Felyn could feel the young lady’s gaze beside him—it was so intense, it felt like she might melt him on the spot.

He still wasn’t quite used to it.

Whether in his previous life or after arriving in this world, very few people had ever shown him genuine care. So when faced with Adelina’s burning emotions, he couldn’t help but feel a little overwhelmed.

“This life’s been kinda tough, huh?” he muttered, trying to break the tension in the empty kitchen.

But the silence remained.

“Felyn, I just—”

“I know. You’re just worried about me. Adelina, you’re always so kind to everyone. I know that.”

The famed gentle lady—beloved by all her juniors. She always knew how to take care of people’s feelings, and everyone enjoyed being around her. People liked her, genuinely.

But to Adelina, those words didn’t sound like praise.

They sounded like rejection.

She silently turned around and stared blankly at the cutting board. In a tiny voice, she murmured, “I’m only like this with you…”

It was only with him that she held hands and made wishes at the fountain.

Only with him that she got drunk and asked to stay the night.

Only his wishes—if she could make them come true, she would.

She was only like this for him

, and no one else…

The two of them fell into a quiet rhythm as they finished preparing dinner.

Thanks to Adelina’s help, they finished cooking in nearly half the usual time.

She really was something else.

Just by watching him work, she could predict what he was about to do next. Most of the time, Felyn didn’t even need to speak—she’d already passed him the ingredient or tool he needed.

So this was the famed “Light of the Claudes” learning ability, huh?

If they could team up in the dungeons, they might clear them in record time. A teammate like this—strong, reliable, and perfectly in sync—was surely everyone’s dream.

“That should be ready now,” Felyn said as he lifted the lid of the clay pot with a pair of oven mitts.

The aroma of the stew spilled out, gently stirring their senses.

Adelina picked up a small spoon, took a taste, and frowned.

“It’s a bit salty.”

“Really?” Felyn leaned closer, puzzled. With the gloves still on, he couldn’t grab the spoon himself.

Adelina casually scooped another spoonful and brought it to his lips, even blowing on it lightly.

“Not salty, right? Maybe my taste is just too strong?” Felyn, still oblivious to her intention, focused on the flavor.

“Maybe I had something else earlier, so this tasted stronger than it is,” Adelina replied, sheepishly playing with her hair as she turned to get the plates.

Only then did Felyn start to suspect something was off.

“Adelina… when did you learn to pull tricks like that?”

In any case, with her help, dinner was served earlier than usual.

As they set the table together, Adelina suddenly asked, “Felyn, what do you think of me?”

Felyn ignored the trap in her words and answered sincerely. “Adelina, it took me three or four years to learn to cook like this, and you picked it up in no time. You’ll definitely be better than me one day.”

They finished arranging the dishes and sat down to eat.

Dinner was the perfect time to talk.

“Felyn, I saw the early admission list for the Royal Capital from Saint Andros Academy today. I wasn’t spying on you or anything—I just happened to see it.” She put down her fork and watched his reaction out of the corner of her eye.

“Are you planning to take the exam?”

“Yeah.” Felyn ladled some soup into a bowl and placed it in front of her. “But I can’t say I’m confident. I haven’t exactly been a model student.”

He sat back down and returned to his meal.

“By the way, Adelina… why didn’t you qualify for the early admission test?”

Viloti and Zervanie had both passed with flying colors and were already on their way to the Capital. But Adelina still had to take the regular entrance exam.

“There’s no ranking for early admission. It’s just a simple pass or fail.”

“So…”

“I wanted to see what rank I’d get in the regular Capital exam. That’s why I turned down the early one.”

“Well… I guess that makes sense.”

Felyn was at a loss for words.

“It sounds kind of crazy,” he thought, “but it really is just like her.”

The early exam was too easy and had no rankings—so she’d rather compete in the regular one and take first place.

The mind of an overachiever, huh?

“If you do pass,” Adelina said, licking her lips nervously, “what are your plans after that?”

This—this was the question she cared most about tonight.

If Felyn planned to leave the country, she needed to start preparing now to support him.

“Can you say it?” she asked hesitantly.

“Sure,” Felyn said, still not looking up. “But it’s going to be really boring.”

He saw this as a chance to paint her a dull picture—to slowly strip away the illusions she had about him. To shatter the perfect image she still clung to, so she could finally let go and fly free on her own.

“If I pass, I’ll try to get selected by the Church and study divine arts.”

But that was already impossible.

The god he had awakened—Herlomir—had been executed centuries ago. There wasn’t a single follower of Herlomir left in the world. The Church of Herlomir no longer existed.

“What about after that?” she pressed gently.

“I guess I’d find a scenic little town and take odd jobs for the local guild using divine magic. Just drift through life day by day.”

This was another world, after all. Might as well enjoy it. Leave demon kings and world-saving to someone else.

“I don’t have big ambitions. I don’t want to change the world, or be famous. I just want a quiet life. If I have money, I’ll spend it. If I run out, I’ll take on another job.”

Maybe he’d marry a noble girl from a small town. Have a few kids.

“Spend the mornings fishing by the lake. Come home at noon to the lunch my wife made. Nap until evening, then lie on the grass and watch the stars.”

Do that for a few decades. Watch his wife’s face wrinkle over time. Watch the children grow up. Listen to the sound of grandchildren crying in the background.

“And one day, on a perfectly ordinary afternoon, just drift off peacefully, leaning against the bedframe. That’ll be the end of my life—one that contributed absolutely nothing to society.”

Felyn put down his fork and knife, finishing his story about a future he called boring.

Maybe in Adelina’s eyes, he was the brave hero who had saved her. A man who could change the world. A destined conqueror, fated to achieve great things.

Felyn used to believe that too.

Every boy did, once.

But he’d long since outgrown those dreams.

“Adelina… you’re the one who could change Saiwa. Maybe even the world. So—”

So she’d probably look down on him, right? See him as lazy. Think his dreams were meaningless.

But he was wrong.

Adelina had already fallen headfirst into the future he’d described. She was picturing herself as the noble girl from the town. She saw herself as his wife in that peaceful life.

And she thought—

That kind of life… sounds wonderful.

(End of Chapter)