Chapter 215: Two Days Without Worries

"Wake me up in three hours," Lily announced, dropping her head onto the breakfast table.

Maki looked at her. "You’re already awake."

"Then wake me up again in three hours."

"You cannot wake up while you’re awake."

Lily closed her eyes. "Watch me."

Reinhard laughed as Lily pretended to sleep while scrolling through her phone.

Maki glanced at the screen. "You’ve bookmarked six water parks."

"Advanced research," Lily replied.

Emily noticed something unusual. "Maki, you haven’t planned our entire morning."

Maki calmly ate another bite. "I’ve decided an unscheduled morning is surprisingly pleasant."

Everyone stared at her.

Reinhard placed a hand over his chest. "I’m witnessing a historical event."

Lily raised her phone. "Should we record it?"

"No," Maki replied firmly.

Reinhard chuckled. "Let’s keep today simple. Everyone can choose what they want to do until dinner."

Emily wanted the beach, Yuna preferred another coastal walk, and Lily wanted to explore the resort’s water activities. Maki, however, intended to train.

Lily grabbed her arm. "Come with me!"

"I haven’t finished breakfast."

"I’ll wait!"

"Then you’ll be waiting a long time."

Reinhard watched them bicker before remembering the rewards he’d been saving.

"Actually, I have something better planned for you two," he announced.

Lily immediately looked interested. "Does it involve food?"

Reinhard smiled. "Something better. It’s time you two became A-Rank."

Lily froze before slowly sitting upright.

"Wait. Seriously?"

Reinhard nodded.

"WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY THAT FIRST?"

...

At the villa’s private training area, Reinhard placed six Royal Mana Fruits and five clusters of luminous Enlightenment Grapes on a table.

Lily stared at them. "Those look expensive."

Reinhard nodded. "Three High-Grade Royal Mana Fruits, two Peak-Grade Royal Mana Fruits, and one Divine-Grade Royal Mana Fruit. The grapes are Peak-Grade Enlightenment Grapes."

Maki examined them. "What do the grapes do?"

"They improve supernatural comprehension and help you absorb surrounding Mana while you’re enlightened."

Lily pointed at the brightest fruit. "And that one?"

"The Divine-Grade fruit contains Mana comparable to an S-Rank Awakener."

Lily immediately reached for it.

Reinhard caught her wrist. "Absolutely not."

"I was only looking!"

"You were looking with your fingers."

"That’s how I look at things!"

Maki ignored them. "The High-Grade fruits contain B-Rank quantities of Mana, while the Peak-Grade fruits contain A-Rank quantities. Combined with the grapes, they should be sufficient."

Reinhard nodded and gave each girl one High-Grade Royal Mana Fruit and two clusters of Enlightenment Grapes.

After consuming them, Lily and Maki sat down to concentrate.

"Remember, the fruits provide Mana, while the grapes improve your comprehension and control," Reinhard explained. "Neither guarantees a breakthrough."

An Awakener’s Gnosis container had to reach its limit and shatter before overflowing Mana could form a new container around the old one.

Both girls already possessed enormous reserves, but reaching A-Rank required pushing those containers beyond their limits.

Once they were prepared, Reinhard handed each girl a Peak-Grade Royal Mana Fruit.

"Ready?" he asked.

Lily swallowed nervously. "Absolutely."

They consumed the fruits.

Powerful Mana surged through their bodies.

...

Lily gasped as the energy flooded her Gnosis container.

The pressure increased rapidly. She instinctively tried forcing the Mana into place, but every attempt made the instability worse.

"Lily, breathe!" Maki called.

Lily clenched her teeth before remembering what the Enlightenment Grapes had taught her.

She didn’t need to overpower the Mana.

She needed to guide it.

Adjusting her breathing, she followed the energy’s movement until her container reached its limit.

Crack!

The container shattered, and overflowing Mana gathered around the broken structure, forming a larger container.

The pressure stabilized.

Lily opened her eyes.

"I’m A-Rank!" she shouted, jumping to her feet.

Her Mana responded faster, and her reserves had increased dramatically.

Then she noticed the swimming pool.

Maki immediately narrowed her eyes. "No."

Lily looked offended. "I haven’t said anything!"

"You’re looking at the pool."

"It’s beautiful."

"Lily."

"I’m testing Mana Flight!"

Before anyone could stop her, Lily concentrated Mana beneath her feet and slowly rose into the air.

Her eyes widened. "I’m flying!"

Maki looked up. "You’re hovering."

Lily climbed higher. "Don’t worry! I know what I’m doing!"

She turned to wave at Emily.

Her balance shifted.

"WAIT—!"

Splash!

Lily crashed into the pool, soaking Maki from head to toe.

Yuna watched her resurface. "Was the landing part of the demonstration?"

Lily nodded confidently. "Of course! Emergency landing procedure."

Maki wiped water from her face. "You fell."

Lily raised both arms. "I’m still A-Rank!"

Reinhard burst out laughing.

After climbing out, Lily noticed a small stone beside the training area. She picked it up, channeled Mana into it, and swung.

A sharp force sliced through a training dummy’s covering.

Lily froze.

She grabbed a discarded fork and repeated the movement.

Another dummy received a clean cut.

Her eyes began shining.

"Oh~ So I can make almost anything work as a sword?"

Reinhard nodded cautiously. "Within your ability’s limits and the object’s durability."

Lily’s grin widened. "Oh~ This will be dangerous."

Maki immediately stepped away. "Please don’t test that near me."

"I wasn’t going to!"

"You were looking at my hairpin."

Lily quietly hid the fork behind her back.

...

Maki’s breakthrough took longer.

Unlike Lily, she could calculate the Mana’s movements, but whenever she tried forcing the energy into a perfect arrangement, it slipped out of place.

Reinhard noticed her struggle. "Stop trying to calculate everything."

Maki frowned. "I need to understand the process."

"You already understand it. Trust what you’ve learned."

Maki took a slow breath and stopped trying to predict every movement. Instead, she adapted to the Mana’s actual flow.

Her container reached its limit.

Crack!

The structure shattered, and overflowing Mana formed a new container around it.

Maki opened her eyes.

For an instant, something extraordinary happened.

Concepts she’d studied for years suddenly seemed within reach. Connections she’d never fully understood became clearer, as though a door inside her mind had briefly opened.

Then the feeling faded.

Maki blinked. "What was that?"

Reinhard crouched beside her. "What did you feel?"

"Things I couldn’t understand before... For a moment, it felt like I could finally reach them."

Reinhard smiled. "Don’t force it. Take your time."

Maki nodded and extended her perception.

Blue light spread beneath her feet as Mana formed an unstable field around the training area, revealing the surrounding energy’s movements.

The field expanded several feet before fading.

Reinhard’s eyes widened. "That’s a Domain."

Maki stared at her hands.

Then she smiled.

"I did it."

Lily immediately rushed over and hugged her. "We’re both A-Rank!"

Maki stumbled. "Lily! You’re squeezing me!"

"That’s because I’m happy!"

Maki laughed and returned the embrace.

Reinhard smiled proudly. "Congratulations. You’ve both reached A-Rank, and Maki has manifested her first Domain."

Lily grabbed a towel. "Tomorrow, I’ll master Mana Flight!"

Maki shook her head. "Tomorrow, you’ll practice landing."

"That’s part of flying!"

"Then you should be excellent at it by now."

Their argument continued as they returned to the villa.

Reinhard stored the remaining Divine-Grade Royal Mana Fruit, High-Grade Royal Mana Fruit, and Enlightenment Grapes. Neither girl needed S-Rank quantities of Mana for their breakthroughs.

...

Later that afternoon, Reinhard and Emily walked along the private beach.

Warm waves washed over their feet as Emily held his hand.

Without warning, she pulled him toward the water and splashed him.

Reinhard stared at his wet shirt. "Emily?"

She smiled innocently. "It’s a beautiful day. Enjoy it."

"Are you starting a water fight with me?"

"Are you afraid of losing?"

Reinhard laughed and splashed her back.

Emily shrieked before retaliating. Soon, they were chasing each other through the shallow water, laughing as they exchanged splashes.

Eventually, Reinhard caught her hand.

"Got you," he announced.

Emily laughed. "You cheated."

"I adapted to the battlefield."

"That’s a convenient excuse."

"It’s an excellent strategy."

He drew her closer, and Emily rested a hand against his chest.

"You’re making a habit of spoiling me," she teased.

Reinhard smiled. "I’m investing in my wife’s happiness."

"Then I expect excellent returns."

He kissed her, and Emily returned it, wrapping her arms around him.

When they separated, she remained close.

"Stay with me a little longer," Emily murmured.

"Of course."

Emily leaned against him, smiling.

After her accident, she’d once wondered whether ordinary happiness would ever belong to her again. Now she could walk, laugh, and play on a beach with her husband without worrying about her broken body.

She kissed him again.

A little later, Emily glanced toward the villa.

"I’m hungry," she announced.

Reinhard sighed dramatically. "And there goes my romantic moment."

Emily laughed. "You can invest in my happiness again after lunch."

"I’m beginning to suspect this arrangement is expensive."

"Only the best investments produce the best returns."

She pulled him toward the shore, still holding his hand.

...

Later, Reinhard found Yuna sitting near the coastline, watching the waves.

He sat beside her. "Is this what you wanted from the vacation?"

Yuna smiled faintly. "I’ve wanted something like this for a long time."

"Have we ever gone on one?"

Yuna laughed softly. "No. There was always a reason not to. Emily was busy, something happened with Lily, or Maki said we didn’t have enough money."

Reinhard considered her answer. "Then we’ll change that. We should take more vacations, and you can choose where we go next."

Yuna raised an eyebrow. "Anywhere?"

"Within reason."

She laughed. "That sounds less generous."

"I need to preserve some negotiating power."

Yuna looked toward the horizon.

"There’s a place I’ve always wanted to visit," she admitted. "The coastline is supposed to be beautiful, especially at sunset. I’ve seen pictures, but I’ve never had the chance."

Reinhard smiled. "Then we’ll go. You can show us the place you’ve wanted to see."

Yuna studied him. "You really mean that?"

"Of course."

Her expression softened.

"Thank you, Reinhard."

A familiar notification appeared before his eyes.

[Bond Value Increased.]

[Current Bond with Yuna: D → D+]

Reinhard glanced at the message before looking back at her.

He’d wondered how to improve their bond since arriving in Solmara, yet it hadn’t required an extraordinary gift.

He’d simply listened.

Yuna continued describing the coastline, and Reinhard let her talk without interrupting or immediately making plans.

For now, that was enough.

...

That evening, the family gathered in the villa’s lounge.

Lily held up the resort guide. "We’ve spent almost two days at Celestial Shore, and we haven’t properly explored Solmara!"

Maki opened the local guide. "We could visit the shopping districts, major attractions, restaurants, and other beaches."

Lily raised her hand. "I want to visit all of them!"

"That’s impossible in one day."

"Then we’ll start early!"

Maki considered the guide. "Let’s make a shortlist and leave room for changes. We don’t have to plan every minute."

Lily stared at her. "Who are you, and what have you done with Maki?"

Maki ignored her.

Yuna suggested visiting the scenic coastal district she’d mentioned earlier. Emily wanted to explore the luxury shopping areas, while Lily demanded every attraction that sounded exciting.

Reinhard listened before taking out their Solmara Grand Passport.

"Fortunately, we have this," he announced.

Lily leaned forward. "Right! We can use the Grand Passport while exploring the Golden Coast!"

Reinhard nodded. "Tomorrow, we’ll experience the best Solmara has to offer."

Emily smiled. "Shopping first!"

Yuna raised a hand. "Coastal district first!"

Lily threw both arms up. "Adventure first!"

Maki studied the guide. "We can start with the coastal district, visit the shopping street afterward, and adjust the rest as we go."

Everyone agreed.

Reinhard looked around the room, watching his family cheerfully discuss their plans.

Emily was smiling, Lily couldn’t contain her excitement, Maki was willingly leaving gaps in her schedule, and Yuna was looking forward to something she’d chosen herself.

For once, they weren’t preparing for another crisis.

They were simply enjoying their lives.

Then the Akasha Investment System appeared before his eyes.

[Investment Objective Completed.]

[D-Grade Investment Successful.]

[Calculating Investment Returns...]