Investing in My Crippled Wife: Every Return Makes Me Stronger

The trio soon arrived at their destination. It was a tranquil garden with a small pond and a cozy gazebo set right beside it. Soren and Nuelia sat opposite each other after he parked Ethea’s wheelchair beside him to keep her close.

”So, what did you want to talk about, Lady Nuelia?” Soren asked as he took the tea Nuelia had just poured.

”To be honest, it’s about the dish you cooked earlier, the Broth of Life,” Nuelia revealed, her tone becoming earnest. She set her own cup down and looked at him. ”It really piqued my interest. If you’re willing, I would like to learn how to make it from you.”

’This is a bit unexpected.’ Soren raised a brow in surprise. ’But... It might actually work out in my favor.’

His mind raced as he altered his existing plans for the current situation.

”Of course, I am willing to pay the appropriate price for it,” Nuelia added after seeing Soren go silent. ”We can even trade with equal-value recipes if you want.”

Soren raised his gaze to meet hers. They stared at each other for a moment before Soren’s lips curled up. ”Actually, I was going to make a similar request. Since you asked first, I think we can reach an agreement that benefits both of us.”

”Oh! Could it be... you are also interested in the meal I prepared?” Nuelia asked enthusiastically.

Soren gave a nod. ”You guessed it right. However, I also wanted to ask whether there are meals with strong effects that improve one’s life force.”

This time, Nuelia raised a brow. ”You noticed that effect?”

”Yes.”

”Impressive.” Nuelia sounded genuinely amazed, leaning in slightly with a curious look on her face. She looked up and down at him, squinting. ”Hmm... I see.” She chuckled before backing away. ”You must have an affinity for life energy, albeit a bit weak, or it is just your senses that are sharp.”

Soren’s eyes lit up. ”You think I have an affinity for life energy? Is there a way to check it?”

Nuelia was a bit surprised at his sudden enthusiasm, but after giving it some thought, she accepted it as natural. While elves were born with a deep connection to nature, humans rarely possessed even a trace of it. So it was understandable that he reacted this way.

”I hate to break it to you, but even if you possess it, it is far too weak for you to be able to actually use it.” Nuelia pointed out gently, taking a sip of her tea.

”I see.” Soren nodded in understanding. ”But will I be able to make the dish you cooked? Or should one have to have a strong affinity for high life energy for it?”

”Well, I think you should be able to cook the one I made, but for other meals with strong effects, you probably can’t,” Nuelia explained. ”Especially the ones that can only be prepared with our secret cooking techniques.”

”Right,” Soren whispered in disappointment. ”I didn’t consider that.”

She obviously wouldn’t share those secret techniques or recipes with him, considering how valuable they were. But he wasn’t that discouraged and couldn’t afford to drop the topic yet. He turned back to her and smiled.

”I am going to be honest, Lady Nuelia. I was actually going to submit the recipe to the Magic Chef Association and allow others to use it freely.” Soren revealed the truth. ”So, I obviously can share it with you too. However, I wonder if you would be willing to share yours with me. If you want, I can also pay you via credits or trade it for another recipe.”

”!” Nuelia’s eyes widened in disbelief. ”You... You intend to give it away... for free?”

Soren nodded. ”That’s right.”

”...Why?” Nuelia asked, confused. ”Couldn’t you make a massive profit from it?”

Nuelia was taught that humans, well, the majority of them, were selfish, driven by their greed and always looking for ways to maximize their own gain. However, the human before her kept contradicting everything she had been led to believe. Well, it’s not like she had doubts about these teachings before. She had always believed that judging others, let alone an entire race, without checking if it was even correct for herself was foolish, and Soren’s actions simply proved her right.

”There isn’t any complex reason behind it,” Soren replied as he helped his wife drink her tea. ”I just want people to enjoy what I created.”

”I see...” Nuelia stared at him for a long moment, any lingering skepticism vanishing as a newfound sense of respect settled in her chest. ’He really must be a good human. Even the spirits seem to like him after all. What do you think, Reo?’

’You’re right, Nue,’ A voice echoed in her mind. ’The boy has a pure soul. You can trust him. However, I still advise you to be careful.’

’I understand.’ Nuelia nodded internally. ’But a pure soul, you say...’

”Is there something wrong with my face?”

”Huh? Your face?” Nuelia blinked, his voice pulling her right out of her thoughts. Heat crept up her neck when she realized she had been staring straight at him for more than necessary.

”Oh, no. Not at all,” she said, sitting up straight and clearing her throat. ”Forgive me. I... I was just checking the illusion magic I cast on you earlier... to make sure it was completely gone.”

”Ah, that?” Soren waved his hand to dismiss it. ”There’s no need to apologize. I don’t feel it anymore, so it must have been cleared away. By the way, what do you think about my offer?”

”Your offer...” Nuelia repeated and then went silent. Her expression gradually turned solemn as she met his eyes.

”Mr. Soren... I really respect you for your generous intention to share such a valuable recipe with the world. However...”

”...” Soren remained attentive, waiting for her to finish her words.

”However... There is no need for you to pay me any money or give another recipe.”

Soren blinked, caught off guard.

”I am willing to teach you the recipe as a direct exchange,” she continued. ”Someone with your mindset deserves to learn it.”