As Rio materialized in Lia's bedroom, he found it empty. The morning light streamed through the windows, indicating that the day had already begun.
He went outside, to look for Lia, and discovered her in Nyla's room, deep in conversation with her sisters.
Though Helia had wronged Rio in the past, he had forgiven her, and she had faced a severe punishment as a consequence.
As he entered the room, all eyes turned to him, filled with happiness at his return. Even Helia's eyes brightened, though she did not voice her feelings.
"Good morning, ladies," Rio greeted them warmly.
"Where have you been, sweetie?" Nyla inquired, her eyes filled with concern.
"I didn't want to disturb anyone's sleep, so I went to fight some black-stage beasts," he replied casually.
Lia's expression was filled with surprise as she asked, "You've already reached the red stage?"
Rio nodded, then asked, "Until when can my Silverbloom King Sword be upgraded?"
"I can only help it reach the red stage. After that, you'll have to find another beast soul that can provide you with a sword weapon." Lia explained in a calm tone.
Rio considered this information, deciding that he would attempt to upgrade his sword later in the evening when they went for their usual walk in the garden.
For now, he enjoyed the company of his loving wives, as he hadn't spent much time with them since his return.
As Rio engaged in conversation with the women, he shared his experiences in the human world.
"I discovered that Layla was living in my old apartment. To my surprise, she had been searching for me since a month after the incident when my memories were sealed.
Layla had wanted us to elope to the Land of Asura, to live far away from humans, but when she couldn't find me, she foolishly made it her ultimate goal to defeat her grandfather. She wanted to prepare herself while still searching for me.
Unfortunately, I didn't return to my old apartment after getting adopted, so she couldn't find me. I had misunderstood her intentions all this time," Rio narrated, his voice filled with both love and guilt for not realizing Layla's true intentions sooner.
Lia listened attentively, feeling a surge of happiness for Rio as he finally reunited with his first love, though she chose to keep her emotions to herself.
Their conversation carried on as Rio told them about Layla and their past, with each sister carefully listening to his love story as he was the boy who ruled their delicate hearts.
After a while, they shared a cozy morning breakfast together, enjoying the warmth of each other's company and the comforting familiarity of eating together. They had missed having him there for their meals in recent times.
Later that evening, Rio successfully upgraded his Silverbloom King sword to the Red stage. He cherished the happy and loving moments he spent with Lia before deciding to return to Earth to check on Layla.
Upon his arrival, he noticed that everything was still in its place, and Layla hadn't returned. Growing increasingly concerned, Rio couldn't shake off the feeling that something was amiss.
After returning to Empress Villa, he asked the Elven beauty, "Eve, do you happen to know the shelter where Layla might be? She hasn't returned yet, and I have a feeling that something is not right."
As the girl heard his question, she hesitated to answer him. She had been warned by the Goddess not to reveal certain secrets to him as he was meant to discover them on his own, and any premature revelation could put him in danger that he wasn't prepared for.
"You can find her at The Haven Island, which is under the control of the Havenglow family," Eve's voice resonated in Rio's mind, revealing Layla's location, as she knew she could at least tell him this much.
"Why did she leave?" he inquired.
"Even though I want to tell you, I'm restricted by the Heavenly law from divulging information about her. You'll have to discover the truth on your own. I can only assist you with other details," Eve replied with a tinge of bitterness, clearly disliking her inability to help him further.
Rio understood that the goddess had imposed restrictions on Eve, preventing her from discussing certain topics, and Layla's situation was one of them.
He returned to his bedroom and lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought about Layla.
Noticing the worry etched on his face, Lia approached Rio with a concerned and loving tone.
"What's troubling you, Husband? You seem so stressed," she asked, gently placing a hand on his cheek.
"It's just that Layla hasn't come back. It's not like her to disappear for this long, especially after we just met," he responded, sensing that something was amiss with her absence.
"What do you plan to do?" Lia asked, noticing that he likely already had an idea in mind.
"I'm considering visiting her in the Land of Asura," he revealed his intentions.
"Will you be safe there? Do you want me to come along?" Lia asked with a loving tone, her concern for his well-being evident in her voice.
"It's the Havenglow's territory, so they probably shouldn't harm me. Even if they did, I can always return, and I have Eve by my side. If something is wrong with Layla, I'll let you know, and we can go together.
But I believe I can handle it alone, and Second Mother should help me even if that old man interferes between Layla and me," he said, unaware of the unknown fate awaiting him on the other side.
"Your current strength isn't enough to take on a Silver stage warrior, so you need to be cautious," Lia said with a worried tone. She knew that Rio was still not strong enough to handle one of the strongest Human warriors, which included Layla's grandfather.
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Edited By: TheWhiteSnow
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