Investing in My Crippled Wife: Every Return Makes Me Stronger

The morning arrived with the loud sound of music and the smell of something sweet drifting through the open window.

Soren’s nose twitched a few times before his eyes opened. He had the urge to find where the smell was coming from to be able to stir up his appetite, but chose to hold back. While there hadn’t been any attacks for the past week, he couldn’t bear to leave Ethea alone. Besides, he still had to feed her daily medicine meal.

’We have enough time.’ He thought to himself as he slowly lifted the blanket and got out of bed. ’Besides, I want to experience everything with her by my side. It feels a lot better that way.’

Nodding to himself while already imagining numerous scenarios in his mind, he got to work. By the time he finished preparing everything, Ethea also woke up.

”Good morning, dear.” She called out gently.

Soren looked over and smiled. ”Good morning.”

Then he walked over, gently picked her up, and carried her to the bathroom.

Forty minutes later, they finished eating and dressing and were ready to go out to the festival.

The hotel lobby was busier than it had been the night before, guests streaming in and out with armfuls of purchases and flushed faces. Soren pushed Ethea through the front doors, and the moment they stepped outside, the festival swallowed them whole.

”Whoa!”

Soren exclaimed in surprise.

”Amazing!”

The streets had transformed overnight. Banners in every color hung from the rooftops, snapping in the warm breeze. Stalls stretched down the main road as far as the eye could see, their owners already calling out to the growing crowd.

”Fresh sunfruit! Picked this morning!”

”Spirit Rice, the best in the empire!”

”Roasted honey figs! Come try, first piece is free!”

The crowd was a mix of everyone. Awakened browsed ingredient stalls beside ordinary citizens carrying baskets of produce. Farmers displayed their harvests on wooden tables while bakers offered free samples of festival pastries. Children weaved through the chaos, laughing.

Soren pushed Ethea’s wheelchair into the flow of people, his head turning in every direction.

”It really is big,” he said.

Ethea smiled. ”I told you. And this is only the outer ring. The main market is further in.”

”I see, then the rare ingredients must be in there too, right?”

”Probably.” Ethea nodded as she recalled her previous visit.

”In that case, let’s tour the outer ring before moving in,” Soren said, pushing her forward at a slower pace as the crowd carried them from stall to stall.

”Brother! Here, take this.”

A baker pressed a sample of honey-drizzled pastry into his hand. He thanked the man, tore off a piece, and held it to Ethea’s lips before popping the rest into his own mouth.

”Good?” he asked.

”Very.”

Soren smiled and purchased a few before continuing.

Along the way, he kept using Advanced Appraisal on everything and everyone, and thanks to his high mental power and peak Second Stage mental cultivation, the information flickered through his mind in an instant. He absorbed it all without breaking stride, his gaze moving on before anyone could notice he had been looking.

He bought anything that looked useful and ignored the rest. Fortunately, he didn’t find anyone or anything suspicious among the crowd. Still, he kept communicating with Malakor, who was hiding in his shadow, asking for updates on their surroundings and whether anything seemed off. After all, his perception and senses far exceeded Soren’s own.

Of course, he also didn’t forget to buy a few things for Malakor, slipping a few strips of dried meat and a small bag of mana-infused treats into his shadow when no one was looking. The panther said nothing, but the faint pulse of acknowledgment through their bond was enough.

A few hours passed like that, the three of them drifting from stall to stall through the outer ring until the crowd began to thin and the stalls gave way to larger pavilions.

”We are here.”

Soren stopped to appreciate the view.

The main market was just ahead, its entrance marked by a towering arch of woven wheat and golden ribbons. Beyond it, the pavilions stretched across a vast open square, each one larger and more elaborate than the stalls in the outer ring. Banners bearing the crests of noble houses and merchant guilds fluttered in the breeze. The air was filled with the aroma of exotic spices, natural treasures, and various other scents.

Soren let out a low whistle. ”Now this is more like it. This is what you call a great festival!”

”Mm~”

”Let’s go.” He raised his fist and pointed toward the arch. ”Onward!”

Ethea giggled at his enthusiasm. ’Cute~’

Soren either didn’t notice or pretended not to, already pushing her toward the entrance.

They joined the line at the entrance, where a detection array swept over them and let them through without issue.

Inside, the main market was a different world. The stalls here were larger and more elaborate, their shelves lined with ingredients that belonged in a high-end kitchen rather than a street market. Rare herbs floated in enchanted jars. Mana-infused fruits glowed faintly under glass cases. Spices Soren had only ever read about sat in neat little pouches with price tags that made his eyebrows rise.

”Fresh Starfruit! Harvested under a full moon!”

”Ember Roots! Perfect for fire element magic dishes or potions!”

”Frostvine Extract! Limited stock!”

But of course, there were still the usual tricks. Merchants shouting about limited stock that wasn’t actually limited, or claiming their goods were harvested under rare conditions that probably didn’t matter as much as they said. Soren had seen enough markets to know that half the battle was sorting the real deals from the loudest voices.

Fortunately, he had the perfect tool for the job.

’Shall we start the treasure hunt, dear?’ He asked mentally, his eyes already in motion. ’I already found our first target.’

’Hehe, let’s go for it then.’ Ethea played along.

Soren grinned and wheeled her into the crowd, the hunt already begun.