Chapter 20: People Are Stalking My Wife

Nearly an hour later, Emily woke with a small gasp and looked up. "You’re awake."

"I am."

Her memories came back all at once. "You collapsed!"

"I remember," he said with a smile. "And thank you for taking care of me."

Her cheeks reddened. "I didn’t do anything special."

"You dragged me across the floor."

Her eyes widened. "How do you know that?"

"I had a feeling."

"You had a feeling?"

"You don’t seem like the type to leave your husband lying on the floor and it would explain why I woke up on the floor instead of-"

"S-Shut up! It’s your fault for being so heavy!"

Reinhard laughed. "And you stayed beside me for hours."

"I was just making sure my efforts didn’t go to waste!"

"That’s called worrying."

"It is not!"

He laughed again, and then her expression turned serious. "Don’t do that again."

"Do what?"

"Push yourself like that." Her eyes dropped. "You almost..."

She couldn’t finish, and Reinhard understood. "I’ll be more careful."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Some of the tension left her shoulders, and then she spoke quietly. "I like having you here."

Reinhard looked at her, and Emily immediately looked away. Before she could take it back, he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

She went rigid as her face slowly turned red. "R-Reinhard..."

"Yes?"

"Put me back in my wheelchair."

He laughed. "Yes, ma’am."

He carefully lifted her into the chair, and the moment she was settled, she rolled down the hallway so fast the wheels hummed. Reinhard watched her disappear and laughed. "She really is getting faster."

...

Soon afterward, the front door opened. "We’re back!"

Maki came in with Lily and Yuna, and all three stopped. Emily was waiting for them in the living room, and she was smiling. "I want to show you something."

The sisters exchanged glances as Emily took a breath, and a tiny spark of light appeared above her palm.

Maki’s hand flew to her mouth. "It’s really back..."

Emily nodded, tears gathering in her eyes.

Lily immediately turned to face the wall. "I’m not crying."

"I didn’t say you were," Emily said.

"Your eyes are leaking," Reinhard added.

"Allergies!"

The room filled with laughter.

Then Reinhard remembered something. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small package he’d received from the System.

Emily noticed it. "What’s that?"

Reinhard held it out. "Something for you."

She accepted it and looked at the wrapper and her eyes widened. For a moment, she didn’t say anything.

Then she looked up at him. "You found this?"

"Of course."

She stared at the candy again. "This..." Her voice became quieter. "I haven’t had one of these in years."

Reinhard smiled. "I know."

Emily slowly unwrapped it and put it into her mouth. The moment the flavor reached her tongue, her eyes brightened, and a genuine smile spread across her face.

A tiny laugh escaped her. "It’s still good."

"I knew it."

Emily looked at him and started giggling again.

Lily stared at her. "What happened to her?"

"Nothing!"

"You look weird."

"I’m happy!"

Lily blinked before looking at Reinhard. "What did you give her?"

"Her favorite candy."

Lily’s eyes widened. "That’s cheating."

Reinhard raised an eyebrow. "Cheating?"

"You can’t just give Big Sis her favorite candy and make her this happy."

Maki laughed softly.

Yuna stepped closer. "Big sis..."

Emily smiled. "I’m here."

Maki pulled her into a careful embrace, and a moment later, Lily and Yuna joined them. Reinhard hung back and watched. For the first time in a long time, the apartment didn’t feel like a group of people surviving under the same roof. It felt like a family.

Eventually, Maki looked over at him. "You."

He pointed at himself. "Me?"

"You did this."

He smiled. "I had some help."

Maki shook her head. "Still... thank you."

It wasn’t forgiveness, not yet, but it was the first time she had thanked him without hesitating.

Reinhard clapped his hands. "Then there’s only one thing left to do." Everyone looked at him. "We’re going out to eat."

Lily’s eyes lit up. "Finally!"

Yuna was already putting on her shoes.

...

They settled on an upscale restaurant a few blocks away, with Yuna leading the way and Reinhard pushing Emily’s wheelchair behind her. Halfway there, he noticed that Emily was sitting differently. Her back was straighter, and her shoulders weren’t hunched anymore.

"You’re sitting straighter," he said.

Emily blinked. "Am I?"

"A little."

She adjusted her posture, and after a moment, she smiled. "Maybe."

Nothing dramatic had happened, and her body hadn’t suddenly healed, but something inside her had shifted, and she looked lighter.

"It suits you," Reinhard said, and her cheeks warmed.

Lily’s voice came from ahead immediately. "We’re walking here! Stop flirting!"

"We weren’t flirting!" Emily protested.

"I was just complimenting my wife," Reinhard said.

"That’s exactly the problem!"

The restaurant was warm and elegant, and Emily looked around slowly. "I’ve never been anywhere like this."

"Then today’s a good day to change that."

They sat down, and Lily opened her menu, looked at the prices, and immediately closed it again. "These numbers are insane."

"Order whatever you want."

She reopened the menu. "I didn’t think you actually meant that."

"You’re going to eat it anyway."

She thought about it. "Fair."

Soon the table was covered in warm bread, meat pies, pork chops, roasted vegetables, and a mountain of mashed potatoes, and the meal quickly turned comfortable.

Lily stole food from Maki’s plate while Maki complained, Yuna joined the conversation now and then, and Emily laughed more freely than she had in years.

Then Emily reached for the bread basket, which was just slightly too far away. A faint warmth gathered beneath her fingers, and the basket slid across the table toward her.

Everyone froze.

Emily stared at it. "...Did I do that?"

Maki smiled. "You did."

Emily looked at her hand. "I need better control."

"You’ll get there," Reinhard said.

Lily leaned across the table. "Do it again."

Emily laughed. "I’m eating!"

"You can eat and practice."

"Lily."

"What?"

The whole table laughed, and Reinhard leaned back to enjoy it. For the first time in a long time, his family was simply having dinner together.

Then he noticed three men sitting across the restaurant. Their plates were barely touched, and their eyes kept drifting toward Emily. Reinhard’s smile faded slightly. Interesting.

One of the men tapped the underside of his table six times while glancing toward the window, and the other two leaned closer and whispered. It was a signal.

Reinhard activated Mind Glance, and their surface thoughts slipped into his mind.

She’s definitely the target. We need to confirm how far her recovery has gone.

Once she’s isolated, take her. The restoration method has to be secured.

If she cooperates, good. If not, use the husband. Or the sisters.

The warmth drained from Reinhard’s face, and he sat perfectly still. So that was why they were here.

The three men stood and headed toward the back of the restaurant, and a blue window appeared.

[Investment Opportunity Available]

[Target: Emily Ashcroft.]

[Current Value: B.]

[Objective: Follow the individuals and gather information regarding their intentions.]

[Difficulty Grade: D.]

[Success Probability: 68%.]

Reinhard glanced toward the hallway, then at his family, and when he turned back to them, his smile had returned as though nothing had happened. "I need to use the bathroom."

Lily looked up. "Right now?"

"Nature calls."

"Don’t take forever. Emily’s going to eat your pie."

"I would never," Emily said, already using her new mana to slide his plate an inch closer to herself.

Reinhard laughed and squeezed her shoulder as he passed, and then he walked toward the back. The hallway was empty, but the back door was still slowly swinging shut, and his eyes narrowed.

[Veil Activated.]

His presence vanished, and Reinhard stepped through the door after them.