In the elders' corner, Ancestor Hai looked at Tyler with a faint smile on his face.
As expected, Tyler reported everything to the ancestor, holding nothing back.
Old Hai remained seated, deep in thought.
He had not grown attached to that trace of hope… and yet, he felt something strange stir within him.
A certain excitement.
Perhaps anxiety.
Something he had not felt in a very long time.
Then, breaking the silence of the place, he spoke:
— This young man is truly impressive. With every moment, I find myself more astonished.
— I truly yearn for this vision of his to become reality.
His voice echoed softly as he closed his eyes, sinking back into thought.
Everything seemed to be moving toward a direction that could no longer be predicted.
Fate itself appeared to be pulling at its threads—perhaps toward a distant future… or perhaps toward a very near present.
---
Meanwhile, in the small house, Dante felt exceedingly comfortable.
After the "hot" water bath, he returned home and pretended to be sore, just so he could spend the rest of the day cuddling with Viviane.
He lay there with Viviane holding him close.
Dante truly loved that woman; with every passing second, he seemed to like her even more.
Viviane was gentle and tender, yet she also knew how to stand her ground and fight for what she wanted—a true contrast within a single person.
During their first month of marriage, they had a small argument, and Dante decided not to sleep in the same bed that night.
Just remembering the lioness she became afterward was enough.
— What are you thinking about with that smile plastered on your face? — Viviane asked, lightly squeezing Dante's abdomen.
Dante looked at her but did not answer. He only kept laughing.
— Hmph… — she puffed softly, pretending to be annoyed, yet she did not loosen her embrace for even a moment.
— Are you going to do something stupid? — Viviane asked, hiding her face against Dante's chest.
He looked at her, surprised.
— Why? What makes you say that? — he asked gently, lifting her face so he could look into her eyes.
— Well… whenever you become overly affectionate, something always happens.
— It was like that when you fought the lion… and when you left with the hunting team.
— Both times, you came extremely close to dying. And the last time, you even disappeared for months…
Her voice was filled with concern.
Dante felt a pang in his chest.
He had been gone for months—she might have thought he was dead, all because he wanted to go hunting.
He placed his hand on Viviane's head and kissed her gently.
Under the quiet atmosphere of the night, Dante began to speak.
— I won't leave your side anymore.
— I just wanted to stay close to you. Nothing dangerous will happen… because I won't be leaving the village for the next few years.
He took a deep breath.
— Viviane, I really like you.
— I may seem cold at times, a bit robotic… but you are extremely important to me.
— Power, vengeance, malevolent gods—none of that matters. What matters to me is being by your side.
His voice faded, as calm and serene as the night itself.
There was no lie in his words.
Viviane was Dante's highest priority.
Saying that he was not troublesome would be a lie—but if Viviane was with him, there would be changes.
Viviane looked at him quietly.
There was something unusual in her eyes.
Love? Of course.
Distrust? Just a little.
She did not know how to respond.
So she simply kept holding him, thinking about what to say.
Perhaps the words would never come.
Perhaps she would drop a bomb.
But she herself did not know.
Dante's words were unexpected.
To Viviane, he would normally just cuddle and then do whatever he wanted—just like the other times.
But this time… he was different.
Thousands of questions surged through her mind, but all of them faded beneath a smile.
In the end, only a single sentence remained—the best possible answer.
— I like you a lot too — she said, smiling as she looked at him.
At that moment, the silence grew heavy.
Dante and Viviane had only each other in their minds.
They saw only one another.
— But what do you intend to do? — she asked, breaking the serene mood and pulling Dante out of his temporary peace.
Viviane was sweet… but she was not foolish.
Seeing her sudden change in tone, Dante could not help but laugh.
This woman can read me completely…
He suddenly kissed her several times, then spoke:
— You're really like a little cat, huh? Clever… very clever.
He smiled.
— I'll think about whether I should tell you what I'm about to get up to.
He finished by lightly pinching the tip of her nose, clearly satisfied with his current life.
Seeing that Dante would not answer her question, Viviane chose not to press the matter.
Even though she wanted to know whether it was dangerous, she knew he would tell her when the time came.
Still, she did not let it slide.
She pinched his waist hard while hugging him, wearing a sweet smile.
— You're truly impressive… maybe I'll marry you — Dante said jokingly.
— I'm already married — she replied, raising her hand.
On it was a ring crafted by Dante himself.
It was simple, made from a metal he had found in a cave.
He had asked a refiner for help in shaping it.
The ring fit Viviane's finger perfectly and bore the intertwined letters D and V.
Dante wore one as well.