"You don’t need to apologise to me, you know?" She said softly, but Austin shook his head in response.

"I want to. So I’m going to."

Hearing this, Nora was quiet again for a moment.

Then a small smile found its way onto her face as she kissed him softly.

Austin smiled and kissed her back before continuing. "I also want to talk to Ophelia."

"Ophelia? About what?" Nora’s brow lifted slightly.

"About building a mansion. Here in Rowena’s territory." Austin explained before saying more.

"I’ve already spoken to Rowena about it and she has no problem with it at all. But Ophelia is based in the capital and she has connections there that I don’t have. So I believe the best builders and architects in the kingdom are in the capital, and I’m going to need someone who knows who to trust and who to avoid in situations like this."

Nora listened carefully as he explained further, her eyes remaining focused on his face the whole time.

"Also, once the mansion is built, I would be happy if the wedding to happen in our home and not someone else’s."

Nora nodded slowly as she took it all in.

Then she was quiet for a moment before asking. "Have you told Rowena yet?"

Austin tilted his head. "Told her what?"

Nora looked at him with a calm look as she replied softly. "About the feelings you have for her."

Austin stared at her.

"What? How does that relate to what I was talking about?"

"You heard me, hubby."

Austin placed a palm on his face as he replied with a nod. "Yes, I heard, but....." Austin sighed softly before turning back to her to ask. "So, you knew?"

"Of course I knew. Anyone could see how happy you got whenever you spent time with her, and they could certainly see the way you smiled around her as well."

Austin opened his mouth in surprise before closing it again.

He never could have imagined his feelings were so openly and easily understood by people seeing him together with Rowena.

"Since when have you known?" Austin asked carefully.

Nora thought about it for a second before replying. "Um, since the first day we came to offer her a deal."

"That long?" Austin stared at her. "But how did you even..."

"Hubby was staring at her chest a little too much, and that told me everything I needed to know." Nora said matter-of-factly.

But Austin went very still.

Then he pressed a hand over his face. "I’m sorry, my love. I didn’t realise."

"It’s fine, hubby. I like her a lot and I know she likes you too. Besides, she’s my sister and I would be happy if the three of us could have that wedding together."

Hearing what his wife had said, Austin lowered his hand and looked at Nora.

From what he had found out about this world, he knew that not every man had more than one wife.

Of course, it was certainly possible to have and even marry more than one wife, but it remained uncommon enough that many still raised eyebrows at the idea.

Yet his wife, without hesitation and without bitterness, was telling him she wanted exactly that.

"How did I get so lucky with you." Austin said quietly, and Nora’s cheeks went pink as she leaned forward to press her lips softly against his. "You’re wrong, hubby. I’m the one who is the most lucky girl here."

And just like that, another Cupid’s arrow had found its way onto Austin’s chest, and he didn’t waste a second before saying.

"Come here, you."

Austin instantly pulled the sheets up over both their heads and Nora’s laughter quickly filled the darkness beneath them.

But it didn’t take too long for her laughter to turn into something else entirely.

A few days after that, Austin, Rowena, and Ophelia were seated together in a quiet private room in the mansion.

On the low table between them sat six cups, two for each of them.

Each cup was filled with a sweet liquid that caught the afternoon light in a way that made it look almost too pretty to drink.

One cup was filled with strawberry juice and the other with cantaloupe juice.

The two fruits were the newest addition to Elmfield’s farmlands, introduced by Austin not long ago, and they had been tended carefully under his supervision since then.

It had taken a little experimenting and the very willing help of the mansion’s maids alongside Legolas and Elena before Austin had finally found a way to turn them into something drinkable.

Now, the result had been worth every bit of the effort.

Moving on, Ophelia reached forward and lifted her strawberry juice first, bringing it to her lips and taking a long, slow sip.

She set the cup down.

Then she let out a satisfied moan as she closed her eyes briefly before opening them again with a pleased look on her face.

"This..... This is extraordinary." The stunning dark elf muttered to herself before turning to look across the table at Austin with bright and appreciative eyes. "Every time you produce something, it manages to outdo the last thing you’ve done. How do you do it?"

Austin smiled and replied. "I just try to be productive, that’s all."

"Productive, huh." Ophelia repeated, as though she found the modesty slightly offensive.

But then she smiled too, with a wide and warm grin before saying. "You know, I say this every time I visit, but I am genuinely so glad you walked into my niece’s life."

Of course, Rowena was seated beside her aunt, so she definitely heard what Ophelia said, causing her to smile softly and quietly at her cup.

Meanwhile, Ophelia took another sip before setting her juice down and folding her hands together on the table with a calm look on her face.

"So." She said, looking at Austin with gleaming eyes.

"What is it that you wanted to see me about today? Could it be that you’re here to ask for my permission to marry my niece?"