Far away in Bavaria, night had already fallen. Inside a small inn, Wanda finally stirred awake. The moment she saw Lucas safe and sound, she threw herself into his arms and began to cry uncontrollably.
Lucas, at a complete loss for what to do, awkwardly patted her back in comfort. After a long bout of tears, Wanda finally drifted back to sleep again—but even in her slumber, her hands clung tightly to Lucas's shirt.
Having no choice, Lucas lay down beside her. The two of them spent the night like that, quietly leaning against each other until dawn.
When morning came, Wanda was the first to wake. Seeing Lucas still asleep next to her, she finally relaxed. Her eyes lingered on his face, and after a moment's hesitation, she reached out to lightly touch his cheek.
Lucas stirred at the contact, blinking awake. Wanda quickly pulled her hand back, flustered and embarrassed.
"You're awake," he said softly, his voice still hoarse with sleep. "Feeling any better?"
Wanda nodded. "Much better. What… what happened yesterday?"
She had no memory of the events after Lucas was riddled with bullets.
Lucas briefly recounted everything that had happened and also explained his extraordinary healing ability.
"Go wash up," he said, running a hand through his messy hair that looked like a bird's nest. "I'll go get you some clothes."
Wanda smiled faintly at the sight of his disheveled appearance before heading to the bathroom.
Lucas stepped out into the street, still half asleep, searching for a women's clothing shop. It wasn't until he walked in that he realized—he had no idea what size Wanda wore.
"Great. What am I even doing here…" he muttered under his breath.
He could only use Gwen and Skye as rough references. Wanda's figure, however, was even better than both of theirs, so he went a size larger—better safe than sorry.
Lucas wasn't entirely clueless about women's fashion; after all, he'd often accompanied Gwen and Skye shopping. Aside from the undergarments, he picked out a red dress and a matching crimson jacket—because honestly, what else would suit the Scarlet Witch better than red?
Under the curious gaze of the shop clerk, Lucas left the store carrying several bags. On his way back, a familiar chime echoed in his mind.
> [Ding~ Congratulations, Host, for completing the mission "Rescue the Scarlet Witch." Reward: Summon Unlocked — Ramuh, and corresponding skill set.]
The moment the system notification faded, a streak of lightning flashed across Lucas's eyes, and he felt a surge of blue electrical energy merge with his magic—he had just gained the Lightning element.
Unable to contain his excitement, Lucas literally jumped in place, startling a young couple walking by.
"Sweetheart, hurry! That guy's a lunatic!" the girl whispered, tugging her boyfriend away.
"You're the lunatic! Your whole family's lunatics!" Lucas yelled after them, but the two only ran faster.
Everyone else on the street quickly gave him a wide berth. Lucas scratched the back of his head awkwardly, wishing he could turn invisible, then hurried back to the inn.
The moment he opened the door, Wanda stepped out of the bathroom—wearing nothing but a towel, her wet hair dripping and carrying the faint scent of apples.
Lucas froze. His eyes went wide. He'd expected Wanda to have a good figure—but not this good. She could easily rival Natasha.
Wanda's face flushed red under his gaze.
"Have you stared enough?" she asked softly.
Lucas coughed, quickly averting his eyes. "Uh… clothes. I bought clothes. They might be a bit small, but you can make do for now."
"Are you going to… watch me change?" she asked teasingly.
"Ah? Can I?" he blurted before he could stop himself.
"Sure~" Wanda said with a mischievous smile.
Lucas instantly felt his mouth go dry. Seeing the blush creeping up Wanda's cheeks, he panicked.
"Uh—I'll, uh, go wash up! You, uh, take your time!"
He darted into the bathroom like a startled monkey.
Wanda couldn't help but laugh softly, though her own cheeks burned crimson at her own daring words.
She checked the clothes—indeed, the underwear was a bit small, but barely wearable. The red dress fit surprisingly well, and with the jacket on, it looked perfect. She loved the color; it suited her beautifully.
Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Lucas was struggling. His mind kept replaying the image of Wanda with her damp hair and bare shoulders. Desperate to distract himself, he focused on the system's reward.
He had unlocked a new summon—Ramuh, the Lord of Lightning, a being capable of commanding thunder and even altering weather itself.
Ramuh appeared as a robed old man wielding a staff, his body wreathed in lightning. In the original game, Ramuh was powerful enough to halt the protagonist's berserk state and bring him back to his senses—a truly formidable summon.
Once he familiarized himself with Ramuh's energy, Lucas relaxed in the bath with a satisfied grin.
Originally, he had planned to use the Chocobo Space to teleport straight back to the office, but since Wanda wasn't an employee, she couldn't enter. His mount, Onion, could only carry one person, so for now, they had to stay at the inn.
"If only I had a mount that could carry two…" Lucas sighed. "Would make things so much easier."
After his bath, Lucas stepped out—only to freeze again.
Wanda stood before the mirror, dressed in the red outfit he'd picked. She turned toward him with a smile.
"How do I look?"
Lucas's breath caught. "Beautiful. I've got great taste," he said—though it wasn't clear if he meant the dress or the woman wearing it.
Wanda blushed but smiled sweetly, clearly pleased.
The two spent the day strolling through the little town, looking for food and supplies. It almost felt… like a date.
That evening, as they sat in the inn's dining room enjoying dinner, Lucas asked quietly, "Wanda, what are your plans next?"
The question caught her off guard. She looked up at him, her eyes misting over.
"You… you're not leaving me, are you?"
Lucas immediately waved his hands. "No, no! I just meant—what do you want to do from now on?"
Wanda sniffled, her lips trembling before she smiled faintly. "Wherever you go… I'll go too."
Lucas let out a long sigh. Great. How am I supposed to explain this when I get back? Gwen and Skye will kill me…
He could already feel the headache coming.
Meanwhile, back in S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, Nick Fury sat grim-faced at his desk amid chaos. Agents were being interrogated left and right, and the entire building was in lockdown.
Suddenly, an agent burst into his office.
"Director! We've found a lead on Lucas!"
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