Isolde supported her head by crossing her arms on his chest. She batted her long, captivating eyelashes. "I could never call my king foolish. He’s my baby, after all."

She whispered sweetly, then leaned forward a bit.

Godfrey had to clear his throat several times. Their lips were too close... too close for self-control to work properly.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Just a little headache. Aside from that, I’m fine," Godfrey replied.

"Oh... okay," she said. ’He’s turning into something else. It shouldn’t have been more than five hours since he became unconscious. I wanted to tell him my dragons have hatched and my tier has risen to 38.1, but I feel he’s grown beyond that. I never thought I’d one day be the one chasing after someone. It’s oddly fun.’

Isolde bit her lower lip. ’He even benefits when I grow stronger. Tsk!’ She turned away.

"What is it?" Godfrey asked when the silence between them had extended more than normal.

"Nothing," she replied.

"How was the meeting? Were you affected when my mana went down?"

Isolde smiled softly and replied, "I wasn’t in an important place, and the meeting went well. How was the raid?" She asked as she tried to stand, but Godfrey tightened his grip, forcing her to fall on his chest, and their lips touched.

Just a graze, yet Godfrey’s insides almost exploded. His heart began to drum as he gulped and caressed her back.

Isolde brought her head down, and just as their lips touched once more, the door swung open and Rick stepped in.

Both of them quickly sat up as the butler dropped a tray with two cups of tea. Godfrey glared at him with a look that said ’I’ll remember this’ in bold letters. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

But Rick didn’t flinch. He switched on the television and left. Once those two began, especially now that they’ve been apart for a good while, he might have to give all the maids and butlers vacation again. It was already late; they wouldn’t sleep outside, so for the greater good, he did the necessary.

Godfrey and Isolde picked their cups at the same time.

Suddenly, the vision Damascus showed him flashed in his mind, overlapping with Isolde’s drawings.

He looked at the tea, held it for a moment, and sighed. "I’m glad you’re back, Isolde. I just want to ask you one question."

She looked at him attentively, not saying a word. His mood changed quite swiftly, though.

"What made you love me?" Godfrey asked. As much as he would love to kiss her, Godfrey wanted it to last; he wanted this relationship to last, and...

With everything that had happened and was going to happen, he wanted to make sure what made her love him was never lost.

He would soon meet his mother. He would soon face the Ruination, and more, way more in this journey.

So...

He didn’t even know where this question came from. It just sprouted from his heart, and his aroused emotions crumbled like a pack of cards. This was one of those thoughts that suddenly came up, and you wished you never thought of them in the first place.

Because all they bring... was uncertainty.

Isolde was quiet for a moment. "Your innocence..." The image of the Godfrey she saw in her visions flashed in her eyes, the older, cold one and the younger, innocent one.

"The way your bright blue eyes brighten when you’re happy or harden when you’re angry. Your smile, your laughter, they brighten my world like fireworks."

She looked at him. "We have a lot of cold, wicked people in this world. You stood out because you were different, stubbornly so. Had I been in a different circumstance, I would have found you annoying, but I was in a place where I saw how great it was to be nice."

Godfrey lowered his head. ’I shouldn’t have asked.’

He wasn’t any of that. Not anymore. He had seen too much to still be innocent.

"I know you’re changing, Godfrey..." Isolde’s voice rang. "But that sunny Frey is still in there, protected in your heart, and right now..."

A beautiful smile appeared on Isolde’s face as she stared into Godfrey’s blue eyes.

"I’m looking at him."

Godfrey’s eyes slowly widened.

"This..." she pointed at one of the rings. "...is an eternity band. We’re bound, body and soul, and it’s irreversible." Isolde dropped the tea, rose to her feet, and gently pressed his head into her abdomen while her fingers ran through his hair.

"I don’t know what happened while I was away, but you can’t lose me, and I can’t lose you to this cruel world. Let me be the cruel one; I can handle it," she added.

Godfrey laughed softly.

"We should go somewhere tomorrow."

Isolde raised an eyebrow.

"Where?"

***

"You’re here," Old Man Adam crackled when he saw Godfrey and Isolde at the entrance. He and the female staff beside him stopped and watched the couple walk in.

"I thought you ran."

"I made a promise," Godfrey replied.

The old man’s eyes went to Isolde. "She’s the one paying?"

"Of course not. I actually worked and got paid," Godfrey said proudly. Isolde giggled inwardly.

"I doubt a young man who flaunts his wife to handle his financial problems will be able to force himself to work," Old Man Adam scowled.

Isolde and the female staff barely held back their amused expressions.

Godfrey approached the old man and leaned down.

"I said I worked. I cleared a purple gate dungeon at 59th Street Bridge," Godfrey said firmly, maintaining eye contact with the old man.

"I know," the old man smiled. The female staff quickly went to bring the kids. It wasn’t even more than a minute, and a wave of little kids burst out.

"Godfrey!"

"Godfrey!!"

"Godfrey!!! Where’s Dirse? Is it Dirge? Yes, Dirge!"

Isolde was shocked to see Godfrey crowded by a whole bunch of orphans. He was dragged here and there, and this powerful demigod was flinching and smiling like a child.

She had never seen this part of him.

Golden portals appeared, unleashing Mountain and Dirge. The children split into two different waves, swarming Dirge and Mountain.

Isolde almost felt like crying when she saw Godfrey. He looked so happy, happier than she had ever seen him before.

All of a sudden, something tugged her skirt. She turned and saw a small boy. He was blinking as his brain struggled to process if this beautiful lady was real.

He dragged her skirt so she was real. Once that was confirmed, the boy asked,

"Are you Godfrey’s sister?"

It was Isolde’s turn to blink in disbelief. Where in the world was the semblance?!