"Before I tell you the job, I want to know how you are faring." Aira wryly smiled. "You just lost your everything. You also checked your bank account, and since it was a joint account, you know the money is gone. She withdrew it. The apartment you bought was in your daughter's name, so that's also gone."
"Ten years of survival in an orphanage, ten years of study, and six years of job just went down the drain."
"When you say it like that, it really makes me feel like I lost everything." Aeron looked towards the sun that broke through the dark cloud as rays passed through amidst rain. "The feeling of loss is there, but I am…feeling liberated somehow. I've always been like that. I don't like to think negatively. I focus on one thing excessively. I process fast. I get over it fast. I lean towards logical aspects and don't bother thinking much. For example, the love I thought I had for my daughter is gone. Her behavior tells me her mom manipulated her well, and she doesn't consider me her true dad, which...I am not. I never got much time to be with her in the four years, except for the first year...But...I'll miss her, I suppose."
Aeron turned his head back to Aira. "So yeah, I am faring well."
Aira looked at Aeron, his eyes, and saw a profound emptiness within.
"Well then, since you are ready to go on a new adventure in your life, I'll make sure that it will excite you." Aira smiled.
"Excitement…" Aeron mumbled and smiled. "I don't know when I felt that last time."
Aira blinked twice. "So you didn't feel excited to see me, sitting here, and staring at you for minutes straight?"
"I wouldn't say excited. But it felt good to see a pretty face like yours." Aeron chuckled and turned to the sun. "Like this sun breaking its rays through the rain. It's beautiful. Beautiful things have a way to soothe one's mood…I guess."
Aira couldn't help but laugh. It was light and melodious, making Aeron look at her as he also couldn't help but smile.
"So, what is the job?" He asked.
Aira's eyes sparkled, and her smile grew. "Very simple. Become my husband, get strong, and impress my parents."
"W-Wait, what?" Aeron was confused.
Aira chuckled. "Aeron Enfield. We are meeting for the first time, but I have known you for seven months. More specifically, when you completed a project for Brelial Private Limited."
"Brelial…" Aeron muttered and nodded. "I remember that company."
"That's my company." Aira smiled. "Honestly, I was surprised to see the quality of the project you built. It was innovative and efficient. Our revenue increased by 20% to 30% every month ever since we implemented that project in our system."
Aeron blinked. "I remember that project. It was about creating the internal structure of a super society and utilizing the resources your company presented us to achieve efficiency in the production of certain products. Wasn't it just a gaming project?"
"Well, it was not a gaming project for one." Aira smiled. "But that is not important. The important thing is, we paid extra for the fine product and asked for the one who handled this project, and we got that clown CEO at our door."
Aeron's mood soured. "Bastard."
"I knew he wasn't capable of that. So I looked on my own and found you."
Aeron raised his eyebrows. "And you started stalking me?"
Aira laughed. "Exactly."
Aeron wryly smiled. Then he realized something, and his face froze. "Wait, so you knew about everything? Like my fake wife and my situation?"
"Hmm, I found out about it half a month ago, since I began stalking you." Aira grinned. "Sorry."
"Forget it." Aeron sighed and smiled. "I have lost everything, but not the most important thing, and that's my life. I am 28 years old, and I have a long road ahead. When I think like this, the tiredness that creeps up on me goes away."
"That's good." Aira smiled. "Because you have a lot of work to do, and I can only hope you enjoy doing it."
Aeron's expression turned weird. "Were you serious about that job? Becoming your husband, getting strong? What do you mean by that?"
"Well, not an actual husband, but a pretend husband. You see, my parents are finding me grooms, and want me to marry. The only way I can stop them from pestering me is if I am already married. And finding a human husband at that would make them back off quickly."
Aeron understood everything, but the last part surprised him. "Wait, why did you say human husband? Were they going to find a monkey for you?"
Aira burst out laughing.
Aeron also couldn't help but laugh at his own joke.
But he was confused. Why did she say it like that?
Composing herself, Aira looked as if she were thinking about how to start explaining. A couple of seconds passed, and her eyes lit up. "Look, just don't be scared. We are about to disappear and appear elsewhere, okay?"
"What?"
But the moment Aeron finished speaking, there was silence.
He found himself in a hall, falling right on a couch. The regal hall was lit up with floating chandeliers. Walls adorned with paintings. Vases and other decorations.
"W-What the…" Aeron looked around and rubbed his eyes.
"It's real. I am real. This hall mansion is real."
Aira sat across from him on a sofa, smiling.
Aeron looked at her and was taken aback.
Her eyes were shining. Gleaming with a faint purple symbol.
"Magic. Monsters. Demons. Angels. Gods. Devils."
"They are all real, Aeron."
Aira grew a pair of curvy horns and wisps of blue fire spawned before her. One, two, three…a total of six wisps floated and circulate in front of her.
Aeron gulped. He pinched his cheek, but there was no need for it. He could see it clearly, and he was not seeing things.
Everything was real.
"I am a demoness. And no, the demons are not inherently evil." Aira smiled.
"The world you have known so far has another side. A side that only people involved in the supernatural know. And now, I am inviting you to become a part of it because your potential will bloom here. Not in front of a computer desk."
"Your focus, your sheer will to commitments, and your efforts will give you true gratification from now on, not betrayals and contempt. I, for one, admire you, and that's why I approached you." Aira's eyes shone.
Aeron digested the information. His heartbeat was racing. His eyes were glimmering.
Aira smiled. "What are you feeling?"
"Excitement."