A few hours had passed since Nex returned from his first mission. The Ashen Citadel stood silent beneath the starlit sky, its obsidian spires reflecting the faint shimmer of galaxies that stretched endlessly beyond the palace windows.
The grand dining hall glowed faintly with white firelight, casting long, dignified shadows across silver-laden tables.
Nex sat alone at the center of that silence.
"This might be my first time eating something hot for food," he murmured, almost to himself. "I used to eat whatever counted as food."
He lifted the fork without much interest. The meat was tender, the broth fragrant—everything a meal should be. Yet to him, it tasted hollow.
For someone who had lived on adrenaline and blood missions, the concept of sitting down to a meal felt alien. The taste was there, but meaning was not.
Eleven identical elf maids stood quietly in a line, hands folded before them, their silver hair glinting under the pale light.
Each movement was elegant, each gesture perfectly timed, yet Nex barely noticed.
Across the room, Alfred observed in patient silence, one metal arm glinting faintly as it caught the light.
When Nex finally remembered his manners, he set his utensils down, embarrassed. "...Thank you," he said to the maids, voice low but sincere.
The elves bowed in unison, smiling faintly. Alfred chuckled softly behind him.
A translucent light appeared above the table.
> [Host sustenance: optimal.]
[Emotional resonance: unstable.]
Nex leaned back, watching the flicker fade. "Right. This used to appear once in a while," he muttered.
For a brief moment, the hall returned to silence—until his voice broke it again. "Where's Elara? I haven't seen her since we came back."
Alfred's tone was respectful, but a hint of concern slipped through. "She's refused her meal, my lord. Hasn't left her room since her arrival."
Nex froze. The thought lingered for a moment before the truth struck. He had pulled her from her dying world, her collapsing sky—and brought her here, to a foreign place of death and silence.
He lowered his gaze to the untouched food. I saved her body… but buried her past.
The words echoed in his mind, heavy and sharp. What was I even expecting? That she would simply adjust? She lost her family, her people… her entire world.
He exhaled quietly. "This is the result of my lack of emotions and feelings."
Then, almost helplessly, "What do I even do for someone like that?"
Alfred tapped his metallic fingers against his arm thoughtfully. "When mortals are sad, they go on something called a date."
Nex blinked. "A what?"
"A bonding ritual," Alfred said with a knowing smile. "Objective: emotional recovery. Don't forget, she is now your wife—even if you don't wish to accept it. Fate has its own plans."
"This is absurd," Nex muttered. "I've never even talked to a girl… and now a date, you say? Do you even realize I'm sixty?"
Alfred stroked his beard with theatrical grace. "And I'm a ten-year-old butler. Life is strange that way, my lord."
Nex stared at him, exasperated. "Haaah…"
---
In her chamber, Elara Valefort sat quietly on the edge of the bed. The night outside was endless, filled with drifting constellations that illuminated her pale face.
Her eyes were swollen from crying, her fingers trembling as she gripped the bedsheets.
Why him? Why me? The question repeated again and again.
She couldn't bring herself to hate Nex. He had saved her life. But her heart needed something—someone—to blame. The weight of grief was too heavy to carry alone.
Outside her window, the galaxies moved slowly, their light reflecting in her tear-streaked eyes. The faint hum of the Citadel made the silence feel even louder.
---
Hours later, Nex wandered through the corridors, the sound of his footsteps echoing against the marble.
He wasn't sure why he was walking—perhaps instinct guided him more than reason. When he passed by Elara's door, a faint sound reached his ears. Crying. Soft, muffled, and painful.
He stopped.
His hand lifted toward the door… then hesitated.
"How can I ever console her?" he whispered to himself. "I am also at fault in her world's destruction."
His fingers fell back to his side.
Instead, he lowered himself to the floor, leaning against the wall outside her room. He didn't speak, didn't move—he simply stayed there, listening to her sobs fade and return, one wave after another.
The quiet flicker of candlelight slipped through the gap beneath her door, painting a thin line across his boots.
> [Emotional synchronization increasing...]
The message appeared faintly before his eyes, almost shy, like a whisper of understanding. Nex ignored it. He closed his eyes and waited.
The Citadel slept.
---
When dawn arrived, Elara awoke to the light filtering through the crystalline windows. Her reflection in the mirror startled her; her eyes were still red, her face pale. She sighed
. "Maybe I should meet Sir Alfred. Now that I'm here… I should at least be useful."
She gathered herself and opened the door.
Her breath caught.
Nex was there—sitting against the wall, arms crossed, asleep. His posture was calm, his breathing steady, like a sentinel who had guarded her through the night. Even in rest, his expression held quiet strength.
Elara's heart softened despite herself. A small, reluctant smile formed on her lips. "If you do things like this," she murmured, "how am I even supposed to stay angry?"
A metallic sound echoed lightly—footsteps.
Alfred approached, holding a tray of breakfast. His cybernetic arm gleamed in the morning light. "Ah, my lord," he said with a chuckle, "you've achieved the impossible—romantic progress through unconsciousness."
Elara couldn't help it; she laughed. The sound surprised even her.
Alfred leaned closer to her and lowered his voice conspiratorially. "You know, my lord wouldn't have saved anyone else. He's never cared to risk himself for strangers. His life as an assassin ended yesterday—when he saved someone by choice."
Elara turned her gaze back to Nex, her expression softening further. Without thinking, she reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from his forehead.
Alfred, ever the observer, grinned. "A small walk outside the Citadel might heal both of you. I'll prepare the route."
Elara quickly withdrew her hand, embarrassed. "O-okay… I also wanted to see these 'other realms,'" she said softly.
"Splendid," Alfred replied with a small bow.
He carefully lifted Nex—still half-asleep—and carried him away with effortless strength. "You rest, my lord," he muttered. "Even reapers need sleep before their next 'mission of the heart.'"
---
Later that morning, the Citadel's grand hall glowed faintly with amber light. Elara had prepared two cups of coffee herself—a quiet attempt at gratitude. When Alfred brought Nex back, she was already waiting by the long table.
Nex blinked, groggy. "Where…?"
Then his eyes found her.
Elara placed the cup before him gently. Their hands brushed for a brief instant. "Good morning," she said, voice quiet but warm.
He blinked again, as if the concept of someone waiting for him was too foreign to process. "…Good morning."
For a while, neither spoke. They sat across from each other in silence, broken only by the soft clink of porcelain and the distant hum of the Citadel's magic. Yet unlike before, the silence was not cold.
Elara stole a glance at him—his expression unreadable, his violet eyes distant yet calm. Nex, on the other hand, found himself watching her without meaning to. The way the light caught her silvery hair, the faint trace of sadness that still lingered—it stirred something inside him he hadn't felt in decades.
He set the cup down slowly. "Perhaps saving her wasn't mercy," he whispered under his breath, "perhaps it was the first thing worth saving in me."
He caught himself and chuckled quietly. "Ha… is this me, humanizing?"
> [System log: Emotional resonance stabilized.]
[Affection value detected – 24%.]
[Next recommended action: continue bonding routine.]
The screen faded away, leaving only the warm morning light.
---
Spoiler - date alert, cuteness overflow coming up