Extra's Rebirth: I Will Create A Good Ending For The Heroines-Chapter 508: First Words

"Aannddd... I win." Stella said while looking at her hand with a confident smile spreading across her face.

There were a lot of girls gathered here so they had decided to split them up into two separate groups which would have their own internal rounds, and the last two contestants from each group would face each other in a final championship match.

It was simple Rock-Paper-Scissors... it could not be rigged or influenced by magic or skill, so Stella had won by pure luck and she felt giddy as if she was a little girl again, even though she was currently sitting down attempting to maintain a mature expression befitting a Great Mage.

"Haahhh..." Edna massaged her forehead in disappointment and frustration. It seemed that she was quite unlucky today. "Well, after this night... until everyone else gets their turn with him, you won't be able to participate in future games."

Stella nodded in understanding and stretched her arms above her head leisurely.

"Can someone show me to his room... so I can check it out before tonight." Stella said and Edna immediately stood to lead her upstairs.

The other girls also decided to show the new women around the mansion properly, giving them a tour of the facilities and explaining where everything was located.

This left Azel sitting alone at the dining table with only Anastasia remaining.

Azel sighed deeply, releasing some of the tension he'd been holding. If he had been left completely alone, he would have gone back down to Gwendolyn's hidden research room to do more exploration and study, though that could definitely wait for later.

Spending quality time with his family was first priority right now after being gone for two months.

"Why are you sighing like that? Don't you want to spend time with me?" Anastasia gave him a sad, hurt expression and he immediately patted her head reassuringly while standing up from where he sat.

She hopped down from his lap as well, finally relinquishing her claimed position.

"No, I'm genuinely glad everyone could get along so well." He said honestly and took her hand in his. "Let's get some fresh air outside..."

They both walked outside together and in the front yard of the big gated mansion, the children were actively playing with Feng supervising them.

As for Feng specifically, he was holding onto baby Isolde with extreme care as if his life depended on it, and she giggled happily in his arms.

Azel's heart warmed significantly seeing all of them having fun together. It was something that he didn't know he needed to see so badly. Anastasia squeezed his palm affectionately.

"Oh right, how is Sylvia doing?" He asked, the question bringing a more serious tone.

At the end of the day, as much as it left a bitter taste in his mouth to think about, Sylvia was technically a heroine in the grand scheme of things, and who knew what negative deductions or consequences would come from a Heroine dying?

But it was safe to say any romantic interest he had previously had in the woman had completely died down after her betrayal.

Why settle for a fake royal when he had the real thing standing right next to him?

"She's fine physically, she has been sentenced to several months of confinement within Yggdrasil as the goddess communicated directly to me." Anastasia explained. "By the time she comes out, hopefully she'll be in her right mind and properly repentant, but I won't underestimate her again or give her the benefit of the doubt. Sylvia is not allowed to leave Elun'varis under any circumstances and she will be under constant surveillance this time. I still have not forgiven her for leading to the death of so many of my people... and I don't think I ever will be able to. What do you think? She is our adopted daughter after all."

"Our?" Azel blinked in confusion, and then he nodded as the logic clicked into place.

Since Sylvia was the adopted daughter of the Elf Queen and he was the husband of the former Elf King, then that technically made Sylvia his adopted daughter as well through marriage.

"I trust your judgment completely... you can do what you see fit with her. What about Alvinus, did he return to Elun'varis like he was supposed to?"

"Honestly, Alvinus hasn't returned to his family at all. I'm worried about what he's doing as I haven't heard of his whereabouts sin—"

Both of them could suddenly sense a familiar energy signature flying rapidly in the direction of the mansion and it was unmistakably an elf's magical presence.

Alvinus flew over the gates with practiced ease and landed on the ground in the front yard. He was sporting his usual robes and somehow completely ignored Anastasia's presence, making a bee-line straight to Azel with single-minded focus.

Upon reaching just meters away from Azel, he slid onto his feet in a dramatic fashion, making sure that as he stopped his momentum completely, he had prostrated himself flat in front of Azel's feet. The elf had truly become completely shameless.

"Boss... you disappeared for two whole months! Two entire months!" Alvinus said dramatically, practically kissing Azel's boots in his enthusiasm. "Are you okay Boss?! I came here as fast as I could when I heard the news from the city!"

He looked up with exaggerated concern. "I was very worried about you..."

Azel's eyes twitched in annoyance. It was like the elf thought he was blind and couldn't see that Alvinus had given several obvious glances toward Azel's pocket while doing his small sprint over here.

The greedy bastard was here for payment.

However, Anastasia was genuinely surprised by this development and behavior.

"Alvinus..." She said firmly and Alvinus instinctively looked up from his prostrate position, looking at the woman properly for the first time.

He had never seen a woman of her extraordinary beauty before in his life, however her distinctive tri-tone eyes immediately gave away her identity.

"My King..." He said with a respectful bow, then corrected himself. "Or no, my Queen... it has been quite a while. Congratulations on choosing your gender."

"I'm doing very fine, thank you... however, were you not given multiple summons to return to Elun'varis?" She asked with a hint of authority in her voice.

Alvinus stood up properly with a small smile and he bowed once more formally.

"I apologize sincerely, my Queen... however I am no longer interested in going back to Elun'varis." He replied, making her eyes widen in genuine surprise. "I am not interested in returning to the politics and scheming in Elun'varis as I have found my true calling in life."

He looked meaningfully at Lillia and the children playing behind them. "Being a tutor and educator."

Anastasia's eyes returned to their normal expression and she smiled warmly at Alvinus with approval.

"I'm glad you're happy and it seems you can see humans as equal beings now... this is a very good development for your character. However, I'm sure you didn't only come here to greet my husband, so please state your actual reason for being here."

Alvinus visibly stiffened at being called out. To be completely honest with himself, he wasn't surprised that the one that the Elf King had fallen in love with was Azel.

He had almost kind of expected it given the way he was smooth with women.

Alvinus turned to face Azel directly.

"Well, I continued educating Miss Lillia and Feng in advanced spells even after you were gone and the world was in chaos." Alvinus explained. "Since the twins Raphael and Lysandra are walking properly now and giving off measurable magical energy, we can test out their elemental affinities and begin their formal education."

Azel immediately understood that this guy was here to collect payment, trying to reap compensation from a man who just saved the entire world on the same day he returned from the Underworld.

There were truly shameless elves in this world.

"How much am I owing you...?" Azel asked directly, cutting to the point.

"Well, we never actually came to a formal agreement at how much you would pay me for my services." Alvinus said carefully.

"Okay." Azel said while pulling out a heavy pouch of gold ares from his Inventory and throwing it over casually.

Alvinus caught it smoothly and it jingled with substantial weight. There were clearly a lot of ares in here, probably more than he had actually worked for based on the weight.

"Buy whatever educational materials you need and come back tomorrow morning... I want Raphael and Lysandra as well as Lillia and Feng to get the best education as soon as possible." Azel instructed firmly.

"I'll never let you down, Boss!" Alvinus let out enthusiastically with a crisp salute as he shot into the air and left the property rapidly.

"Greedy elf." Azel sneered after him and Anastasia chuckled at his side. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"I honestly like this side of him better than the pompous noble he used to be." She said while pulling at his hand playfully. "What can we do now...?"

Just then cute little Lysandra ran over to the two of them with determination in her steps. However, this time she was not nagging her papa for attention. Instead she extended her small hand directly at Anastasia.

"Play..." She said simply.

"I should play?" The Elf Queen looked down at the girl with surprise before placing her hand in the girl's tiny palm.

Immediately she was dragged toward the group of three children and Feng with surprising strength for such a small child. Lillia gave Azel a thumbs-up from across the yard and a purple glow covered baby Isolde.

She hovered through the air and floated into his waiting hands. He caught his daughter who had inherited his silver hair and she immediately pinched his cheek the moment she saw his face clearly.

'I wonder... aren't her first words a bit late?' He thought with some concern.

He had never actually heard her talk verbally before. She had giggled and laughed and done other stuff like pinching and grabbing, but she hadn't spoken any words to him before.

It was honestly a bit late for her first words to be emerging. Was something wrong with her development?

"Paa..." The word bubbled at her throat and he focused intently on his daughter's face.

"Yes?"

She pinched his cheeks even harder now with more force.

"Pa... pa..."

Immediately Azel's eyes widened dramatically and so did Gwendolyn's invisible form beside him.

The way she had said it, the tone, the effort, everything was so incredibly cute. He immediately ran inside the mansion with Isolde in his arms, moving quickly.

"Edna! Edna!" He cried out excitedly and the woman practically came running downstairs with her long skirt flailing behind her. She soon arrived at his side in the entrance hall.

"Eh? What's going on...? Are we being attacked?" She asked with concern but quieted down as she looked at Azel's genuinely giddy face.

It was the happiest his face had been since he returned from the Underworld today. She had seen him cry openly for the first time in the hospital, however there was a very limited amount of things she actually could do to alleviate the deep pain of losing Rene.

But with this moment, it genuinely seemed like he was back to his normal self and not forcing himself to hold back tears.

"She... she said... her first words..." He managed to get out, his voice thick with emotion.

"Papa!" Isolde let out once more clearly, pinching his cheeks and Azel smiled even more widely.

'Her first words were actually Mama... and quite a while ago too.' Edna thought to herself.

Sure, their daughter was a late talker compared to other children, but she had already spoken before. It was just that Azel hadn't been present to hear it and didn't notice.

However, Edna couldn't bring her heart to tell him otherwise and ruin this precious moment. So she leaned close to him and buried her face into the crook of his neck like the loving wife that she was.

"She really is cute, right?"

Isolde looked at her mother and raised a small hand toward her.

"Mama."

Then both Azel and Edna laughed together.