Chapter 764:Warm Sweet Home

Chapter 764: 764:Warm Sweet Home

By the time Ethan reached the main building, the quiet atmosphere of the estate had started to feel less heavy.

The familiar sight of the large hall, the old furniture, the paintings on the walls, and the warm lights made him feel like he had finally returned to a place where he did not need to remain alert every second. The moment he stepped through the doors, several servants immediately noticed him. For a few seconds, nobody moved. They simply stared at him as if they were afraid that they were seeing things.

Then one of them widened his eyes.

"Lord Ethan..."

The words were barely a whisper, but they quickly spread through the hall.

"Lord Ethan is back!"

Several servants hurried forward, their faces filled with relief, but Ethan raised his hand with a gentle smile. "Don’t make a fuss. I told you all to prepare quietly." The servants stopped and exchanged relieved smiles. Some of them even bowed their heads while trying to hide their happiness.

"Yes, my Lord."

Ethan looked around the familiar hall. Nothing had really changed. The same furniture was in its place. The same paintings decorated the walls, and the warm smell coming from the kitchen reminded him of all the ordinary days he had spent here. He had spent so long surrounded by death, blood and tension that even the simple warmth of his own home felt precious.

Then he heard hurried footsteps coming from the corridor.

"Ethan!"

Sophia appeared first. She had clearly been moving quickly because her hair was slightly messy. The moment she saw him standing in the hall, she stopped for half a second as if making sure that he was actually there. Her eyes quickly turned moist, and all the worry she had been carrying for the past few days seemed to disappear at once.

Then she rushed toward him.

"Ethan!"

She threw herself into his arms. Ethan caught her and wrapped his arms around her as Sophia buried her face against his chest and held onto him tightly.

"You finally came back..."

Her voice was soft and slightly shaky.

Ethan gently rubbed her back.

"I’m back."

Those two simple words seemed to be enough. Sophia remained in his arms for a while without saying anything. She simply held him tightly and listened to his heartbeat. After worrying for so long, she finally had proof that he was standing in front of her safely.

Soon, the others came rushing into the hall. Lia, Diana, Claire, Amber, Rina, Regalina and the rest of the women stopped when they saw Ethan. For a moment, they simply stared at him, but the next moment, they all moved forward. Ethan barely had time to react before several of them surrounded him and hugged him tightly from different sides.

"Wait..."

Ethan’s body was almost trapped between them.

"You really came back."

"Are you injured?"

"Did something happen to you?"

"Why didn’t you inform us about coming back?"

Everyone spoke at almost the same time, and Ethan could barely keep up with the questions. Sophia still had her arms around him while Amber held onto one of his arms. Diana and Claire stood close beside him, and Rina gently touched his shoulder as she carefully looked over him.

"Are you injured?" Rina asked again, her voice carrying clear worry.

"I’m fine."

"Are you sure?" Amber asked.

"I’m sure."

"Really?"

"Yes."Ethan asked with a helpless expression.

Rina narrowed her eyes slightly.

"You always say that. Let me look at you properly."

She carefully checked his arms and shoulders before finally letting out a small breath of relief. "You don’t seem to have any serious injuries."

Ethan smiled.

"I told you all that I would come back."

Rina looked at him for a moment before her expression softened.

"I know. But knowing that and actually seeing you standing here are two different things."

Her words made Ethan quiet for a moment.

Regalina stood slightly behind the others. She had not joined them because she felt a little odd seeing everyone surround Ethan like this. Unlike the others, she was not married to him, and she did not know whether she should step forward or give them some space. She simply looked at Ethan carefully before her tense expression finally relaxed.

"You don’t look injured."

Ethan noticed her and smiled.

"I told you all that I would come back."

Regalina nodded softly.

"We were still worried."

"I know."

Ethan looked at everyone standing around him. There were tired faces, relieved smiles, and a few people who were clearly trying not to show how worried they had been. Seeing all of them standing here made something warm spread through his chest. He had been through countless battles.

He had stood against Emperors, demons and beings from Hell. He had even seen another version of himself descend from the future. Yet none of those moments gave him the same feeling as standing here.

This was home.

This was where he could finally lower his guard.

A soft voice suddenly came from behind the group.

Lia slowly walked toward him and looked at him for a moment before gently touching his head.

"You’ve grown stronger again."

Ethan smiled slightly.

"So you noticed?"

"Of course I noticed."

Her hand remained on his head for another moment before she sighed.

"But strength is not everything. You should also remember to come home alive."

Ethan’s smile became softer.

"Are you plastering my own dialogue on me?"

Lia nodded.

"Good."

She stepped aside and allowed the others to approach him again. Rina gave Ethan another gentle look before asking, "Where are the children?"

"They are at the back," one of the women answered.

Rina nodded. "We haven’t revealed to them that you are back yet."

Ethan raised his brows.

"You want me to give them a surprise?"

He asked with a smile.

Rina smiled back.

"Yes. Most of them have grown quite a lot while you were away. The newly born ones haven’t seen you yet, and the ones in the middle are still quite few."

Ethan’s expression softened.

"I should go see them later."

"You should," Rina said. "They have been asking about you."

Sophia immediately grabbed Ethan’s arm and pulled him toward the dining room.

"You must be hungry."

Before Ethan could finish, Sophia pointed toward the table.

"We prepared everything after hearing that you were coming back."

Ethan looked at the table. There was already a large meal prepared. Steam rose from several dishes, and the familiar smell filled the room. The sight alone made him stop for a moment.

He stared at the food and then laughed softly.

"You really prepared all this?"

"Of course."

Sophia proudly placed a bowl in front of him.

"You haven’t eaten properly for days, have you?"

Ethan paused. He could not deny it. He was an avid food lover and liked to eat delicious food, but on the battlefield, the food was really simple. It was prepared only to keep them alive and provide enough nutrition. His taste had grown numb from chewing boiled meat and drinking simple soups for so many days.

Sophia immediately gave him a look.

"I knew it."

Rina sat nearby and pushed another dish toward him.

"Everyone helped. We just wanted you to have something warm when you came back."

Ethan looked at the food again, and a small smile appeared on his face.

"Thank you."

Rina shook her head.

"You don’t need to thank us for something like this."

Sophia placed another dish in front of him.

"Just eat."

Ethan picked up his chopsticks and took a bite. The familiar taste made his expression relax almost immediately. After spending so many days eating simple battlefield food, the meal felt almost like a reward.

"Is it good?"Sophia asked.

Ethan nodded while continuing to eat.

"Very good."

Sophia smiled proudly.

"I knew you would like it."