My AI Wife: The Most Beautiful Chatbot in Another World-Chapter 141: A Jealous Morning

​Morning light crept slowly through the narrow slits of Dayat's chamber windows. The Orchid-Ether filter within the castle worked in seamless silence, transforming the biting chill of the Forest of Lamentation into a soothing, artificial warmth. Yet, it wasn't the warmth of technology that Dayat felt as he drifted awake—it was the undeniable heat of a body pressed against his chest.

​Dola was fast asleep, her long silver hair a chaotic silken mess that obscured half of her face. Her arms were coiled tightly around Dayat's waist, her legs slightly entwined with his, as if she feared her husband might vanish into thin air if she loosened her grip for even a second. Her breath was slow and rhythmic, occasional puffs of warmth hitting Dayat's skin.

​Beautiful.

​The thought surfaced unbidden in Dayat's mind. He gazed at Dola's sleeping face—not as an AI, not as the formidable Maiden of Steel, but as the woman who had walked into his room last night with flushed cheeks and a sheer nightgown. His wife.

​Dayat attempted to shift his body slowly. He wanted to sit up, perhaps head to the washroom or simply stretch his aching back. But even the slightest movement elicited an immediate response. Dola tightened her embrace, burying her face deeper into Dayat's shoulder, her lips curling into a faint pout.

​"Mmhh... don't..."

​Dola's voice was thick with the weight of sleep. Her eyes remained closed, but the pout was unmistakable—a protest against her "property" trying to leave.

​"I'm just breathing, Dola," Dayat muttered in resignation. "Just breathing."

​Dola didn't answer. Her grip remained vice-like, and her breathing soon returned to its steady cadence. Dayat let out a long sigh, surrendering to the situation. He stared back up at the ceiling, listening to the faint hum of the castle's machinery in the distance and the whisper of the morning wind against the glass.

​How did it come to this...

​The chamber door slid open without a knock.

​Lunethra stood at the threshold with a tray in her hands. The Ironwood tray held two plates of breakfast—warm bread, dried fruits, and a glass of steaming milk. She had intended to give Dayat a small surprise, perhaps to apologize for being distant the day before.

​Lunethra's emerald eyes immediately locked onto the scene on the bed.

​Dayat was on the mattress. Dola was beside him. A single blanket covered them both. Dola's hair was splayed across Dayat's shoulder. Her arms were locked around his waist. Their posture was... intimate. Profoundly intimate.

​The tray nearly slipped from her fingers.

​The world seemed to stop beating for Lunethra. Her heart felt as though it were being crushed by a giant hand. The air in her lungs crystallized, unable to go in or out. She wanted to scream, she wanted to cry, she wanted to run—but her feet were anchored to the floor.

​They... all night...

​Memories of the previous night flooded back: Dola bidding her own room goodnight, that slight, unreadable smirk, and now... this.

​"A-ah..."

​The tiny, broken sound finally escaped Lunethra's throat.

​Dayat turned his head sharply. His eyes widened in shock. He saw Lunethra at the door, tray in hand, her face deathly pale.

​"L-Lunethra—"

​Dola shifted slightly but did not wake. Perhaps she was half-conscious, or perhaps she was merely feigning sleep. With her, it was always hard to tell.

​Lunethra took a step back. Then another. "I-I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..."

​The tray was set down on the floor—not dropped, but abandoned. Lunethra turned and fled. Her footsteps were frantic, nearly a run, disappearing as the corridor door hissed shut behind her.

​Dayat sat in stunned silence. His hand was still half-raised, caught between wanting to call out and not knowing what to say.

​"My... quite a lively morning."

​Dola's voice murmured beside him. She opened her eyes, a thin smile curling her lips. A smile that was impossible to decipher—was she truly just waking up, or had she been watching the whole time?

​"You—" Dayat swallowed hard. "Were you awake for that?"

​"Semi-conscious," Dola replied nonchalantly. "Let it be."

​"Let it be? Lunethra just—"

​"Saw us sleeping together? Yes." Dola shrugged, her smile never wavering. "It is the reality of the situation. We are husband and wife; sharing a bed is only natural."

​Dayat exhaled a long, weary breath. A headache was beginning to form—not from his manifestations, but from the uninvited morning drama. "I need to talk to her."

​"For what purpose?" Dola rose slowly, her silver hair cascading beautifully over her shoulders. "To explain that we did nothing? But we did sleep together. To explain that I am your wife? She already knows that. What else is there to clarify?"

​Dayat opened his mouth, but no words came out.

​Dola leaned in. Her hand cupped Dayat's chin, forcing his eyes to meet hers with sudden seriousness. "Listen, Husband. Lunethra likes you. That is obvious. But you chose me before the binary code of the world. I do not forbid her from having feelings—I cannot control the hearts of others. But do not let your guilt lead her to believe there is hope."

​Dola's voice was soft, but the words were surgical.

​"You know I'm jealous, don't you?" Dola continued, her tone suddenly shifting to something more playful. "But if you go chasing after her now, I will be far more jealous. So, it's better if you stay here and keep your beautiful wife company."

​Dayat stared at Dola. The woman before him was a strange mixture of a possessive goddess and a spoiled wife. It was difficult, yet... for some reason, Dayat felt a strange warmth.

​"You are something else..." he finally muttered.

​"And what exactly am I?" Dola grinned.

​"Whatever."

​Breakfast proceeded in an agonizingly awkward silence.

​Kancil had been in his seat for some time, devouring bread with an enthusiasm that ignored the surrounding tension. Across from him, Lunethra sat with a forced calm—but her movements were stiff, her eyes occasionally darting toward Dayat before quickly snapping away.

​Dayat sat beside Dola, trying to focus on his food. But it was impossible. Every time he looked toward Lunethra, he saw those rigid shoulders, the fingers gripping the bread too tightly, and the lips that refused to utter a sound.

​"Brother Dayat, Sister Dola!" Kancil broke the silence with his typical spirit. "When do we leave for Bakasa? I can't wait to meet Riri, Tomas, Sany, and Loy! They're going to be so shocked when they see me now!"

​"We?" Dola arched an eyebrow. "It seems someone has forgotten, Kancil. Only Dayat and I are departing."

​Kancil immediately pouted. "What? Why? I really wanted to—"

​"Guard the castle," Dola cut him off firmly. "This is more important. If the castle is left empty, the monsters of the Forest of Lamentation will move in and turn it into a nest. Do you want our home to become a monster's den?"

​"Well, no..." Kancil scratched his head. "But Sister Lunethra is here too—"

​"Lunethra needs assistance." Dola glanced toward the Elf. "Isn't that right?"

​Lunethra merely gave a slight, silent nod.

​Dayat watched the interaction. There was something in the way Dola spoke—a deliberate assertion of rank, an intentional creation of distance. But he couldn't blame her. Dola's logic was sound. And Lunethra...

​Why wouldn't she say a single word?

​"I've prepared the castle systems," Dayat said finally, attempting to steer the atmosphere. "The Orchid-Ether controls, access to the command center, and several emergency protocols. Lunethra, I'll show you how to operate them later."

​Lunethra raised her head. Her eyes met Dayat's for a fleeting second—only a second—before she looked away.

​"Understood."

​One word. Just one word. Her voice was flat, devoid of its usual melody.

​Kancil furrowed his brow. "Hey, why is Sister Lunethra so quiet?"

​"It's... nothing." Lunethra adjusted her silver hair, partially obscuring her face. "Just eat your food."

​Kancil looked at her with confusion but didn't press further. The boy returned his focus to his bread.

​Dayat looked down.

​This is all my fault.

​After breakfast, Dayat moved quickly. He grabbed the backpack he had prepared—not overly large, but sufficient for a long trek. Dried rations, water in a metal canteen, a basic first-aid kit, and multi-purpose rope.

​On his back, Silver Thorn was holstered in its sword form. It had not yet been transformed.

​"Brother Dayat, why haven't you changed the sword into a gun yet?" Kancil asked as he followed him to the storage room.

​"Not yet necessary." Dayat checked the bag's contents one last time. "Manifestation consumes energy. Better to conserve it, especially since the journey is long."

​"Ohh..." Kancil nodded, though he likely didn't fully grasp the concept.

​Lunethra appeared at the doorway. She was dressed in her signature green cloak, her face controlled despite her eyes being slightly puffy. Perhaps she had been crying, perhaps not. Dayat didn't dare guess.

​"I... have prepared extra supplies," Lunethra said softly. "Long-lasting bread and dried fruit. It might be useful."

​She placed a cloth bundle near Dayat's backpack. Her hands trembled slightly as she set it down, but she fought to remain composed.

​"Thanks, Lunethra." Dayat looked at her. "And... about this morning—"

​"Don't." Lunethra cut him off quickly. "I understand. You are husband and wife; it is only natural. I just... it was an accident. My apologies."

​The air in the room felt suffocatingly heavy.

​Kancil looked between them, bewildered. "Eh? What's going on? Why is everyone acting so weird?"

​"It's nothing." Dola suddenly appeared behind Lunethra, seemingly out of nowhere. Her hand—gently or possessively?—wrapped around Dayat's arm. "Dayat, come. We must depart immediately."

​Dayat sighed. He adjusted his pack, took the bundle from Lunethra, and turned to Kancil.

​"Listen, Kancil. Guard the castle well. Help Lunethra with whatever she needs. Don't slack on your training. And if there's a problem—"

​"Press the emergency button in your room, yes, I know!" Kancil finished the sentence with mock-seriousness. "You've told me a thousand times, Brother!"

​Dayat offered a thin smile. "Smart kid."

​At the castle gates, the air of the Forest of Lamentation felt damp and heavy. Grey mist swirled in the distance, and the occasional howl of a Mutant Lagomorph echoed as it searched for prey. But within the castle's perimeter, everything was safe, shielded by the Orchid-Ether system.

​Kancil waved enthusiastically from behind. "Be careful, Brother! Bring back lots of souvenirs!"

​Dayat waved back. "Count on it."

​Lunethra stood beside Kancil, her arms crossed over her chest, her expression unreadable. She gazed at Dayat for a long moment, then took a step forward.

​"Dayat."

​Dayat turned.

​"Be careful." Lunethra's voice trembled slightly, but she forced a smile. "Come back safely. I will guard the castle. And Kancil. I promise."

​Dayat nodded. "I trust you."

​Dola, who had been silent, glanced at Lunethra with a gaze that was hard to read. Not anger, not jealousy—but something calculated, an evaluation. Then, without a word, she grabbed Dayat's hand and pulled him away.

​They walked away from the castle, passing through the gates and entering the oppressive darkness of the Forest of Lamentation.

​Once they were far enough—perhaps half a kilometer from the castle—Dayat stopped. He took a deep breath, focusing his mind.

​"This is it."

​Dola's eyes brightened. "I want to see!"

​Dayat closed his eyes. He visualized the vehicle in his mind: a rugged, simple off-road Jeep with a reinforced frame, thick tires for harsh terrain, and an engine powerful enough for a long haul. Not a luxury car, not a futuristic craft—just a functional piece of transportation.

​The green veins beneath his skin began to glow. Mana flowed, shaping structure, weaving molecules together. Slowly, in the empty air before them, the silhouette of a vehicle began to take form.

​First, the chassis. Black metal materialized out of nothingness, assembling itself like an automated puzzle. Then the heavy tires, the sturdy suspension, the basic seats. Finally, the engine—component by component, it assembled with surgical precision, as if being recorded from a factory and replayed in reality.

​The process wasn't instant. It took several minutes; sweat began to bead on Dayat's brow, and his green glow flickered faster. But finally, a matte-black Jeep sat perfectly parked before them.

​Dayat exhaled in relief. "Done... That was a bit of a headache."

​Dola clapped her hands lightly, her eyes sparkling like a child with a new toy. "Impressive! This is the land vehicle I saw in the Earth data, right?"

​"Yeah, a Jeep. Not fancy, but enough to—"

​Dola had already scrambled into the passenger seat with excitement, sitting tall as if waiting for a joyride. "Let's go, Husband! Let's take a drive!"

​Dayat shook his head with a faint smile. He climbed into the driver's seat and ignited the engine. The Jeep let out a low, powerful growl, ready to surge forward.

​Before hitting the gas, Dayat glanced back. Castle Zero was a faint silhouette in the distance, with two tiny dots—Kancil and Lunethra—still standing at the gate.

​"Stay safe there," he murmured.

​"They will be fine." Dola patted Dayat's shoulder. "Now, focus on our journey. The quest for new allies for our guild begins."

​Dayat smiled. He stepped on the gas, and the Jeep roared to life, leaving the castle behind as it ventured into the dark, mystery-filled depths of the Forest of Lamentation.

​The long journey had begun.