Chapter 26. A Brief History of How My Worst Day Became My Best Week

Chapter 26: 26. A Brief History of How My Worst Day Became My Best Week

When she’d gone, Alicia stayed where she was for a moment, looking at my face while resting her head on my shoulder.

This moment... it’s something that’s enough for me to recover because of how peaceful it is. It’s like the embodiment of peace if you get to spend time doing nothing but making out with your loved ones.

"Hey... I don’t ever want to have a night like that again," she said. "It’s so... terrifying that any minute or even seconds... we could’ve lost ourselves."

I thought about joking... I really did. But I’d seen her face in that plaza, and I knew a joke would have been a lie.

"Don’t worry..." I gave her a quick peck on the lips while staring at her eyes. "I’ll be more careful."

"Good." She blushed and let her shoulders drop, then tried on a small smile. "Because I’m not finished building your harem."

I put the pillow over my face. "Can we not do that while I’m still recovering from dying...?"

"Hehehe..." Alicia giggled, and then she looked down at my massive bulge instantly. "Oh wow... you really needed help, huh?"

"I did, but it’s better if I do it with you right now... I really need a massive release."

She laughed so hard that she nearly tipped over her stool. When she’d recovered, she got up, brushed off her skirt, and looked toward the door.

"I know someone who can help with that now, and... I think that someone’s been waiting outside for you."

"Who?" I honestly don’t have any clue other than trying to hold back my excitement on my cock.

"Think about it for a second." She winked.

She patted my shoulder and went to the door. Before she opened it, she turned, and her voice was gentle.

"Laura~! Take your time, okay?" She laughed. "I promise that I won’t listen at the keyhole."

Oh fuck... please tell me that she didn’t hear me say that I really need a MASSIVE release.

The door opened... And that’s when I see the one and only... Laura Lapisfield, where now she closed the door.

And then the room was very quiet... the same awkwardness that I always predict when I’m with her alone.

Laura stood at the foot of the bed with her hands clasped in front of her.

I’d seen her angry, tired, amused, and furious with me on at least four separate occasions, but I’d never seen her look like this.

Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she’d clearly been awake for a long time. She’d taken off her armor, and without it, in a plain linen shirt and dark trousers, she looked younger than I’d ever seen her...

And even... hotter... I said that because my cock was twitching real hard, probably to alert me that my lust is at zero percent right now. But I try my hardest to ignore it while also covering my crotch with the pillow.

She came closer, sat down on the edge of the mattress, and took my hand in both of hers.

’W-whoa... what’s going on here...?!’

"Am I... going to get a lecture from the ice knight?" I asked.

She didn’t smile. "You... nearly died."

I stopped joking when I heard that voice.

"I... know."

"No... You don’t." Her voice was quiet. "You didn’t see Alicia’s face when you collapsed..."

"You didn’t hear Sharon shouting for every healer in the building... And you didn’t see the people you saved, standing outside this building for two hours with candles, hoping you’d wake up..."

She drew in a shaky breath.

"I don’t know what I would have done... if you hadn’t."

For a long moment I just looked at her. In all the time I’d known her, she’d kept her emotions behind a locked door, and now... the door was wide open.

"I always thought that being a knight... meant being strong enough that I’d never need anyone," she said. "As long as I could protect other people... I thought I didn’t... need to lean on anyone myself."

Her grip on my hand tightened.

"But when I watched you fall... I understood that I wasn’t just afraid of losing a comrade."

I stayed quiet. If I said anything, I was going to ruin a perfect moment like this.

"I was... actually afraid of losing you," she said. "And that’s because... you’ve... you have become someone who matters to me more than I ever expected...!"

The lamp hissed softly. And that confession... it’s something that really stabs my heart REAL... deep.

Outside, someone was walking across the yard, humming under their breath.

I’d stood against bandits and mercenaries and a man who wanted to burn a city to make a point.

But... None of that had prepared me for this.

I felt my brain stall, and for once in my life I had no idea what to say next other than looking at her with... I don’t know! I don’t even want to guess how my face reacted right now!

"I don’t know when it changed," she went on, a little wryly. "Maybe it was at Dunmore... when you showed up out of nowhere..."

"Or maybe it was in the forest... when we fought back to back."

"Or maybe it was last night... when you stood up in front of that monster with your sword in pieces, and you didn’t even flinch."

She gave a tired, crooked smile.

"I only know today that I’m done... pretending it’s about duty."

She had all the courage to finally confess all of that to my face. And that’s when I realize that I HAD to pull a move as well...

A gentleman who really sees the woman he loved.

And so I took her hand in both of mine while my face looked serious to her.

"Laura," I said. "I like you too."

She went completely still.

"I’m not going to lie to you anymore," I said. "The curse showed me that we might be compatible, right from the start."

"But the more time I spent with you, the less that mattered now..."

"I want you next to me because you’re you... Laura Lapisfield."

"And it’s because you’re the most stubborn, careful, and ridiculous person I’ve ever met!" I chuckled. "Just because you threaten to push me in a river every time I tell a bad joke."

She let out a small, wet laugh. "Hehehe... That’s because... your jokes are terrible."

"I know, I know... I’m just hoping you’ll let me keep telling them so that you can at least feel calm at any moment."

"It helped... I feel calm... near you." She said it with a shy look, and that’s the most adorable thing I’ve witnessed today.

And so... I lifted a hand and brushed her cheek with my thumb. She leaned into it before she seemed to realize she was doing it.

"Laura Lapisfield," I said with a smile. "Will you be my girlfriend?"

She looked at me for a long time.

Then she nodded, once.

"Yes." She said that with a full smile while her eyes were closed.

She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around me, carefully minding the bruises, and put her face in the crook of my neck. I held her as tightly as I could manage, which wasn’t very tightly, but she seemed to understand.

Wow... it’s another best day. I fucking love my new life, alright?

"So," I said, after a while, "does this officially mean I have a new girlfriend?"

She pulled back and glared at me, though her face was bright red. "If you phrase it like that... I’m taking it back."

"Sorry... I’m just trying to enjoy being alive right now."

She shook her head, but she was smiling, a real warm smile, and then she kissed me. It was soft and a little clumsy, and she pulled away halfway through to make sure I wasn’t hurt.

I told her I wasn’t, and she kissed me again, longer this time.

When we finally broke apart, she kept her forehead against mine.

"I want to stay with you," she said. "But I want us to do it because we love each other..."

"And not because of your curse."

"That’s what I want too."

"Good."

"But are you sure that you’ll share me?"

"I can share, yes, as long as you can properly treat us the same."

"That’s my job."

She kissed me once more, and for the first time since I’d arrived in Elarion, nothing about it felt like a mission or a power-up or a problem.

It was just two people who’d finally had the nerve to say what they’d been thinking.