Chapter 166: The Shameless Husband
As long as both of her hands were occupied. She couldn’t suddenly pull out another sword.
With that comforting thought, he leaned forward, intending to steal a quick kiss.
Yet...
Aurielle simply turned her face to the side. His lips missed their target.
Keeping her gaze averted, she asked in a calm, suspicious voice,
"Why did you say? ’My Elena’?" The teasing smile from earlier had completely vanished.
Hearing her suspicious voice, Luke mouth twitched at his wife always suspicious behaviour.
Though, earlier in the lake something did happened. But that was not his fault at all.
So he explained everything to Aurielle, from the start of Elena Awakening to the finding her Origin skill, And how happy he had been after seeing her incredible abilities.
Naturally, He left out one tiny detail. Very tiny, that its mentioning would not had any effect at all.
The fact that Elena had been completely naked.
Instead, Luke described the scene in the most innocent way possible.
According to his narration. Elena had been dressed in thick, modest robes.
From head To toe.
Not a single inch of skin had supposedly been visible.
Luke even emphasized it several times, nodding earnestly as if trying to convince both Aurielle...
...and himself.
Aurielle listened quietly from beginning to end.
She didn’t interrupt even once.
However, the more Luke talked about Elena’s clothes. The more suspicious Aurielle’s expression became.
Her beautiful purple eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
’Why is he talking so much about her clothes?’ And question mark practically appeared above her head.
Meanwhile.
The system watched the entire performance from the sidelines.
It let out a long, exhausted sigh.
’He really should’ve brought Margaret into his harem.’
’At least she could’ve kept Aurielle under control.’
A floating emoji appeared before Luke.
[(;一_一)]
Even the system looked utterly speechless.
Luke blinked at the emoji.
"...?"
He had absolutely no idea, what the system was trying to tell him.
Fortunately, Luke realized he was overacting and decided to stop digging himself into a deeper hole.
Afterward, without another word, he stepped closer and swiftly captured Aurielle’s lips.
"Mmph..."
Caught off guard, Aurielle’s eyes widened for a brief moment.
Then, her tense shoulders gradually relaxed. The suspicion in her eyes also softened, if only a little.
After sharing a long, lingering kiss, Luke slowly pulled away, resting his forehead against hers.
"So..." He smiled gently. "What brought you here?"
Aurielle took a small breath, to remove the blush from her cheeks, before answering.
"Osric has been looking for you."
Her expression returned to normal as she continued.
"Almost every merchant passing through the Blackstone Highlands has gathered outside."
"And many new merchant caravans have arrived as well."
"They all wish to meet you, to discuss the toll fees."
Luke blinked.
"Oh..." Only then did he remember why he had left in the first place.
As soon as Aurielle finished speaking. She shot him an irritated glare.
After all, not long ago, he had confidently declared that he was going to meet the merchants.
Yet somehow, he had ended up in the Mage Residence instead.
"Sorry, Honey." Luke laughed awkwardly before apologizing.
To make up for it. He quickly stole another couple of kisses from her lips.
"Mmph..."
Aurielle helplessly shook her head.
There was simply no winning against her shameless husband.
Letting out a quiet sigh, she intertwined her fingers with his.
The two of them turned around, preparing to leave together.
But just then—
"Master!"
A panicked voice suddenly echoed from inside the house.
"Elena’s condition doesn’t seem right!" Mira’s anxious cry instantly erased the lighthearted atmosphere.
Luke and Aurielle’s expressions changed at the same time.
Without another word. Both of them rushed toward the house.
Without slowing down, they pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The scene before them made both of them freeze.
Elena was lying on the bed. Her entire body trembling uncontrollably.
She repeatedly shook her head from side to side, as though desperately trying to escape from an invisible nightmare.
Tiny beads of sweat covered her forehead.
Her clothes were completely drenched. Even the bedsheet beneath her had become soaked.
"Elena..." Luke called her name softly, his voice filled with concern.
He carefully walked toward her. And Aurielle silently followed at his side.
"Master." The instant Elena heard Luke’s voice.
Her tightly shut eyes suddenly snapped open. And her pupils had already returned to their familiar golden color.
The moment she saw him. A faint light flickered within them.
They were glistening with tears.
It seemed, she had been crying even in her sleep.
Without thinking, Elena hurriedly tried to get out of bed.
However, her trembling body refused to cooperate.
She nearly collapsed the moment her feet touched the floor.
Fortunately, Luke had already reached her.
He quickly caught her before she could fall, gently supporting her shaking body with both of his arms.
"Master." Elena called out to him once again. Her trembling voice was barely above a whisper.
Luke gently nodded, his expression softening.
"It’s alright."
"Calm down."
However, tt was as though Elena couldn’t hear him.
She desperately clutched onto his clothes with both hands.
"Master..."
"P-Please don’t throw me away."
Her voice cracked.
"I-I won’t become useless..."
"I’ll work harder..."
"I’ll become stronger..."
"So..."
"Please..."
"...don’t abandon me."
One sentence after another poured out of her trembling lips.
Words she had buried deep within her heart.
Words she had never found the courage to say.
Until today.
The nightmare had shattered the walls she had built around those fears.
It had forced every suppressed emotion to the surface.
She was terrified.
Terrified that one day...
Her master might truly cast her aside.
"Sob...!"
Unable to hold herself together any longer. Elena completely broke down.
Tears streamed endlessly from her golden eyes as heart-wrenching sobs echoed throughout the room.
The entire house fell silent.
No one spoke. No one interrupted.
They could only watch as the girl who had always smiled quietly.
Finally let out all the pain she had been carrying alone.