Has the knight lady who married into the countryside fallen into depravity today?

Raymond straightened his back even more, like a drawn sword, its sharpness concealed, yet powerful enough to cut through any obstacle.

He extended his snow-white gloved hands and, with an almost reverent gesture, accepted the silver token from Klein.

The keepsake felt cool and heavy in my hand; that weight came not only from the metal itself, but also from the hope and future it carried.

"I see."

Raymond's voice was completely calm, but a flame ignited in his deep eyes, a flame powerful enough to melt steel. He carefully placed the keepsake inside his pocket, close to his heart.

This action itself is a silent vow.

Raymond bowed slightly, said nothing more, and turned to leave. His steps were steady and powerful, each step echoing clearly on the manor floor, like the prelude to some ancient ritual.

He has too many things to do.

Contact the Silverscale Merchant Guild to arrange accommodations and prepare to welcome the two "cornerstones." Every single detail must be handled flawlessly.

For the sake of the young master's glorious path, he will transform into the most precise machine and the strongest shield.

The living room fell silent again.

Klein leaned back on the sofa and let out a long sigh. His tense nerves finally relaxed, and an irresistible sense of fatigue surged up from his limbs.

The bumpy ride from Silverscale Harbor back to the manor, the intense concentration required, and the declaration he had just made that could change the course of the empire were all taking a toll on his mental energy.

He closed his eyes, but his mind remained in turmoil.

The concept of the Path of the Sage, Ni Lisa's cooperation, Karen's special physique, and the unknown terrors beneath the deep sea... one thing after another, like intricate gears, began to slowly turn in his mind, constructing a vast and complex blueprint for the future.

Light footsteps came from the stairs.

Klein opened his eyes and saw that Ophelia had already come down.

She changed out of her dusty knight's clothes and into a moon-white casual home outfit.

The soft fabric clung to her upright figure, softening her usual heroic spirit and sharpness, and adding a touch of tranquility and gentleness.

Her damp blonde hair was simply tied back, with a few unruly strands falling beside her cheeks, making her delicate face appear exceptionally vivid.

She walked over to Klein, sat down quietly, and didn't ask him what he and Raymond had talked about.

She simply reached out and gently took Klein's hand, which was resting on the sofa armrest.

Her palms were warm and dry, with a thin callus from years of wielding a sword, yet they exuded a reassuring power.

Klein took her hand in return, feeling the unspoken understanding and support between them.

The fatigue of the journey and the pressure of the future seemed to lessen considerably at this moment.

"I'm going to wash up too."

Klein stood up, his voice tinged with weariness.

"Mm." Ophelia nodded and released her grip.

……

……

The hot water dispelled his fatigue, and Klein changed into clean pajamas and returned to his master bedroom on the third floor.

Everything in the room was exactly the same as when he left—neat, solemn, and carrying the familiar scent of wood. Raymond had already had someone light some calming incense beforehand.

Inventory is running low...

Lost in these thoughts, Klein fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

I slept very soundly.

Without dreams, without disturbances, consciousness seemed to sink into a warm and calm deep sea, where all weariness and distracting thoughts were gently washed away.

I don't know how much time passed.

He slowly rose from his deep sleep.

Consciousness returned first, and he could feel his body relaxing and stretching. Then came his hearing, with faint chirping of insects coming from outside the window.

Finally, there's the visual aspect.

He opened his eyes, and his blurry vision gradually became clear.

There were no lights in the room; the only light came from outside the window. The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the glass, bathing the entire room in a warm orange-red hue.

The soft light blurred the sharp edges of everything.

Then he saw Ophelia.

She sat on the chair by the bed, quietly watching him.

He wasn't standing, nor was he on guard; he was sitting. His hands were folded on his knees, his posture still upright, but he had lost some of the knightly vigilance and gained more of a focused gaze.

She seemed to have been sitting there for a long time.

The orange-red light outlined the soft contours of her profile, and her long golden hair shimmered with a honey-like luster. Her eyes, also golden, were fixed intently on his sleeping face, like two polished gold coins, or two pools of melted, pure sunlight.

That gaze was pure, without any scrutiny or judgment.

Just watching.

Quietly and attentively, as if trying to etch every detail of him into their minds.

Klein neither moved nor spoke.

He lay there on the bed, meeting her gaze and staring back at her.

The room was so quiet that they could hear each other breathing.

The air was filled with the faint aftertaste of calming incense, mixed with the evening breeze blowing in from outside the window, carrying the scents of earth and flowers.

Time seemed to stretch out at that moment.

Klein looked at her, and at himself reflected in her eyes.

He recalled their first meeting. She was a renowned Valkyrie of the empire, a heroine who slew the siren, yet she was sent by imperial decree to this remote rural manor to marry an unknown minor nobleman.

At that time, she was like a golden rose with thorns, beautiful, yet keeping people at arm's length.

He thought of the companionship he had shared along the way.

She would subtly purse her lips at his praise, stand in front of him without hesitation when he was in danger, and quietly guard him when he was tired, just like now.

She transformed from a distant, beautiful statue into a living, breathing, warm wife who worries about him and smiles at him.

There was no grand wedding or solemn announcement between them.

It all started with a cold, hard government decree.

But at some point, the contract represented by this decree was replaced by a deeper and warmer emotion.

In the depths of Klein's heart, somewhere, something suddenly became incredibly tender.

He has found a new path to the realm of the wise, and he is about to embark on an unprecedented and grand plan. His life will no longer be a peaceful existence in a secluded corner, but is destined to be a magnificent journey that will stir up a vast and turbulent sea.

On this extraordinary path, he hoped, and he needed, that she would stand openly and honestly by his side.

In the name of his wife.

A complete ceremony, witnessed and blessed by everyone.

This is what he owes her.

That was what he wanted to give her.

After a long while, Klein broke the orange-red silence. His voice was slightly hoarse from just waking up, but it clearly reached Ophelia's ears.

"Ophelia".

He called her name.

"I'd like to give you a wedding ceremony, what do you think?"