The next day, Witt was woken by Kaelxi after finally drifting off to sleep at some unknown hour.

"Witt? Witt?"

"Wake up! It’s lunchtime!"

Witt opened his eyes, dark circles beneath them. He couldn’t recall when he’d fallen asleep—only that his mind had raced endlessly.

Seeing Witt still half-asleep, Kaelxi chuckled and tapped his head lightly with a spoon. "Silly," she said warmly, "it’s noon already. Still sleeping?"

"Lunch is ready!"

The girl before him—so flawlessly beautiful she seemed unreal—made Witt’s thoughts scatter again. *Is any of this real?*

*What did Kaelxi mean by ‘lying’?*

*You idiot,* Kaelxi fumed inwardly, *sleeping like a dead pig. I couldn’t wake you no matter how hard I tried.*

*Forced me to bake bread alone!* Though Witt had nominally been helping her these past days, he’d refused to let her lift a finger.

*Even making your lunch!*

*Am I your personal chef?* Her mental screams echoed.

Kaelxi remained utterly oblivious to having let Witt cook every meal lately.

In her mind, she’d already bopped his head hundreds of times.

Picturing Witt with a comically swollen head, she couldn’t suppress a bright smile.

Seeing the Elf girl’s radiant grin, Witt’s gloom lifted slightly.

He forced a smile. "I’ll be right down."

Kaelxi turned toward the stairs. "Hurry up," she called over her shoulder, "or I’ll bring it up and feed you myself."

Witt’s imagination conjured the scene: the blushing girl in his lap, feeding him mouth-to-mouth. He was lost again.

*How could someone this adorable be fake… right?*

A hairline crack slowly spread across the glass cup brimming with lies.

Perhaps its shattering was only a matter of time.

Perhaps someone would willingly mend the crack, choosing deception.

Or perhaps… something could hasten the break.

*What fascinating chaos might spill out when the glass shatters and the lies flood free?*

*Chaos Kaelxi might never survive.*

---

At the dining table, they chatted pleasantly.

The conversation drifted to the two items in Witt’s waist pouch.

"This sword hilt," Witt explained, "belonged to my ancestor. The blade is long lost. As for this stone…"

He lifted the spherical black stone, studying its intricate magical engravings, words catching in his throat.

Kaelxi nodded understandingly. "You don’t have to tell me if it’s sensitive, Witt."

*Tell me! Tell me!* Her mind shrieked. *Why won’t you just spit it out?!*

Witt’s hesitation was driving her mad. She’d always hated cliffhangers—in this life and her last.

"If it’s a family secret," she added gently, "I won’t pry."

*But I want to know! I NEED to know!* Her heart itched like cats were clawing it.

Seeing Kaelxi’s considerate expression, Witt reached out and ruffled her fluffy golden hair. His gaze softened. "This *is* a secret passed only through my bloodline."

"But, Kaelxi—my dear girlfriend—"

"I’ve already counted you as family."

"So it’s fine to share with you."

The unexpected head-pat caught Kaelxi off guard.

Warmth spread where his fingers brushed her hair. For a moment, she froze.

*He’s so gentle with me… but so cold to everyone else!*

*How can he be this tender?* she marveled again.

*Fool. I’m a liar.*

*I’ll dump you the moment I’ve used you up.*

Witt’s next words stunned her further.

*Does this idiot already see me as his wife?!*

*But all my sweetness is an act!*

*Is he just lusting after me? Has he stayed close just to… take me?*

Kaelxi’s mind spiraled into vivid daydreams of them toiling together daily…

Her pointed ears flushed crimson and stood rigid.

Witt mistook her crimson ears for shyness.

Smiling softly, he held up the stone and began its tale.

The fifth head of the Moonlight Family had publicly refused the mayor of Redriver City’s gift—yet secretly accepted it.

The family hired mages and alchemists to engrave slave contracts into rare Advancement Stones.

They dangled these stones before adventurers: *Join the Moonlight Family, serve us faithfully, and receive an Advancement Stone free of charge.*

Blinded by greed, adventurers used the stones without suspicion—and became the family’s eternal slaves.

Yes, these stones granted advancement. But they also bound the user to a slave contract with the Moonlight Family.

This upgraded contract prevented slaves from harming their masters. It could even trigger agonizing electrocution at will.

To lure more victims, the family forced enslaved adventurers to recruit others, praising the Moonlight’s "generosity."

Through this trap, the family amassed fanatical followers—once even threatening the king’s throne.

Though the Moonlight Family later declined, some cursed Advancement Stones survived.

The one in Witt’s hand was for advancing from Iron to Bronze rank.

For a Moonlight bloodline user, it was harmless—a normal Advancement Stone.

Witt had planned to use it after becoming a Warrior. But now? He only wanted to bake bread with Kaelxi for life.

He’d keep it as a memento.

Kaelxi wasn’t an adventurer anyway—she couldn’t use it.

Even if she were, Witt would never let her touch it.

He wanted the real Kaelxi—whole, unbroken, free. Not a shattered Elf slave obeying his every command.

---

Throat dry from the long story, Witt glanced at Kaelxi. She looked utterly broken, like a doll about to snap.

"Kaelxi? Kaelxi?"

"Eh? Ah! I’m here, Witt."

"Are you unwell?" Her expression unsettled him.

"No, no! Just… spacing out." Kaelxi shook her head vigorously, trying to dislodge the flood of vivid, colorful fantasies.

"By the way," she pressed, curiosity winning, "what did you call this thing again?"

"It’s an Advancement Stone," Witt said patiently, never tiring of indulging her. "If our sweet Kaelxi were an adventurer, using it would advance her from Iron to Bronze. But it contains—"

In this world, Kaelxi was all that mattered to him.

Even if she asked him to repeat this dull history a thousand times, he would.

He’d do anything she asked.