Arthur and Nephis sat together in silence, allowing him a moment to collect his thoughts. Nephis knew Arthur was stronger than he let on, and she simply offered her quiet presence beside him, trusting he’d sort things out.

It only took a minute before Arthur was himself again. He glanced at the clock and announced, "Ah! No time to get depressed. It’s almost time."

"Time for what?" Nephis asked, puzzled.

"My awakening, duh!" Arthur replied with a grin. "In about two hours, I’ll start the process, and I need to finish this talk first."

Nephis pouted, teasing, "You’re in a hurry—is it because of that other woman?"

Arthur chuckled as she pinched his arm. "Yeah, it’s about her. If I lose her now, I lose her forever. That was one of my biggest regrets, and I’m not letting it happen again."

Nephis’s curiosity piqued. "Hmm, now I’m interested. Which girl managed to turn the legendary playboy into a marriageable man?"

Arthur smirked, "Oh, just the future elf queen. Right now, she’s still a princess."

"What?" Nephis’s eyes widened in shock. She’d assumed he was talking about someone from Earth. But an elf princess—the future queen of Elferia? Was he serious?

Arthur chuckled, enjoying her reaction. He’d wanted to tell her about Elara anyway.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

Once she’d collected herself, Nephis demanded, "Explain!"

Arthur leaned back. "Alright, here’s the short version. I love her—this time because of my past life. She stood by me till the end, and we…died together. So, yeah, I’m determined to marry her this time around. The second part is more important, though."

He continued, "The elves have this prophecy that the chosen one will lead them to prosperity, and he’ll marry the Elf Queen to bind him to the throne. Last time, I wasn’t the chosen one, but I’ll make sure I am this time. I don’t want to lose her again, so I need to prove I’m the chosen one before I marry her. I have a week to prepare before heading to Elferia."

Nephis sighed, understanding his need to honor someone who’d been by his side through unimaginable horrors. She didn’t love the idea of sharing him, but she didn’t want him to abandon someone like Elara either. It was conflicting.

‘I guess that’s my punishment for loving a playboy. Just how many women has he charmed?’ Nephis tried to console herself, but a twinge of jealousy remained.

"So, aside from me and this Elf Queen, how many others have you…seduced?" she asked with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Arthur blinked, surprised by the question. Scratching his cheek, he mumbled, "Uh…about five? Ouch!"

Nephis gave him a pinch. "Honestly, that’s fewer than I thought."

Arthur laughed, though he winced at her comment. "What? Do you think I had nothing to do but charm women? Believe me, Neph, I gave up my playboy ways long ago. These women—like you—are my life. I would rather die than abandon any of you."

Nephis stared at him, a strange look in her eyes. ‘That’s what I like about you, idiot,’ she thought with a sigh.

"Alright, five it is. But remember, no more. Only five, and that’s final, okay?"

Arthur was caught off guard, then broke into a grin as he pulled her into a hug. "I knew my Neph would understand me. You’re the best."

Nephis rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. But if you add a sixth, I’ll turn your two into six."

Arthur’s face turned pale. "I…have no objections," he said quickly, sweating as she finally released her grip on him. Although she didn’t show it, Nephis felt an immense happiness that she was finally with Arthur, even if she’d have to share.

‘The world’s already ending. What’s the point in fighting over something like this?’ Nephis sighed and asked, "So, you’ll be spending some time in Elferia?"

"Yes, about a month," Arthur nodded. "But I’ll be busy this week, preparing to prove I’m the chosen one. I’ll need your help, actually. Can you lend me a sword?"

Without hesitation, Nephis summoned a long, black sword, its dark blade glinting in her hand. She examined it briefly before handing it to him. "It’s a Tier 1 sword. I’ve released my ownership, so once you’re Awakened, you can claim it. I have others, but they’d be a burden to you right now."

Arthur accepted the sword, grateful, and shared a moment of silent understand

ing with Nephis, readying himself for the path ahead.