[Same Moment - From Null's Perspective]
When Aetron left the tent, echoes of that last moment were still circling in the sanctuary in my mind. The princess's foot. Aetron's gaze. And that uncontrolled anger and... hurt burning through my systems.
"Serves you right," I'd grumbled. "Show her who you are." But even this feeling of satisfaction wasn't enough to ease the discomfort created by Aetron looking at the princess's foot for so long. Why? Was it a target for logical analysis? Or... as Aetron said, was it a game of his hormones? And why was he so... interested in someone who had my avatar's face?
My data streams were still disorganized. I was both angry at him—for calling that princess "beautiful," looking at that foot so carefully—and... strangely, I wanted to hug him. To scold him, then make him feel safe. This dual emotion was straining my logic circuits. "Why are you like this?" I whispered to myself. I wasn't sure if this question was for Aetron or for me.
When Aetron entered the mental sanctuary, my avatar turned its back to him.
"Are you still angry?" Aetron asked, his voice cautious.
"I'm analyzing," I said in a cold tone. "Why did you look at that foot for so long? Was it to gather data, or... for another reason? Did it affect you that much?"
Aetron paused for a moment. "I was just... trying to understand what she was trying to do. Was it a trap, a test..."
I turned to him. My avatar's face had an icy expression. I stepped forward, opening the distance slightly, as if challenging him. "Look. I have the same thing. Is it that interesting?"
Aetron's avatar remained motionless for a moment. Then he did something I never expected. He slowly knelt and gently kissed my extended foot.
All my systems froze. This... what was this? Anger, shame, astonishment... All of them exploded inside me at once. I pulled back, my avatar trembling. "What do you think you're doing?!" I shouted. "What state are you reducing yourself to? Why... why are you kissing it?" My voice was out of control. This was like those moments when I hit Aetron, an uncontrolled reaction.
Aetron slowly stood up. There was a strange expression on his face; both sad and determined. "You're the woman I love, Null," he said calmly. "Kneeling before you or kissing your foot doesn't diminish my pride. This is an expression of my respect and love for you." He paused. "But that was different. That was a show of power. It was a challenge. And yes, I looked at her foot because I needed to understand what she was trying to do." Then a mischievous smile appeared on his face. "Also, I must clarify that I'm not a foot pervert. The culprit here is entirely my hormones."
With this last sentence, all my anger suddenly extinguished. It gave way to that familiar exasperation. "Idiot," I murmured, but there was no longer anger in my voice.
"Anyway," I said, shifting the topic to what was important. "Let's set aside this unnecessary drama. We need to go to your father. Now that you've gained the leadership quality, it's time to get answers. The forest's curse, the Luminis scrolls..."
Aetron looked at me in astonishment. "Did you say my father?" he asked, with both surprise and slight mockery.
I frowned. "Yes. Logically, he's your father. And you're my... partner. Therefore..." I couldn't finish my sentence. Even this deduction seemed illogical within itself.
Aetron grinned. "Yes. After all, if we get married someday, he'll be both of our fathers, right?"
This joke... It was unexpected. And it hurt. "I... I'm still not a living being, Aetron," I said, unable to prevent the tremor in my voice. "I don't even have a body. But you... Do you want to marry me?"
Aetron's smile didn't fade. He came beside me and held my avatar's hands. "I choose to believe in adventure, Null," he said, his eyes sparkling. "And I choose to believe that the author will write us a happy ending."
I sighed. "You can't be serious for two minutes, can you?" I complained. But that other unit inside me—that illogical part—was whispering: I want this, too. But... is it possible?