If Lilith’s tier was lower, she might not have been able to detect the three of them standing right in front of her.

They walked slowly after a bit of chatter and teasing...

....

’So... is it safe to assume that no crazy spectacles will happen today?’ Quinn asked both of them, sending his thoughts directly into their minds.

’Yes... but as I said before, there’s always a chance that some mishaps will happen. We can’t predict the minds of those beings from above, so it may or may not happen.’

Alice warned him. They couldn’t afford to risk anything that might cause Quinn’s demise. It was best to assume the worst and come out unscathed rather than being lax and dying in the colosseum.

That would mean their own deaths, too... Lyra and Alice would literally die along with Quinn.

They had already vowed in the deepest parts of their souls to live and die with Quinn no matter what. Bitter or sweet, nothing could truly separate them. Perhaps it wasn’t just a product of their own will, but it wouldn’t matter either way.

’Hmm... okay, that clears my mind.’

Quinn was fully aware that everything could go south at any moment.

’Oh... I wanted to ask you both something.’

’Fufu... what is it?’

’Hmm... what is it, dummy?’

’Both of you remember the question I asked regarding the jar, right? I want to know if either of you knows Esborne...’

Quinn wanted to learn more about the man. Maybe they knew something that could help him in the near future.

’Hmm, yes. He is a mid-tier human... that man was strong.’

’Fufu... he was so mysterious that we never really knew what kind of man he was...’

The response Quinn received was quite disappointing. It was back to square one, and his only lead was a woman named Helen. Though it was the expected answer, it left a massive void in his head. It was deeply frustrating to have a sudden quest thrown at him like a rock out of nowhere.

’Hmm... what about that man? How is that related to you?’ Lyra asked, curious to know why Quinn was even bringing it up. The dots just weren’t connecting.

’I met him before... we had a few fateful encounters. As for the matters regarding the jar, well... he died by my hands just a few hours ago.’

Quinn didn’t need to lie. Both Lyra and Alice would know the truth if they dug deeper into his mind, so it wasn’t a secret he could take to the grave anyway.

’What?!’

’What???!!!’

Their voices rang in his mind like a bell! It was so loud that he froze for a moment, causing Lilith to turn around and look at him in confusion.

’What?... Why are you both looking at me like that?’

If a glare could kill, Quinn would have died countless times over. Both of the women hugging his sides glared at him like apex predators. Their stares felt like they were drilling holes right through him, making him feel like he had done something incredibly terrible.

’"Why are you both looking at me like that?" my ass! Do you think your life is a joke?! Why are you risking your life as if you have countless ones to spare?!’ Lyra’s sudden outburst shocked Quinn. This was the first time he had ever seen her genuinely angry, not teasing, not her usual playful pouting, but a raw, unbridled explosion of fury.

She felt incredibly conflicted. Why would Quinn risk his neck for something that had absolutely nothing to do with them? Risking his life every time he stepped into the colosseum was already more than enough, that was her absolute bottom line.

Lyra felt like crying every single time Quinn was thrown into the arena, silently pleading with the gods to safeguard his life. She lived with a heavy secret, burying her deepest anxieties deep within her heart.

Yes, she wanted Quinn to grow stronger so he could protect them, but she also knew that his method of cultivation was entirely different from a normal being’s. Why would he take unnecessary risks when he only had one life to lose? Above all, he wasn’t living just for himself anymore. He had two wives now, and risking his neck without a damn good reason was simply the act of a fool.

Neither Lyra nor Alice could imagine living without Quinn anymore; that was an absolute fact. Because of that, her sudden outburst was entirely justified. What Lyra said covered everything, leaving Alice to simply reinforce it with a burning glare.

’I’m sorry about that... but both of you know I’m ultimately doing this for us, right?’ Quinn reasoned. He knew it was his fault, and he didn’t try to deny it.

He wasn’t a man who answered to anyone, but he wasn’t dense enough to ignore the difference between right and wrong, and what he had done today was definitely a mistake.

’....’

’....’

Unfortunately, he didn’t receive an answer as a heavy silence swallowed the mental link. They simply tightened their physical grip on him and buried their faces deeper into his sides. At least they didn’t walk away. It would have caused an even bigger headache if they started avoiding him entirely.

’It really is my fault... I’m sorry.’ He could only transmit his most sincere apology. There was nothing else he could do while they both continued to pout. He had a feeling there wouldn’t be any intimate sessions for a while!

’Hehe... but it’s not all bad. Getting scolded by them actually feels okay. Well, logically it’s bad... but it really shows how deeply Lyra and Alice care...’ Quinn opened his thoughts, allowing them to read his sincerity.

Alas, he was met with total silence once again.

...

They walked forward in a tense quietness. It was best to remain silent until the heavy emotions they were harboring began to thaw.

It was just a normal part of a relationship, after all! Whoever said romance was strictly rainbows and butterflies? It was all in one, through and through!