Chapter 79: A Quiet Talk In Bed, What It Means To Love And Be Loved

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"Riven..."

Elisa blushed deeply as she heard Riven’s kind and sincere words. They made her fully realize just how much she truly meant to him.

"D-Do you really think that?" Elisa asked, her voice soft and moved. "I..."

Riven gently shook his head. "It’s fine. I know you only mean well..." He took her hand carefully in his own. "I know that my wife is the kindest woman in the world."

"..." Elisa felt completely taken aback by the praise. "I-I’m not...! I’m not kind at all! Don’t you remember when I bullied you?! I bullied other people too! I am... not a good person... I have abused my power just to get my own way and... I..."

"Still better than most," he replied calmly. "And above all, you’re kind now, when it matters the most. Look at yourself. You’re saying all these things because you feel bad and regretful. Regret is the first real step toward redemption. You never did anything truly terrible either. Bullying kids... you never actually beat anyone, right? It wasn’t that bad in the end."

"I... I mean, I guess..." she sighed quietly. "I used to freeze the other kids’ lunches..." She lowered her head. "And that time I threw wine over your head...!" She covered her face with both hands in embarrassment. "It’s so embarrassing to even remember it now..."

"It’s fine," Riven laughed softly. "You already apologized for that a long time ago, and honestly, I didn’t even remember the details that clearly anymore."

"But... I used to bully you so much..." Elisa sighed again, her voice filled with lingering guilt. "I always thought you’d end up hating me for it..."

"Nah," Riven shook his head gently. "Compared to what my own siblings did to me back then... your ’bullying’ was nothing more than playful jokes. I... would have preferred that kind of treatment over living with them any day."

Elisa let out a soft sigh. "Aw..." She leaned forward, hugged him tightly, and then placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Really?"

"Yeah," he answered with a kind smile. Their faces slowly grew closer together in the quiet room.

For a brief moment it felt as if time itself had stopped around them.

But then Elisa carefully moved her face away and stretched her arms with a slightly awkward expression.

"Um... I think we’re done here... s-shall we go to bed?"

"Right... sorry. I... got a little distracted."

Riven helped her dry herself thoroughly and then assisted her afterward in putting on her cute night dress. He lifted her gently, treating her like a princess, and carefully placed her into the bed before covering her with the soft blankets.

Yet she immediately looked sad the moment she noticed he was not staying beside her.

"Where are you going?!"

"I... was about to spend an hour or two in the backyard. I have a monster that I need to—"

"Hmph! So you’re leaving your wife to sleep alone again?!"

"Gah?!"

Riven felt completely taken aback by her reaction. It was almost as if she owned him completely, and the strength of her possessiveness left him momentarily speechless.

He lowered his head and nodded without argument, quickly walking back toward the bed.

"Okay, I’m sorry. Let’s sleep. Don’t get mad at me... my heart breaks into thousands of pieces if you do."

"Hmph!"

Elisa acted mad even though she was secretly happy he had returned to bed so quickly. She simply enjoyed the extra attention he was giving her.

"Don’t you want to cuddle like before?" he asked softly, gently kissing her cheek and wrapping his arms around her.

"Hm..." she muttered, looking at him with an embarrassed expression. She bit her lips for a moment before moving closer and hugging him back tightly. "Don’t go... stay with me... you went out all day today... I deserve this time for myself."

"You do," he said, kissing the top of her head with quiet affection. "Sorry... I won’t go anywhere."

Elisa nodded and rubbed her face against his chest like a spoiled baby seeking comfort. He slowly caressed her long hair, and the simple touch made her feel happy and deeply loved.

"Riven..." she muttered quietly. "Don’t leave me... okay?" she whispered while her eyes grew heavy with sleep.

"...Why would I ever do that?" he wondered aloud, his voice soft.

"Because... because you’ve Awakened... and are getting stronger... I bet there’s a bunch of girls that want you, right?" she muttered shyly, her voice almost too quiet to hear. "I-I... am useless in comparison... I don’t want you to leave me..."

"I’ll never leave your side," he said firmly, looking straight into her eyes. "And... there’s only space for you in my heart, Elisa."

"...Riven," Elisa felt completely taken aback by the sincerity in his words. "R-Really?"

"Yeah," he said, his voice growing a little quieter. "I... kind of already liked you before the arranged marriage... I might have looked annoyed on the outside, but I was actually holding back my... my nervousness and happiness. But I was mostly sad about you, knowing they had married you off to a useless man like me. I felt bad that I was happy about the arranged marriage... mostly because I thought you deserved someone better."

"?!" Elisa was shocked. She had no idea he had felt that way at all. "I had no idea...! And... and... even before you awakened you were always nice to me... I-I... You’re kind, Riven... and kind of handsome too! Most girls would melt for a guy like you, you know?! Even if you weren’t awakened..."

"I-Is that so? I can’t really see that happening," Riven laughed lightly. He had always been very humble about himself.

"Hmph! You should love yourself a little more, just like you told me back in the bath!" Elisa said with sudden anger. "Because... how will you properly appreciate other people’s love... if you don’t love yourself a little first? Hm?"

"...Right," Riven nodded, admiring the quiet strength in her eyes. "You’re completely right..."

Elisa felt embarrassed by her own words. She lowered her head and then closed her eyes. "Well, um... goodnight." She leaned in and kissed his cheek one more time.

Was it only his imagination, or was she kissing him a lot more often now?

Riven quietly admired the peaceful look on her face as she drifted off to sleep. He closed his own eyes not long after, the warmth of her body against his making the night feel far softer than usual.

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