Chapter 387: A Loving Family Is All You Need
Luca lay flat on his back, staring up at the sky.
His face was caked with dust. His clothes were torn in at least three places.
His entire body ached from the impact of that kick, and he was fairly certain he had grass in places grass had no business being.
He processed the events of the last thirty seconds.
Then he let out a long, defeated sigh.
"Great." He muttered to no one in particular. "Just...great. Not only did I manage to make enemies of an entire centaur brigade, but I also got drop-kicked by their commander."
He let out a sarcastic, hollow laugh.
"Truly the most wonderful day yet."
Then he noticed something, like a change had had happy in his body.
He then looked at both of his sword-hands and slowly got to his feet.
Moving with the care of someone who had been through far too much today, he raised one blade to his mouth, bit down on the metal, and began pulling.
The sword resisted. It had been lodged in securely, designed not to come loose.
But Luca pulled harder, his teeth grinding against the blade, until finally—Pop—the weapon came free and clattered to the ground.
His hand was free.
He then concentrated. Power flowed through him—the power that had been stripped away.
And slowly, the bandages fell away. Flesh began to knit together, to proliferate, to reform. Muscle and sinew wove themselves into existence. Skin stretched across the growing limb.
His forearm emerged. Then his wrist. His palm.
His fingers, one by one until finally he got his entire arm back.
He flexed his fingers experimentally. They responded perfectly.
With his newly restored hand, he reached over and pulled the second blade free. The process repeated—regeneration, reformation, restoration—until both of his hands were once again fully intact.
Just as he had been told, as long as no blade was actively pointed at him or duel actively engaged, his original state would restore itself.
But somehow, that knowledge didn’t make him feel any better.
He just felt...tired.
Not physically. Physically, he was already restored, his body humming with the familiar vitality of his restored powers.
But mentally? Emotionally? He felt as though he had just endured the longest, most exhausting day of work imaginable and wanted nothing more than to collapse into bed and forget the world existed.
So he did exactly that.
He opened a portal directly in front of him and stepped through without a backward glance.
—
Luca emerged from the portal into his bedroom, the familiar scent of wood and flowers and home washing over him like a balm.
His bed stood before him, perfectly made, the blankets soft and inviting.
He didn’t bother removing his shoes and simply flopped backward onto the mattress.
Just then, footsteps echoed from the living room.
"Where is it? Where did I put it...?"
Leona’s voice drifted through the doorway, distracted and slightly frustrated.
She stepped into the bedroom, her beautiful baby bump preceding her, her eyes scanning the room for whatever object she had misplaced—
And then she saw him.
"Oh!" Her expression brightened with surprise. "Darling—you’re back!"
She hadn’t expected him home so early. The sun was only just beginning its descent toward the horizon, painting the room in warm golden light.
But he was back and she was eager to ask about everything.
How had the centaurs treated him? What was their kingdom like? Was Commander Sigrid as formidable as the rumors suggested? Had he made any progress in winning them over?
But one look at his weary, downcast expression silenced every question before it could reach her lips.
He needed comfort. Not conversation.
Without a word, she crossed the room and climbed onto the bed beside him.
Her soft, plump thighs wrapped around his legs, warm and comforting, like a living blanket made just for him.
Her breasts—larger now, fuller with the changes of pregnancy pressed against his chest, their weight a grounding pressure that seemed to anchor him to the present moment.
Luca was surprised at first. But once he realized what she was trying to do, he simply pulled her close, his hand moving to stroke her hair.
A small smile crossed his face.
And Leona, seeing that smile, felt a wave of satisfaction wash over her.
Soon, it wasn’t just Leona.
One by one, Luna, Lulu, and Nyx entered the room.
They too had so many questions they wanted to ask—about the centaurs, about the duel, about everything that had transpired.
But seeing the scene before them, they understood immediately. They didn’t ask a single thing.
Instead, they simply settled down around Luca, finding whatever space they could.
Lulu and Luna nestled themselves on top of him, their bodies warm and soft.
Leona and Nyx took his hands into their embrace, holding them against their chests.
He was surrounded now—completely enveloped by four beautiful elves, their warmth pressing in from every side, their presence filling the spaces around him until there was nothing left but softness and comfort and home.
And the scent.
Gods, the scent.
Leona was already producing breast milk, her body preparing for the child growing within her.
But the other three were showing early symptoms as well—their natural fragrance taking on a subtle, milky sweetness that wrapped around Luca like a spell.
It was the scent of nurturing. Of safety. Of everything good and gentle in the world.
It seeped into his exhausted mind and washed away the stress of the day like water cleansing a wound.
His muscles relaxed. His breathing slowed. His eyes grew heavy.
As the last vestiges of his consciousness began to fade, he smiled.
’No matter how terrible the day has been.’ He thought.
’No matter how stressful or frustrating or absurd, all I have to do is come home. Come home, and sleep in the arms of my family.’
And everything becomes alright again.
—
The next morning dawned bright and clear.
Birds chirped outside the treehouse window. The voices of elves drifted through the walls.
The village was already awake.
But Luca remained in bed.
Not because he was still brooding over the events of yesterday. That darkness had been thoroughly banished by a full night’s sleep wrapped in the embrace of his wives.
No—he stayed in bed for an entirely different reason.
Genuine tiredness. The kind that came from pushing your body past its limits and knowing you had earned the rest that followed.
You see, throughout his immortal existence, Luca had never truly grown tired. He was always full of vitality, a nuclear power plant that never stopped generating energy.
It was exactly why he could satisfy over fifty elves again and again without needing a single break.
His stamina was, quite literally, endless.
But yesterday, stripped of his powers, he had felt what it meant to be truly, genuinely exhausted.
And he had loved it!
It reminded him of simpler times. Of the days before he had become immortal.
It was nostalgic. Comforting. A gift he hadn’t realized he had been missing.
So he had decided to take full advantage of it. To lie in bed like any mortal man on a Sunday morning, refusing to rise, savoring the simple pleasure of doing absolutely nothing.
But just then, out of nowhere, he could hear Luna’s voice coming over in a panic.
"Luca! Luca, get up! Get up already!"
He could feel her shaking him around, her hands gripping his shoulders and trying to rouse him from his pleasant, self-indulgent slumber.
But Luca just grumbled in his sleep.
"Just let me sleep longer, Luna. You have no idea how rare this is for me."
But she just kept on shaking him, her grip insistent.
"No, Luca, you have to get up! It’s important! Really important!"
To this, Luca flopped onto his back with a heavy sigh.
Without opening his eyes, he lazily said,
"If you want morning pounding, then I’m sorry, Luna, but I’m just too tired right now. I can barely keep my eyes open. But if you want—"
He gestured vaguely toward his lower body
"—you can just take my cock out and ride it yourself. I don’t really mind. Go ahead. Help yourself. I’ll just lie here."
This was not an unreasonable assumption on his part.
Luca already knew that ever since he had started his rounds of passion with every single adult elf in this village, they had become quite the horny creatures.
They craved sex all the time. Constantly. Relentlessly.
So much so that even in the morning, they were completely and utterly excited with their eyes bright, their cheeks flushed, their bodies practically humming with anticipation.
And Luca had to pound not only his wives here in the physical world, but many of them would be demanding his attention in the dream world as well.
His nights were busy. His mornings were busy. His afternoons were busy.
There was always someone, somewhere, who wanted him.
So he naturally thought that was what Luna was asking for. Morning sex. It wouldn’t have been the first time, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.
But Luna was blushing furiously right now, as she shook her head.
"It’s not that, Luca! It’s Commander Sigrid!"
Luca froze.
"She sent a message. She wants you to return to the centaur kingdom. Immediately."
His eyes snapped open. He sat bolt upright in bed, staring at Luna with an expression of pure disbelief.
"What? You’re telling me Sigrid, the centaur I accidentally ground my—is calling me back? "
Luna nodded rapidly.
"That’s what Auntie Nyx told me. She said Commander Sigrid will be waiting at the same place as yesterday. She wants you to come as soon as possible."
Luca’s mind raced through a dozen possibilities, each one more concerning than the last.
After everything that had transpired, he had no idea what his relationship with the centaurs even was anymore.
The younger warriors had looked at him with eyes that promised violence.
The elders had wept as though he had personally destroyed everything they held dear.
And Sigrid—why would she want to see him?
Was she summoning him for another duel?
Demanding satisfaction for the destruction of her reputation?
"Did she give any reason?" He asked hesitantly. "Any explanation at all?"
Luna shook her head. "Nothing. She only said she would be waiting."
Luca sat in silence, turning the situation over in his mind.
Countless possibilities presented themselves, and none of them were particularly reassuring.
But ultimately, he knew he couldn’t avoid this.
Whatever Sigrid wanted, whether it was reconciliation or retribution, he would have to face it.
The situation could hardly get worse than it already was.
...Probably.