel like playing too, right?"

Miwen: "I guess."

I didn’t know exactly what I wanted.

But drinking and playing games with her sounded nice.

Piper: "I was surprised, you know?"

Miwen: "...About?"

Piper: "You."

She wasn’t looking my way, so I thought it wasn’t important, but...

There was a small pause in her voice that caught my attention.

Piper: "...Remember how many times I had to go to a school to represent your parents? Whenever something happened to Maya... You were never good at holding back."

Miwen: "Hah... You’re one to talk."

Most of the time, she ended up getting me into even more trouble, picking fights with other kids’ parents, teachers, or any principal who dared say anything about Maya and me.

Piper: "Good times."

Miwen: "No way."

We were struggling a lot with a game we were good at.

Yet, for some reason, we didn’t feel like turning down the difficulty.

Miwen: "...How’s Mika?"

Piper: "I need to save some mana, in case of an attack, but..."

When the girls found Mika, she was on the brink of death.

It was a miracle that she’d survived, and nothing less than another miracle would save her.

Piper: "She’ll be fine. Maybe a week or two from now... I can work on your friends as well."

Miwen: "That would mean making you a citizen, though."

I brushed against her arm, causing her to miss her shot.

Piper: "What? You’re saying I can’t visit!?"

She let go of her controller just to push me off the sofa.

Miwen: "Pfft. Stop!"

She kept pushing me around!

It was annoying me so much that I...

Miwen: "...You’re welcome to visit anytime, you know? I’d be glad to have you."

Piper: "Hmph! You’d better."

I knew not to give her the reaction that she wanted, so I put on my best poker face.

Miwen: "Thanks, Pip."

Piper: "...For?"

Miwen: "I don’t know. Being who you are, I guess..."

She knocked the back of my head.

Then, she pulled me to her lap.

Piper: "Shut up, yeah?"

Miwen: "Right."

She never liked being thanked.

She didn’t ask anything. Didn’t bring the topic up again.

She just caressed my head with one hand, and either played with the other, or drank another bottle.

I also didn’t say anything.

I wasn’t sure what I was looking for, but that night...

I felt that I should stop searching and just...

Stay.

Just the two of us, like it had been so many nights in the past.