“Well, I’m not going to lie. I was searching for someone like you. Even though it was a plan for the future, as it turns out, you found me first—or let’s say you picked me. Life has a way of twisting the story.”

She smirked. “Can’t argue with that.”

Breeze blinked twice. “Hold on, wasn’t I just talking about something unnatural? And here you’re stuck on my love life.”

“Alright, jokes aside,” she said, leaning back and looking at him intently. “What you said… it’s like something out of a fable. But somehow, it also makes a strange kind of sense. I’ve always wondered how some nobles barely look thirty, yet everyone knows they’re at least sixty. Part of me wants to believe you, but the other half is screaming it’s impossible.” She sighed. “Hiding secrets that could make us stronger, that could help us survive outside the Bastion—just to rule over people? It’s cruel. How do they live with themselves?”

“People will do anything to hold on to power,” he replied darkly.

“Still, hearing you talk about life out there… it makes me want to run, to hunt something real.” She sighed wistfully. “But it’s impossible to leave. How did you even get in here?”

Breeze’s face softened. “Believe it or not, I got lucky. I met a good guy who let me pass. Normally, I’d have to pay a trafficker, but he covered it for me. Made it easy.”

“Aside from Boss, good people still exist, then,” she murmured. “That’s quite a lucky encounter. Meeting a guard willing to help…”

A gentle smile spread across Breeze’s face. “True. But it wasn’t my luckiest.”

Curious—and blushing—she asked, “Oh? Then what was?”

He held her gaze, his voice quiet but warm. “Meeting my father.”

She sighed, her smile softening. “I can’t fault that. Loving parents… that’s something most of us only dream of.”

Clearing his throat, he hesitated. “Well, you’re not second, either.”

“Huh?”

“You’re up there, right beside him,” he murmured, his face reddening.

“Ouch.” She doubled over, clutching her stomach.

Alarmed, he leaned forward. “Are you okay?”

She waved him off. “I’m fine.” She stood abruptly, moving toward the kitchen, and started hitting the wall. Her heart fluttered—a dangerous sensation. Butterflies? How can words from this boy hit me so hard? I know he’s going to grow into a striking man based on his face, but he’s just a kid... right? She busied herself with lunch, her thoughts running wild. Have I really fallen for him? Was I really that lonely to fall for a kid? I don’t know, but I don’t think so.

Returning with the meal, she placed it in front of him, her hands trembling slightly. “By the way, Breeze, you look healthier.”

“I feel it too,” he said, looking down at himself. “My body was on edge, sweating uncontrollably. I couldn’t keep anything down, kept running to the toilet… My body was trying to cleanse itself. I know it was a lot to put up with. Thank you, Samar.” He gave her a grateful smile. “But I get it. You’re not convinced yet, with my story, I mean.”

She paused, considering her words. “It’s hard, Breeze. I want to believe you, but there’s still a part of me that can’t ignore the danger. It’s the same for you—you’re not the type of person to fall in love with a woman easily, even if you admire her. It’s the same for me; I can’t follow my heart and neglect my mind because...” Her face grew shadowed. “I didn’t tell you, but when I was eleven, just after my parents passed away, a man approached me. He claimed to be my father’s friend and swore he’d take care of me because it was my father’s last wish—something I never heard. Foolishly, I went to live with him and his wife.”

She faltered, her eyes clouding. “Then, one night, I heard them whispering. They were planning to sell me to some twisted rich guy. I was terrified. That night, I waited for them to fall asleep, and then I escaped and hid in my family’s home, the only place that still felt safe. But the next morning, he came banging on my door. I was too scared to open it, and not a single person tried to help me.” Her eyes darkened. “I was crying, calling out to my parents, but they were gone. He broke in and dragged me back, and not a single person helped me. I was crying for anyone, but no one dared. I can say that I was able to free myself with my strength, but the amount of fear that fell upon me that day made any kind of strength in my muscles fade away. Until Boss appeared. He grabbed that man by the throat, cutting off his breath, then threw him aside. He was a huge old man with a wide white beard; at first glance, he was scarier than that bastard. But with a smile, he caressed my head and took me back home. Then he repaired my door and told me I could work at his restaurant when I was ready. And I have, ever since.”

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She sighed, looking back at Breeze. “So, you understand why I can’t just take everything you say at face value. I’ve trusted too easily before. And deep down, you still doubt I’m a noble like those—(low voice) trash here and there—don’t you? Maybe we need time—a chance to build a bond free of doubt.”

Breeze met her gaze, his voice steady. “You’re exactly the kind of woman I was looking for: strong yet humble, compassionate yet reasonable. I’ll wait, no matter how long it takes, as long as it means you will trust me.”

Days passed in a quiet, comforting rhythm until, one day, Samar woke up, checked on him as she did each morning, and found him standing shakily by his bed, a brilliant smile lighting up his face.

“If we were married, I’d give you the tightest hug right now!” he said, smiling.

“Yeah, if,” she answered playfully.

“Can’t we now?”

She smiled, crossing her arms. “Not a chance. I’m happy for you, but if we let our emotions get out of control now, who knows what will happen?” She chuckled. “Let me enjoy seeing my future husband standing tall on his own two feet.”

No one could question her choice not to hug him; relationships like boyfriend and girlfriend have long since disappeared in a world where some men sell their girlfriends when they grow tired of them or abandon them if they become pregnant, refusing responsibility. Touching a grown woman is considered inappropriate, though not legally punished because judges, often corrupt to the core, have been known to exploit their power for personal pleasure. This environment has led to girls being extra cautious and families being extra protective, fearing their daughters could be taken at any moment. Samar, however, is strong and well-guarded—by a big bear called Boss.

Breeze laughed. In a world that often treated girls as commodities, he admired Samar’s strength, her resilience, and her spirit. She was everything he never knew he needed.

I have to admit that I like your cautious side. Even though you let me in and took care of me, you still set a limit—a limit that a lot of people don’t give a single thought about. But I won’t say it.

“So, what now?” she asked, watching him with a steady gaze.

“Give me a month at most. My body is about to develop, then I’ll register as a Hunter. I’ll go outside the Bastion, complete missions, and earn enough for us to live comfortably.” He paused, smiling. “Can I stay here a bit longer so I can fully recover?”

“Stay as long as you want while you’re not fully recovered,” she smiled back.

With a gentle smile playing on his lips, he dedicated himself to rehabilitation through careful, measured movements. Each deliberate motion stimulated his nervous system, accelerating his healing process. He imagined his future wife’s astonishment at his transformation, picturing the admiration that would bloom in her eyes.

With each passing day, Breeze grew in strength and stature. It was painful for his body but warm for his soul with Samar beside him. By the end of the month, his voice had deepened, and his once-boyish features sharpened into something altogether different. Samar, who had watched him change day by day, was captivated by his transformation, even if she couldn’t admit it. His hair, black as midnight, possessed an otherworldly quality—so dark it cast metallic blue highlights when caught by light. But it was his eyes that truly captured attention: verdant green orbs that evoked memories of spring meadows in full bloom, set against skin as pristine as alabaster.

“You’re making my life harder, you know, your handsomeness will only make my guardianship more challenging. While we often hear of young women being kidnapped, handsome men aren’t exempt from danger. Wealthy ladies have been known to enslave them as unwilling husbands. We should be grateful that polygamy for women carries severe punishment. Without such laws, no handsome man would be safe. These rich women can be more ruthless than nobles—some have even resorted to murdering the wives of men they desire. Their obsession knows no bounds, their actions are truly beyond reason. Be attentive if a rich lady fancies you, you don't know how will find yourself chained in her bed.”

Breeze grinned. “Your beauty already chained me.”

She shook her head, laughing. “Stop it! Between that face and your sweet talk, you’re going to be the end of me.”Her laughter trailed off, her eyes lingering on his for a moment longer than usual. She felt a strange warmth, a pull she couldn’t quite name, and it scared her as much as it thrilled her.

Their laughter faded, and the air filled with quiet promises.

“Give me a year,” he said, his voice steady. “I’ll be back. Don’t go falling for anyone else.”

“Did you leave any chance for someone else with that face of yours?” She raised a brow. “Just be careful.”

He laughed, promising. And with that, Breeze set off for the Monster Extermination Society (MES).