Seraphina’s POV:
It had been almost three months since I was stuck at a bottleneck in my cultivation. As a Saintess, this was not expected of me, because Saintesses were seen as the pinnacle of talent in any Holy Land. So, my bottleneck earned me some disgrace from both juniors and elders.
They didn’t care to understand that I am still human, that I too have limitations.
Nevertheless, today, I broke through that bottleneck. I stepped into the Soul Formation Realm. My Nascent Soul evolved into a pure golden Angel. Six radiant wings and holy armor made it appear truly divine.
And all of this happened because of a single person: Vahn.
Though young and sometimes silly, he is the most unfathomable man I have ever met. With just a simple piece of advice from him, my cultivation surged like a rising tide.
When I opened my eyes, I saw Vahn staring at me again with the same appreciative gaze. It held no lust, only pure curiosity, as if he were witnessing something impossible.
Even if it was just my beauty that caught his fascination, I still felt a little proud. I suddenly wanted him to appreciate me even more.
Then I noticed him staring absentmindedly. His gaze shifted toward the empty air, as if something invisible existed there. And he was smiling.
Why was he smiling? What did he see that I couldn’t?
"Ahem!" I coughed softly to draw his attention.
Vahn snapped back to his senses and looked at me.
"Seraphina, I hope your cultivation went well. If so, then please try my cooking. I made it with so much effort," he said with puppy-dog eyes.
"Alright..."
I couldn’t refuse him any longer. My heart wouldn’t allow me to see him disappointed. Never.
Even if it tasted extremely bad, I would still eat it. All of it.
Using two chopsticks, Vahn served me an item he called steamed dumplings. I hesitated a little, since I had never seen such strangely shaped food before.
Nevertheless, against his expectant eyes, I gave in. I picked up the chopsticks and placed one dumpling into my mouth.
I expected it to taste bad, and I had already decided I would never reveal my true evaluation so as not to hurt his feelings.
But the instant the warm food touched my tongue, I understood it was something extraordinary. As I continued chewing, a spicy and savory flavor exploded in my mouth.
It was so delicious that I could hardly put it into words.
My mind seemed to burst with the taste of countless flavors all at once.
Without even asking permission, I reached for the next one. Tears of joy were already forming in my eyes.
"Um... um... they are so delicious," I muttered between bites.
In response, Vahn revealed a bright smile. Then he started to explain the recipe to me, saying it was one of his homeland’s specialties.
I found his enthusiasm very amusing.
Afterward, he offered me various other dishes. Every single one was top-notch, as if prepared by a Divine Cook. Even the Patriarch’s personal chef, who followed the Dao of Cooking, might have failed to match his skill.
"What do you say? I’m not that bad of a husband, right?"
Vahn asked me jokingly, but a blush crept onto my cheeks. For the first time, the word husband brought a little embarrassment in my heart.
---
Vahn’s POV:
I was having the best time of this new life right now.
By impressing Seraphina with my cooking, our emotional connection had increased by another 15%. That brought the total up to 50 out of 100.
I also received another bottle of Heaven Grade Body Tempering Liquid.
But neither of those were the real reason I was so happy. This was:
[ Congratulations! You have aided your 1st wife, Seraphina Dawnlight, in a major breakthrough. ]
[ Rewards Gained: Saber Mastery of Sabermaster Dijun ]
...
For aiding Seraphina in her breakthrough, I had inherited the skills of a fallen Sabermaster. All the experience needed to wield a saber at the level of a true master was engraved into my mind, into my very bones and muscles. The incredible swings, the defensive stances, the saber intent—every detail.
A saber is essentially a kind of sword with a single-edged blade, so I had no problem adjusting to it.
With some physical practice, I would soon become a Saber Master in reality. And that alone was enough to make me thrilled. Because right now, I no longer had to wait years to master a single weapon.
I could already call myself as a Saber Master, maybe even the youngest in history.
The thought alone sent jolts of excitement throughout my being. From now on, I finally had something to attack and defend with.
I was not the same weakling person as to be trampled upon.
More than anything, Seraphina’s genuine blissful face while eating my cooked food made me feel it was worth it.
I had gained so much from her. More than she knew. More than anyone knew.
"Ah, look at me. I’ve nearly eaten all your food. Vahn, you should eat too," Seraphina said with a hint of guilt.
I nodded calmly and began eating beside her.
While we ate, I noticed another figure watching us from behind the entrance of the cave—almost creepily.
Seraphina noticed her too. Her expression softened as she said, "Zephya, come inside. We should all eat together."
Zephya, the platinum-blonde-haired little girl, entered with hesitant steps, all the while secretly shooting daggers at me.
And why wouldn’t she? I had tricked her into leaving the cave by telling her a Spirit Wolf was causing mayhem down below.
Of course, she wouldn’t believe such an obvious lie, but when I showed her the artificial scratches on my hand and shoulder, she had no choice but to believe. It was her duty to keep the mountain safe and sacred.
If her master ever heard that she neglected her duty, Seraphina would have been disappointed in her.
But once she found out about my trick, she would probably hate me even more.
I had no choice, though. If I had told her I wanted to cook for her master, she would never have agreed.
I understood why. She was still immature and naive. She probably thought I was stealing Seraphina away from her.
Though it was true in a sense, it wasn’t completely so. Seraphina would always be her master. And I was her husband. I was just earning my rightful place.
After breakfast, when we left down the mountain, I could hear Zephya’s complaints to her master.
But Seraphina only ruffled her hair and smiled in response.
I didn’t care too much. I had already completed my goals.