The Operator Between Worlds [ONGOING]

Chapter 56: A Quiet Life, Gently Stirred

*****

The flashback struck with full force:

The echo of screams through the halls, physicians shouting, maids sprinting with towels and water. The palace had erupted into sheer chaos. Mason remembered shoving through a cluster of panicking retainers, his heart slamming against his ribs, only to find Masami lying on the bed—sweat-soaked, glowing, and fierce.

"Get over here, you idiot," she had hissed between contractions, refusing to let go of his hand.

"Twins?! TWINS!" one of the midwives had screamed seconds later, nearly toppling over in disbelief. Masami was supposed to have a single child. That was the understanding. No one had predicted two.

But through it all, Masami never faltered. She fought through pain and exhaustion with the grit of a warrior. Her demonic-divine blood kept her strong, and even after hours of labor, she had smiled. Beaming with energy. Her face streaked with tears as she held Luna in one arm and Lena in the other for the first time. Despite the ongoing crying they continued to fill in the panic atmosphere, she held them dearly.

He remembered the way she whispered their names as if they were sacred relics. And when she finally rested, it was not the exhaustion of defeat. It was peace and fulfillment.

******

Back in the present, Mason rose and gently kissed the top of her head. "You were incredible," he said. "I'll never forget that moment. It's a good thing I remembered to take some pictures that day too."

Masami gave a weary but knowing smile as she looked down at the sleeping Luna and the observant, bottle-sipping Lena. "Neither will I."

"Yeah... Anyway," Mason sighed, rolling his shoulders, "as much as I'd love to stay here, I need to shower before the babies start giving me strange looks."

Masami let out a soft, melodic laugh. "Please. If anything, they're probably more familiar with your scent than anyone else. That's how I first recognized you, remember?"

Halfway across the room, already approaching the open archway to the adjoining bath, Mason paused just long enough to glance back with a grin. "They take after you more than me. But even so, I'd rather not have them remember their father as 'that sweaty guy who always smelled like iron and gunpowder.' I'll be back in ten."

The bathroom door clicked shut behind him with a quiet thud, and the familiar hum of mana crystal activation followed moments later.

Inside, Mason peeled off his sweat-drenched undershirt and fatigues, tossing them aside in the designated hamper before stepping into the tiled shower alcove. With a quick tap of the etched glyph beside the wall-mounted crystal, cold water surged from above, cascading over his broad frame in a sharp, refreshing downpour.

The mana crystal system was easily one of his favorite magical conveniences—an innovation courtesy of the Magic Tower Association. The crystals themselves weren't responsible for the effect alone; it took extensive tampering with glyph arrays, enchantment scripting, and more arcane science than he'd care to understand. Still, it worked like a charm.

Everything in this bathroom—from the flowing water in the marble sink basin to the deep claw-footed tub—was powered by the same type of crystal. Even the toilets, thankfully, functioned with a rudimentary flush system using basic drainage system, though lacking the mechanical tanks he was used to.

He leaned his head under the stream, chuckling to himself. "Some reincarnated soul probably couldn't take it anymore and had to fix basic sanitation."

Wouldn't be surprised if it was an engineer or a plumber in their past life.