Emi finished the battle with one final, devastating blow that disintegrated the demon before her. The fight had been intense, but as the protagonist, her determination and strength led her to a swift and decisive victory. Breathing deeply, she lowered her magical weapon and approached Alex and Aria, who had been watching from a safe distance.
—"Thank you for your help," —Emi said with a warm smile, though her tone carried a hint of exhaustion. Then, she looked directly at Aria—. "And… I'm sorry for how I acted earlier."
Aria was momentarily surprised by the apology, but she quickly composed herself, taking a dignified posture and nodding slightly.
—"Apology accepted. I should also apologize for my improper behavior."
Both turned to Alex, who simply sighed and looked at the ground, shaking his head in resignation before giving a small smile.
—"Don't worry about it," —he said, raising his hands and gently patting both of their heads in a gesture of reconciliation.
The two girls smiled at the gesture, though Emi couldn't help but puff her cheeks slightly, while Aria seemed delighted.
At that moment, Duke Alaric emerged from the shadows, observing the chaos left in the wake of the battle. His smile, however, did not fade as he approached his daughter.
—"Aria, I was so worried about you. I'm glad you're safe," —he said in a paternal tone, then turned to Emi and Alex—. "And I have no words to thank you for what you've done."
—"It was nothing," —Emi replied with a modest smile.
Alex, crossing his arms, muttered:
—"This is getting more troublesome by the minute."
---
A Jump to the Duke's Parlor
Back in the duke's luxurious parlor, Emi and Aria were seated comfortably on a plush sofa while Alex stood by the window, watching the servants clean up the aftermath with impressive efficiency.
The duke broke the silence:
—"For everything you've done, I'd like to offer a proper reward."
—"That's not necessary, really…" —Emi said, trying to refuse politely.
Alex, however, raised an eyebrow and asked bluntly:
—"How much are we talking?"
Emi, irritated, smacked him on the head.
—"Don't be so shameless!"
The duke chuckled softly before continuing:
—"For you, Emi, I'd like to offer one hundred thousand gold coins as a token of gratitude for saving our home and our people."
—"What!? That's way too much! I can't accept that…" —Emi replied, utterly shocked.
Alex leaned in and whispered to her:
—"With that kind of money, we could buy first-class food. Just imagine all the dishes you could cook…"
The rumble of Emi's stomach sealed the deal, and with sparkling eyes, she accepted excitedly.
The duke, smiling, turned to Alex.
—"And for you, young Alex…"
—"Me?" —Alex asked, surprised—. "I wasn't expecting a reward."
—"For saving my daughter, I'd like to offer you…"
Alex leaned forward slightly, waiting for him to finish.
—"And…?" —he asked.
—"And what?" —the duke responded, seemingly confused.
—"And what's my reward?" —Alex pressed.
Aria proudly interrupted:
—"Isn't it obvious? Your reward is me. You don't need money—when you become my husband, you'll be part of my family and enjoy all the luxuries you deserve."
Alex went quiet, considering the idea. Maybe a life as a noble wouldn't be so bad. No more dangerous adventures or demons to fight, just a peaceful, low-key life…
—"No way!" —Emi suddenly shouted, cutting through his thoughts—. "Alex can't marry you. At some point, we'll go back to our world, and you wouldn't be able to follow us."
Aria's smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly turned to her father with unwavering determination.
—"Father, will you allow me to go with Alex if he returns to his world?"
The duke, with tears in his eyes, responded emotionally:
—"They grow up so fast… Of course, my daughter."
Emi and Alex were left speechless by how easily the duke accepted Aria's decision.
—"This is a disaster!" —Emi exclaimed.
As for Alex, he could only sigh and mutter to himself:
—"This is definitely getting out of hand…"
---
Following the Duke's surprising declaration and Aria's unreserved agreement, Alex brought a hand to his forehead and let out a deep sigh.
—"This is worse than I imagined…" he murmured to himself.
Emi, arms crossed and visibly annoyed, glanced sideways at Alex.
—"And what are you planning to do about it, genius?"
Before Alex could reply, Aria stepped up to him with a radiant and confident smile.
—"Don't worry, Alex! I promise to be the best wife you could ever wish for! You'll be the happiest man in the world."
Alex took a step back, clearly uncomfortable.
—"That… isn't as reassuring as you think…"
Emi, feeling like she was losing ground, stepped forward and pointed an accusatory finger at Aria.
—"You can't just decide something like that without consulting him first!"
—"And why not?" —Aria shot back with a challenging smile—. "At least I'm honest about my intentions. Unlike certain people who just hide behind excuses to stay close to Alex."
—"What did you say!?" —Emi exclaimed, her aura beginning to glow with a faint magical light.
Seeing the tension between the two grow dangerously, Alex raised his hands in an attempt to calm the situation.
—"Hey, both of you, relax! This isn't necessary…"
However, before the argument could escalate any further, a servant of the duke entered the room carrying a tray of tea and sweets. His expression was professional, though there was a slight tension in his posture as he sensed the thick atmosphere in the room.
—"Forgive the interruption, but I thought perhaps you would like something to help you relax after… the intense battle."
—"Thank you!" —Emi and Aria replied in unison, though both continued to exchange challenging glances as they sat back down.
Alex sighed in relief, mentally thanking the servant for the interruption. He poured himself a cup of tea and, as he watched the girls sample the sweets with a certain competitive air, he couldn't help but wonder when exactly his life had turned into this chaos.
The duke, noticing Alex's distant expression, gave him a hearty pat on the back—nearly knocking him over.
—"Ah, young Alex! What a blessing it is to be surrounded by such strong and determined women. You'll get used to it, I'm sure."
Alex could only force a smile. "Get used to it… Sure, like that's going to be easy."
---
In a distant kingdom, under a sky dyed red by the setting sun, Hiroshi stood atop a pile of defeated enemies.
His breathing was calm, and his cold eyes surveyed the destruction he had caused. His black hair fell over part of his face as a light breeze stirred the dust around him. The marks on the ground and the nearby trees bore witness to the powerful spatial manipulation magic he had used to end the threat.
However, his focus wasn't on the fallen enemies, but on the consequences of his power. The damage to the surroundings and the fearful faces of some villagers watching from afar weighed more heavily on him than the victory itself.
—"It's always the same…" he muttered, a hint of weariness in his voice.
Suddenly, a miniature griffin with golden plumage and eyes like topaz flew toward him. Hiroshi calmly raised his arm, letting the small creature perch on it.
—"What do you have for me this time?" —he asked, with no apparent emotion.
The griffin made a peculiar sound, somewhere between a chirp and a song, which Hiroshi understood perfectly.
—"Oh really? So Emi and Alex saved a noble," —Hiroshi arched an eyebrow with mild curiosity—. "Show me."
The griffin spread its tiny wings, and a magical projection appeared before Hiroshi. In it, he saw Emi and Alex in the cave, rescuing Aria, the battle against the demons, and the complicated dynamics between Emi, Aria, and Alex.
When the image showed Aria looking at Alex with clear admiration, Hiroshi let out a sigh.
—"Looks like Emi dragged Alex into an adventure after all…" —he said, folding his arms—. "And to think how much effort it took me to convince the queen not to send him alone into a dangerous kingdom."
He closed his eyes for a moment, his expression a mix of concern and resignation.
—"Poor Alex… all he wants is to keep a low profile, no offensive abilities, and yet he always ends up in the spotlight."
The griffin chirped again, as if in agreement. Hiroshi shook his head and let out a faint smile as he opened his eyes.
—"At least they seem to be okay. I suppose that's all that really matters."
With a gentle motion, the griffin took flight again, leaving Hiroshi alone once more, staring out at the horizon as he reflected on the events.
"Emi, Alex… be careful. In this world, being the center of attention always draws greater trouble."
With that thought, Hiroshi turned and began walking away, leaving behind the battlefield and the traces of his magic.