Strongest Mage with the Lust system

Chapter 785: There Arenʼt Any

Max was silent for several minutes, his thoughts unknown. Then he stood up from the chair that turned into dust and jumped out of the crater.

”Take me where everyone is.” He said to Garima and put his arm around Garimaʼs shoulder before circling his other arm around Amaraʼs slim waist.

Garima flinched at the touch and instinctively wanted to push him away but stopped herself and nodded before taking off.

Swoosh!

…

After Ashton left with Luman Arcadiusʼ group, Ryan and Elena brought the distraught Garfield family to their mansion.

In the hall, Anna was bawling in Estherʼs embrace while Noah also had tears in his eyes as he stood holding his wifeʼs hand. Although he couldnʼt be called a good person because of Markʼs influence, he still loved his mother and was naturally heartbroken.

Mina was sitting silently on a chair, her head down. Her shoulders were trembling every now and then, which told everyone she was also sobbing.

Rima was sitting beside Maria, who was crying, and caressing her back to help her calm down a little. She had lost her parents when the Garfield Mansion collapsed.

”I shouldnʼt have left their side. If I were with them, I could have saved them.” She sobbed, feeling sad and guilty.

”Shh, itʼs not your fault, Maria. You couldnʼt have known the mansion would collapse.” Rima said.

Elena, Little Arya, Old Man Raku, and his wife were in the hall too. Lord Raku kept Noah company while little Arya sat on Mariaʼs other side. Elena was standing beside Esther and Anna, while old man Rakuʼs wife was sitting beside Mina.

When Max entered the hall with Garima and Amara, the sad and gloomy atmosphere hit him as he watched the scene in front of him.

”They cried a lot harder for the first half an hour. After that, they calm down for a bit when we talk to them, but then they start sobbing again.” Garima said,

Max nodded and walked toward Anna and Esther while asking Garima, ʼWhere are their dead bodies?ʼ

ʼThere arenʼt any.ʼ Garima was surprised when she heard his mental transmission, but it didnʼt delay her from answering his question.

Maxʼs steps paused when he heard this, and dark red killing intent filled his blue eyes.

ʼIʼll find you regardless of who you are or where you are, and I promise, when I kill you, you also wonʼt have an intact corpse left.ʼ Max vowed before closing his eyes. When he opened them a few moments later, the killing intent had vanished, having been suppressed for the time being, leaving a cold calmness.

Step! Step! Step!

As he walked closer to Anna and Esther, Elena noticed him, and a flicker of surprise flashed in her eyes. She nodded at him and stepped away from them, letting them have their personal space.

Max nodded at her in return and thanked her for being there for his family via mental transmission.

Esther, who had her eyes closed as she hugged Anna and stroked her back, finally noticed someone coming closer when Max was less than ten feet away from them and opened her eyes.

”Youʼve returned.” She muttered, her voice low and hoarse.

Max felt his heart clench when he saw the dim and desolate look in her otherwise calm but lively eyes and heard her voice that told him how choked up with emotions she was. He suspected if she wasnʼt trying to be strong for Anna, who had completely broken down, she would be a sobbing mess too.

”Iʼm sorry Iʼm too late.” He said. Despite the cold and emotionless expression he wore on his face, his voice was thick with emotions.

Upon hearing his voice, Anna pulled her head out of Estherʼs warm embrace and looked at him.

”Little Max…” She murmured before pulling away from Esther and running into him. Max opened his arms and hugged her soft, trembling body tightly. Anna also hugged him tightly, her fingers digging into his back.

Max didnʼt know what he could say to comfort her, so he just said sorry for her loss and kept hugging her.

Esther watched them embrace each other, feeling her nose tingle. She was about to step away, wanting to give them their time, when Max opened one of his arms, looking at her.

She bit her lower lip, her eyes suddenly becoming misty. Then, before she knew it, she was hugging him too, sobbing silently.

For a moment, she hated herself for showing this vulnerable side of hers to these children, but when she felt his warmth, she let go of her inhibitions and poured her emotions out through tears.

As Max held both ladies to his chest, despite him not actively trying to, he felt the chaotic mix of their emotions. Their sadness, anxiety, sense of loss, fear, and all other emotions hit him like a freight train, making him feel dizzy, which almost weakened his hold on his emotions.

ʼNo, I have to be strong for them.ʼ He hurriedly composed himself, taking a deep breath. After he had perfectly reined his emotions in, he slowly released his aura, which had a slight amount of Nascent Energy.

He didnʼt want to influence their emotions, but he couldnʼt let them sink in sadness too much.

A short while later, they started to calm down, the intensity of their sobs lessening.

As Esther felt her chaotic emotions quickly settle down, she frowned slightly.

A while later, she slowly pulled away from him and gave him a grateful look. ”Thank you.”

Max just nodded at her while feeling shocked inside.

Given how careful he was being, he could confidently say no one below the Five Star realm should be able to sense what he was doing, but… she, just a peak Two Star mage, did?

…

Anna took a few minutes more, but she also calmed down but didnʼt seem to want to pull away from his warm embrace.

Seeing this, Max gently patted her back. ”Iʼm not going anywhere. So, let me go meet others, okay?”

”Mm.” Anna acquiesced and reluctantly pulled away.

Max then went over to Mina. It took him more than double the time it took to calm Anna to calm her, which showed just how greatly affected she was by her sonʼs death and Ashtonʼs cold abandonment.