Wrath, who was embraced by Daniel, reciprocated his feelings by hugging him back.
"I won't do it again, Danny. I promise," Wrath said gently while holding him.
Daniel strokes Wrath's back, then releases her from his embrace while still keeping a hold of her, looking into her eyes.
"Koyuki, I know how you think and behave. You can't completely stop yourself from doing something foolish. The rant I let out earlier was just me venting my frustration," Daniel said with a smile, fully aware of his troublemaker girlfriend's mindset.
"Yeah, just ranting, and you nearly made my cheeks as baggy as those of a bulldog," Wrath pouted cutely, playfully protesting her boyfriend's punishment even though he understood her well.
"Silly girl, if I didn't do that, how could I vent my frustration so quickly? Or would you prefer me to keep my frustration bottled up and not talk to you for a month instead?" Daniel teased.
"No, no, no!" Wrath exclaimed, growing frantic. "That's the worst! This is okay, as long as you don't make my face look like a bulldog." Wrath pouted, reluctantly accepting her boyfriend's reasoning.
Seeing Wrath pout like a child, Daniel couldn't help but chuckle.
"Hey, silly, listen to me. I don't expect you to suddenly start acting like a proper lady. All I ask of you is this," Daniel paused, locking eyes with Wrath to ensure her full attention before continuing.
"When you feel the urge to do something foolish that I won't approve of, tell me first, and I'll help you with that foolish thing. Can you promise me that?" Daniel asked.
"Um... I promise," Wrath nodded.
The two chatted and reminisced about the past for a few more minutes before the door opened, and a doctor entered accompanied by some guests.
"Ah, Miss Wrath, you're awake," the doctor greeted her.
"Ah, Papa!" exclaimed a red-haired little girl in a green one-piece, giggling and running towards Daniel, startling him.
Daniel instinctively picked her up, afraid she might fall and get hurt.
"My Lord, I'm sorry. After she woke up, she insisted on meeting you and wouldn't listen to anyone," Maira explained, wearing a tired expression. This was her first time taking on the role of a nanny.
"Don't worry, I don't mind," Daniel reassured her.
"Hm?" The girl in Daniel's arms tilted her head as she looked at Wrath, who was shocked by the unknown girl calling Daniel "papa."
"Is he already married!? Right, it's been ten years after all! But who could it be? Was it the vampire girl Maria? No, this girl isn't a Dhampir! Wait... could there be another woman!?" Wrath's mind raced, considering various scenarios where Daniel could be married or have a child without being married.
Then, a silver-haired and graceful girl walked in. It was, of course, Michaela.
"Could it be her!? But this girl has red hair... wait... red hair?" Wrath continued to panic in her mind, considering many possibilities of Daniel being married or having a child without her knowledge.
Suddenly, an innocent voice called out to her.
"Mama? Are you my mama?" the girl asked Wrath, noticing the similarity between her own red hair and that of the woman standing before her.
"Ah?" Wrath exclaimed, her mouth agape, her face a mix of shock and surprise.
"Yes, my precious, I'm your mama!" Wrath quickly accepted and hugged both the girl and Daniel, who made a face as if he had just swallowed a fly.
"Oi! Calm down! You dummy!" Daniel protested, trying to calm his girlfriend who was frantically hugging both him and the girl in his arms, while the troublemaking girl giggled non-stop, much to Daniel's dismay.
After a few moments of reasoning and calming down both the little girl and the grown girl, Daniel began to ask the girl a question while Wrath returned to her bed for routine checks by the doctor and nurse who followed behind.
"Do you have a name?" Daniel asked.
"A name? I don't know, I don't have one," the girl innocently replied, then asked, "Will Papa give me a name?"
Upon hearing the unnamed child's response, Daniel realized that although she appeared to be a normal five-year-old, she seemed to possess a lot of knowledge. First, she spoke fluently at the level of a five-year-old. Second, she displayed high intelligence. And third, despite being asleep when he had helped her, she quickly grew close to him without fear or wariness. This indicated that she might be aware of the events unfolding in the basement of the Willow family.
"A name? Alright, Papa will give you a name," Daniel said, falling silent for a few seconds before coming up with a name.
"How about Sylvana?" he suggested.
"Sylvana? Okay! My name is Sylvana!" the girl exclaimed loudly in happiness before cutely kissing her daddy's cheek.
As for Wrath, witnessing this heartwarming scene, she couldn't help but smile. She had yet to inform her boyfriend about her inability to have children, but the appearance of Sylvana, who called her "mom," made one of her impossible dreams come true.
After a few minutes had passed, the doctor finished checking Wrath's condition. He then turned toward Daniel and reported.
"My lord, Miss Wrath can be discharged today. She's already strong enough to leave, but I advise against engaging in heavy exercise such as sports or outdoor activities for now. Please take it easy," the doctor said with a professional tone, trying to navigate the delicate situation of addressing a couple.
"Cough... O... Okay. Thank you very much, doctor," Daniel coughed awkwardly, attempting to ease the tension. He nodded at the doctor to indicate his understanding.
Upon hearing the doctor's advice, he and the nurses bowed to Daniel before excusing themselves to attend to other duties.
"Sylvana..." Wrath called out to the girl who was sitting beside Daniel on the sofa. The girl turned towards Wrath and saw her gesturing to be picked up.
With excitement, the girl quickly ran to her newfound mother, giggling along the way, until Wrath lovingly lifted her up and placed her on her lap.
"Koyuki... Do you know that you can't use magic anymore?" Daniel asked.
Koyuki didn't seem startled or panicked; she simply nodded in acceptance.
"Yeah, I suppose so, but I don't mind. The truth is, I initially sought power for the sake of revenge, but now that you're here with me, magic has become less important," said Wrath.
Hearing that, Daniel smiled and then turned towards Michaela.
"Michaela, from now on, prioritizes Koyuki's protection above all else. I can protect myself to a degree and I can escape as I still have my magic and other abilities. But Wrath is nearly no different than normal people." Daniel said
"Yes, my lord. I can stay beside her and protect her, but she can't transfer her injuries to me. My soul is already bound to you, my lord," Michaela answered matter-of-factly.
"Bound her soul? Injuries transfer?" Wrath repeated, turning towards Daniel in disbelief. "Danny! 'Woundshifter's Curse' that transfers injuries to the target... that's a dark spell. What have you gotten yourself into?" Wrath's worry for her boyfriend was evident. The use of such a curse required permission from the Hightower Council to practice. If anyone were to find out that Daniel practiced such a dark spell, the Hightower Enforcers from the 'Path of Knowledge' would surely come after him with full force.
Hearing his girlfriend's concerns, Daniel sensed the potential complications that could arise and decided to be honest.
"It's not what you think, Koyuki," Daniel reassured her. He then turned to Michaela. "Michaela, can you show your true form to her?" he requested.
"Yes, my lord," Michaela nodded. As her body was enveloped in a radiant white light, her white suit and pants transformed into a resplendent suit of gleaming silver armor, adorned with intricate golden designs. Her wings unfurled, revealing their majestic expanse as they radiated a divine glow.
In her transformed state, Michaela stood tall and regal, exuding an aura of awe-inspiring power and grace. Her eyes sparkled with unwavering determination, and her expression carried a sense of unwavering valor. Each movement she made seemed deliberate and precise, as if every action was a testament to her divine purpose.
Wrath, witnessing this magnificent transformation, was overcome with a mixture of astonishment and reverence. The sight of Michaela in her true form evoked a profound sense of respect and admiration, as if standing in the presence of a legendary guardian.
"An... Archangel!? Danny! You actually summoned an archangel and bound her to you!? Wait, just a moment... You said Michaela? That MICHAELA!? The Right Hand of God and the General of Heaven?" Wrath spiraled into a frenzy of panic upon learning the true identity of the woman who appeared to be Daniel's bodyguard.
Observing his girlfriend's expression of shock, awe, and surprise, Daniel found himself torn between laughter and exasperation. He couldn't help but reflect on how, even though she had been a bit naive and silly when they first met 10 years ago, she hadn't been quite this easily astonished back then. The transformation in her character over the years amused and perplexed him, and he couldn't help but find her comical reactions endearing.