Chapter 118: A Daughter’s Heaven and a Boyfriend’s Nightmare

Zephyra suddenly shifted on Daemon’s thigh, adjusting her position until she was fully settled against him.

She looked up with bright, expectant eyes, as if the request she was about to make was the most natural thing in the world.

"Father... feed me."

Daemon did not hesitate for even a second. He understood immediately. This was not simple childishness or a momentary whim.

This was a daughter who had spent her entire life missing the ordinary warmth of a father’s care. He had already lost too many years. He would not refuse her now.

He picked up the spoon, scooped a proper amount of the warm vegetable porridge, and brought it carefully to her lips.

"Open."

Zephyra’s eyes lit up. She parted her lips and accepted the food without the slightest embarrassment.

The porridge itself was ordinary, but the feeling that came with it was not. Sitting in her father’s embrace, being fed by his hand, she felt as though she had finally stepped into a place of absolute safety.

It was the most peaceful and heavenly moment she had experienced in her entire life. Warmth spread through her chest, soft and steady, chasing away years of quiet emptiness she had never fully admitted to herself.

For the first time, the long wait felt worth every difficult year she had endured.

In that moment, she wanted to tell every friend she had. She wanted to stand in front of every person who had ever mocked her for growing up without a father and show them this exact scene. Let them see.

Let them understand that the man she had waited for had finally returned. The thought alone made her heart feel lighter than it had in decades. She leaned a little closer into Daemon’s chest, quietly savoring the solid warmth of his presence.

On the opposite side of the table, Aelthar had completely frozen.

The piece of food that had been halfway to his mouth slipped from his fingers and dropped onto the plate with a soft, humiliating sound.

His mind struggled to process what he was seeing.

The Zephyra in his memories would never do something like this. She was proud, reserved, and kept clear boundaries when it came to physical closeness.

She would never allow another man to hold her so openly, much less feed her... and especially not in front of him.

What is happening?

Who is this human?

Aelthar and Zephyra had been together for nearly one hundred years. They had started as friends, slowly recognizing the quiet feelings that had grown between them, and eventually become lovers.

In all that time, he had come to know almost everything about her. Her habits. Her pride. The way she carried herself with quiet dignity even when the subject of her missing father was raised.

He had seen the rare moments when her longing slipped through the cracks of her composure. Seeing her act so openly affectionate with another man left his thoughts in complete conflict.

A sharp, unfamiliar tension tightened in his chest, mixed with confusion and a faint, unwilling sting of jealousy that he could not immediately suppress.

Morwenna noticed his state at once. She turned toward him with a mild, almost teasing smile, her eyes carrying a knowing glint.

"Dear, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you eating?"

Aelthar hesitated. He opened his mouth, ready to ask for an explanation, but Morwenna spoke first, her tone light and playful.

"Don’t tell me you also want to be fed?" She raised a spoon of food toward him with a faintly amused expression. "Nowadays young people are so spoiled. Come on. Open your mouth."

Aelthar’s thoughts stalled for a second.

What is wrong with this family...?

Still, under the Queen’s expectant gaze, he reluctantly opened his mouth and accepted the food. The taste barely registered.

Morwenna gave a small, satisfied nod and began eating her own meal again, as if nothing unusual had happened.

"I already know what you’re thinking," she said lightly after a moment, her voice calm. "Before you ask anything... just look at them again."

Aelthar turned his gaze back toward Zephyra and Daemon.

This time, he forced himself to observe carefully. The way Daemon looked at her carried no romantic intent.

There was no possessiveness of a lover, no hidden desire, no attempt to claim her in that way. It was the quiet, steady affection of a father giving his daughter the care she had long been missing.

His movements were careful, almost protective, as if he was still adjusting to the reality of having her close after so many years apart.

The longer Aelthar watched, the clearer the truth became. The human he had initially judged with suspicion and unease was not a rival.

He was the man Zephyra had spoken about for so many years. The father she had always believed would one day return.

Morwenna’s soft voice confirmed it while she continued eating, her tone calm and matter-of-fact.

"Yes. He is her father." She glanced at Aelthar with a faint smile. "And he is also the true King of the Elorian Kingdom."

Aelthar’s eyes widened sharply. The words struck him with quiet force. The true king. The man whose absence had shaped so much of Zephyra’s life.

The one she had waited for with a patience that bordered on stubborn faith. Suddenly, many small things she had said over the years made more sense.

The quiet hope she had never fully abandoned. The way she sometimes looked toward the horizon as if expecting someone.

Morwenna continued, her voice still light but carrying undeniable weight.

"If you truly know my daughter, then you already understand how deeply she loves her father... and how long she has waited for him."

Aelthar swallowed once and nodded. The earlier confusion in his chest slowly settled into understanding, though a residual tension still lingered beneath the surface.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I know everything."

Morwenna set her utensils down and looked at him more seriously.

The playful air around her faded, replaced by a steady, evaluating gaze that made the atmosphere at the table grow heavier.

"Then I want you to take care of Zephyra... and this kingdom." Her voice remained calm, but the meaning behind the words was heavy. "I know this is a great responsibility.

But if you want to keep her love and stand by her side for the rest of your lives, you must be ready to carry it."

Aelthar straightened in his seat. The earlier shock in his eyes was replaced by steady resolve. He placed a hand over his chest and spoke with clear confidence, his voice firm and sincere.

"Your Majesty, I promise you. I will take care of Zephyra and this kingdom the same way you have.

I will do everything in my power to see her smile like this every day... and I will protect her with everything I have."

Morwenna’s expression softened with genuine approval. A quiet warmth returned to her eyes as she studied him for a moment longe.

"Thank you, dear. That is all I want." She smiled. "From now on, you may call me Mother-in-law."

Aelthar immediately lowered his head in a respectful bow, the gesture smooth and sincere.

"Yes... Mother-in-law."

For a brief moment, the atmosphere at the table felt warm and settled. The tension that had lingered earlier seemed to ease.

Zephyra continued happily accepting another spoonful of porridge from Daemon, her expression soft and content, completely absorbed in the simple joy of the moment.

She leaned a little more into his chest, as if trying to memorize the feeling of safety she had waited so long to experience.

Then Morwenna’s expression changed completely.

The gentle smile vanished as if it had never existed. Her eyes turned sharp, and the air around her seemed to grow heavier, colder.

She leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping into a quiet, dangerous tone that left no room for misunderstanding.

"However..."

Aelthar’s back stiffened at once. Every instinct he possessed as a high elf suddenly screamed caution.

The shift in her presence was so abrupt it felt like the temperature in the hall had dropped by several degrees.

"If I ever catch you with another woman," Morwenna continued coldly, "or if you make my daughter cry... I will personally pack you off to the Succubus Kingdom."

She paused, letting the words sink in with deliberate weight. Her gaze did not waver even for a second.

"You know what they do when they find a pure-blooded elf man, don’t you?" Her lips curved into a faint, terrifying smile. "And the Succubus Queen happens to be a very good friend of mine. Remember that carefully."

Aelthar’s throat moved as he swallowed hard. The delicious food in front of him suddenly lost all appeal. His appetite vanished completely, replaced by a cold, lingering dread that settled deep in his stomach.

Right now, the only thing he wanted was to finish this meal safely... and return home in one piece before anything worse could happen.

Across the table, Zephyra leaned more comfortably against Daemon’s chest and opened her mouth for another spoonful, her expression bright with pure, uncomplicated happiness.

She remained completely unaware of the silent terror that had just settled over her boyfriend like a heavy cloak.