Chapter 508 - 508: A Unique “Lover”

A gentle confession surfaced within his arms. That warmth rose along her emerald hair, bringing Bell the distinct fragrance of the forest.

To the Elven race, the word "like" carried considerable weight, and Riveria's approach to romance was fairly conservative.

Had the Elf princess managed to say those words so honestly because of the calamity that had nearly taken Bell's life, or because the boy had accidentally heard her pouring out her heart, so she decided to tear away the last veil and bring their previous ambiguity into the open?

Bell felt the answer was probably both.

Both of them had long since known how the other felt. This life-or-death crisis had merely lit the fuse that was already there.

"To be honest, I like Riveria a lot too. I've been drawn to you ever since that day more than two months ago, when you chanted Magic and defeated the Viola."

Bell spoke his mind honestly.

The unreachable [Nine Hell].

The strongest Mage in the city.

The royal princess revered by the Elves as a sacred figure...

And yet, when Bell fell into danger, that unattainable Adventurer had rushed to the church district without asking for anything in return, lending a hand to the weakest Adventurer who had been mocked by everyone.

"I won't deny that part of my desire comes from Riveria's beauty. But your kindness and nobility, so different from your title, are what moved me most."

Bell laid his heart bare.

The more time he spent with her, the more he felt Riveria's unique charm.

She was like a flower seed born deep in the forest, drifting with the wind, weathering storms, enduring countless difficult days and nights, until finally blooming on a plateau no one else could reach.

Riveria had traveled the world, but her longing for freedom and the unknown had never changed.

She had lived through the dark era and witnessed countless partings between life and death, yet her kind, noble heart had never been tainted.

She had shouldered responsibility and raised young Ais, but the girlish side of her had not withered away.

And that was only one part of Riveria's charm.

If the goddesses were beautiful portraits whose charms could be understood with only a little contact, then Riveria was more like a rolled-up scroll. Every conversation with her brought Bell the surprise of unfolding it a little more.

"Actually... I was already drawn to you when Bell fought that mercenary..."

Riveria seemed to be remembering the past, and her voice held a touch of nostalgia.

"There's really no point competing over that, is there?"

Bell answered with a smile.

Riveria was insisting that the first sprout of affection had appeared in her heart first. That strange competitive streak was part of her charm too.

"Hehe, I suppose you're right."

Riveria paused briefly, then rubbed her forehead lightly against the boy's chest.

She lowered her head to hide her expression and asked softly, "So... what do we do now?"

Riveria's question was very gentle, as if she were afraid the other girls would hear it.

It was not a demand about their relationship. Rather, it sounded like an invitation from the position of a lover, asking the boy to discuss the future that belonged to the two of them.

"Mm... We should hurry and help Lefiya and the others. A commander can't just keep sitting here."

Bell raised his head and looked toward the other girls.

Ryuu and Ais gripped their swords, splitting up to deal with the monsters spawning on both sides.

Lefiya and Alicia alternated their frost Magic chants, maintaining Riveria's ice barrier.

"Bell, letting them use this chance to sort out their feelings is the best choice."

Riveria answered while still holding him.

"As expected of a spoiled princess. How willful."

Bell sighed with a smile.

Riveria's words did make sense. They had just survived a fierce battle, and Bell had nearly died. It was better to let the other girls, whose emotions were still unstable, adjust themselves before moving on.

That said, Bell could hear Riveria's selfishness in it too.

"That's just the kind of person I am. I'm a pushy princess who, once she sets her eyes on something she likes, has to hold it in her arms. It's too late to regret it now."

Riveria did not turn to look at the other girls.

Because if she looked back, her burning cheeks would be exposed to the boy's gaze.

Ever since the boy lost his arm, the tide of love in Riveria's heart had been erupting like an avalanche. She understood very well that she could hardly call herself rational right now. Once she calmed down, she would surely be unable to hold the boy so openly and speak of her love.

That was why Riveria wanted to seize this chance, set aside her royal status for a little while, and let the warmth of love soak into her body and heart.

She was not asking for a definite relationship. She simply wanted to turn their previous ambiguity into a real promise.

"Bell, you still haven't answered my question."

Riveria knew the boy had understood her. Bell was avoiding it on purpose because he also understood that no matter how much they liked each other, now was not the time to become lovers.

They had once promised to travel together, but abandoning everything and eloping was obviously impossible.

"Riveria, I looked into the Elves' reputation. If this gets out, it will definitely start a war, won't it?"

Bell voiced the problem standing between them in her place.

The Gods might enjoy gossiping about it, but this was not a game. Ordinary people could easily be dragged into it.

"Mm... Unless your fame and strength become enough to suppress all Elves, I'm afraid I alone won't be able to calm my people's anger."

Riveria answered honestly.

Many Elves were stubborn to the point of blindness. If they wanted to handle the storm peacefully, Bell was the key.

"Even the way we are now has to be kept secret from everyone else."

Bell sounded rather troubled.

"Mm. I'll tell Lefiya and the others."

Riveria's fingers brushed lightly over the boy's back for a moment. "E-even so, some countries do have the idea of a secret lover..."

"..."

Bell froze for a moment. He had not expected her to be this proactive.

Riveria realized she had spoken too quickly and hurriedly added, "Since you're pursuing a harem, you only need to give me the position of [primary wife] in the future."

"... Wouldn't that request be even more likely to start a war?"

Bell smiled helplessly.

"I-in any case, I want you to be my romantic partner in private, and date me with marriage in mind..."

Riveria hid her true little scheme.

As the princess of the Elven race and the strongest Mage in the city, if they promised to enter the hall of marriage, then naturally no one would be able to shake her position as the [primary wife].

"I understand. Please take care of me."

This was the first time Bell had received such a solemn confession, and he was unusually nervous.

This world had Adventurers and monsters. With life-and-death partings being so common, most people were extremely open-minded about love.

Once people became lovers, it was natural for them to do embarrassing things. That was common sense for most Adventurers.

But Riveria's confession was more like the romance novels passed around in the School District. Being lovers merely proved their mutual affection and marked the first step of dating. Physical contact, especially crossing that final line, had to wait until marriage.

That innocence, mixed with Riveria's rich experience, gave Bell a charming sense of contrast.

"Mm. Please take care of me too..."

Riveria shed the shadow of Nine Hell and leaned into the boy's arms like a princess speaking a vow.

Her relationship with the boy was extremely unusual.

They could not reveal this romance to the outside world, and even when they were alone, things would only be rather ambiguous, not truly reaching the level of lovers.

Yet Riveria was certain that someday in the future, the two of them would join hands and enter the hall of marriage together.

She could not help feeling that this one-of-a-kind way of loving someone was just like her complicated personality, twisted to a rather peculiar degree.

"Please put this ring on."

Riveria still kept her head lowered as she handed the ring-shaped magic item to the boy's left hand.

"Mm."

Bell took the ring and slipped it onto the middle finger of his left hand.

A brief silence settled around them.

The clash of blades and the girls' singing echoed through the room.

Riveria leaned against the boy's chest, savoring the warmth she had lost and regained.

"It's about time. We have to set out... But let me be selfish for just a little longer..."

***

...

...

If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.

[email protected]/PinkSnake (70 Chapters Ahead).

You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.

***