Marcus heard the voice of the little girl, and a warm smile bloomed on his face. Now standing firmly on the ground, he saw the child only a few meters away. His eyes softened as he opened his arms wide and called out,
"My lovely daughter. How are you!?"
The little girl came bounding joyfully into his arms, and Marcus embraced her tightly, as if afraid to ever let go again.
"Papa, I missed you so much!" the girl exclaimed.
"Me too, Lisa," Marcus replied with a gentle chuckle, resting his cheek atop her soft purple hair.
Standing a few steps behind, Zhou Rui and Julius silently observed the touching reunion. Zhou Rui smiled warmly, while Julius blinked, genuinely surprised.
"I didn't think he was a father," Julius muttered.
Zhou Rui turned to him and replied with a soft nod, "He's a very devoted one. Even though he rarely gets to see his daughter, this journey gave him the opportunity. Lord Vermillion IV had originally planned to send a Grand Mage with us, but when he remembered Marcus's daughter, he changed the plan."
"Wait—so the story about the Grand Mage being busy was a lie?" Julius raised an eyebrow.
Zhou Rui smirked slightly. "Yeah, something like that."
Just then, a woman approached Marcus and the girl. She had a composed, elegant air to her, and a smile graced her lips.
"Welcome back, Lord Marcus," she greeted with a soft voice.
Marcus looked up and smiled at her.
"Yeah, I'm back, Amanee."
Zhou Rui and Julius stepped forward as the woman turned toward them.
Lisa looked up at Zhou Rui and gave a small, polite smile—an innocent gesture of greeting. But when her eyes met Julius's, she immediately recoiled, clinging tightly to Marcus's tunic.
"Papa, that man is scary," she whispered.
Julius sighed in irritation and muttered under his breath, "Why do all these girls hate me?"
But then he smirked to himself and added, "At least my maidens love me."
Lisa's nose wrinkled in visible disgust as she watched him speak to himself.
Meanwhile, Amanee offered a proper greeting to Zhou Rui and Julius.
"Welcome to our village."
Zhou Rui gave a respectful bow. "Thanks for having us."
Julius, still curious, leaned toward Marcus and whispered,
"Marcus… is she your wife?"
Marcus immediately waved his hands in panic. "No, no! She's the wife of that friend I told you about!"
Lisa giggled, her small shoulders bouncing.
Amanee also chuckled lightly. She was striking in appearance—her skin was as fair as Lisa's, and she wore a long, flowing cyan frock paired with a neat leather apron. Her hair was a rich shade of lavender, tied loosely behind her back, and her eyes shimmered a vibrant amethyst. She stood with both hands resting demurely in front of her thighs, calm and composed.
Marcus asked, "Amanee, where is he?"
"He's at the farm, tending to the animals," she replied.
Marcus let out a sigh of familiarity. "His love for animals… it never fades, does it?"
Amanee smiled fondly. "No, it really doesn't."
"And how's Lance?" Marcus asked.
"He's doing alright. He's with his father right now."
Julius perked up. "Who's Lance?"
"He's my son," Amanee answered gently.
Julius exhaled. "Woah. By the way—are we gonna stand out here all day?"
Amanee laughed again, the sound light and welcoming.
"No, of course not. Please follow me."
Marcus, now carrying Lisa in his arms, began walking beside Zhou Rui and Julius as they followed Amanee down the path.
Along the way, villagers began greeting Marcus with sincere warmth:
"Welcome back, Lord Marcus!"
"How's your health, Lord Marcus?"
"We're so happy to have you again, my lord!"
"You've grown so much, Marcus. Just yesterday you were a boy playing in my field!"
"Lord Marcus, if you need anything—anything at all—just say the word!"
The reception left both Julius and Zhou Rui visibly surprised.
Zhou Rui glanced at Marcus and spoke with admiration, "Lord Marcus, you're truly a well-loved man here."
Marcus gave a modest shrug. "No, I just grew up here. That's all."
Finally, Amanee stopped and turned.
"We're here."
Before them stood a large wooden house with a gently sloped thatched roof. The structure had a rustic beauty—aged but strong. At the front was a small wooden staircase of three steps, leading to a wooden platform surrounded by a simple yet elegant wooden fence.
The main door, crafted from polished pine, stood centered beyond the porch. Beside it, a window was partly veiled by thick cream-colored curtains. The house itself was two floors tall, and behind it stretched a vast farm dotted with animals and crops.
At each corner of the porch's fence sat a white flowerpot brimming with soft pink blossoms, their petals swaying gently in the cool mountain breeze.
Amanee opened the door with a soft creak and stepped aside.
"Please, come inside."
But as the door swung open, a tall man stood just beyond the threshold, as if he had been waiting all along.
His face broke into a wide grin as his eyes met Marcus's.
"Marcus, my friend—you came back!!"