When Chris’s name was mentioned, a hint of shyness appeared on Mara Wainwright’s face.
Mara said softly, “Back then, I was ambushed by bandits, and it was Mr. Shelby who saved me…”
To Mara, Chris was her savior. If not for him, she would have lost her life that day.
Hearing this, Candace let out a light sigh. From the way Mara spoke, it was clear she had developed deep feelings for Chris.
Just then, strange noises came from the room next door.
Curious, Mara asked, “Candace, what’s that sound from next door? What is Mr. Shelby doing with Esther?”
Candace froze for a moment, then rolled her eyes and replied, “Your Mr. Shelby is up to no good again.”
Mara was taken aback. “Huh? What bad thing is Mr. Shelby doing?”
Although the room had good soundproofing, Mara, being an Aetherbinding practitioner with exceptional hearing, could still pick up faint noises. Naive and inexperienced in matters between men and women, she had no clue what Chris and Esther were doing.
Candace leaned closer and whispered a few words in Mara’s ear.
In an instant, Mara’s face turned bright red.
Candace laughed and said, “Alright, forget about them. Why don’t you tell me more about Chris’s adventures in Aethelgard?”
Mara nodded eagerly. “Sure! Back then, Mr. Shelby ventured alone to the border between Amerosia and Great Lyria. He infiltrated an army camp of hundreds of thousands by himself…”
Normally a reserved person who rarely spoke much, Mara transformed into a chatterbox when the topic was Chris. She spoke endlessly, as if she could go on for days without stopping.
She recounted Chris’s exploits in Aethelgard with great enthusiasm, leaving Candace deeply moved. Candace hadn’t imagined that Chris had gone through so much in Aethelgard.
—
The next day.
When sunlight warmed his face, Chris slowly opened his eyes.
He glanced at the clock and realized it was already noon.
Seeing this, Chris couldn’t help but chuckle bitterly. Last night had been too wild, and he hadn’t gone to bed until very late.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
A series of knocks came from the door.
Chris called out casually, “Come in.”
The door opened, and Mara Wainwright entered with a tray of food.
“Mr. Shelby, I’ve prepared this meal for you.”
Chris nodded and was about to eat but realized his hands were still useless.
“Mr. Shelby, let me feed you,” Mara offered gently.
She began feeding him, and Chris couldn’t help but smile wryly. Ever since he had lost the use of his hands, he had finally gotten to experience a life where everything was done for him.
After the meal, Chris asked curiously, “Where did Esther and Candace go?”
Mara replied, “They went out earlier. Esther told me you were very tired last night and asked me not to disturb you.”
“Uh…”
Chris froze for a moment, surprised by Esther’s thoughtfulness. She even considered such details.
Chris smiled and said, “Mara, since this is your first time visiting Earth, let me show you around.”
Hearing this, Mara’s face lit up, and she nodded.
The two left the villa together.
It was a beautiful day, bright and sunny.
As soon as Chris stepped outside, suddenly-
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Shadows appeared before him. These figures, clad in red uniforms, were none other than the Emberwood Guards.
The leader stepped forward, bowing respectfully. “Master!”
During Chris’s one-year disappearance, the Emberwood Guards had been secretly protecting Esther and Candace. Thanks to their vigilance, Esther remained unharmed.
Chris nodded. “Thank you for your hard work during this time.”
Red, the leader of the Guards, replied humbly, “Master, it is our duty.”
However, Chris noticed that Red’s breathing was uneven.
Frowning, Chris asked, “Are you injured?”
Red’s face darkened. “Yes, Master. We now have less than a thousand Emberwood Guards left.”
“What? How did this happen?”
Chris’s expression changed. He knew the Emberwood Guards had been entrusted to him by his mentor, Archer Wintersong, before his departure. At their peak, there had been nearly three thousand Guards. Now, fewer than a thousand remained. What had caused such devastation?
Red explained, “Master, after your disappearance, a group of powerful practitioners suddenly attacked Emberwood Estate. Over a thousand Guards were slain in the battle. Even I was injured during the fight.”
Through further investigation, Red had discovered that the mastermind behind the attack was Eagle Noire, the eldest son of the Noire family.
Hearing this, Chris clenched his teeth. “Eagle Noire, you’re courting death!”
He hadn’t expected Eagle Noire to be so audacious as to lead an assault on Emberwood Estate. Although they hadn’t succeeded in fully taking the estate, the heavy losses to the Guards enraged Chris.
Still, without fully understanding Eagle Noire’s capabilities, Chris decided not to act impulsively.
He handed Red a healing pill and said, “Take this. It will heal your injuries quickly.”
Red nodded and swallowed the pill. Within moments, his complexion returned to normal.
—
Afterward, Chris took Mara Wainwright shopping.
They arrived at Middleton’s largest mall. Mara, still dressed in her traditional Aethelgard attire, didn’t attract much attention. Her outfit resembled ancient Amerosian garments, which had become trendy due to the growing popularity of vintage fashion and traditional clothing associations.
“Mr. Shelby, the clothes here are so beautiful!” Mara exclaimed.
It seemed that regardless of whether they were from Earth or Aethelgard, women shared a universal love for beautiful things.
Visiting a mall for the first time, Mara was dazzled by everything around her.
Chris chuckled. “Mara, buy whatever you like. Today, it’s on me.”
“Thank you, Mr. Shelby!”
Without hesitation, Mara entered a high-end boutique.
She quickly spotted a dress she loved and asked the clerk, “How much is this dress?”
The clerk replied, “One hundred thousand.”
Mara tilted her head curiously. “One hundred thousand gold coins or one hundred thousand Essence Stones?”