I AM A MAGE BUT WITH MILF SYSTEM

Chapter 556: The reunion - part 3

”One question at a time,” he managed, reaching up to touch as many of them as he could. ”Iʼm here. Iʼm really here. Iʼm back.”

”But how?” Lisa asked, clutching his arms tight. ”We all felt it when you died. The connection to this world, to us—it severed completely.”

”Death isnʼt always the end,” Julian replied, managing to free one hand enough to wipe tears from Isabelʼs face. ”It took time—a lot of time—but I found my way back.”

Another figure had appeared at the edge of the garden, her presence commanding despite her silence.

The Queen of Ares—Julianʼs other grandmother.

For a long moment, she simply stared at the scene before her. Then her facade cracked.

A single tear fell down face, and she moved towards them. She dropped to her knees beside the pile of bodies, her hand reaching out to touch Julianʼs face with surprising gentleness.

”Julian,” she whispered, her voice hoarse. ”You finally came back to us.”

”Grandmother,” Julian replied warmly, turning his face into her palm. ”I am sorry I kept you waiting.”

She let out a sound that might have been a laugh or a sob, then leaned down to press her forehead to his.

”Youʼre forgiven. This time.” But her hand trembled against his cheek, betraying the depth of her emotion.

The pile of women shifted slightly to accommodate her, though no one seemed willing to give up their position entirely. They were all still asking questions, still touching him, still reassuring themselves that this was real.

”Where were you?”

”What happened after you died?”

”How did you survive?”

”Why couldnʼt we feel you?”

”Did you think of us?”

”Were you alone?”

Julian tried to answer them all. ”I will explain everything, I promise. But right now, can you all just... let me breathe? And maybe see the sky? You are all very enthusiastically suffocating me.”

That got a round of watery laughter, but no one moved.

”Not a chance,” Isabel declared.

”Weʼre never letting you go again,” Lisa agreed.

”You will just have to suffer through our affection,” Cecilia added with a sniffle.

Eleanor and Seraphine moved closer, both women still watching with tears streaming down their faces. Seraphineʼs hand was pressed to her pendant, and her smile was radiant despite her tears— after centuries of holding her family together, of being strong for everyone, she could finally see them whole again.

Suddenly, a movement at the gardenʼs entrance caught Julianʼs attention. A figure stood there, hesitant, almost hidden in the shadows of the archway.

Kiara.

The Headmistress stood with perfect posture, her hands clasped before her, watching the joyous reunion with an expression that was carefully controlled. But Julian could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her fingers gripped each other tightly, the slight tremble she couldnʼt quite suppress.

She wanted to join. He could see it in every line of her body.

But she held herself back, her position as his slave, making her uncertain.

The others were wives, lovers, family. But Kiara had always been something different, something lesser.

She didnʼt feel she had the right to push forward, to demand his attention, to take what the others had earned.

Julianʼs expression softened. Even now, after all this time, she still held herself apart.

He caught her eye across the garden and smiled.

”Kiara,” he called out, his voice cutting through the chatter of questions. ”Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to come say hello properly?”

The garden went quiet for a moment. All eyes turned to the Headmistress standing in the shadows.

Kiaraʼs carefully controlled expression cracked. Her eyes went wide, filling with tears she had been holding back.

”I...” Her voice was barely a whisper. ”I didnʼt want to intrude. The others, theyʼre your—”

”Youʼre mine too,” Julian interrupted firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. ”Youʼve always been mine, Kiara. Now stop standing over there like a stranger and get over here. Thatʼs an order.”

The last two words, delivered with the authority sheʼd always responded to, broke whatever restraint sheʼd been clinging to.

With a sob that was half-laugh, half-cry, Kiara abandoned all pretense of dignity and ran. Her gown fluttered behind her as she crossed the garden, and threw herself at the pile of bodies.

She landed partially on top of Sylvia and Dakota, her arms reaching desperately for Julian. When her hands finally touched his face, she broke down completely.

”Master,” she gasped out between tears. ”Master, Iʼm so sorry. I should have protected you better. I should have been stronger. I should have—”

”Shh,” Julian soothed, managing to work one arm free enough to stroke her hair. ”None of that was your fault.”

That only made her cry harder, but she nodded against his chest.

And now, finally, with all of his women surrounding him—some on top of him, some pressed against his sides, some kneeling nearby with their hands on any part of him they could reach—Julian closed his eyes and let himself simply feel.

The weight of their bodies. The sound of their tears and laughter. The warmth of their skin against his. The pure, overwhelming love that radiated from each of them, washing over him in waves that made his chest ache.

He had died. Had been torn away from them.

And every single moment of that struggle had been worth it.

”I love you,” he said softly, the words encompassing all of them. ”I love every single one of you. And Iʼm never leaving again. Never.”

The crying intensified, but it was different now—not grief, but overwhelming relief and joy. They clung to him like drowning people who had finally found shore, and Julian held them all as best he could from his position pinned to the ground.

The world Julian had created hummed with satisfaction, as if it too was celebrating his return. Flowers bloomed brighter. The fountainʼs water sang louder. The very air seemed charged with joy.

He was home.