Elemental Practice and Domestic Teasing

One month had passed since that last thrilling battle.

In the aftermath, numerous women abducted by Goblins were rescued with the aid of the military and the church.

Upon arriving at the scene, the rescuers were rendered speechless, aghast at the hellish spectacle before them.

Most of these poor women, when discovered, had already suffered complete mental breakdowns, clinging to the rescuers’ clothes and weeping uncontrollably.

These unfortunate souls, stripped of their innocence and tormented, would require a prolonged period to slowly recover and return to a semblance of normal life.

Another unexpected discovery was made: the disciple of a certain alchemy master was also found among them.

The magician, stripped of her magical power, sat silently in the waiting carriage upon her discovery, her eyes vacant and unseeing, uttering not a single word throughout.

A kind female rescuer removed her own robe, gently draping it over the girl. A warm hand stroked her back, murmuring softly, “It’s alright now, it’s alright.”

Slowly, tears welled in the girl’s vacant eyes. Suppressing the tremors in her body, she finally spoke a single sentence.

“Please take me to Mondstadt City, Hendon Myre District, Nanga Street, Moonlight Inn.”

****

In recent days, Freya had once again fully embraced her role as a virtuous wife and loving mother.

Rising in the morning, she embraced the sun, allowing her body to be filled with its brilliant radiance. Freya slowly stretched her lithe form, basking in the gentle sunlight.

Glancing at the snoring figure still nestled in the bedclothes, she cast a disdainful look, huffed, and then headed outside.

‘Pig-head! All he does is sleep, sleep, sleep all day long! As the Hero, how can he not have the self-awareness to train diligently?’

Stepping outside the house, she was enveloped by a cool breeze, feeling the refreshing magical elements of the early morning. It was as if every cell in her body had been cleansed.

‘Hmm, the effects of the Maragobi Grass have completely worn off. My current magic level is already LV30.’

‘Speaking of which, that skill should be almost ready to use, right? Let me think about how to use it…’

After a moment of contemplation, she slowly extended her hands to her sides, palms facing upwards.

The surrounding magical elements gradually began to swirl around her body: water, fire, lightning, earth, wind, wood, and even a faint trace of dark elements.

Aside from light elements, which she would not actively absorb because they harmed demonkind, the other magical elements steadily gathered around her.

At first, ice and snow descended, and then, a moment later, flames flared into existence.

Following this, lightning flashed, strong winds howled, the earth trembled, and vegetation sprang forth.

Yet, when Freya opened her eyes, everything slowly returned to tranquility.

She opened her left palm, revealing a faintly black flame. Then, opening her right palm, a crystalline frost formed.

‘Magic: Elemental Ignition.’

“Hmph…” Freya suddenly extinguished both magical constructs, stumbling to her knees. Beads of sweat, born of exhaustion, appeared on her forehead. “While it allows for the simultaneous use of multiple magical elements, this technique still consumes far too much magic.”

Elemental Ignition was a relatively advanced magical technique, enabling the simultaneous casting of multiple magical elements, which placed extremely high demands on the user.

Furthermore, the rate of magic consumption was several times faster than usual.

Struggling to her feet, Freya was about to go wash up when she suddenly noticed a small rabbit not far away, seemingly observing her.

It had snow-white fur, a plump body, and long ears.

‘What a truly adorable rabbit.’

Freya recalled the rabbit stew from that night, and couldn’t help but lick her delicate lips.

“What a truly delicious rabbit,” she murmured, extending her hand towards it, her focus absolute. “Elemental Ignition!”

****

“More meat today, how wonderful,” Roland said, picking up a glistening piece of rabbit meat and placing it in his bowl.

He casually stirred it a few times, allowing the golden-brown, fatty and lean meat to coat the rice grains thoroughly, then opened his mouth wide, stuffing the food in until his cheeks bulged. A blissful expression involuntarily spread across his face.

“Today’s meat was hunted by Freya,” Old Jenny said, placing a piece of meat into the bowl of their great benefactor. “She also cooked the rabbit stew. I must admit, her cooking has improved remarkably this time.”

“Hmm?” Roland eyed Freya, whose nose was practically turned up in pride, with suspicion. “Really? Didn’t I forbid her from cooking after she ruined the pot last time?”

Feeling the sting of his mockery, Freya’s face flushed with both anger and shame, and she turned her head away.

‘Hmph, you big jerk!’

“Oh, oh, don’t say that,” Old Jenny chuckled kindly. “Ever since that incident, she’s been secretly learning to cook from me for a long time. Now, her skills are no worse than mine.”

Roland picked up another piece of rabbit meat, deliberately smacking his lips as he remarked, “The meat’s a bit tough, overcooked. And it has a slightly gamey taste; the blood wasn’t drained properly. This rabbit meat, if it were prepared with a spicy kick…”

‘I’ll endure!’

‘I’m your damn good wife now!’

“Alright, I’ll do as you say next time.”

The veins on Freya’s forehead pulsed menacingly, yet the smile on her face appeared both sincere and demure.

‘The little Demon Lord’s acting is getting better and better.’

Having delivered his critique, Roland felt a surge of secret delight, immensely pleased by the improvement in his wife’s acting skills.

After the meal, Old Jenny went to her farm to check on the wool, Freya prepared to wash the dishes as usual, and Roland, patting his satisfied stomach, washed up and decided to finish chopping the day’s firewood.

‘I have to say, that Goblin’s short sword is really good for chopping wood.’

‘Roland wondered, would the dead Keno be so enraged that he’d reattach his head just to settle accounts with him?’

‘Hahahaha, as if that could ever happen~’

“D-darling?” Freya, washing dishes, called out softly to Roland, suppressing her discomfort.

Roland seemed not to hear, continuing his leisurely stroll towards the exit.

“Roland!” Freya called out, her voice sharper this time, stopping him.

Roland halted, then turned around with a smug, punchable expression.

He furrowed his brows, one hand resting below his chest, the other propping up his chin, and mused, “Strange… I seem to recall you never calling me that a long time ago, did you?”

‘Damn it! No way!’

‘What did that arrogant princess used to call this idiotic Hero?’

Freya’s heart suddenly leaped into her throat, her hands, still washing dishes, trembled uncontrollably. The bowls and chopsticks in the water were almost crushed by her surging magical fluctuations.

‘Hmph, teasing this little Demon Lord is quite amusing.’

Roland decided to secretly escalate his mischievousness. He deliberately paused in thought before saying, “Hmm… I seem to recall that other married couples usually have some special terms of endearment after they get married.”

His expression shifted as if he’d suddenly remembered something, and he exaggeratedly exclaimed, “Eh? I don’t think I’ve ever heard you call me that before!”

Finally, he adopted a solemn expression, crossed his arms, and raised an eyebrow, “Aren’t we husband and wife?”

‘Shit!’

Freya suddenly felt as though she had inadvertently dug a pit, then foolishly jumped into it herself, only for someone to now be poised above, ready to bury her alive.

‘For the great plan of demonkind! For the Holy Sword!’

‘I will endure!’

“H-husband, what are you talking about?” Freya felt her face turning green. “Between the two of us, why bother with so many details?”

‘I’ll kill you eventually!’

Her heart screamed this silently.

“Oh, oh, right,” Roland nodded thoughtfully, then asked, “So why did you call me?”

‘Finally, he’s dropping the topic…’

Freya let out a sigh of relief, then slowly said, “You’ve probably grown a bit tired of meat lately, haven’t you? I’m going to the forest to pick some fruit later, and I can’t carry the baskets by myself. Could you help me?”

“Oh, you can wash the dishes first then,” Roland waved his hand, then walked to the doorway. Suddenly, he said suggestively, “The term ‘darling’ is quite nice, but it’s just a little too quiet.”

Freya froze for a moment, then immediately realized his meaning, but by then, Roland’s figure had already vanished from sight.

The poor dishes, in the end, could not escape their fate of being crushed!