I entered the Imperial Palace and headed up . It had been some time since I was last back at the palace . The last time I was there, I felt entirely different . I was in a rush the last time I came and left in a rush . As a matter of fact, I didn’t even know if I could return again . Fortunately, I was finally back, and I didn’t have to worry about not being able to make it back .

I wasn’t in a rush to see Vyvyan or Dragon Mom . Dragon Mom was likely learning how to live in the North, all the various etiquette and so forth . I wanted to see my girls and wives most . I wanted to hug my Lucia, my Nier, my Vera, Nona and Daisy . They were my most treasured a.s.sets .

Nier carried Daisy to the entrance of the main hall . When she saw me walk in, she cried as though I opened her tear floodgates . Her tears just began to fall onto Daisy’s face without a word . Daisy looked blankly at me as if she never expected me to appear . I walked up to them with a smile . Nier shoved Daisy into the hands of a maid next to her, and then leapt over to tightly hug me . She hugged me with all her might and wailed on my shoulders . . She almost snapped my back with how tight she hugged me .

I imagined I’d be met with that sort of scene . I gently stroked Nier’s back; I stroked the back of her head and pony tail . Daisy began to cry out to me and desperately try to reach me . However, I thought Nier cared about me more, unfortunately . So accordingly, I caressed Daisy’s forehead with one hand to calm her down . I softly said, “Sorry, Nier . I’m covered all over in scales now . It must be uncomfortable to hug me now . ”

Next to my ear and in her hoa.r.s.e voice, Nier desperately tried to give a reply: “N-No… I-I already know… Dear… I know what happened… I know what happened… Regardless of how you are, I’m happy, as long as you return to my side . I’m so glad you’ve recovered; I’m very, very happy right now… It’s all right . It’s all right . Your body is still warm despite being covered in scales . I want to cry so badly . Dear, you’ve finally come back to me . You finally… won’t leave anymore…”

I gave firm nod . Nier leaned in toward the side of my face with her teary face and rubbed it against mine . Perhaps she was trying to prove she didn’t mind my scales . I could feel the cold sensation and tears on her face . I could hear the sound of her skin rubbing against my scales . She didn’t mind, though . Instead, she kissed the scales on my face .

I clasped Nier’s face and gave her a sincere kiss . While all other parts of my skin had become scales, I still had my human lips . Nier cupped my face with one hand and went into the kiss so fast that our teeth banged against each other . Before I could react, however, Nier’s lips were pressed against mine, giving me no s.p.a.ce to dodge .

The pa.s.sionate kiss didn’t resemble the blissful kiss given in a reunion at all . I would actually describe it as feeling the wildness of Nier after a month… I was sure I’d be with her for the night; I probably wouldn’t get to sleep . Her body came closer and closer to mine . She kissed me with complete disregard for everything else . I didn’t need to respond to it . She swept up my saliva with her tongue and swallowed it . She practically wanted to bite my tongue off and take it; her tongue rampaged in my mouth . She mixed our taste together, and then swallowed it .

I felt as though Nier sucked everything out of me . She only released me when she was on the border of suffocation; even then, she was reluctant to release me . Her face was slightly flush red . She had a scary, hazy look in her eyes . Her hand subconsciously grabbed my belt, and then she pulled herself in . She was virtually trying to fuse herself with me . Although I wanted to get cosy with her for a while, we couldn’t do it there . I quickly tugged her to stop her from getting closer then swiftly grabbed Daisy from the maid and held her between us as a means of stopping Nier from using her leg to lock me .

From my arms, Daisy looked at me with puzzlement . I literally didn’t dare to grab her arm . I desperately leaned my body back so that she wouldn’t fall . I carefully caressed her . The maid was shocked to the point that she went pale . She was practically ready to jump in between us in order to prevent Daisy from falling .

Nier calmed down . She sad to see my awkward actions . She asked, “Dear, don’t you know how to hold a child? Have you not held Daisy in so long?”

“That’s not it . I’m just… I’m just… afraid I’ll hurt her . ”

Daisy blinked . I blankly looked at her gleaming eyes . Her eyes were almost the exact same as Nier’s . The sunlight caused my scales to emit an unnatural light . It was akin to blades reflecting metal . My scales made me impervious to blades, but it also meant that I was more similar to an animal . If Daisy was to slide against my scales in the reverse direction they ran, she would cut herself if there was a single scale that was protruding .

Nier walked up to me and looked at Daisy . She softly said, “Hold her properly, Dear; hold her properly . Daisy has been looking forward to your return; she has always looked forward to your return .

“I’m scared . My scales are very dangerous . Daisy hasn’t grown up yet . Her skin is so soft . If a single scale of mine was sticking out, it will scratch her . ”

Nier softly giggled then gently and slowly ran her hand along my arm and down to my fingers . I felt the a gentle and warm trail . Nier focused purely on running her finger along all the scales on my arm . Finally, she softly said, “It’s all right, Dear; it’s all right . I’ve checked your arm . There are no hazardous scales . Your scales are still all down . I don’t think they’ll stand up if you don’t use force, so it’s fine . Hold her properly, Dear . She really missed you . ”

Nier tightly grabbed my arm as though she was trying to give me encouragement . Daisy’s patience was worn out . She kept on crying out to me from my arm . She tried to bash my face with her tiny hand . I hopelessly laughed . I finally mustered up the courage to hold her with a normal grip . Nevertheless, her anger didn’t seem to subside . She looked at me then turned her head away and began extended her hand toward Nier .

I smiled helplessly, and then gently rocked my arms to placate Daisy: “Don’t be angry with Dad . Dad is sorry . Dad knows you want Dad to hold you . Dad swears Dad really wanted to hold you . Dad dreamt of you every night when Dad was out . The torment was so painful that Dad wanted to come back, but Dad genuinely couldn’t come back . Dad loves you; Dad loves you very much . Dad wants to hold you, too . A father wouldn’t let his daughter get hurt . If holding you means hurting you, Dad can’t hold you… Don’t be angry, Daisy . Dad loves you; Dad truly loves you . ”

I didn’t know if Daisy cold understand me or not, but Nier didn’t take Daisy . While Daisy continued reaching for Nier, she didn’t cry or make a scene . She just didn’t want to look at me . I didn’t force her to look at me . Instead, I continued holding her and gently rocking her . Nier gently clung to my arm . Although we weren’t next to a flower garden or the sunset and just in the main hall of the Imperial Palace – not to mention there being a maid who didn’t look pretty or show joy – I could feel the peace of gentleness, purely because Nier was next to me and Daisy was in my arms .

I didn’t have anything I wanted to chase anymore . I suddenly realised why I wanted the North back then . I wanted to protect the North solely because I wanted to give my family a blissful and safe home . I wanted to give my wives and children a cosy home . Of course, if it was possible, I wanted to bring my moms over, as well . I thought of it before all the recent events .

If the world was still divided in three, we three couldn’t be together . Vyvyan was the Queen of elves . I was the King of the North, and Elizabeth was the Empress of the Rosvenor Empire . The three of us could temporarily be together . In the end, nonetheless, we still had to take our own respective nations into consideration .

This world had to be united . At the very least, there should be an alliance . That way, the three of us could be in one city together and handle the political affairs without concern . We couldn’t do that in the North, the elven lands and absolutely not Hilles City, but we could make it work at Troy City . If possible, I wanted my moms to move there . We might not see each other daily, but, at least, we could see each other once in a while . Elizabeth and Vyvyan could also visit when they missed me or their grandchildren .

Additionally, Vera and Daisy would be separated if I couldn’t unite with the elves . I was destined to not succeed the throne at Hilles City or Mommy Vyvyan at Duargana . As such, the next Empress of humanity would be Daisy, who was currently in my arms . Mommy Elizabeth still had over a dozen years to nurture Daisy into the next qualified Empress, while Vera could definitely be nurtured into a qualified Queen for the elves . If that was how it played out, the two would be separated . I didn’t want the sisters to be separated . And I didn’t want my mom to never return…