I let go of Daisy . Nier knew what I was planning next . She wasn’t too willing to let me go, but she knew I’d insist . I went upstairs . Lucia didn’t come down to welcome me . I thought, perhaps she was busier, because taking care of two kids was more work than taking care of one . She might’ve been breastfeeding and couldn’t come down . It didn’t matter to me . Whether Lucia came to me or I go to her was all the same .

I stood at her door and knocked . I soon heard footsteps from within . Lucia gently pulled the door open and appeared before me with a smile . She dawdled for a moment when she saw me, but then she revealed a very happy smile . She made way and, with a soft giggle, exclaimed, “You’re back, Your Highness!”

“Yeah . I’m back, Lucia . ”

I walked inside and gave Lucia a big hug . Lucia leaned onto my chest, and then gently cupped my face with her hands . Smiling, she commented, “How surprising . Your Highness, you actually have scales . ”

“Yeah . I didn’t think I’d have scales on my body, either . I’m worried about hurting you when I hug you, though, because of these scales . I no longer have skin, so I don’t feel soft to the touch . Lucia, I’m very worried about hurting all of you and not being comfortable to hold…”

“That’s not true . ” Lucia vigorously shook her head . She then clasped my face and ran her fingers across my face . She looked at me with a smile and continued, “They’re just scales . Your face is still the same; you’re still warm, you’re still you . They’re just scales . Your Highness, it wouldn’t matter to me even if you hurt me with your scales, as I am your wife . How could I refuse to come into contact with you just because of your scales? I’m your wife . It’s a given that I’ll always be by your side and embrace you . It doesn’t matter to me if I’ll be covered in wounds . ”

I lowered my head and kissed Lucia’s lips . She kissed me back with a smile then tightly grabbed hold of my hand: “You won’t leave again, will you? Will you still be leaving, Your Highness?”

“I don’t think so . All my matters have ended . I’ll always be by your sides from now . ” I took hold of Lucia’s hand and smiled: “I’ll always be by your side henceforth, Lucia . In the past, I left you for a variety of reasons and hurt you, yet you have always supported me . I will always be with you from now, and stay with our children, watching over them as they grow up . I’m sorry, Lucia, I’ve hurt you too many times . ”

I kissed Lucia’s hand . She gently shook her head then went up on her toes to caress my head . She softy laughed: “It’s nothing, Your Highness . I have never been angry with you, since I love you . Now then, welcome home, Your Highness . ”

With my hand holding hers, I looked at her and replied with a smile, “Uhm, I’m back, Lucia . Honestly speaking, I never imagined you’d welcome me so calmly . I thought… I thought you’d react relatively emotionally… as Nier did…”

I felt slightly awkward when I finished my response, for I didn’t particularly like Nier’s way of welcoming me… since she was a bit too wild . After all, there were others around us… We’d have a problem if she did something . I was having a well-mannered conversation with Lucia, so I didn’t think my statement was a compliment to her .

And, unsurprisingly, Lucia frowned: “I’m not surprised, for I trust you . I believed you’d be back; hence, despite the fact I am happy, I won’t be that emotional . Your Highness, do you feel that I’m cold towards you? If you feel that way, I shall welcome you ther way next time . ”

Lucia grumpily turned around and went over to the crib, where Nona and Vera were lying . The two of them looked full and were uniformly breathing . I walked up behind a grumpy Lucia and hugged her from behind . I placed my head on her shoulder and bit her ear . I apologised with a smile, “Sorry, Lucia, I was wrong . I was wrong . It was all my fault . I shouldn’t have said that…”

“To spell it out, what you’re saying is that was what you were thinking, correct?”

Lucia grouchily glared at me . I smiled then hugged her around her waist . I whispered, “No, Lucia, as a wife, you truly are a wife who makes me feel rea.s.sured . I think it’s fine for me to do anything as long I as have you, for I know you’ll be supporting me from the rear . I trust you more than I trust Nier, and I rely more on you . However, that’s precisely why I hope you can sometimes be more a.s.sertive, too . We’ve been together for so long already . Wouldn’t it be very bland for us to continue, like this?”

Lucia shot a glare at me . I was aware that my rhetorical question would cheer her up, nevertheless . My hand started to get naughty and undo the b.u.t.tons on her s.h.i.+rt . I reached my hand inside her s.h.i.+rt from underneath and touched her belly . She grumpily glared at me . She grumbled in a soft voice, “Don’t . The girls are sleeping . You’ve just come back, and you want to do this? I don’t want to do this with you during the day . Doesn’t Nier really like it? Go ask her for it . ”

I kissed her Lucia’s and laughed: “Don’t be angry, Lucia . You’re my wife . We haven’t seen each other for a month . Just a simple ‘h.e.l.lo’, and ‘welcome back’, is too bland, don’t you think? I can’t be with you at night, so isn’t the only time we have with each other right now?  Lucia, you’re my wife . ”

I continued to slowly undo Lucia’s b.u.t.tons . She gave up in the end and turned her head around to kiss me . The two of kiss gently kissed each other . It was different to Nier’s wild kiss . Lucia’s kisses were very gentle, which give me an urge to get a little rough with the girl .

Lucia released me; she pressed her hand on mine . She whispered, “Don’t leave… again… I have faith in you… But I only feel happiest when you’re by my side . Though I am happy you trust me, I… I can’t help but worry when you’re out . ”

I smiled; then, I kissed Lucia’s neck: “I know; I know, Lucia . You’re my wife . I won’t leave you again, and I won’t make you worry again . I’ll always be by your side henceforth . Always . ”

“Uhm…”

Lucia’s breathing began to be erratic, while my hand became livelier . Honestly, I was sure that n.o.body would be willing to see others playing with their dinner . Consequently, I felt I needed to finish being cosy with Lucia before my two girls woke up . Fortunately, Lucia was wearing white; else, it would be pretty obvious with a big wet blotch, wouldn’t it?

“Don’t do this… Your Highness… What are we going to do… if we wake the girls?”

Lucia’s speech had become muddled . I aggressively picked her up from her waist and placed her on the bed . She looked at me with a fearful and shy expression . She quivered as she stretched her arms out to indicate she wanted me to hug her . Her expression brought down my restraints, so I leapt on top of her .

I wasn’t certain if telling her to be a.s.sertive sometimes weighed on her mind or what, but we both really enjoyed it that time . In the past, Lucia would cry at the end due to the pain and sensitivity . That time, however, she reacted as Nier would; she even got on top of me and rode me one for an extra round .

I covered her mouth with my hands when she began to instinctively moan . Otherwise, she would’ve woke Vera and Nona . Afterwards, Lucia hugged my arms with a firm grip and looked at me through the thin blanket . I hugged her back . The two of us were too drained to speak . Lucia slowly drew circles on my chest with a calm, yet blissful, smile on her face .

We began our session close to noon . We didn’t even have lunch; we even ignored the maid outside . The sun was now coming down . As a matter of fact, the sun was barely visible at the moment . Night fall was coming . We heard Vera’s cries . Lucia quickly sat up and rushed over to carry her up in spite of being nude .

I sat up and, with a smile, I asked, “Are my moms doing well? I hope the dragon is doing all right . Although I’m slightly reluctant to admit it, she is indeed considered my mom, so I brought her back this time . With that said, she’s always lived in the desert, so she doesn’t understand our etiquette and whatnot . ”

“She does have a name . You keep calling her ‘Dragon’, ‘Dragon’ . ‘Dragon’, are you not the one who is showing her the least respect?” Lucia turned around and shot a glare at me .

I was worried for nothing . Lucia and Dragon Mommy got along very happily . Perhaps Lucia respected Dragon Mom a lot . Dragons weren’t considered a gentle wild beast to elves, were they? Even if they weren’t Lucia didn’t allow me to be so disrespectful to Mommy Dragon .

I laughed: “Where’s Mommy Vyvyan, then? What about Mommy Elizabeth? How’s her relations.h.i.+p with the two of them? You seem to be getting along very happily, so I’m now worried about whether my moms’ relations.h.i.+p will be too poor . That would be a very difficult issue for us to resolve if they didn’t get along . ”

“I think they’re all right… Queen Vyvyan appears to get along peacefully with your Dragon Mom, but I’m not sure about Empress Elizabeth . Oh, right, Your Highness, I need to inform you that Empress Elizabeth has gone missing . In order to be the first to see you, she… We don’t know where she is, either; however, Rosvenor Empire needs her . If we can’t find her… something might happen, right…?”

I swiftly sat up and revealed a dumbfounded look . I exclaimed, “What did you say? Mommy Elizabeth is nowhere to be seen? Lucia, Lucia, I’m skipping dinner . I need to head out . I must find my Mom, not because of the Rosvenor Empire, but just because I want to find my Mom!! She’s my Mom!!”