Is This Heaven?

"Thank Heavens You are awake Alea," Merial said as she ran over and hugged Alea who was still startled. Alduin, Virion, and Tessia looked on with sadness since they had heard what had happened to Alea from Haru.

They have already sent people to retrieve the bodies of Alea's squad members to give them a proper burial while also giving out compensation to their families.

Plus Dicathen has lost one of the Lances their strongest force just like this, Alea's core has been shattered and that is it.

"Lady Merial let Queresha take a look at her condition," Zenobia said and Merial stood up quickly.

"Oh dear me, I am sorry, Please Lady Queresha," Merial went back to Tessia's side.

"What happened? Alea you look scared?" Queresha asked while checking up on Alea.

'Does she have a physiological shadow now? It could be possible, it has also happened to me,' Queresha thought while remembering how she wasn't able to sleep because she kept on recalling how the Insect Monarch destroyed her world while using her body.

The looks of horror and despair on her people's faces still haunt her to this day but that is the case when she sleeps alone. Haru knowing her situation doesn't let her sleep alone and she was very thankful for this.

'Oh god, I can't tell her that 'I was fantasying about your husband' now can I? No wait does it matter I am dead already, It shouldn't matter, Right?' Alea thought totally oblivious to Queresha and everyone's concerns.

To her, all of which was happening here was her imagination running wild.

"So you woke up," Then a soft voice came in from the door making everyone turn around to see Haru.

He was wearing a red Yukata under an orange Haori while letting his long silky and wavy hair fall down on his back and chest.

Merial, Tessia, Alea, and Zenobia looked at Haru with wide eyes. It wasn't every day you get to see Haru with his hair down. This is a new type of experience altogether.

'Phew* I guess I don't need to worry about Arthur being like Professor,' Tessia looked happy since she had a certain revelation.

"This is without a doubt Heaven," Alea spoke in a daze.

"It would appear so," Merial agreed absent-mindedly but then coughed as she felt the eyes of everyone in the room.

[E/N: The NTR Flags are everywhere in this arc, no one would be surprised if Merial is the Harem member from this arc,]

'What did I say? No no this is a dream, you are dead, no one will know,' Alea was blushing hard but pulled herself together thinking this was just a dream since there was no way she would be able to survive unless a miracle happened.

'Pretty Professor strikes again, And this guy has the gall to say he sucks at wooing women look even the Queen is blushing, But I swear if he says he is a woman I would accept it with no doubt,' Randel scoffed in his mind.

"Her condition is normal; there are no problems with her body," Queresha concluded and gave everyone a little sense of peace.

"Can you all wait outside for a bit?" Haru asked and everyone nodded and then walked out of the room.

Seeing everyone leave Alea felt nervous since being alone in a room with a sexy-looking Haru was too much for her heart even if this wasn't real.

"So are you feeling ok," Haru asked as he sat down on the bed near Alea's legs.

"I-I am fine," Alea answered back.

"I can see it in your face that you think this is a dream," Haru spoke softly making Alea nod, This is exactly what she was thinking.

"Can I confirm it?" Alea asked while looking at Haru.

"Sure," Haru shrugged, and Alea came closer to him.

'Why does he smell so Damn Sweet?' Alea screamed in her mind as she touched Haru's hand with a small blush.

'….Is this real?' Alea asked herself as she poked the back of Haru's hand a few times.

"Do you still don't believe it?" Haru asked.

"I am stilling checking don't move," Alea said with a pout and Haru nodded, just touching his hand isn't going to confirm anything.

Alea moved in closer and hugged him placing her head on his shoulder while her hands circled around him tightly. She did it because she liked the Hug Haru gave her before.

'So…..warm,' Alea felt extremely comfortable hugging Haru as she took in his scent.

"You know my wives are just outside the room," Haru said with a flat tone.

"D-Don't make this weird, I am just checking," Alea spoke in a small tone.

Haru sighed before hugging Alea back.

"There is no need to check this isn't a dream, You are still alive and well," Haru spoke softly as Alea trembled in his arms, he could hear her sniffing as his shoulder got wet from her tears.

"Please…..Don't let me go….I beg you…..please…" Alea spoke in an almost inaudibly low voice; her voice shook along with her small frame Haru felt like if he let her go she might just vanish entirely.

'Psychological damage is always way more troublesome than physical one,' Haru thought while looking at Alea.

And it wasn't wrong entirely since Alea was hit hard at the moment she was one of the strongest mages on this continent but now? She is nothing, her mana core is gone even though her body is healed she herself can't do anything much with her life. and along with this, she went through a lot last night it won't be a surprise if she completely broke down But she held on even if she had to lie to herself.

"Don't worry I told you before right, Everything will be alright," Haru said softly while patting Alea's head slowly as she cried in his arms.

'Looks like it is going to be a long day,' Haru thought while looking outside of the window.

After a few minutes,

"Have you calmed down?" Haru asked Alea who had separated herself from him and was wiping out her tears.

"Yes, thank you," Alea spoke with a smile, Haru could see the pain in her eyes even when she smiled.

"Then I'll send the others in," Haru said as he moved towards the door.

"You aren't going to stay?" Alea asked.

"Well you see, I will go and change my clothes and since everyone outside is also getting impatient it wouldn't be good to keep them waiting," Haru said while opening the door making Jin-ah, Randel and Tessia fall in.

"Hehehe," Jin-ah, Randel, and Tessia laughed sheepishly while the others behind them shook their head. Even if the three tried to listen inside but Queresha had made sure that no sound escapes the room.

Alea smiled looking at the worried look on everyone's face as they walked in and started to check if she was doing alright.

Haru saw the door close and he was faced with the elven royal family as the others went inside first.

"You guys aren't going in to meet her?" Haru asked while narrowing his eyes.

"Well, We wanted to thank Professor for saving Alea," Merial spoke first as Alduin and Virion nodded to agree with him.

"You don't need to, It was just a coincidence that I came across her, you can say it is her own luck, but I hope I would've been faster so that she wouldn't end up like that," Haru spoke slowly and what he said about coincidence was true since Haru only left one clone in the beast glades as it didn't have any value for him anymore, So that one clone coming across Alea who was deep inside a dungeon was by chance and the curiously of the clone since it felt foreign mana in the dungeon that matched Jagrett's.

"You don't have to beat yourself over it, We are all very saddened at what had happened to her, but her being alive is what matters since no matter how strong you are if you don't survive it means nothing in the end, I am sure Alea is more grateful to you then anything for saving her life," Virion said with a somewhat sad look in his eyes.

'Looks like this jolly old man has had a painful experience himself,' Haru thought deeply about what Virion said and his words were stuck in his mind.

The real reason Haru felt bad was that there were signs that something was going to happen in front of him but he ignored it and didn't take it seriously which almost led him to lose a good friend even while he was so strong.

It isn't like he is beating himself over what happened to Alea but it is still there in the back of his head that if he ignored the obvious things and something like this happened to anyone close to him then...

"I guess, I still have a long way to go," Haru said with a small smile and Virion smiled while stroking his beard.