CHAPTER 144: FUTURE HOME

Holding Nana securely in her arms, Emma led William through the Tower at an unhurried pace.

This place had been her home since childhood. Even though her father had once insisted she live in a proper house he’d built near the capital—spacious, elegant, and befitting their status—Emma had never been able to bring herself to stay there.

The Tower was where her father spent most of his time. If she chose the house, she would’ve been surrounded by maids, silence, and polished halls that felt too empty. Here, even in solitude, she never felt alone.

And besides...

The Tower offered more than comfort. It was filled with mechanisms, old blueprints, half-forgotten theories, and endless opportunities. With her modern-day knowledge, it had been a playground of ideas—one where she could experiment, learn, and quietly surpass expectations without anyone breathing down her neck.

"This used to be my room," Emma said, stopping before a wooden door on the third floor. She pushed it open without hesitation.

William hummed softly as he stepped inside.

Nana, cradled against Emma’s chest, tilted her head and peeked around with open curiosity.

The room itself was simple. A bed rested beneath the wide window, its curtains drawn halfway aside. A sturdy study table stood near the wall, clutter-free but well-used. Bookshelves lined one side of the room, filled with thick tomes and neatly stacked notes. Two wardrobes occupied the far corner.

Nothing extravagant. Nothing unnecessary.

"I believe you never had the hobby of decorating your room," William remarked.

When he’d visited her room back at the academy, he’d noticed the same thing. Emma wasn’t like most girls—she didn’t obsess over colors, curtains, matching bedsheets, or themed furniture. Everything she owned existed for a reason.

Emma shrugged lightly. "I just chase convenience over style."

William gave a small nod as he approached the bed, running his fingers briefly over the wooden frame.

Emma gently lowered Nana to the ground and gestured for her to explore. "You can look around. It’s fine."

The little girl hesitated.

Freedom was still unfamiliar to her. Being told she could move around without rules or fear felt strange, almost dangerous. She took slow, careful steps, glancing around as if afraid something might scold her for touching it.

Emma watched helplessly but didn’t comfort her. They believed some things needed to come to her naturally.

William moved toward the window and looked outside.

Greenery stretched endlessly below, trees swaying softly as the wind passed through them. The height of the Tower made the world feel distant—quiet, and unnoticed.

A cool breeze brushed against his face.

He exhaled slowly before sitting down on the bed. "This place is so peaceful."

The space beside him dipped slightly as Emma sat down, her silver hair faintly shining in the sunlight.

"I used to lock myself in here for days," she said with a faint smile. "Finishing theories. Reading books. Thinking. I still haven’t found a better place to read than this."

William rested his hand over hers, their fingers naturally interlocking. "Don’t worry. Our future home will be close to a forest too. You’ll have all the peace you want."

Emma glanced at him sideways, her eyes narrowing playfully. "Oh? And why would I come live at your house?"

William corrected her without hesitation. "Not my house. Our house. The one I’ll build for us after we graduate."

She leaned back slightly, feigning contemplation. "For an unmarried girl to live alone with a man... I wonder what people would say."

William leaned closer, his voice low but steady. "Why do you think I’d refrain from making you my wife right after graduation?"

Emma froze.

Her eyes widened just a little as she turned to face him fully.

There was no teasing in his expression. No joke. No hesitation.

Only sincerity.

"R-Really?" she asked, sitting up straighter. "We’re... getting married? In a few months?"

She hadn’t expected it. Not like this. Not so suddenly.

William reached up and gently tucked a few loose strands of her silver hair behind her ear. "There are eight months left. In that time, I want you to be absolutely certain. I want you to test me in every way—see if I’m the right choice. If I have everything you want in a future husband."

He paused, then smiled faintly. "Only then will I bring a bouquet of roses and kneel before you."

For a moment, Emma couldn’t breathe.

Those words carried no exaggeration. No romance-for-the-sake-of-it. Just honesty—raw and terrifying in its certainty.

Somewhere deep inside, she’d always feared she was the more devoted one. That William wanted to take things slowly while she was already thinking too far ahead.

That was why she’d hesitated. Why she’d chosen to bring him here only after he mentioned introducing her to his father.

She never wanted to burden him. Never wanted him to feel pressured.

But now...

Here he was, worried she might not want him.

"Idiot..." she whispered. "Why would you think I’d fight my father for you if I wasn’t sure?"

William smiled sheepishly. "Right... but still. I want to give us time. Your father was right about one thing."

His expression grew serious. "I don’t fully understand my powers yet. The fact that I can use Nyx. And also that being that took over my consciousness that day..."

He exhaled slowly. "If I turn out to be a threat to humanity mmf—"

He couldn’t finish.

Emma leaned forward and kissed him.

Hard.

The force pushed him back against the bed as she straddled him, knees pressing on either side of his waist. Her lips stole his breath, the kiss sharp and demanding.

Thankfully, Nana was facing the other way.

The kiss carried frustration, affection, and something dangerously possessive. Emma bit his lower lip before soothing it with her tongue, as if scolding him even through affection.

When she finally pulled away, his breathing was uneven, a red mark staining his lip.

"Oh no," she said coolly. "The man I love turns out to be a threat to humanity. I should obviously run away. You think I would ever react like that?"

Her cold blue eyes bored straight into his soul.

Her fingers curled into his collar, their faces inches apart. "Even if you turn this world into hell, don’t ever think you’ll find me anywhere but beside you. I don’t care about your anomalous powers. To me, you’re just a man I can’t get enough of."

William stared at her for a long moment before exhaling a helpless laugh. "Stop saying things like that. You make me fall for you all over again."

She smiled—

CLANG

Something shattered behind them.

Emma instantly moved off him as both turned toward the sound.

Nana stood frozen, trembling, tears pooling in her eyes. Pieces of what had once been a handmade pot lay scattered at her feet.

The little girl looked at them, terrified.

Emma and William exchanged glances before sighing helplessly.

How could they forget about the third resident of their future house?