"It's you…," Iris muttered after seeing Lux appear inside her residence, while holding Aurora's hand.
For some reason, she felt a pang of pain in her chest when she saw the Half-Elf holding the Half-Succubus' hand.
'What's this I'm feeling?' Iris thought as she placed her hand over her chest. 'Is this perhaps jealousy? Me? Jealous of Aurora because of him? Impossible!'
Aurora, who was standing beside Lux, couldn't help but arch her eyebrow as she glanced at Iris.
She was very sensitive to emotions, and could even project herself on others, allowing her to feel the same feeling as them.
The moment she entered the residence, she had already activated her powers, and subtly connected her senses with Iris and Cai.
She could have done the same for Vera, but she didn't take this chance because she was a Saint and stronger than her.
Lux looked at his grandma with sadness.
Long before the war of the Abyss had started, he had ordered Blackfire to free her from its influence.
Vera was a precious family member, and he didn't want to treat her as a subordinate that he could summon anytime.
It didn't feel right, so he decisively ordered Blackfire to set her free.
The Coffin had the power to do that. Any creature that it freed would be free from its influence.
Because of this, Vera was affected by the Laws that rippled across Solais, making her forget her grandson, whom she had raised with love and care since he was a baby.
Although it hurt him that Iris and Cai had forgotten him, the thing that hurt him the most was actually Vera forgetting about him.
He didn't regret freeing her from Blackfire's control, but seeing her in this state hurt him very much.
Aurora had already told him that she had tapped into Iris' and Cai's feelings, allowing her to understand what they were feeling at the moment.
However, since Vera was stronger than her, she didn't dare do it, so Lux was clueless about what his grandma thought about him.
'Iris is reacting to me being with you,' Aurora said through telepathy. 'Let me try something.'
The Half-Succubus tiptoed and pressed her lips over Lux's, kissing him in front of everyone.
Suddenly, she heard someone clear her throat, and it was none other than Iris.
"Aurora, please hold back a little on your public display of affection," Iris said with a frown. "This is not the time and place for it."
Alexander, Maximilian, and Alicia, who were also inside the residence, looked at this scene with amused expressions on their faces.
The two Saints even glanced at each other, as if both of them came to the same conclusion.
"I'm sorry, Iris," Aurora replied in an apologetic tone. "It has been a while since I saw my lover. I wasn't able to stop myself from kissing him."
Iris nodded. "I'm sorry as well. I didn't know what came over me."
Cai, who was watching from the side, was very tempted to charge at Lux and ram him with her tusks.
For some reason, she also didn't feel good seeing Aurora act sweetly with the guy, who was totally her type.
In order to take control of the situation, Alexander cleared his throat and started the meeting.
"We have gathered here today to talk about the migration to the Fynn Kingdom," Alexander stated. "Although the threat of the Abyssal Invasion has stopped temporarily, we cannot let our guard down. The only thing that is preventing them from reaching our location is the Miasma that is spreading in the surroundings.
"However, after careful investigation, we found out that the speeding of the Miasma is also increasing. Perhaps, it is being affected by the other Abyssal Creatures that appeared outside of our borders.
"Since we have been cut off from the world, we don't know how many Abyssal Lords are present beyond the scope of the Miasma.
"The people from the Ancestral Lands of the Rowan Tribe have already started to migrate to the Fynn Kingdom. Cai's sister, Rose, is responsible for this migration, and the army of the Fynn Kingdom is assisting her as well."
Maximilian nodded his head in confirmation. "The Rowan Tribe members here in Barbatos Academy will also start to migrate as soon as the people from the Ancestral Lands finish their migration."
Alexander then glanced at Alicia and waited for her report.
"I contacted the Wildgarde Stronghold and informed them about our intention to migrate. They said that they would need a week to prepare for the migration. I will inform the people of Regulus City after this meeting is over about the migration plans as well.
"If all goes according to plan, we will be able to transfer everyone to the Fynn Kingdom within a month."
Alexander nodded. "Mother, I will ask you and Iris to oversee the migration to Elysium. I will remain here in the academy until the last resident of Regulus City has been evacuated. Also, I still need to talk to the Kings that remain here in the Six Kingdoms.
"Because of Lady Hereswith's help, the Elswyth Kingdom is being allowed to build their homes near Espoir Frieden, similar to us, it will take them a month to complete their migration."
Just as Alexander was about to continue his explanation, a blue comet descended from the sky and landed in front of Lux and Aurora.
"Pa!"
A Blue Baby Slime looked up at the Half-Elf with tears streaming from her eyes.
"Pa!"
Eiko jumped towards Lux, and buried herself against his chest, as her tears fell like rain.
She had been fighting against the Abyssal Army that had tried to attack the Ford Federation, so she didn't notice right away that her Papa had returned.
Eiko only sensed Lux's presence after the battle ended, and hurriedly returned to Solais to see him.
The Half-Elf felt his heart ache as he lightly patted the crying Baby Slime on his chest.
"Wuwuwu!" Eiko cried sadly as the heartache she had kept inside her heart burst forth like a broken dam.
Iris, who saw Eiko act this way, was flustered and walked towards the Half-Elf in order to retrieve the Baby Slime who was crying on the chest of the red-headed teenager, whom she had seen only twice in her life.
"I'm sorry," Iris said as she stood in front of Lux. "I didn't know why she's acting like this. She's usually very tame, and doesn't make things difficult for others."
"It's okay," Lux replied as he continued to gently pat the baby slime, whose cries were getting louder.
Perhaps the fact that Iris had completely forgotten her Papa made Eiko sadder than usual, so she cried harder because of it.
"Eiko, come," Iris said. "Please don't bother him."
"No!" Eiko replied. "I'll stay with Pa!"
"Eiko, don't be like this."
"No!"
Iris felt helpless because even though she tried to pry the Baby Slime away from the Half-Elf's body, the little one would dodge her hands and move to a new location.
After this happened a few times, Lux held Iris hand and placed it over his chest.
"Let her cry a bit," Lux said as he looked at his fiance with a sad smile on his face. "I don't mind if she stays with me for a while."
Iris' felt her heart beating wildly inside her chest. She couldn't understand what was happening to her, but for some reason, the Half-Elf's touch made her want to imitate the Baby Slime, and bury her head on his chest, while being enclosed in his loving embrace.
But, Iris' willpower was strong.
In order to prevent herself from making a fool of himself, she took a few steps back, with her hand clasped over her chest.
"Then, I'll leave her to you for a bit," Iris said. "Your name is Lux, right? I'll remember you."
"Thank you," Lux replied as he coaxed Eiko, who was hiding behind his back to avoid being taken away by Iris, to return to his chest.
The Baby Slime obeyed, and continued to cry on her Papa's chest.
It had been more than a year since she had last seen him, and although she was very happy that he had returned, She was also very sad.
Despite the fact that her Mama and Papa were in the same place, there was a distance between them.
This made Eiko very sad, so she did what only a baby could do to release her frustration.
She cried, while her Papa covered her with his rough hands.
Hands who had fought many battles with her, and allowed her to raise her rank to become a powerful Monster.
Although they were rough, they were warm, and made her feel as if she had returned to that time, where she was still a powerless Baby Slime, and needed Lux's protection to survive in the worlds of Solais and Elysium.
