Chapter 390: Zura’s Villa

"..."

Zura’s words evaporated the playful atmosphere in an instant, leaving both Soren and Ethea with visibly fallen expressions.

Without meaning to, she had blurted out the exact thing they were trying to ignore.

For all their cheerful talk over dinner, the thought of being apart had been sitting in the back of their minds the whole time. With no way to tell how long his seclusion would actually drag on, saying goodbye so soon after finally reaching this point in their relationship was a tough pill to swallow.

’Huh? Did I say something wrong?’

Seeing the mood plunge so fast, Zura blinked in confusion. As she activated her insight talent, her eyes subtly shimmered as she took in their emotional flow. The moment she registered the raw reluctance stirring between them, she realized it, and a wave of awkward guilt washed over her.

"Ah... wait! Forget I said that!" she stammered, frantically waving her hands to patch up the mood. "Look, if you’re worried about missing each other, just make the most of tonight! Fill up on each other’s faces, talk until you’re sick of listening, and get your fill before tomorrow. Problem solved!"

Soren and Ethea looked at her, then turned to each other with faint smiles.

While the reluctance was real, neither of them was foolish enough to let it hold them back. Breakthroughs were a necessity, and short separations were simply part of life. Like mature adults, they understood that brooding over the inevitable wouldn’t change a thing.

Still, taking Zura’s advice sounded like a really good plan.

"...Dear."

They turned back to each other, their faces giving away exactly how much they cared about one another without a word spoken. In fact, they were too obvious about it.

"..." Zura deadpanned, looking back and forth between the two. "Can you two at least hold off until I leave?"

"...Hehe." Ethea let out a sheepish chuckle, while Soren simply smiled, the earlier awkward mood completely swept away.

"Hmph," Zura snorted, though a faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

They finished the rest of the meal in good spirits, chatting easily and sorting out the plans involving Nura and the villa. When the meal finally wound down, Zura bade them goodnight and headed out to her own place. Soren and Ethea cleaned up, showered, and changed into sleep clothes.

"..."

Soren pulled Ethea close, wrapping his arms around her as they lay side by side, looking into each other’s eyes. They wanted to carve every single detail of this moment into their minds, a feeling that shone clearly in the depth of their gaze. No words were needed between them tonight.

"I love you, Ethea."

Soren whispered and leaned in, kissing her deeply, pouring all his affection into the touch. Ethea kissed him back, resting her hands against his chest until the kiss slowly drew to an end.

"Goodnight... And..."

She kissed him back.

"...I love you too."

She then rested her head against his arm, and they closed their eyes, sinking into sleep together.

───────

"So this is the big villa you talked about," Soren said, taking in the sight before them.

The structure featured clean architectural lines, sweeping stone arches, and tall windows that let in plenty of daylight. It was sprawling, yet the design avoided unnecessary ostentation, balancing elegance with actual functionality.

Zura nodded smugly, arms crossed over her chest as she stepped up to the front doors and pushed them open. "Come on in!"

Inside, the layout was practical as well as refined. High ceilings gave the main hall an open feel, with polished floors running throughout and tastefully arranged furniture lining the main living space. Broad hallways ensured easy movement, making transitions between rooms seamless.

"Not bad at all," Soren praised, glancing around the main floor. "It’s well-designed."

"Told you!" Zura beamed, practically puffing up with pride. "Come on, I’ll give you a tour."

They nodded and followed after Zura. The ground floor housed a spacious dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, and study nooks, while the upper level contained several private guest rooms, a cultivation room, and a large balcony. Every space was tastefully furnished and well kept, designed for comfort and daily convenience.

"Should we head to the bedroom now?" Soren asked as they stepped down the stairs back toward the main hallway.

"Ah, right," Zura nodded. "You said you wanted to teach something."

She stepped ahead to lead the way down a wide corridor toward the primary bedroom suite on the ground floor.

"I want to walk you through Ethea’s caretaking routine," Soren explained as they walked. "I’ll show you how it’s done now, so please pay attention and try to get the hang of it."

"Got it," Zura replied, nodding seriously. "Show me the ropes."

Once they stepped inside, Soren started the lesson. "...Watch closely. The most important part is making sure she stays comfortable and safe during transfers."

He moved beside Ethea’s wheelchair, explaining each step clearly as he demonstrated. He showed Zura the proper grip and posture needed to lift Ethea without straining either of them, how to pivot cleanly to move her to and from the bed, and how to adjust her position once she was settled. He covered every detail, from supporting her back to positioning her legs correctly.

After finishing the lesson, Soren pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over.

"I wrote down her dietary restrictions and the foods she likes," Soren said, then added after a pause. "Ethea can guide you through the rest later."

Zura took the paper, read the detailed list, then looked up at him with a bemused expression.

"I think you’re way too protective of her," Zura muttered, though a genuine smile broke across her face a moment later. "But I approve! Honestly, if two people were ever meant to end up together, it’s definitely you two."

"Mm, I can’t argue with that," Soren admitted, a hint of warmth in his eyes as he glanced back at Ethea. "After all, we’re bound together for life, and there’s truly no one else for me."

"...Urgh, if you keep being like this, I will kick you out right now!"