Chapter 155: Back to Emir’s Domain

"W-What marriage proposal?" Black Rose stuttered as her heart did a somersault in her chest.

"Oh, it’s nothing." Kaelen said dismissively. There was no use telling her about a contract marriage whose only purpose was to have one child. The duration of the contract depended on how soon she conceived a female child. If their first child turned out to be a boy, they’d simply have to try again while raising the first one.

Though Kaelen was more concerned about Emir’s actual plan. If she really didn’t want the child or to be with Kaelen for reasons best known to her, then what could possibly be running through her mind to make such a deal in the first place?

Kaelen hated nothing more than being in the dark, and that feeling of being at the mercy of another.

At that moment, an idea struck his mind, and Kaelen’s eyes widened.

Emir had taken him from Akkad, and Kaelen had only been in Akkad through the game.

He hadn’t thought about it before, but he’d basically logged out from Emir’s domain in order to return, leaving her domain as his last save point after logging out abruptly.

Unless her domain operated on a whole different set of rules, but if Kaelen could simply log back into Evolution Online, he should return to her domain.

Not only would that give him the perfect opportunity and spot to cultivate till the grand tournament, but he might just get the opportunity to talk with Valerie again to figure out Emir’s real plan. And if that didn’t work... he’d make her spill the beans himself—with everything he’s got.

He didn’t hesitate any longer and shifted his focus back to Black Rose, who was still confused. "I gotta go now. Thanks for the gift, and feel free to also contact me if anything out of place happens while I’m away."

"O-Okay, I’ll do that." She replied, but quickly grabbed his hands just as he stood up and stood after him.

"Huh?"

"Kaelen," she hesitated for a moment as a look of confliction flashed across her eyes.

"Be safe." She finally muttered and slowly let go of his hand.

Kaelen nodded at her and disappeared from the spot the next moment.

She was left standing there for a moment before she slowly let herself down on the bed while rubbing an identical silver ring on her finger.

"...Idiot." She whispered.

***

A beautiful woman with dark purple hair was sitting on a wheelchair, surrounded by neat rows of shelves stocked with books.

She had a large book on her lap and wore wide-frame reading glasses as she slowly swept through the pages like she was searching for something rather than reading the pages line by line, when a commotion suddenly reached her ears from downstairs, and she paused to listen.

Amongst the voices of her guards was a strangely familiar voice. She put her book aside as the wheelchair moved on its own towards the elevator for the ground floor, and even before the elevator arrived, the view of the commotion sprawled before her vision through the glass walls.

Her eyes immediately widened in surprise and disbelief on seeing her guards dragging a man away while he struggled against their iron grip.

"What the hell are you doing? Do you know who I am? I can have you executed if I report this to my wife." The man yelled.

"Kaelen?" She blurted in surprise. "Stop." She ordered as soon as the elevator landed and its door slid open. "Let him go."

The guards didn’t hesitate to follow orders, and Kaelen successfully slapped their hands away from him and dusted his clothes.

"Kaelen, what are you doing here?" She asked as she moved towards them.

Kaelen coughed awkwardly. The trick had worked with Black Rose, but it seemed to have no effect this time.

His plan was to secretly tour the manor, then beyond that, for the best spot to cultivate without letting Emir know till he had experimented around the domain himself.

"What do you mean, what am I doing here? From where I come from, your wife’s property is your property, and you don’t need permission to visit her... except she’s secretly cheating." Kaelen said as he clasped his hands behind his back and approached her.

Emir felt her brain go numb for a moment. She was trying to figure out what Kaelen’s intentions were for returning so abruptly.

"What do you want from me? I already told you I don’t have any information to give you about the grand tournament."

"What are you talking about? We agreed on getting married, and you kicked me out."

"You left on your own, rudely at that. And besides, the marriage contract isn’t ready yet, and I planned on contacting you when I have them ready. What are you even talking about? I thought you were vehemently against the idea."

"I’m a man of my word. I realized that couples planning to have a child probably shouldn’t be living worlds apart, so here I am. I plan on staying here from today henceforth for as long as it takes to give you the founding successor." Kaelen’s lips slowly curled up.

"W-What?"

"But first, I demand that I have a tour around your domain. I’d also prefer if we take breaks from time to time to just relax and feel the wind at every stop. Fun, don’t you think? It’s kind of a couples’ tradition from my world."

Emir was speechless for a moment.

"Kaelen."

"Yes?"

"Did you drink too much at the gathering?"

"Huh, what makes you think I’m drunk? You must’ve been single for so long that you’ve forgotten how this sort of relationship works."

"Milady, should we throw him in the dungeon?" One of the guards suddenly asked from behind Kaelen, making his lips twitch.

Emir looked like she was deliberating it for a moment before a smile slowly crept up her lips.

"Why? He’s right. We’re getting married, and I want you to let the entire kingdom know that and treat him with as much respect as they’d treat me. His words are mine, and mine his." She said to the guards, who were momentarily stunned before they bowed their heads to her, then to Kaelen before returning to their posts.

Kaelen was also momentarily stunned as he stared at her suspiciously.

"What’s with that look? You want us to live together, right? I’ll have someone show you to your room so you can freshen up. I’ll be waiting to give you the tour around myself." She said with a warm smile, making Kaelen regret his actions.

From the looks of it, he had just walked right into her trap without even realizing it.

Was it too late to go back home now?