Chapter 56: A Night by the Falls

A shadow stretched unnaturally across the ground and rose into a human silhouette.

Daemon recognized it immediately.

Victoria, on the other hand, nearly jumped out of her skin. She scrambled to pull her clothes back on in a hurry.

Then a familiar, teasing voice drifted out of the forming figure.

"I never expected you to be this wild when it comes to sex."

Sana fully materialized, dressed in a sleek battle-oriented outfit from the Elorian Kingdom. The design was practical yet elegant, clearly made for movement and combat. She tilted her head and smirked at Victoria.

"Guess I’ll have to learn from you... so I can give my husband even more pleasure."

The word husband made Victoria’s expression freeze.

She slowly turned toward Daemon.

He let out an awkward laugh and raised both hands slightly.

"I told you everything in the letter. Did you read it or not?"

"I read it," Victoria said, her voice tight. "But you never mentioned anything about marrying someone else."

Sana waved a hand casually between them.

"Leave him alone for now. Don’t keep interrogating him. Let’s enjoy the night first."

She pointed toward the trees. "There’s a small waterfall nearby. Let’s go bathe there. We can talk properly after."

Victoria looked like she still had a dozen complaints ready, but after a moment she clicked her tongue and followed.

The three of them made their way through the quiet forest path. The sound of running water grew clearer with every step.

Halfway there, a familiar chime echoed in Daemon’s mind.

Ding!

[Soulfire Resonance Activated]

Target: Victoria Hale (Soul-Bonded Wife)

Effect: Energy synchronization in progress

Recovery rate increased

Bloodline resonance slightly strengthened

[Wife Bloodline Awakening Detected]

Name: Sana Whitlock

Bloodline: Chaos Bloodline

Status: Newly Awakened

[Rewards Generated]

The following rewards are now available. Host may grant them to the corresponding wife at any time.

1. Chaos Resonance

Type: Resonance Skill

Effect: Allows the Host to establish temporary resonance with a Soul-Bonded Wife who possesses a Chaos Bloodline.

Note: Effects increase as the soul connection deepens.

Status: Stored (Not yet granted)

2. Memory Capsule — 1

Type: Sealed Memory Fragment

Content: A fragment of the Host’s previous-life memories

Requirement to open: Bloodline Progression 25%

Current Progression: 21%

Status: Locked

Daemon studied the notifications quietly.

Soulfire Resonance activated with Victoria... and Sana’s Chaos Bloodline has awakened. The rewards are with me for now. I can give Chaos Resonance to her whenever I want.

His gaze lingered on the Memory Capsule.

What kind of memory is sealed inside? I’ll only know once I cross 25%.

By the time he closed the System windows, they had already reached the waterfall.

It was a small but beautiful spot. Clear water spilled down moss-covered rocks into a natural pool below. Sana and Victoria didn’t hesitate they removed their outer clothes until only their undergarments remained.

Daemon followed, stripping down to his underlayer before stepping closer to the water.

He raised one hand and released a controlled stream of Inferno Flame.

The fire wrapped around the surrounding rocks without burning them, heating the stone evenly. Within moments, the cool water began to warm, turning the pool into a comfortable natural bath.

Sana tested it with her foot and smiled.

"Not bad."

Victoria entered the water as well, still clearly not done with the earlier topic. The moment they settled in, she turned on Sana again.

"How dare you marry my husband? You already had your eye on him when you came to my house. I was a fool for not noticing."

Sana leaned back against a smooth rock and sighed dramatically.

"Come on. Drop that part already. We’re sisters now. Don’t act so stiff."

She flicked a bit of warm water toward Victoria with her fingers. "In Virendal, this kind of thing is normal. I married him there, so don’t make a huge scene over it."

Victoria narrowed her eyes and splashed water right back at her.

"Sisters? Don’t say that so easily. You stole him right under my nose."

Sana laughed and wiped her face.

"Stole? Please. You were the one who left him alone long enough for me to snatch him." She leaned closer with a mischievous grin.

"Besides, looking at how wild you were earlier, I should be the one complaining. You’re going to exhaust our husband at this rate."

Victoria’s face turned red instantly.

"Y-You! Don’t say that out loud!"

Daemon, resting a short distance away with his arms on the rock edge, quietly decided that staying silent was the safest choice.

Sana clearly had no intention of letting Victoria recover.

"What? It’s true. If I don’t learn a few things from you, how am I supposed to compete?"

She tapped her own chin thoughtfully. "Maybe I should ask you for direct lessons next time."

Victoria looked like she was about to explode.

"Sana Whitlock!"

Sana burst out laughing, clearly enjoying herself. After a few more seconds of teasing, she finally raised both hands in surrender.

"Alright, alright. I’ll stop. For now."

Victoria clicked her tongue and turned her face away, but the tension in her shoulders had eased a little.

The argument had shifted from genuine anger into something closer to bickering between close friends.

After a moment, Victoria spoke again, her voice calmer.

"...Virendal. What kind of place is it?"

Sana’s expression turned a little more serious, though the playful glint in her eyes didn’t completely disappear.

"It’s the world beyond the Solitary Dungeon. A completely different realm from Earth."

Victoria listened quietly as Sana began explaining.

Virendal was a vast world filled with many races elves, beastkin, and other ancient bloodlines. Power there didn’t follow Earth’s Hunter ranking system.

Instead, strength was measured through bloodline awakening and stage progression. The higher the stage, the longer one could live while preserving youth.

"We stayed in the Elorian Kingdom," Sana continued. "It’s ruled by High Elves.

Their capital has a palace called Silverheart Palace, built around a giant silver tree. Queen Morwenna and Princess Zephyra took us in while Daemon was unconscious."

Victoria’s eyes narrowed slightly at the unfamiliar names.

"Princess Zephyra trained me personally," Sana said. "Elven archery, battlefield movement, and her signature technique Hunter’s Moon.

Because of that training, I’m much stronger than I was before. Strong enough to fight most S-Rank Hunters now."

She paused, then added with a small proud smile,

"Roxanna trained directly under the Queen. They call her the Gentle Healer over there.

Victoria absorbed every word in silence.

Then Sana’s tone shifted slightly.

"There’s something else. While we were there... we encountered a man named Prince Adam."

Daemon, who had been resting with his eyes half-closed, opened them slightly.

Sana glanced at him before continuing.

"He looks almost exactly like Daemon. Same facial structure. Same presence. At first glance, it’s hard to tell them apart."

Victoria’s brows tightened.

"And?"

"He was extremely strong," Sana said simply. "And dangerous. Daemon fought him. That battle was one of the reasons he ended up in a six-month coma."

The forest waterfall suddenly felt quieter.

After a long moment, Victoria looked at Daemon.

"I want to see that world."

Daemon met her gaze and nodded.

"We can go whenever you want." His voice softened slightly. "But before that, I need to find Kassia."

Victoria’s expression shifted as the name pulled her thoughts back to reality.

"...That’s right. I almost forgot."

She straightened a little in the warm water.

"We found two leads connected to Kassia’s whereabouts."

Daemon’s eyes sharpened at once.

The playful atmosphere around the waterfall didn’t fully disappear but something heavier settled beneath it.