691 Welcome to my humble place
Inside a dimly lit room, the soft glow of the mirror illuminated Yue's figure as she stood, gently brushing through her long hair. Her reflection stared back at her in silence.
Across the room, Kyle lounged against the doorframe, his eyes locked on her. The duo had just come inside the house to freshen up and changed into clean outfits after everyone had finished breakfast.
The air between them crackled with unspoken words, a silent exchange of emotions that hung heavy in the dimly lit room. Yue's delicate movements with the brush contrasted with Kyle's strong, silent presence, as he stood in the distance. Yue secured her hair in a ponytail and looked back at him, a pout forming on her lips.
"Shouldn't you have discussed with me first before announcing in front of everyone that we are getting married?"
Kyle inched closer to her. It wasn't just about getting married; because, marriage isn't the key element when two people love each other. His actions were driven by his wish to care for and protect the woman he loved.
"I reckon I might have approached this the wrong way from the beginning. My bad. I should have asked you properly first."
Yue blinked as he stopped in front of her. She was surprised by his sudden move as he knelt down on one knee in front of her, then extended his hand towards her.
"What do you say, will you marry me? I know I am a bit crazy, and I am certain I will get myself into risky situations in the future, just like in the past. But I vow to protect you and love you for all eternity, as I can't bear the thought of you with another."
Kyle's eyes flickered with a touch of nervousness as Yue remained silent. He thought proposing would be simple, but when he had to articulate his innermost thoughts, he never imagined it would be so nerve-wracking. He hadn't felt this edgy even when facing countless enemies. His heart, which usually beat at a slow pace, now throbbed loudly in his chest.
A sigh of relief escaped his lips when Yue finally took his hand, but he was caught off guard when she leaned down to place her forehead on his. Yue gazed into his eyes, those familiar deep eyes. She could feel the love they held for her. Currently, Kyle's eyes weren't distant or icy; they were brimming with nothing but affection for her.
She smiled and whispered softly.
"I love you too. But what about the ring? Are you really proposing without one?"
Kyle stared at her, and the moment her words sank in his mind, he blinked.
"Ah, a ring..."
He quickly sifted through his mind space, filled with numerous treasures he couldn't even tally. Still, he couldn't find the perfect ring to present to the love of his life. Seeing the sudden urgency and panic in his usually nonchalant eyes, Yue let out a chuckle.
"It's okay, you can give me one later. We can get married first. I agree."
Kyle stopped searching for the ring. He smiled at her words, then stood up and encircled her waist with his arms before resting his head on her shoulder.
"That's a relief..."
After a while, Kyle stepped out of the wooden house upon sensing an unfamiliar supreme rank presence around himself. He was wearing grey pants and a brown shirt as he looked in a certain direction.
"How long are you going to hide? Do you truly think I can't sense you?"
He looked back when he suddenly felt Alec's familiar presence behind him.
Alec met his gaze, a bit surprised. He had been in the vicinity after the system warned him about an unidentified presence circling around Kyle and Yue, planning to deal with the mysterious person discreetly. However, upon hearing Kyle's words, he understood that the man must have also detected the presence and came out of hiding.
He stopped next to Kyle.
"You felt that presence too?"
Kyle nodded silently. He had sensed the unknown presence a while back. He didn't feel any threat from the presence towards him or Yue; it just lingered around them, so he didn't pay it any mind. But now, it was starting to get annoying.
His gaze turned icy when the concealed person didn't come out. He could clearly sense that the person was nearby, and he knew that the moment he used his scent perception skill, he would pinpoint the person's exact location.
"Didn't you hear me? I said come out. Or do you want me to drag you out."
Alec smirked at his words. He should give these words a shot sometime too.
The duo narrowed their eyes when an elderly elven man clad in a light blue robe stepped out of the space before them. The elf sighed as he glanced at Kyle and Alec.
"So, you both sensed my presence? I suppose Ronan and Wesley were correct when they told the Queen that you aren't ordinary folks but rather extraordinary."
Kyle tilted his head, his eyes exuding nonchalance, a stark contrast to his demeanor with Yue moments earlier.
"So? You have an issue with it?"
The elderly elf was surprised by his words and burst into laughter, shaking his head.
"I mean no harm. I'm just a messenger. The elven Queen wishes to see you."
Kyle nodded at the elf.
"I was wondering why she hadn't summoned me yet. I suppose it was about time she sent someone to me."
The elven man couldn't help but chuckle at his words. This human was indeed full of himself, and the old elf wasn't the least bit displeased because Kyle's overwhelming strength granted him that privilege.
He made a portal and motioned for Kyle to step inside, to send him straight to where the elven Queen awaited.
Yet, his eyes widened a bit as he felt Kyle examining the portal with his senses. His shocked peaked when he felt the strength of Kyle's senses; they outmatched his own, even though he was a supreme rank!
'This human... where on earth did he come from? His senses are already so strong at the transcendent rank. What will happen when he reaches the supreme rank?'
The old elf didn't think any more and watched as Kyle step into the portal. He was about to go after him, but Alec stopped him and looked at him seriously.
"I will go with him. I think the elven Queen won't object to Kyle having some company."
The old elf blinked and then let out a chuckle at the blue-haired man.
"Go ahead and do as you please. My task was simply to guide Kyle to the elven Queen location. It's your choice whether to accompany him or not."
Alec entered the portal and disappeared as well. The elderly elf was about to follow but stopped once more, this time not because of someone else, but because he sensed a pair of eyes on him.
He looked back and saw a set of golden eyes staring at him from a window in the far wooden house. It was Nine.
"Ah... they're all freaks. I'm sure these youngsters are gonna shake up the power dynamics in this universe soon. But it's up to them to choose which side to take."
The old man sighed and hurriedly entered the portal before the golden-eyed man could come and question him about where he had sent Kyle and Alec. In the next second, he found himself in an empty hall and saw no guards around.
"I guess they took Kyle to the Queen."
With a sigh, he departed the area. He was already too old for these sorts of tasks. Not to mention, he had spent his entire lifespan saving other people in the war. All he desired now was to spend his remaining years peacefully on his planet.
At the same time, outside the hall, in a narrow alleyway filled with numerous rooms, Kyle and Alec strolled alongside the two elven guards dressed in fairly relaxed attire but armed nonetheless. They walked a short distance before stopping in front of a door engraved with a tree symbol.
Kyle and Alec glanced around. They were somewhat taken aback because they had imagined the elven Queen's residence to be luxurious, but it turned out to be rather modest, though spacious.
The door in front of them swung open, and the two guards gestured for them to enter. With a nod, the duo stepped into the room, only to find an ordinary study.
An elderly woman in a robe stood before them. Kyle recognized her immediately; he had seen her when he took the fruit of fate.
The elven Queen gazed silently at the two humans before offering a faint smile.
"Welcome to my humble abode. Please, have a seat and make yourself at ease."
Kyle's eyes shifted downward to the Queen's shadow when he sensed a powerful presence concealed within it. He had actually felt that presence before. While Alec slightly bowed to show respect to the Queen, Kyle simply nodded.
"Thank you for the warm welcome."