Chapter 397: Welcome Back

"...Good." Zura licked her lips, clearly pleased with how the dish had turned out. She turned off the stove, served the food into bowls, carried them back to the living room, set one down for Ethea, and placed her own beside it. She sat down, picked up her utensils with an eager smile. "Let’s dig in now, shall we?"

"Zura," Ethea called out, "let’s wait a bit more."

Zura raised a brow in confusion. "Huh? Wait for what?"

"...My husband," Ethea answered, the joy in her voice impossible to miss. Her whole face brightened, the way a person’s does when something they have been waiting for is finally about to happen. "He’s coming back!"

"He is?" Zura asked dumbfounded.

"Mm!" Ethea nodded enthusiastically. "Can you bring another bowl for him?"

"..." Zura was stunned at first, but a faint smirk quickly tugged at her lips as she prepared to tease her. "You really..."

Yet, when she saw the look on Ethea’s face, the words died in her throat. Recalling how deeply Ethea had missed him throughout his long seclusion, Zura let her playful poke slide and shook her head with a fond chuckle.

"Alright, alright," Zura said, pushing her chair back and rising to her feet. "I’ll fetch another bowl."

"Thank you." Ethea smiled and turned her attention back to the door. Thanks to Eternal Bond, she could sense it when he moved away from where he had been for the past few days. And now, he was approaching rapidly in their direction.

’He must have succeeded,’ she thought, and her heart swelled with even more happiness. ’Hehe.’

Then, she began planning everything she would tell him the moment he stepped inside. First, she would greet him like a loving wife, ask if he was unharmed, and make sure everything had gone smoothly. Next, she would congratulate him properly on his breakthrough.

Most of all, she wanted to hold him close and tell him just how deeply she had missed him. But...

’Doing all that in front of Zura might be a bit too embarrassing...’

A gentle blush flushed across her cheeks at the thought. She peeked over her shoulder toward the kitchen, her fingers lightly fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve.

’No... She will understand it.’

Zura had always been perceptive and supportive, and she knew full well how much Ethea cherished every moment with Soren. Besides, feeling embarrassed over showing affection to her own husband made no sense at all.

Even if Zura teased her mercilessly later, she could easily endure it. As long as her reunion with the love of her life was sweet and sincere, nothing else mattered.

’Mm.’ Ethea nodded satisfiedly and continued to wait. Zura also returned from the kitchen carrying an extra set of tableware. She stepped over to the table and neatly arranged the bowl and utensils right beside Ethea’s right side.

"There," Zura said, straightening up with a smirk. "Satisfied now?"

"Very satisfied!" Ethea gave an eager nod.

"Good. Then let’s wait for your husband now."

They spent a few minutes exchanging small talk.

Knock... Knock...

Zura exchanged a quick glance with Ethea, and before Ethea could react, she grabbed the handles of her wheelchair, spun her around, and wheeled her straight toward the entryway.

Then, she gestured to her with her eyes, gave a thumbs-up meaning ’you can do it’, and quickly scampered back toward the dining space to leave them be.

Ethea’s lips twitched at the sudden exit, a light chuckle escaping her throat. Yet a deep wave of gratitude washed over her heart for her friend’s thoughtfulness. Drawing a soft breath, she turned her full attention toward the entryway and called out, "Come in."

The latch clicked open, and the door swung inward. A familiar face appeared in the doorway, and his eyes found hers immediately. It was none other than her dear husband, Soren.

"...I’m back, dear."

He said, his voice soft, as a tender smile crossed his lips.

"Mm..." A sweet smile bloomed across Ethea’s face, her eyes filled with endless affection. "Welcome back... darling."

They continued staring at each other before Soren stepped forward, closing the distance between them. He leaned down and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close into a warm embrace. Ethea buried her face into his shoulder, her arms wrapping close around his neck as she whispered, "I really missed you, dear."

"...I missed you too," Soren replied softly, his breath brushing against her hair.

"...Are you ok?" Ethea asked a moment later. "Nothing bad happened, right?"

"Mm, don’t worry," Soren answered. "I succeeded too."

"Mm, I believed in you," Ethea whispered, pressing her face deeper into the crook of his neck. "But... I still wanted to hear it from you."

"And now you have. Are you satisfied, dear?" Soren asked with a laugh while gently rubbing her head.

"Extremely," Ethea replied, her voice muffled against his shoulder. A content sigh escaped her lips as she leaned into his solid warmth.

They stayed like that for a moment, hugging.

Then Soren leaned back just enough to frame her cheeks with his hands, his eyes lingering on hers for a brief second before he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss started gently, but as their longing took over, it deepened into a tender, passionate embrace that made the rest of the world fade away.

When they finally parted, they rested their foreheads together, catching their breath. An amused giggle escaped Ethea’s lips, and Soren couldn’t help but chuckle along with her.

"Shall we go in?" Soren suggested.

"..." Ethea stared at him, then braced herself with her hands and leaned up to give him a quick peck on the lips. "...Mmm."

Soren took hold of the handles and wheeled her into the living room, where Zura stood waiting for them with a light flush dusting her cheeks. Soren realized with a sudden pang of amusement that he had completely forgotten to set up a sound barrier in the entryway. She had almost certainly heard their sweet exchanges and the sounds of their intimate acts.

However, since she seemed to be doing her best to pretend nothing out of the ordinary had happened, he decided to play along and act blissfully ignorant.

"Long time no see, Lady Zura," he greeted her with a polite bow.

"Welcome back, Mr. Soren." Zura smiled, though her cheeks were still a little pink. "And congratulations on your breakthrough."

"Thank you." Soren expressed his gratitude. "I’m also deeply grateful that you kept Ethea company for so long while I was away."

"Oh, please, it was nothing at all," Zura said, waving her hand dismissively with a quick smile. "Come on now, let’s eat lunch before the food gets cold."

"Right." Soren nodded with a chuckle, guiding Ethea’s wheelchair toward her spot at the dining table.

Zura pulled out her own chair and sat down, a proud grin returning to her face. "I cooked everything myself today! While it might not be as good as your cooking, please eat as much as you like."

"Then, I will gladly accept," Soren said, taking his seat. He picked up his utensils and took a thoughtful bite of the stew Zura had prepared.

Zura leaned forward slightly, watching him with anticipation. "Well? Be honest with your feedback! Don’t hold back just to be polite."

Soren swallowed the bite, pondering the flavor for a moment as he let the lingering taste settle on his palate.

"It is really delicious," Soren replied with a sincere nod. "Honestly, I think it’s not that different from a Fine Magic Meal. Though I think you went slightly light on the herbs toward the end of the simmer, which kept the mana circulation a bit mild. But purely in terms of home-cooked comfort, it is wonderful."

Zura let out a breath and beamed. "I’ll take that as a win, especially coming from you!"

"You flatter me," Soren chuckled, setting his bowl down for a second. "Furthermore, with your strong fire affinity and precise heat control, I think you have a natural talent for culinary. If you wanted, you could easily become a certified Magic Chef."

Zura’s eyes lit up for a brief second, bright with genuine surprise. Yet after a moment, she let out a quiet sigh and waved her hands in front of her face. "Ah, no, no. That sounds like way too much trouble! I am more than content with my current job at the academy. I think I will stick to cooking as a hobby for now."

She paused, took a bite, then flicked her eyes back to him with a sudden thought. "Speaking of which, I actually gave some of that food you made earlier to one of my students, and she really liked it."

Soren didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he picked up his spoon, carefully scooped up a bite, and fed it to Ethea, gently wiping away a stray trace from her lower lip. Once she swallowed with a contented hum, he turned his attention back to Zura, raising an eyebrow.

"So it worked?"