'My future?'

That really is a question that completely caught my attention. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to know. But it also gives me a complex feeling to do so.

'What if, by knowing my future, I end up ruining it?'

"Hahaha!!!!"

The one who brought me back to my senses was old Gerald, who laughed loudly.

I was about to ask the reason for his laughter when... someone opened the door.

"Emir?"

Emir: "!!!!"

Old Gerald: "!!!!"

Inhale, exhale.

After mentally preparing myself, I turn around.

"I knew it! It's you!"

"M- Melisa..."

A beautiful 27-year-old woman with dark brown hair and two blonde-colored front locks. Not only does she have a beautiful face, and her figure is also attractive, but there is one not-so-minor detail... She is looking for a husband.

And, in her mind, I seem to be the best candidate.

"For a moment, I thought you didn't want to see me, but you're an Adventurer, aren't you? You must have been very busy, and that's why you haven't come to visit me, right?"

'I'm scared.'

"My store is not a coffee shop. Go somewhere else if you want to chat. Shoo Shoo," old Gerald waved his hands as if shooing away a cat.

"Gerald... You should be thankful you have visitors..."

Old Gerald: "..."

'Hey, you must say something. We're in this together! If I go down, then you go down too!'

"Emir, how do you know Gerald? Strangely, you can talk to him... Normally he just throws things and screams..."

Old Gerald: "!!!!"

"Well…"

'- Don't you dare boy!!! Don't you dare!'

'It's so funny to see how old Gerald is more concerned with shutting me up than contradicting Melisa's words. Well, this time I won't make things difficult for him.'

"Is that so? He behaved very well with me, didn't he?"

"Yup yep." Old Gerald nodded like a chicken eating corn and said, "He is... Very similar to someone I knew when I was young."

'When you were young… couldn't you come up with something better? I hope Melissa buys your excuse because, otherwise, I'll rat you out immediately without any remorse!'

"Wow, how unexpected. Your memory is still working despite your age, huh?" said Melissa.

'- &&9h%&#@$! ...Calm down, calm down. This woman is deliberately teasing me to close down my store!'

'Hmm, looking at her… well, Melisa has an interesting personality... Although she has a few screws loose, it isn't a big deal. A woman looking for a husband isn't a bad thing per se, it's just that she tends to overdo it a bit. Maybe... could she be fixed?'

"Haa, if you'd just take down those signs, the neighbors would stop calling me. You've already changed the weapons for better-quality ones. You just need a little more and-..." Melissa stopped her words midway through.

The reason why she did that is simple since, as she spoke, I took her hand.

"Shall we go?" I said, looking at the entrance.

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"...Mn" With a smile, she nodded.

Holding hands, we walked out of old Gerald's blacksmith shop.

*Omniscient POV*

Old Gerald: "..."

'- Was it that easy? Did I get out of a fight with that woman just because the boy took her hand? Haa... I can only say... Damn it! Fuck like rabbits, but leave me alone! This old man isn't hurting anyone!'

But, despite his thoughts, he closed the store and went to stock up on popcorn... just in case.

*Emir POV*

We walked aimlessly as we looked around from time to time. Our gazes crossed, and we smiled. It seemed so peaceful, as if the silence was very comfortable, but the sad reality is...

'I have nothing to talk to her about!'

Indeed, we slept together, but we are both adults. I thought we would civilly forget what happened. The legendary 'one night and bye-bye' that all healthy people practice after a few drinks.

But now that Melisa has sought me out, my plans must be restructured. And for that, I must ask a very important question.

"Have you thought about raising your level?"

My two desires are strength and women. I want to be strong, but I also want my women to be strong. It won't do me any good to be strong when I won't have anyone by my side. Leveling up serves a very important function, and that is... Increasing life expectancy.

Not caring that my question had destroyed the peaceful atmosphere surrounding us, Melisa paused and looked up at the sky for a few seconds. After a few moments, she looked me in the eye and spoke again.

"I have no desire to fight. I want to continue my parents' legacy, doing what I love, even if it doesn’t help that much for leveling up."

'Even though I instinctively knew that this would be her answer, why do I feel angry?'

"You will die."

"And you won't?" she replied with a smile.

It's true that men are more likely to die because of how reckless we are. But, unlike them, I know my limits well. I don't care about my pride if it's for my life and the lives of others.

"I will remain young while you have grown old."

"It may be so, but no one knows what the future holds. Can you assure me that you won't leave me a widow?"

'That's easy to answer.'

"I assure you."

'Because I don't plan to get married.'

Melissa: "!!!!"

'- He's serious. He's thinking about a serious relationship with me!'

'Is it my idea, or did I just score a lot of points with her? Melisa, can they be returned? Because I don't want them! At least not until you stop seeing me as a candidate for marriage!'

"Then, this will only end with one result..." Melisa fell silent for a second and then said, "I'll be the one who will grow old and die first."

'It's the same outcome I initially thought… If that is the case, why should we continue with this relationship? We only met for one day. Isn't it better to end all of this right now and save us from suffering? I don't know why, but looking at her... a new solution came to my mind.'

"When the time comes, I will force you to level up." I say in a very low voice.

"Did you say something?"

At Melissa's question, I simply pulled her hand and brought her face close to mine.

"Mnn Nmm Lero Mnnah."

'Maybe she has a few screws loose. But, in a sense, I like it.'

We are on a relatively busy street with carriages passing by from time to time, people walking along the sidewalk, and adventurers looking at weapons through store windows. Because of this, our sudden kiss attracted the attention of several people.

"Youth is so daring. In my time, kissing had to be done on the sly."

"I don't see anything wrong with it. You can tell they love each other; otherwise, they wouldn't show their love in broad daylight-... Wait... That face looks familiar... Melisa?!"

"Huh?! You mean the Melisa who owns 30% of the city's crops?"

'30%.... Huh?! Haa... Well, I don't care. I wish Melisa or old Gerald would have said it sooner, but... it isn't important at this point'

"God... That Melisa? But isn't she married?!"

Upon hearing this.

"Puff... Cof Cof... Married?!"

I couldn't help but end our kiss strangely.

You can't blame me… I'm committing adultery without realizing it. And I don't even know the horned husband! God... Are you trying to create a reverse harem? And without telling me?!

'Wait… this feeling... Is this how Alessia will feel when I tell her about Delia?'

"I'm not married! I've tried every possible way to make them understand that I'm not married! But they never understand! All my previous partners have broken up with me because of those rumors!!!"

Melisa came up to me and tightened my clothes.

"You must believe me, Emir! I swear to God Solus that I'm not married!"

Seeing her with her eyes wet and on the verge of tears... She awakens my sadistic side.

'Should I tell her I'm 15 years old to finish her off? Will it be overkill?'

My hands itch to tease her, but for this time I'll restrain myself, as I can feel she's telling the truth.

"Easy, I believe in you. I'm good at reading people. So, don't cry. I trust you."

"Really?"

As if afraid that I would move away from her if she released my clothes, she came even closer to affirm her hold on me. I know this situation is serious, but I can't help but smile.

My sadistic side is still active, after all.

"Yes, I'm serious. Come, let's go talk somewhere quieter to avoid stares."

"Won't you take the opportunity to run away from me?"

'Woman, you are tempting me. You are tempting me to bother you!'

"If you think I'll get away from you, give me your hand and hold my hand as tightly as you can. But now that I think about it… Do you think your strength is enough to stop me?"

Melissa: "!!!!"

Hearing me, she quickly took my hand, but her eyes looked even wetter.

'Being on the verge of crying, she looks so beautiful... Ahh, sorry, I can't hold back anymore.'

Through my map, we came to a quiet place. It's an alley next to a busy street where anyone who enters will be able to see us if they walk about 2 meters or more.

"Emir, what people say isn't true I-..." she started to say, but I interrupted her.

"You don't need to explain yourself, but I want you to prove it to me..."

With a smile, I looked her in the eyes and said... "Let's make love here."