’...Whatever. Let’s just do it as I rember.’
Soren took a slow, silent breath, forcing his body to move on pure muscle mory. He stepped forward, bent down, and carefully slid one arm behind her back and the other beneath her knees.
The instant he lifted her, the reality of her proximity hit him full force, but he locked his jaw and moved with chanical precision. He carried her the short distance and placed her gently onto the mattress. Bending over slightly, he reached for the blanket and pulled it up over her shoulders, keeping his movents as steady and natural as possible.
"...Soren."
Her low voice cut through the quiet room, causing him to freeze instantly, his fingers still gripping the edge of the blanket. He forced his expression to remain entirely neutral before looking up to et her eyes.
"What is it?" he asked, keeping his tone calm.
Ethea looked up at him, a trace of hesitation flickering across her face. Her lips parted slightly as if she were about to say sothing important, but after a brief pause, she lowered her gaze.
"...No. Just... goodnight."
"Mm. Goodnight," Soren replied softly, adjusting the edge of the blanket one last ti. "Have a nice dream."
He carefully stepped away from the bedside, walking over to where his own mattress was laid out on the floor. As he lay down, the lingering silence in the room felt heavier than usual. He could tell she had wanted to say sothing else, but since she had chosen to drop it, he decided not to push. He would just wait until she was ready.
Taking a deep breath to clear his mind of the tension, Soren closed his eyes and imdiately dove back into his cultivation.
He couldn’t afford to waste a single night. Despite his steady growth, his progress was still a bit slow. Even Ryan had already left him behind, and the gap wasn’t going to close itself.
As mana began to circulate through his core, the quiet warmth of the room faded, replaced by the rigid focus of a man who knew exactly how much stronger he needed to beco in order to achieve his purpose.
───────
Two days later.
The sudden chi of the doorbell echoed through the apartnt.
At the dining table, Aunt Clara gripped the armrests, ready to stand, but Soren reacted faster.
"I’ll get it," he said, pushing his chair back.
He glanced at the clock; it was about ti.
He walked over to the foyer and pulled the door open.
As expected, a familiar face was waiting outside, a beautiful woman with striking white hair.
"Good evening, Sister Zoe," Soren said, stepping back to clear the entryway. "Co on in. We’ve been waiting for you."
"Evening, Soren," Zoe greeted him back, stepping inside the apartnt.
She then followed Soren into the living room, her eyes imdiately finding Ethea and Aunt Clara. After exchanging brief, polite greetings, Soren guided her to the dining table, pulling out a chair for her before taking his own seat.
As they settled in, the atmosphere beca relaxed.
"Miss Ethea," Zoe directed her attention across the table. "How have you been lately? Are you adjusting to the new place well?"
Ethea t her gaze, offering a soft nod. "Sister Zoe. I am doing well, and the new place is much more comfortable. Thank you for your assistance in securing this place."
Zoe waved her hand dismissively, brushing off the gratitude. "I rely pulled a few strings. Soren earned this place through his own rits, so you should thank him instead." She then turned her gaze toward the older woman. "What about you, Aunt Clara? Have you been keeping well too? I hope Soren hasn’t been making your job too difficult."
Clara let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "Not at all, Lady Zoe. Soren is a wonderful young man. He constantly lends a hand with the household chores, even though that is supposed to be my responsibility."
"Oh, is that so?" Zoe murmured, a subtle, amused glint appearing in her eyes. She glanced back at Soren before looking at the two won again. "Well, if he ever gives you trouble, don’t hesitate to reach out to . I will discipline him myself. That goes for you too, Miss Ethea. If he ever makes you upset or brings you to tears, just give a call. I’ll gladly give him a personal crash course on how to treat a woman."
Ethea and Clara both laughed at the remark, the tension in the room lting away completely.
’...’ Soren, however, felt his lips twitch before he let out a helpless sigh.
He could only bla himself for this. Because of his follow-up training sessions to refine the spear technique, their relationship had naturally improved, growing into a comfortable familiarity. Still, he hadn’t anticipated her jumping straight into full teasing mode the mont she stepped through his door.
Shaking his head, he decided it was best to retreat before she could escalate things any further.
He pushed his chair back and stood up from the table.
"You ladies continue talking," he rolled up his sleeves slightly as he turned toward the kitchen. "I’ll take care of the al."
Zoe paused mid-laugh, her gaze shifting from the two won back to him.
"Wait."
A single eyebrow crept upward with clear doubt.
"...You are the chef?"
Soren simply smiled. "Yes, I can-"
"Hey!" Before he could even finish his sentence, Zoe turned away from him entirely, addressing the other two won. "Is that true? Can he really cook?"
’...There she goes again.’ Soren shook his head, utterly defeated by her relentless teasing.
He didn’t bother arguing, turning on his heel to make a swift exit toward the counter.
"Wait, what are you even cooking?" Zoe called out after him, turning around in her chair. "You’re not just frying eggs, right? Do you need help?"
Soren simply waved his hand without looking back, stepping into the kitchen area.
"Just wait and see."
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