Chapter 41: More Than Married

The wooden door creaked open.

A young woman stepped inside carrying a bowl of warm water.

She wore a long green gown patterned with soft white flowers, and her white hair was neatly tied into a bun.

The elegant dress made her look completely different from her usual sharp, modern style.

Daemon had already been awake for several minutes, quietly inspecting the unfamiliar room. The moment he heard the door, he turned his head.

His eyes widened.

Even in the unfamiliar clothes, he recognized her instantly.

"Sana..."

Before she could place the bowl on the table, Daemon pushed himself off the bed and crossed the room in a few quick steps.

He pulled her into a tight hug. The bowl nearly slipped from her hands before she set it down and returned the embrace, burying her face against his chest.

For a moment she just held him. Then her shoulders began to tremble.

Tears welled up and spilled over.

"When did you wake up?" she asked, voice muffled and thick.

"Just now," Daemon replied, holding her tighter.

His hands moved carefully over her back and arms, checking for injuries.

"Are you okay? Did the bleeding on your hand stop? Where’s Roxanna?"

Sana let out a shaky breath that was half a laugh and half a sob.

"You idiot... Do you even know what condition you were in?" She pulled back just enough to look at him, eyes red and shining.

"The first thing you do after waking up is check on us?" Her voice dropped.

"Victoria was right. You really are too good."

Daemon gently wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. He didn’t say anything.

He just kept his hand there for a moment longer.

Sana forced herself to calm down and managed a small, watery smile.

"We’re both fine. Roxanna is working in the garden right now.

I already told the guards to bring her here."

Daemon finally took a proper look around the room. The carved wooden furniture, the stone walls, the heavy curtains, the complete lack of anything modern.

"Sana... where is this place? Why does it look like a set from an ancient movie?"

Sana stepped back slightly but kept holding one of his hands, as if she was afraid he might disappear again.

"I think you already figured out this isn’t a dungeon anymore. There’s a real civilization here.

They use magic for almost everything. There’s no modern technology at all.

" She met his eyes seriously. "This is a different world. It’s called Virendal."

Daemon already knew that much from the System, but he wanted to hear how much she had learned.

Sana continued, "We’re currently inside the royal palace of the Elorian Kingdom.

The people here are elves. There are many other races living in this world too."

"Different races..." Daemon muttered. That part was new to him.

"I’ll explain everything properly later," Sana said. She looked him up and down, her eyes still slightly wet.

"Is your body fully healed? Can you move normally?"

Daemon rolled his shoulders and flexed his fingers. The deep pain from before was gone.

"Yeah... I think I’m completely fine."

He looked at her again and a small teasing smile appeared, softer than usual.

"By the way, that dress looks really cute on you.

You usually prefer modern clothes that show a lot more."

Sana spun once, letting the green gown flow around her legs. A faint blush colored her cheeks.

"This is what they had available. And... I kind of like it."

Daemon watched her with a quiet expression.

Sana always acted cocky and sharp-tongued in front of others, but underneath she was far more emotional than she wanted anyone to know.

Seeing her cry so openly because of him made something warm and heavy tighten in his chest.

He cupped her face with both hands and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Sana’s heart skipped.

She looked up into his eyes and spoke quietly, almost carefully.

"Thank you... for saving me that day at the river. No one has ever done something like that for me before.

" Her voice softened even more. "I want to always be your shadow during the day... and your light during the night."

Daemon exhaled slowly.

He leaned down and kissed her properly this time — soft, warm, and lingering.

There was no urgency in it. Only quiet certainty.

When they finally separated, he rested his forehead against hers.

"If you become my shadow," he murmured, "you’ll get dragged into every problem I face.

You’ll be pulled into danger because of me."

Sana smiled without hesitation. Her eyes were steady.

"That’s exactly why I want to be your shadow. From now on, if something happens... I’ll be the one who saves you. I promise."

She rose onto her toes and kissed him again.

Ding!

A clear System notification appeared in Daemon’s vision.

[Affection Threshold Reached]

Target: Sana Whitlock — 100%

[Sana Whitlock has fully qualified as a Soul-Bonded Wife.]

[Would you like to form the Soul Bond?]

Daemon stared at the notification. He hadn’t expected her affection to rise this high so quickly.

For a moment he simply looked at her — at the woman who had just promised to stand in his darkness without flinching.

He already knew his answer.

He looked into her eyes.

"Sana. Answer me honestly."

Her expression turned serious. "I will."

"I want you to become my Soul-Bonded Wife. Will you accept?"

Sana clearly hadn’t expected him to ask so directly right after her confession.

For a second she simply stared at him.

Then a bright, genuine smile bloomed across her face — softer and more vulnerable than any expression she usually allowed herself.

"Why not?" she said quietly. "I accept."

The moment the words left her mouth, glowing letters appeared in her own vision as well.

[You have become Daemon Miles’ Soul-Bonded Wife.]

[From this moment forward, your body and soul are bound as one.]

[Not even death or time can fully sever this bond.]

Sana didn’t fully understand what all of it meant, but instead of fear, a deep, quiet happiness spread through her chest.

She was now truly a part of his life.

Ding!

[Congratulations, Host.]

[You have gained your first Soul-Bonded Wife in this life.]

[Rewards have been generated.]

New windows unfolded one after another.

[New Skill Acquired: Black Mist]

Type: Bloodline Movement Skill

Daemon can dissolve his body into Requiem’s black mist and reappear a short distance away.

The mist carries the corrosive nature of Requiem.

Limitations: Short range. Consumes energy. Repeated use causes increasing exhaustion. Cannot pass through powerful barriers.

[New Skill Acquired: Requiem Armament]

Daemon can shape his Requiem black flame into temporary weapons such as swords, spears, or chains.

The weapons continuously burn with corrosive energy. Multiple weapons can be controlled at once. Destroyed weapons only drain energy.

[New Skill Acquired: Bloodline Insight]

Allows Daemon to perceive the nature of another person’s bloodline, including its name, state, manifestation, and compatibility.

Extremely powerful bloodlines cannot be fully analyzed.

[Nameless Bloodline Growth: 20%]

[Return function to Earth has been unlocked.]

Daemon’s eyes widened slightly at the last line.

They finally had a way back.

Sana tilted her head, still a little dazed. "So... are we married now?"

Daemon smiled and pulled her a little closer.

"More than married."

Her face turned completely red.

She quickly tried to change the subject, though her hands still held onto his clothes.

"Roxanna and I came to check on you every day. You slept like a baby the entire time.

We were so worried, but Lady Morwenna kept assuring us you would wake up.

She said you were only in a coma."

Daemon’s smile faded.

"A coma? I thought we were still at the river yesterday..."

Sana’s expression suddenly became very serious. She held both of his hands tightly and looked straight into his eyes.

There was no teasing left in her voice.

"Daemon... don’t panic."

Her next words hit him like a hammer.

"You’ve been in a coma for six months."

The room fell completely silent.

Six months.

The words repeated in his head, heavy and unreal. His mind went blank for a full second.

Then a single name cut through the shock like a blade.

Victoria.

His fingers tightened around Sana’s hands.