Investing in My Crippled Wife: Every Return Makes Me Stronger

”They’re worse than scum.”

Zura fell silent at Ethea’s words. She easily noticed the disgust and hatred toward those two with her unique trait, but what surprised her more was the intensity of it. Ethea was never one to show such strong emotions, especially not toward people she barely knew. For her to react like this, there had to be more to the story than what Soren had told her.

She could also sense Soren’s state; he, too, held complex emotions toward his parents and was grateful to Ethea for speaking up, for saying what he couldn’t put into words himself.

’...She’s truly in love with him, huh?’ She thought to herself. It seemed like her worries about her husband being a bad person or that she had been tricked were completely unfounded. The emotions she sensed from Ethea were genuine, deep, and unwavering. And the same went for Soren. Although his feelings ran even deeper, he kept them tightly restrained, as if afraid that letting them show would somehow cause harm.

’...Interesting. It seems like there’s more to their story than they let on.’

With a smile, she leaned back and crossed her arms. ”Alright, I believe you.” She then locked eyes with Soren. ”What do you plan to do? To save her, I mean.”

”I want to know more about her condition first,” Soren replied without hesitation. ”Then I will find a way to cure her and free her from Valmere’s clutches.”

”Oh, you think you can cure her?” Zura asked again, curiosity filling her features.

”Yes,” Soren replied with confidence. ”As long as I can meet her in person and learn everything about her condition, I’m sure I can find a way. It might take time, but I won’t stop until she is free.”

Zura studied him for a long moment, searching for any sign of doubt or exaggeration. She found none. His words were sincere, his conviction genuine.

”...You really mean that,” she murmured.

”I do.”

”It’s great to hear that.” Zura grinned and leaned forward. ”You know what? I’ll definitely help you now. I took a liking to her anyway. She’s a bit awkward sometimes, but she’s sincere and tries her best. To think she would have such a tragic past...” She shook her head. ”It makes me want to look out for her even more.”

”Thank you.” Soren bowed in gratitude.

Zura nodded and took another sip before starting. ”I’m sure you already know about her ability, but I’ll fill in the details. She awakened the Blazing Sun Constitution. It’s an SS-rank flame constitution, incredibly rare and powerful. The problem is that it’s too powerful for a normal body, especially a fragile one like hers, to contain. The fire burns constantly inside her, like a miniature sun trying to escape. While it gives her immense power, it also slowly consumes her from within. If left unchecked, she wouldn’t live past eighteen.”

Soren’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t interrupt.

”Right now, she’s stable because of an ice-related artifact her family, or Ethea’s father, to be more precise, provided. It can suppress the flames and keep them from going out of control. However, it is not a permanent solution; only a temporary measure.”

She paused, letting her words sink in before continuing.

”As long as she wears it, she should be fine and can live longer, but only up to around twenty. And there’s also a drawback. While she can still use mana and her other affinities, the artifact prevents her from using her constitution entirely. And if she ever takes it off...” Zura paused. ”The flames would surge instantly. She’d fall back to her previous state. Her body would be overwhelmed again, and it would become even harder to stabilize her the next time.”

She let out a slow breath, her expression turning grim. ”In fact, she could have been saved and living a healthy life by now. But only if...”

”...You mean,” Soren instantly caught what she was implying and couldn’t help but clench his fists.

Zura nodded. ”Yes. The Valmere family wasted precious time. The damage was still reversible in the early stages. However, they delayed too long, kept her concealed, and searched for solutions independently rather than seeking external assistance. And by the time they finally realized they couldn’t fix her themselves, the damage had already set in.”

”...” Soren’s expression grew darker.

”Now that I know the full story,” Zura said, her voice cold, ”I can say it without hesitation too. Your former family, especially your parents, are indeed worse than scum.”

”...Right,” Soren replied after a moment, relaxing his fists. ”They are indeed worse than scum. They’re selfish and greedy, and only care about benefits and reputation. Everything they do is calculated, weighed, and measured by how much it can elevate the Valmere name. Their children are nothing more than tools to them. If a child is useful, they’re kept close. If a child is broken or useless, they’re discarded without a second thought.”

He paused, his jaw tightening. ”My sister nearly died, and instead of getting her proper help, they hid her away like a shameful secret. They let her suffer because they were too afraid of losing their precious prodigy to someone else. They put their own interests over her life.” His voice grew quieter, but no less sharp. ”Even... Even mindless beasts know to shield their young from harm.”

”...”

Ethea and Zura exchanged glances and turned back to him.

’...Soren.’ Ethea whispered. This was the first time he’d spoken so openly about his family, and the bitterness in his voice was unmistakable. She reached out and gently placed her hand over his clenched fist.

Soren took a deep breath and let the tension ease from his shoulders. He looked at Ethea and gave her a small nod, gently squeezing her hand in return. ”Thank you, dear.”

Zura watched them, a faint smile touching her lips.

’...They really look good together. But... Watching them like this is reminding me that I’m still very much single... Urgh...’

”Ahem...” She cleared her throat softly, bringing their attention back to the matter at hand. ”What’s the plan?”