"I wish you had come into my life years ago" she whispered.
Catherine's whisper lowered the room's warmth for a brief moment. The words were fragile, yet they carried no regret; they felt more like a quiet acceptance of missed possibilities. She stepped back, turned toward the table, and picked up her wineglass.
"Believe me, years ago you wouldn't have wanted me in your life. So let's focus on the present and the future," I replied with a smile.
If it hadn't been for me, that foolish, naïve Aurelius would probably have turned into a dog chasing after Luciene. Unlike him, I could recognize the value of a refined diamond like Catherine. I focused on her again. When I sat back down, those blue eyes were studying me once more.
She raised the glass to her lips but did not drink. Whether it was my words or the calm acceptance in my voice, she hesitated for a moment. Then she set the glass down on the table. The sound of glass touching wood was clearer than the whisper that had come before.
"I know it's your birthday tonight, and I didn't want to ask you for anything," I said as I reached for my own glass, "but… does that kiss mean you've made a decision?"
For a moment, Catherine averted her gaze. The cool self-assurance in her blue eyes gave way to an unfamiliar unease. Her lips parted as if she were about to speak, but the words caught in her throat. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, not in anger towards me, but in frustration at herself for being left so exposed by such a simple question.
The flush on her cheeks grew more pronounced in the candlelight. She gripped the stem of the glass between two fingers, tightly enough that I worried it might shatter. Her shoulders tensed, then slowly relaxed. She took a deep breath.
And finally…
She inclined her head ever so slightly.
No words. No explanation. Just that small, almost shy gesture. Yet it was one of the clearest answers I had ever received.
My gaze froze on my glass, then returned to her. When our eyes met, she looked away again almost immediately. She pressed her lips together into a thin line, as though even this much felt like too much to reveal.
"Don't look at it like that," she said at last, her voice sharper than I had expected. "This… is far more difficult than you think."
This time, I smiled more slowly and carefully. Not a smile meant to corner her, but the calm of someone who knew there was no escape and still chose not to rush.
"I know," I said. "That's why a nod was enough."
My words embarrassed her further. She turned her head aside and touched her forehead with her hand. With an irritated sigh, the corner of her lips trembled.
"I'm not that kind of person," she said quietly. "I've never been someone who makes easy decisions or shows her feelings openly."
"I know."
Silence settled between us again, but this time it wasn't uncomfortable. On the contrary, there was something heavy yet warm in the air. Catherine slowly looked at me. The familiar maturity was still in her eyes, but beneath it… Something new and fragile stirred within her, something she had never shown anyone before.
"I can't promise anything… but I want to try."
"That's more than enough for me."
This time she didn't look away. The flush on her face remained, but a faint smile played at the corners of her mouth, conveying equal parts irritation and sweetness. This mature, powerful woman who had given no one space in her life for years… had just opened a new door with a single movement of her head.
-The next morning-
Nothing particularly important happened between Catherine and me for the rest of the night. I didn't find that strange. A woman who had long believed she would never be in a relationship opening her heart all at once would have been absurd. Still, I will admit that last night was quite pleasant.
We talked like two naïve teenagers who liked each other in high school but never dated. She shared many things about herself, while I mostly listened. That was partly because I wasn't truly Aurelius, and partly because I didn't have much to tell. Besides, a wise man I once knew used to say that if you want to hold a woman's heart, you must be a good listener. So that's what I did.
The way she stopped me at the door, then blushed when I asked what she wanted, was adorable. And after teasing her a little, hearing her ask for a kiss became an unforgettable memory.
Anyway, I needed to focus on what lay ahead. The physical enhancement potion. I drank it without hesitation. Immediately, my muscles tightened, my knees gave out, and I collapsed to the floor. But this time, it was less grueling than the first. I took that as a sign that I was growing stronger.
"System, open my detailed character window. Show the changes since I started consuming these potions."
When the screen appeared in my field of vision, the remnants of pain still lingered in my muscles. I stayed on my knees for a few seconds longer, steadying my breath and carefully listening to my body's response. There was a burning sensation, but no panic. Tremors, but no loss of control. That difference mattered.
I rose slowly. Rolled my shoulders back. Clenched my fingers. The feeling of strength… was no longer raw. It wasn't the uncontrolled surge of earlier days, but something lying quietly within the muscles, answering when called.
-----
[Name: Aurelius Emberforge]
[Level: 15 (+3)]
[Class: Chosen Hero]
[Talent: SSS]
[Fate: Rejected]
[Strength: 22 (+10)]
[Agility: 11]
[Endurance: 22 (+8)]
[Charisma: 31]
[Wisdom: 25]
[Perception: 10]
[- Skills -]
[Void Storage]
[Calamity Cut]
[Sanctum Barrier]
[- Passive Skills -]
[The Hero's Body]
[The Hero's Tools]
[Predator's Awareness]
[Coin: 3200]
----
The corner of my lips curled upward involuntarily.
"Not bad," I murmured to myself. "But not enough."
I had also earned a few thousand coins just by doing sit-ups and push-ups, which was better than expected. For now, I planned to save and stockpile system coins, but every time I opened the system shop, my mouth watered like a hungry child walking into a supermarket. There was so much available to buy…
"Calm down, Aurelius… calm down. Save your money. Be smart."
I didn't even open the shop interface. If I did, I might buy something. Instead, I checked the Void Storage, counting the remaining potions and reviewing the consumables. I also checked the durations of the temporary buffs one by one. It was like looking at a table before you were hungry… safer.
"One day, Mom… your son will succeed."
I walked to the window. The morning sun slid over the city's stone rooftops, smoke slowly rising. Life wasn't limited to my system window; rather, the system had been insidiously woven into life itself. And I wouldn't win this game with brute strength alone.
"Two more potions, and then I'll come... my perfect body."
The door opened without warning.
No knock. No polite hesitation. As if my right to this room was beyond question.
When I turned around, the first thing I saw was Luciene standing in the doorway.
She was upset.
But not in a simple way.
Her brows weren't furrowed, her lips not pursed. It was even more dangerous than that: silent, controlled and restrained. One should always be wary of anger that doesn't shout.
"Good morning," I said, deliberately casual.
She didn't respond.
She closed the door behind her. She didn't lock it, but the sound of the handle made it clear she didn't want to talk. She walked in slowly, taking measured steps like someone who had learned to control her emotions, but whose control had slipped slightly this morning.
"Good morning," she said at last. There was no coldness in her voice. That made it worse.
She didn't look at my face, but instead at my shoulders, posture and the tension in my muscles. She paused. Her pupils visibly constricted.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
She looked at me for a moment, as if choosing the wrong word might shatter everything beyond repair.
She took a deep breath. Her chest rose slowly, then fell. It wasn't just anger she was suppressing, but disappointment, hurt, and something else she didn't want to name.
"You didn't call for me last night," she said finally.
Her voice was calm, even controlled. But the weight of the words was unmistakable.
"Was that the problem?" I asked.
Her eyebrows lifted slightly. She hadn't expected that. She fell silent for a moment, looking away as though weighing up her answer and calculating which option would leave her more exposed.
"No," she said.
Then another pause.
"…not just that."
She stepped closer. This time her movements weren't as controlled. Although she stood upright, there was tension in her shoulders, as though the burden she had been carrying for so long had become heavier that morning.
"You were with Lady Catherine. Everyone's talking about it."
I didn't answer immediately.
Luciene noticed. Her gaze searched my face, looking for the slightest evasion, a fragment of a lie. She found none. Because that wasn't what she was truly searching for.
"So it's true," she said quietly.
She came closer. There was no distance left between us now.
"It's true," I said.
A bitter smile flickered across her lips. It vanished just as quickly.
"You weren't going to tell me, were you? Then is the other rumor true? With the Baroness… did you sleep together? Everyone in the castle is talking…"
Luciene's gaze was locked onto mine. She wasn't looking away. She didn't want me to either.She wanted the truth: unadorned, unsoftened and complete.
"No," I said, a single word. Then I stepped toward her. "But I intend to make that happen as soon as possible."