They followed her down a long path until a huge mansion came into view—Edda's place.

Edda stopped walking, pointing ahead.

"That one."

Aiden, Leona, Ivy, and Fluffynugget all froze.

Because Edda's house… wasn't just a house.

It was huge. Mansion-huge.

The place stretched like some fancy noble inherited it: wide stone steps leading up to a giant wraparound porch, carved railings, polished pillars, big windows, and a perfectly kept garden around the whole place.

The lawn was smooth enough to nap on. Flowers lined the walkway. Two cherry trees framed the gate, petals drifting lazily in the breeze.

Aiden whistled. "Damn… that's a house."

Leona poked Aiden's cheek. "Daddy we need house like this."

"I know right… this is the dream." Aiden whispered back.

Even Ivy whispered, "Onii-Chan… I want this lawn… I want to roll on it."

"Mii~"

Edda smiled lightly, pretending she wasn't proud. "It's… nothing too special.

Aiden chuckled under his breath.

Edda turned back with a teasing smirk. "Do you… want to buy my house, Young Heart?"

Aiden grinned immediately, leaning in with zero hesitation. "Hm. Depends. Does it come with the beautiful owner?"

Edda's face went red in less than a heartbeat. "Stop—! Don't say stupid things like that in front of—"

Leona giggled. Ivy covered her mouth. Fluffynugget chirped like it understood the joke.

Aiden laughed, shrugging. "I'm just saying. Big house. Big charm. Hard to resist."

Edda smacked his shoulder lightly. "Y-You're impossible…"

But she was smiling the whole time.

Edda turned red from head to toe.

She fumbled with her keys and opened the door.

"Come in."

They stepped inside—

Leona and Ivy shifted back to their original form with a faint glow.

They stepped into the entry hall—

—and immediately heard tiny footsteps thudding toward them.

"Mammaaa!"

A blur launched itself from the hallway.

Edda barely had time to remove her shoes before Liri leapt into her, wrapping her arms tight around her waist and pressing her face into her stomach like she always did.

Liri was the living defination of cuteness.

Her hair fell in long, flowing waves that framed her face and spilled over her shoulders—full autumn red, with patch of hair above her forehead, spring green. The two colors blending at their meeting point like nature's seasons stitched together.

Every strand seemed soft, light, and effortlessly alive, shifting gently as she moved, giving her an almost ethereal presence even without a breeze.

Her eyes were deep mossy violet, crystal bright, layered in subtle gradients like polished gems, exactly like her mother.

They held an innocence and wonder that made the room feel warmer just by reflecting her expression.

She wore a light, soft lavender robe that draped loosely over her slender frame, the fabric falling in gentle folds that caught the room's ambient light.

Beneath it, a simple white inner garment peeked through at the collar, adding a clean, delicate contrast to the robe's muted tone.

The robe's sleeves hung relaxed around her arms, giving her an effortlessly graceful appearance—like someone who belonged to both comfort and elegance at once.

"You're early today!" Liri squeaked, voice high and warm.

Edda laughed softly, stroking her daughter's colorful hair. "I had a reason to hurry."

Liri blinked up at her.

"Reason?"

"I have guests."

Liri looked—

—and froze.

Because there they were: Aiden with a dragon girl in his arms. Ivy, a goblin, standing shy beside him. Fluffynugget waddling like a dumpling come to life.

Liri straightened instantly, hands behind her back, posture perfect. "Welcome. I am Liri."

Aiden bowed slightly, still holding Leona. "And you must be Liri, huh? Your beautiful mother talked about you."

Edda elbowed him so fast he actually choked. "Y-Young Heart! Don't say such things in front of children!"

Aiden just smiled.

Liri's eyes flicked between them—her mom blushing, Aiden smirking—and her expression shifted. A kind of quiet realization clicked in her tiny head.

"This way, please." She murmured, polite as a noble.

They stepped inside together.

Aiden put Leona down and leaned in close to Edda ear, his voice lowering to a whisper.

"She's like her beautiful mamma."

Edda stiffened instantly. His breath hit her ear, warm, and she shivered—actually shivered—her neck turning bright red.

Liri noticed.

Her little brow lifted.

---

The living room opened before them like a sunlit sanctuary—wide, warm, lived-in.

Plush couches shaped in soft curves framed the space, their cushions sinking at the slightest touch.

Fluffy carpets layered across the polished wooden floor, catching sunlight in delicate threads.

Walls were lined with shelves stuffed with books, old scrolls, odd little figurines, gemstones in glass jars, dried herbs tied with twine—each one humming with a story.

Aiden paused at the doorway, taking it all in with a quiet smile. "It's… cozy," He murmured.

Edda, beside him, shifted her weight, fingers brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"It's a mess," She corrected shyly. "I never have time to tidy up. Don't judge me too harshly."

Aiden's eyes slid toward her—slow, deliberate, warm.

"Oh, trust me," He said under his breath, "the only thing I'm judging here… looks perfect."

Her heart stuttered.

She shot him a quick glare—embarrassed, flustered, but unmistakably pleased. "Young Heart," She whispered sharply, "don't say things like that in front of Liri."

"Ah? Did I say anything improper?" He mused, voice low and innocent—the kind of innocent that was anything but.

Edda's cheeks went pink.

Of course Liri heard nothing. She was frozen in place, eyes huge, staring at Leona—

Liri gasped so loud Ivy jumped.

"You look… sooo cool!!" She squealed, circling Leona like a scholar examining a priceless artifact.

Leona puffed her chest. "Hehehe~ I do, don't I?"

Aiden gave her a look. "Try not to inflate your ego any bigger. You might hit the ceiling."

Leona stuck her tongue out.

Then Liri turned to Ivy and froze.

"You're soo green!"

Ivy's cheeks puffed like a pouting apple.

"It's natural!"

Liri giggled, then spotted Fluffynugget.

"And he's so cute!"

She scooped him up.

"Miii~" The little creature chirped proudly.

"Liri," Edda sighed, "don't squeeze our guests—"

Liri panicked and dropped him onto the carpet. "SORRY!"

Fluffynugget rolled over the fluffy carpet.

Then Liri's gaze shifted.

To her mother.

To Aiden.

To her mother.

Back to Aiden.

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Liri hummed like a child solving a murder mystery.

"Mamma, you're smiling weird."

Edda blinked. "Weird how?"

"Like you found cake in the cupboard when you weren't supposed to."

Aiden coughed to hide his laugh. "That sounds like a very specific kind of smile."

"It is," Liri said seriously. "Mamma only makes that face when she really, really likes someone—"

"LIRI." Edda said her name like a prayer for mercy.

Aiden leaned in slightly, voice teasing. "Now I'm curious what kind of smile she makes when she really likes someone."

Edda smacked his arm—light, flustered, her blush betraying everything.

Her heart did weird things.

"Liri," Edda finally said, "show him

around the house while I prepare something for them. Remember he is royalty and guest of the Queen."

Liri nodded. "Yes, Mamma."

Aiden gave Edda a tiny smirk as he passed her.

"Are you sure you'll be okay without me for a few minutes?"

Edda's breath hitched. Her eyes flicked away. "I… I'll manage."

"Mmm. Try not to miss me too much."

Edda inhaled sharply, nearly choking.

"You—just go!"

He grinned and followed Liri as she marched down the hall.

---

The hallways stretched long and warm, sunlight filtering in through tall windows draped in soft curtains. Painted vases sat in corners, holding bright seasonal flowers. The air smelled lightly of herbs, wood polish, and Edda's subtle floral perfume.

Liri talked the entire time.

"That was the living hall. We eat there sometimes, but Mamma makes me sit on a cushion because I spill things."

Aiden nodded solemnly. "Understandable. Cushions fear children."

"I KNOW, RIGHT?!"

She marched to the next door.

"This is the storage room. Don't open it."

"Why not?"

She lowered her voice. "Old stuffs."

"Terrifying."

"Exactly."

She kept going.

"This is the guest room. Papa used to say beds are for sleeping, not bouncing. But I still bounce."

Aiden smiled. "Let me guess. He pretended to scold you but actually laughed?"

Liri's eyes warmed. "Yeah."

They walked up a small staircase, the wood creaking softly.

"This is the upstairs hall. That door is my room. It's messy."

"Mine is too," Aiden said.

"You're an adult."

"Fair point."

She pointed to another room.

"That one's Mamma's room. You can't go in."

Aiden raised his hands. "I wouldn't just walk in uninvited, you know."

"That's good,"Liri said approvingly. "Only Papa used to go in without knocking. But that's okay because she liked it."

Aiden coughed, caught off guard by the accidental double meaning.

Liri paused mid-step. "You okay?"

"Perfect," He said quickly. "Just… processing the idea."

Her brows furrowed. "Processing what?"

"Adults things."

She nodded as if that explained the mysteries of life.

Then they reached a hallway dimmer than the rest, where sunlight didn't fully reach. A single door stood at the very end. The air felt… still.

Liri's confident steps slowed.

"This…" She whispered, "was Papa's study."

The handle wasn't dusty. Someone cleaned it.

But no one touched it.

Aiden softened. "You ever go inside?"

"No."

"Want to?"

Her fingers tightened around the edge of her sleeve.

"Not yet."

Aiden didn't push.

They moved on, quieter now. Liri's earlier excitement had dimmed, turning softer, more fragile.

After a long stretch of silence, she spoke again.

"Sir…?"

"Yes?"

"I never saw Mamma so happy."

Aiden blinked. "Yeah?"

"She always smiles for me… but it's the tired kind. She comes home late. Her shoulders hurt. And sometimes she sits alone for a long time before she remembers I'm watching."

Aiden's chest tightened.

Liri continued.

"But today… she smiled a real smile. Because of you."

She looked up at him, eyes old in a way no child's should be.

"She looked alive. Like Papa used to make her."

Aiden exhaled slowly.

Liri bit her lip. "I miss him."

"I can tell," Aiden murmured.

"He used to carry me on his shoulders," She whispered. "He used to read me stories. And he could make Mamma laugh really loud. She hasn't laughed like that since he…"

Her voice cracked.

Aiden crouched, meeting her gaze. "He must've been a good dad."

"The best," She breathed.

Tears shimmered.

Aiden rested a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Liri… your mom is strong. But even strong people deserve someone who makes them smile."

She swallowed. "I want her to be happy again."

Aiden nodded.

She stared at him very seriously.

"Then marry her."

Aiden nearly fell backward. "…Hah—?!"

Liri frowned. "What? Why are you surprised? Mama likes you. You like her, don't you?"

"I—Liri, that's not—"

"She smiled at you in the living room."

She crossed her arms. RShe never smiles like that unless she really, really li—"

Aiden quickly covered her mouth.

"Okay, okay, I get it—just stop before one of us dies from embarrassment."

She peeled his hand away and whispered,

"You'd make her happy."

Aiden sighed, then knelt fully.

"Liri," he said softly, "I'll make you a promise."

Her breath hitched.

"If your Maama wants me around… then I'm not going anywhere. And I'll take care of both of you. Properly. As long as you'll let me."

Her eyes widened—glowing, trembling, overflowing.

"R-Really? You mean it?"

Aiden nodded.

She threw herself forward and hugged him fiercely.

Aiden wrapped his arms around her gently, keeping her close, warm, safe.

Just around the corner, hidden from sight—

Edda stood still as stone.

Hand pressed over her mouth. Shoulders shaking. Tears slipping silently down her cheeks.

Not sad tears.

Warm ones.

Hopeful ones.

Disbelieving ones.

She turned away before they saw her.

Her heart was beating too fast, too loud.

And for the first time in a long, long while—

She wasn't afraid of the sound.

She hurried toward the kitchen, wiping her eyes, trying and failing to stop smiling.

Aiden didn't need to see her.

But she saw him.

And that was enough to make her feel alive again.

---

END OF CHAPTER : 155 : LIRI BLACKTHORN!

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