As Lucas woke up to the early morning chill of the winter season, he couldn’t help but notice Elise’s cute face, nestled in the warmth of their bed but trembling from the cold. Gently, he covered her with a blanket and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead before preparing for the day ahead.

After refreshing himself with a quick bath, Lucas set about cleaning the house using his telekinetic powers to effortlessly maneuver cleaning tools and equipment. With the house spick and span, he turned his attention to the kitchen, intending to prepare breakfast and lunch for Elise. However, upon opening the fridge, he was met with an empty interior. 

With a resigned sigh, Lucas realized he would need to venture to the mountains to gather fruits and vegetables. Utilizing his ghost step technique, he swiftly made his way to the mountain’s slopes, gathering oranges, apples, grapes, and strawberries along the way. 

As he moved to catch some fish, Lucas unexpectedly encountered a formidable adversary—an oversized rat beast with fur as tough as metal. Reacting quickly, Lucas evaded the creature’s bite with his ghost step, appearing above it in mid-air. With a swift motion, he conjured dark slime from his hand, shaping it into a lethal sword. In a single decisive strike, he cleaved the rat beast in two.

With the threat vanquished, Lucas used his Shadow Sanctum skill to collect the creature’s corpse, allowing it to vanish into a swirling vortex of darkness. As he returned home with his bounty, Lucas couldn’t shake the lingering adrenaline from the encounter, grateful for his abilities and determined to protect his home and loved ones at any cost.

As Lucas finished preparing a variety of dishes using vegetables, fruits, and fish for breakfast and lunch, he arranged them neatly on the table. Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Elise stirred awake from her slumber, her eyes scanning the room for Lucas. Not finding him by her side, she felt a pang of worry. “Where did he go? I was sure he was sleeping next to me,” she thought aloud.

Sensing a peculiar brightness in the house, Elise realized that Lucas must have cleaned while she slept. “Did he clean the house? But where is he now? Did he leave because I didn’t let him do what he wanted? No, that can’t be right. He wouldn’t just leave,” she fretted, her heart racing as she hurriedly searched for him.

Finally, she spotted Lucas in the kitchen, busily packing her lunchbox. Overwhelmed with relief, she wrapped her arms around him from behind, her voice tinged with panic as she exclaimed, “Hubby, I thought you had left, that you’d run away!”

Lucas turned to her, a gentle smile gracing his lips. “Why would I ever leave my cutie wife? I’m not going anywhere, so stop worrying about that. Now, hurry up and get ready for college,” he reassured her, his words filled with warmth and affection.

Relieved and reassured by his presence, Elise nodded eagerly, grateful to have him by her side.

After Elise got ready for college, she joined Lucas for breakfast and was pleasantly surprised to find a table laden with a variety of dishes. “Hubby, where did you get all these vegetables, fruits, and fishes to cook?” she inquired, her curiosity piqued by the spread before her.

Lucas chuckled softly as he replied, “Oh, these? I brought them from the mountain near town.”

“What! Why did you go there?” Elise’s eyes widened in concern, her voice tinged with worry.

Lucas paused, meeting her gaze with a reassuring smile. “Well, when I opened the fridge and found it empty, I figured it would be better to gather some vegetables from the mountain,” he explained calmly.

Elise’s worry deepened as she listened to his explanation. “Are you insane? Putting your life in danger just for vegetables? Are you hurt anywhere?” she asked, her voice trembling with concern as she instinctively checked his body for any signs of injury.

Lucas shook his head, gently placing his hands over hers. “No, I’m not hurt anywhere, and I’m not insane,” he reassured her, his voice calm yet firm. “It’s just that I didn’t want my wife to go hungry.”

Touched by his gesture and relieved to find him unharmed, Elise couldn’t help but feel a surge of gratitude towards her caring husband. With a warm smile, she squeezed his hand gently, silently thanking him for his thoughtfulness.

After finishing her breakfast, Elise got ready for college and slipped on her shoes. Turning to Lucas, she hugged him tightly. "Now, promise me you'll stay here at home and not go anywhere, okay?" she said, about to pull away. But Lucas pulled her back, wrapping his arms around her waist, and planted a sweet kiss on her lips. "Hmm, that was sweet. Now, you can go," he said, releasing her with a smile.

Elise was shocked and blushing as she quickly ran away from there to college. Lucas thought to himself, 'Huh, sorry, but this time I'm not going to just listen. I can't sit back and watch my wife be bullied by others.' With determination fueling his actions, he utilized his ghost step to swiftly follow after her, determined to offer support and protection.

After chasing her for half an hour, she finally reached the college gate. She hesitated, fear evident in her eyes, yet she pressed on, determined to confront whatever lay ahead. As she entered, I couldn't help but notice the vastness of her college, its grand buildings surrounded by a variety of trees, each one adding to the intimidating aura of the campus.

Elise was going to her classroom, her steps heavy with apprehension. Unbeknownst to her, Lucas, with his dark magic, merged with her shadow, slipping unnoticed into the classroom alongside her.

As Elise settled into her seat, the air seemed to grow heavier with tension. Then, suddenly, Lily's harsh voice pierced through the silence, cutting into Elise's fragile sense of peace. The accusatory words struck her like a physical blow, leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable in front of her classmates.

"Lily," a girl known for her strength in fighting and as one of the three beauties of the college, sneered at Elise. "How dare you come again? Didn't I say not to come to college? You weakling!" Her voice dripped with disdain, each word laced with venom, as she singled out Elise in front of their classmates.

Confusion and hurt welled up inside Elise as she struggled to make sense of Lily's unwarranted attack. She had tried to avoid confrontation, to simply blend into the background and focus on her studies. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, it seemed like she could never escape the judgmental gazes and cutting remarks of her peers.

Elise's heart felt heavy with sorrow as tears threatened to spill from her eyes, her world shrouded in a cloud of despair. From within her shadow, Lucas witnessed the torment etched on her face, his own heart pulsing with a fierce protectiveness towards his beloved wife.

Thoughts of vengeance surged through Lucas's mind as he watched Lily's cruel words inflict pain upon Elise. "How dare she make my wife sad? I will make you pay for what you're doing to her," he seethed, ready to emerge from the shadows and confront the bully head-on.

But just as Lucas prepared to intervene, a voice echoed through the classroom, cutting through the tension like a beacon of hope. "Stop, don't bully her," the voice proclaimed, strong and resolute. Lucas froze, his attention drawn to the source of the interruption.

It was a boy named Hero, the class leader, his presence commanding respect as he stood up against injustice. Handsome and strong, Hero radiated an aura of confidence and compassion as he defended Elise from further harm.

In that moment, Elise's heart swelled with gratitude and relief. Though the tears still lingered in her eyes, they were now tears of gratitude for the unexpected ally who had come to her aid. With Hero's intervention, a glimmer of hope pierced through the darkness, reminding Elise that she was not alone in her struggles.

And as Lucas observed the scene unfolding before him, a sense of admiration welled up within him for the courageous boy who had stood up for his wife. Though his initial impulse had been one of retaliation, Lucas now found himself filled with gratitude towards Hero for protecting the woman he loved.