Epilogue – Their Honeymoon 1

Tenth day of their honeymoon.

“Haam.”

Adela yawned deeply as she woke up.

“Adela, you’re awake?”

Braden gently kissed Adela’s lips.

“Ah, the sun’s already high in the sky today.”

Adela stared blankly at the sun hanging high overhead.

Their chosen first honeymoon destination was the warm Lambro Kingdom.

It was their tenth day since arriving here.

Adela kept sleeping. She slept in late every morning, dozed off while watching waves from the caravan on the beach after lunch, and spent the evenings in passionate embraces with Braden before falling asleep again.

Maybe the fatigue of the past eight years had finally caught up with her.

She had started the trip full of energy, but Adela now felt so drained that she didn’t want to do anything.

She slept for three days straight, and after that, only went back and forth between their lodgings and the private beach out front.

“Are you hungry? Want to wash up and eat, or eat first and then wash?”

He looked at Adela lovingly, running his fingers through her messy hair and brushing it back.

“What did you do after getting up?”

Unlike Adela, he always woke up early.

“I went swimming at the beach. Caught some fish. Made steamed fish out of it. It’s amazing. You’ll be surprised.”

“Isn’t it boring, being stuck here because of me?”

Adela felt sorry for keeping him from going anywhere.

“Not at all. Going somewhere isn’t important. Being with you is what matters.”

He showered her forehead, eyelids, and cheeks with tiny kisses.

“As long as you’re by my side. Sleep more if you want. We have plenty of time.”

“I love you, Braden.”

Adela leaned her head on his shoulder. She felt so at peace in his arms.

“I love you too.”

***

Three months into their honeymoon.

“Ugh, ugh!”

Unable to fight off the nausea, Adela kept vomiting.

There was nothing left to throw up, just sour stomach acid.

“This won’t do, Adela. Let’s give up on the sea voyage.”

Braden, whose face was as pale as hers, ordered the captain to turn back.

“Ugh, if I just hold out a bit longer, ugh, they say I’ll get used to it.”

“I’d rather die. I can’t stand watching you throw up anymore.”

For some reason, motion sickness couldn’t be cured with healing magic.

“Then, what about the island?”

The place they were headed by boat was a small island called the Heavenly Island.

“Let’s call Liber. We can use teleportation magic.”

Braden reluctantly decided to use the Liber card.

Liber would be absolutely thrilled.

Liber had always been looking for a chance to travel with them, but Braden had never let him get close.

That evening, on the Heavenly Island, Adela and Braden, Liber, Shutal, and Tera gathered for a barbecue party.

Everyone except Braden enjoyed the evening.

***

One year into their honeymoon.

“Do we really have to go to the monster hunting grounds?”

On their way to the monster hunting grounds, Braden asked once more.

“It’s where you spent ten years. I want to see it at least once.”

“Really, you’re so stubborn. There’s nothing to see there.”

Just hearing the name ‘monster hunting grounds’ made it sound like a place artificially created for hunting.

But to be precise, it was land where monsters appeared. Mercenaries were stationed to keep the monsters from crossing over, and it naturally became a place where monsters were hunted.

These monster hunting grounds stretched far north and covered a vast area. The one Braden had been at was, of course, near the Sovaro Empire.

“There aren’t even proper inns. It’ll be really uncomfortable.”

“But you said there’s a village.”

“Just because people are gathered, we call it a village.”

“Is it dangerous?”

“Of course it’s dangerous. Sometimes monsters break through the mercenaries and come down.”

“People still live there even though it’s dangerous?”

“They’re not ordinary people. It’s the last resort for those who have nowhere else to go. Mercenaries hunt monsters, regular folks do odd jobs.”

Adela looked out at the desolate plains.

“Is the land so barren because of the monsters?”

“No, it’s because it’s abandoned land that no lord manages.”

“Why is it abandoned?”

“Because it’s dangerous. If you miss even one monster, all the crops get destroyed instantly.”

“I see.”

“Are you really going?”

Braden asked again, hoping she might change her mind after all this.

The monster hunting grounds were too smelly and dirty to be a travel destination.

“I said I was going.”

But Adela’s mind was made up.

Well, who could ever break that stubbornness?

If he really tried, maybe he could, but Braden never even tried. If she wanted something, Braden could only give in.

He felt like he was born just for that.

Maybe he’d need to use the Liber card again. 

‘Where did I put the return stone?’

He didn’t want her to sleep at the monster hunting grounds.

Soon, they arrived at the monster hunting grounds.

“Oh, Captain. What brings you here?”

The manager of the hunting grounds recognized Braden and greeted him cheerfully.

“Wow, Captain. You look great.”

“How have you been? How are the monsters lately?”

“Still quiet. It’s the dormant period. But who’s this lady?”

“She’s my wife.”

“Hello?”

Adela smiled gently at the manager.

“Oh, yes. What brings you here? It’s not really a place for ladies.”

“Women aren’t allowed? There’s a woman over there.”

Adela looked at a woman who seemed to be a mercenary.

“She’s not a woman, she’s a hunter, haha.”

The manager laughed as if he’d made a great joke.

“Monster!”

Suddenly, a desperate voice came from inside the forest.

“What? D*mn it!”

The manager blew his emergency whistle. Mercenaries gathered. Even during the dormant period, monsters sometimes appeared like this.

“How many?”

“One. But it’s big.”

The mercenaries exchanged words as they ran.

“Why today of all days?”

Braden picked up Adela and moved her to the back.

The monster was huge and savage. It was one of the top species among those that appeared. A few mercenaries attacked, but it wasn’t enough.

“Captain!”

The mercenaries urgently called out to Braden standing next to Adela.

“Go, Braden.”

“But…”

Braden didn’t want to leave Adela’s side.

“It’s just one. If you take it down up front, I’ll be safe back here. Go.”

“Adela, hold this sword. If it gets dangerous, make a barrier.”

“Okay.”

Adela gripped the Sword of Green Shade that he handed her. Only then did Braden dash toward the monster.

Adela watched his back. The monster was more than three times Braden’s size.

As soon as Braden stepped in, the tide turned.

With his aura-wrapped sword, Braden attacked the monster’s head while the other mercenaries cut off its arms and legs.

Braden finally stabbed his sword into the monster’s heart, ending the hunt.

‘Hunt’ was really a battle.

“Whew.”

Braden, covered in monster blood, ran back to Adela.

“Adela, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. What about you?”

“Are you worried? How could you send your husband out to fight a monster?”

Any other woman would have clung to his pant leg, begging him not to go.

“I know you’re strong, so I wasn’t worried.”

“What? My heart was pounding like crazy because of you.”

“You looked really cool fighting that monster.”

Braden was momentarily speechless at the sudden praise.

Why did this make him feel so good?

“Go wash up. I’ll take a closer look at the monster while you do.”

Adela walked toward the monster’s corpse.

“What are you looking at?”

Braden was startled.

“The monster’s body. It’s dead, so it’s not dangerous.”

Adela blinked her eyes cutely.

Even now, she was being adorable.

He should have realized back in Lasve when she stabbed an assassin in the neck with a hairpin—her courage was incredible.

***

Two years into marriage.

Cotton-like snowflakes fell heavily from the sky. The snowy mountain scenery was dreamy and beautiful.

Adela and Braden sat in a small hot spring, watching the snow fall from the sky.

The spring, naturally formed below a cliff, had been shaped by the local lord into a large bath.

“It’s snowing so much.”

Adela leaned against his chest, excited. Her body was warm, but her head was cool—such a novel feeling.

“Do you like seeing the snow?”

Braden whispered in a husky voice, licking her ear.

He didn’t care about the falling snow. What captured his heart was only his wife sitting before him.

“It’s fascinating. Bathing while it snows—mm…”

As he nibbled at her nape, he gently bit her. The sharp thrill made Adela let out a soft moan.

“I like making love while it snows. I think you’ll remember it for a long time.”

His hands rested on her chest. He massaged her br*asts, rolled her n*pples with his fingers, pinched, and heightened the intensity of his caresses.

It was strong enough to hurt, but Adela’s body, accustomed to his touch, trembled with pleasure.

She tilted her head back, enjoying his hands.

“Mmm, yes. I think it’ll be quite a memorable experience.”