A faint noise brushed past his ears.

It wasn’t really loud. The room was well soundproofed; the sounds just seeped in, muffled and distant.

The man lying on the bed opened his eyes. Groggy, he scooted back until he reached the headboard and sat up against it.

One hand pressed against his throbbing head. He kept his gaze down and stayed like that for quite a while.

“Where… is this…?” The dead skin on his dry lips tore as he spoke. His voice came out rough and sluggish.

“East Continent.” A familiar voice answered at his side, just as he expected.

A pair of long, soft arms wrapped loosely around his waist.

“We escaped.”

Her voice was gentle, almost hypnotic.

“Yeah. We escaped. What about the others? Are they all dead?” His tone was flat.

“No. They made it back alive.”

“You’re lying.”

“Check the paper.” The blond woman didn’t bother to explain. She simply pointed at the newspaper on the bedside table.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, landing right on the paper. The photo on the front page was picked out and brightened by the light.

He saw two familiar faces.

They looked haggard and washed-out, but they were, undeniably, alive.

He let out a quiet breath of relief.

“So what’s your plan?” He sat on the edge of the bed, newspaper in hand, flipping through it as he asked casually.

He didn’t turn around. He didn’t move otherwise. He just sat there, eyes on the paper.

Those arms around his waist didn’t tighten again. Their owner lay on her side, watching his back.

The pages rustled as he turned them. It wasn’t a long article, and he finished it quickly.

“I see.” He murmured under his breath.

He folded the paper neatly and put it back on the bedside table.

Then he stared blankly at the sunlight pouring through the window.

It felt like his life had hit a sudden dead end that very day. All his old connections, status, identity, money—

All wiped clean.

All that remained was the person behind him.

“You said you wanted to retire in some countryside town. What do you think of this place?” The woman behind him didn’t seem to notice his tangled mood. She just said it with a bright smile.

He let out a long breath.

“No one will bother us. Demon Clan, kingdoms, all that—none of it matters now.” Her voice drifted lazily on.

“Vya.”

“Mm?”

“You’re a fucking psycho.”

“Mm-hmm.”

She didn’t mind at all. She just nodded lightly, like his opinion was irrelevant.

“You say you like me, but have you ever actually cared what I want?” Jetri grabbed the clothes hanging on the rack, his voice mild.

“Of course I care. It’s just… keeping you by my side is a bit more important.” Vya rolled over, lazily drawing a long sword from under the bed.

The tip of the blade pointed straight at Jetri’s back.

“I threw away all the magic tools. I didn’t keep your ring either—and carving spatial magic into your teeth? Relax. I didn’t miss that.”

“I never should’ve told you the dispel incantations.” Jetri’s body stiffened for a second before he shook his head.

“Maybe. Who knows.” The naked knightess lounged there, idly tracing circles with her sword tip. The thin blanket slipped with her movements, and her flawless body was laid bare in the morning light.

“Maybe even if you didn’t tell me everything, I still wouldn’t have gone this crazy. It’s all your fault, Chad~” Vya giggled.

Jetri looked back at her, expression blank.

Their eyes met. The old tacit understanding and trust were gone.

All that was left was wariness, and the prickling need to guard against each other.

“Come on, it just means your retirement comes with one extra me. You still want maids or whatever… I’m not gonna interfere.” Vya sounded like she was trying to soothe him.

“You used to complain about having zero luck with women. Now you won’t have to worry anymore. Isn’t that great?”

The corner of Jetri’s eye twitched.

“You’re fucking insane.”

He cursed, but there was nothing he could do.

“What if I said I want to run?”

“Try it.”

Jetri’s face darkened. He slowly reached a hand toward the doorknob.

Shing.

A flash of sword light, so fast it was unreal, sliced across the handle.

The old, worn doorknob suffered for no reason. A thin, clean cut slowly showed itself, and the handle slid off in two pieces.

“You… hit level one hundred?” Jetri’s expression turned even uglier.

“Mm-hmm. If you really piss me off, maybe I’ll chop off your limbs and wreck your throat…” Vya smiled lightly, as if joking. “Hey, sounds kind of nice if you think about it. Then even if I carry you around on my back down the main street, you can only… sit there like a little exhibit while everyone stares—my personal exhibit.”

A cold chill ran through Jetri’s chest.

He swallowed and edged a little farther from the ruined door.

“So what are you planning now?” His expression still wouldn’t soften.

“No need to be that scared. At least for now I can’t bear to do it. As long as you don’t try to run, do whatever you want—if you want to vent on me right now, that’s fine too.” Vya shook her head with a light laugh.

“As for what I want to do… I don’t really care. Just do whatever makes you happy.” Vya shrugged.

Jetri’s face shifted, over and over.

In the end, he chose to accept it.

So, in a small coastal town on the East Continent, a rich and powerful couple suddenly showed up.

The husband was a mysterious Mage, the wife a formidable swordswoman.

Rumor said they came from the distant Central Land, tired of endless fighting and looking for a quiet place to hide away.

The couple was quickly accepted by the locals. After all, both of them had great tempers.

The husband was wise and calm, the wife gentle and beautiful.

Not to mention, they often helped the townsfolk with their problems free of charge.

This remote little town was cut off from the world. Even going to the nearest slightly wealthier city took half a day by carriage, and nobles simply didn’t exist out here.

“What do you want for breakfast?” In the little seaside villa, Vya propped her chin in her hand and asked with a squinting smile.

Jetri let out a slight sigh. “Are you asking what’s for breakfast, or if you’re finally planning to poison me?”

Vya blinked. “No idea.”

“Noodles… I guess.”

“Okay~”

Jetri took off his glasses, set down the magic tome, and strolled to the kitchen at an unhurried pace.

He tied on an apron, just as leisurely.

Vya sprawled onto his back, grinning against his cheek. “Didn’t you say you were gonna hire a few maids? Then someone else could handle all this.”

“I’m afraid one day you’ll get jealous and they’ll just mysteriously disappear.” Jetri said calmly.

“What’s with that tone!” Vya gave him a playful swat.

“I’m cooking. Stop messing around.” Jetri only spoke quietly.

“Mm.”

So Vya changed position—from lying on him to clinging to him. After all, a certain Mage’s physical stats were what they were. He’d neglected training his body for years, and now she wanted him to cook while carrying extra weight? That really was too much.

Vya rested her cheek on his shoulder. The only sound in the kitchen was the sharp sizzle of oil.

It made the small space feel oddly lively.

Jetri, though, frowned at the splattering oil. “Maybe you should step out. The fumes are bad.”

“Eeh… If I go out, what if you poison my food?”

“What kind of poison could actually knock you out?” Jetri rolled his eyes. “Fine, fine, my bad for worrying. Stay if you want.”

“Okay okay, I was just joking,” her soft lips pressed against his cheek with a laughing kiss. “Don’t be mad.”

“As long as you’re happy.” Jetri didn’t seem bothered.

“Chad, you really don’t plan on running anymore?” Vya suddenly asked, emerald eyes fixed quietly on his face.

“When did I ever try to run?” Jetri’s mouth twitched. “Where would I even go? You think I can get away from you?”

“So you’ve thought about it, huh?” Vya blinked, starting up a round of unreasonable nitpicking.

“I mean you don’t need to worry about whether I’ll run. My thoughts don’t matter. I can’t.”

“Eeeh… no, I wanna hear you say you don’t want to run~”

Jetri ignored her.

“Say it, say it~”

The arms around his waist started rocking him.

“Fine, fine. I won’t run.”

What does it feel like to be shaken by the highest-level human in recorded history?

Jetri said it’s the feeling of completely losing control of your own body, so he could only hurry to coax her.

Or the eggs would burn.

“Mmm… Jetri, you’re really good at cooking.” Vya watched the golden fried eggs take shape in the pan.

“Just practice.”

Jetri flipped the egg out with a flick, then started cooking the noodles.

“By the way, I’ve always wanted to ask. These noodles feel different from the ones in the Central Land. I’ve never seen them anywhere else either.” Vya swayed her head lightly against his shoulder, asking idly.

“You’re so sheltered. There’s a lot you haven’t seen.” Jetri snorted.

“Sure, sure~ Chad’s the most worldly of all.” Vya didn’t mind his attitude.

“But I’ve never seen kids either—wanna have one to play with?” Vya asked again.

“Let this ignorant concubine of yours witness your parenting skills, my lord?”

Jetri turned his head, surprised. “Where’d you even pick up that way of talking?”

“People here say it like that, right?”

“Sure.” He kissed her lips.

Vya offered them up obediently.

“We’ll see.” he said.

“Food’s ready.”

He said it like that.

Breakfast was gone in no time. Jetri put his glasses back on and picked up his magic tome again.

Mages being nearsighted was pretty common, so glasses weren’t unusual on their faces. But Jetri was a latecomer to magic, so he didn’t have that problem.

This pair was just a magic device for note-taking.

“I’m heading out for a bit. Wanna come?” Vya grabbed her sword and asked from the door as she slipped on her boots.

“What for?”

“To pick up some quests. We can’t just sit around burning through savings—you’re the one who taught me that.”

“I see…” Jetri frowned. “I’ll go too.”

He set the book down once more.

The two of them walked through the forest, leaving the town and heading toward the nearest city.

Their boots pressed into the grass.

Sss, sss.

Sss, sss.

“So we’re broke?” he asked.

“Not exactly. Just not enough for Lord Jetri to hire a house full of maids for his twilight years.”

“Then why’re we going out…”

“In case you change your mind someday, I should at least be able to pay for it, right?”

“If you hadn’t destroyed my ring, we wouldn’t have this problem.”

“Digging up old grudges, huh?”

“No. Just making an observation.”

“Aww, how was I supposed to know you really wouldn’t run away… Sorry…”

“…It’s fine.”

Their voices echoed through the trees.

They didn’t rush. They just walked at an easy pace.

“At this speed, we might not make it back before dark.”

“Then let’s pick it up a little.”

“Don’t waste mana.”

Before Jetri could react, the world lurched. His weight left the ground—Vya had scooped him up in a princess carry.

Jetri covered his face with a sigh.

“Put me down when we’re almost there.”

“Okay.”

Their arrival drew an enthusiastic welcome from the receptionist girl at the small town’s Adventurers’ Guild.

“Welcome, you two. How many quests are you planning to take this time?”

Vya looked at the bright, energetic girl and tilted her head slightly.

“She really is cute. Young and full of life.”

Jetri heard the odd note in her tone, and without changing his expression, he slipped an arm around Vya’s waist.

He asked, “What’ve you got that’s actually tricky?”

Vya’s shifting gaze made the receptionist girl suddenly feel a chill run over her whole body. Like a startled little animal, she instinctively glanced around.

She had no idea where this icy, heart-stopping dread was coming from.

It was like a blade hovering between her brows, ready to stab down at any moment.

Jetri leaned close to Vya’s ear and whispered, “Don’t lose it here.”

Vya turned her head with a smile and placed a light kiss on Jetri. “Of course.”

Even after they took the quest and walked out of the Adventurers’ Guild, the receptionist girl was still glancing around nervously, full of doubt and fear.

Jetri looked at the quest slip in his hand and spoke with a hint of helplessness. “It’s not like it’s your first time seeing her. Why’d you suddenly snap like that?”

“You weren’t around before. Of course I couldn’t remember those things.”

“What things?”

“What else? The trash that woman from the Church wrote.”

“…You, honestly.” Jetri shook his head.

Their footsteps thudded away down the hall.

The quest itself wasn’t troublesome. For the two of them, it was less work than walking here had been.

Before the sun went down, they’d already finished every quest.

“Here.” Jetri placed the proof items and the quest slips on the receptionist’s desk.

“You two are still as efficient as ever.” The girl smiled brightly as she took out the payment.

“Would you like to count it?”

“No need.” Jetri didn’t even look. He took the money and put it away.

“Well now, this young man looks pretty capable~” A mature, sultry voice rang out.

Jetri pretended he hadn’t heard. He didn’t want any extra trouble. Without even glancing at the speaker, he stored the payment and prepared to leave.

But Vya had no intention of pretending she hadn’t heard.

She turned with a full, pleasant smile toward the one who’d spoken.

A female Mage.

Jetri let out a quiet sigh.

“Why’re you ignoring me? Is it because your partner’s with you?” The Mage woman rose at an unhurried pace, swaying her hips as she walked up to Vya.

She clearly meant to challenge her, needle for needle.

“It’s fine. We can swap contact info and wait till she’s not around~”

“You’re very pretty. And very sexy.” Vya smiled with narrowed eyes as she looked the Mage up and down, her tone calm, almost flat. “Let’s see… oh, level thirty-six… If nothing unexpected happens, you’re going to be drawn to him.”

“His wisdom, his strength, his—”

Jetri covered Vya’s mouth with an expressionless face and pulled her into his arms.

It wasn’t just because this was getting awkward. It was also because he’d seen Vya’s hand slide onto her sword hilt.

“Sorry. My wife gets jealous very easily. Could I trouble you to stop?” Jetri said mildly, but the aura of a Great Sage burst out from him.

“If she draws that sword, even I won’t be able to stop her.” Jetri stared blankly at the voluptuous onee-san Mage.

“If you don’t want to die, leave. Right now. Leave this place today. Leave this town. Don’t let her see you again. Trust me—you’ve already made her angry.”

Jetri could keep Vya in check only as long as Vya was willing to be restrained by him.

The Mage’s long, shapely legs had already gone weak the moment Jetri released his Great Sage aura.

And with Vya leaning into Jetri’s arms, eyes curved in a smile, yet her hand still resting on the sword hilt—

A certain liquid nearly soaked into the hem of the Mage’s skirt.

She scrambled away in a clumsy, half-crawling panic.

The entire Adventurers’ Guild fell dead silent.

No one even dared to breathe loudly.

Jetri released his hand, and the first thing Vya said was, “I’m sorry.”

Head lowered, eyes down.

Jetri shook his head. “It’s fine.”

The two of them walked out of the Adventurers’ Guild once again.

Only after they’d stepped through the doors, only after their figures had grown so distant they were no longer visible, did the Adventurers’ Guild slowly come back to life.

And the receptionist girl finally understood why she’d suddenly felt that chill in her heart earlier that day.

Because she had, in fact, heard Vya’s words clearly.

She’d thought it was praise—never realizing it was death’s gaze on her.

That very night, the receptionist girl went to her superior in tears and resigned.

“I shouldn’t have come out with you.” Jetri sighed.

“I’m sorry…” Vya apologized, but it sounded more like she simply didn’t want Jetri to be upset. She didn’t truly think she’d done anything wrong.

“That bitch from the Church didn’t seriously write that book based on a prophecy, did she?” After apologizing, Vya’s face darkened again. “Using divination just to write some trashy novel.”

Jetri’s expression turned a little complicated. How was he supposed to tell Vya that most of that book had actually come from his own mouth?

“Maybe you really should stay home from now on. I’m kind of… at my limit.” Vya asked, testing his reaction.

“Alright.” What else could Jetri say? He could only nod.