CHAPTER 124: LOVELESS MARRIAGE

"Here." Hades handed her a small box of yellow sweet rice he had picked up from a nearby stall.

Peri’s eyes lit up in surprise. "How did you know I like this?" she asked, scooping some up and bringing it to her lips.

Hades smiled. "Even when you were sick, your mother would make an exception with this dessert. So I figured you must love it."

Peri froze with the spoon still in her mouth, her eyes flicking toward him.

Don’t notice such trivial things. Hmph. She muttered inwardly, but the faint curve of her lips betrayed her true feelings.

Hades, meanwhile, had bought himself a cookie speckled with large black dots. He had never tried anything like it before, so curiosity pushed him to take a bite.

"Guh! It’s bitter," he winced, face contorting. The black dots were unbearably sharp in taste, and even the bread carried a strong hint of coffee.

Peri almost burst out laughing at his reaction. "Want some yellow rice?" she offered playfully.

Without hesitation, Hades nodded and leaned forward, parting his lips.

Peri suddenly realized the situation she had created.

I-Isn’t this the legendary ’ahh~’ pose?! Her fingers fidgeted, but she still scooped a spoonful of rice and slowly brought it toward him.

Hades didn’t think twice before eating from her spoon, while Peri’s heart nearly leapt out of her chest.

A bold indirect kiss...!

Completely unaware, Hades said casually, "Thanks. Next time, I’ll probably ask the shopkeeper first before buying anything."

Peri quickly brought the spoon back to herself, her heartbeat loud in her ears. She scooped up more rice and stared at it blankly.

"Oh, I’ll get you a new spoon—" Hades began, but before he could finish, she stuffed the rice into her mouth.

Chewing quickly, she tried to cover her fluster, "You think something childish like an indirect kiss would bother me?"

Hades almost teased her—Then why are your cheeks so rosy?—but he kept the thought to himself.

They wandered further down the street. Unlike the other bustling lanes filled with merchants and weapons, this one was quieter and calmer.

Here, mostly housewives and tourists strolled about. Many of them were elves, simply sightseeing.

As they walked, Hades asked, "Can you tell me more about yourself? Like how life was with your mother and your friends?"

Peri hummed. "There’s nothing too special. I never met my father or grandfather—they sacrificed themselves in the war not long after I was born. Since then, it was just me and my mom. Uncle Ralph was there too. He was actually my first teacher. He taught me archery... and a few other things, like knitting."

Hades blinked in surprise. "He... didn’t seem like the type who would know knitting."

Peri chuckled. "He is very stiff around others, yes. But you can’t really blame him—Uncle Ralph mostly manages the nation. He’s like a strong pillar standing beside Mother."

Hades hummed in approval. "A good brother."

Peri nodded. "As for my friends—"

"Peri?!"

A sudden voice called out, making the two of them turn.

From a short distance, a grey-haired young elf approached with a bright smile.

His easy demeanor kept Hades from reacting defensively, and even more so when—

"Gerald?" Peri’s face lit up as she hurried toward him.

The man wrapped her in a quick, casual hug. "It’s been so long!"

"It’s you who disappeared, not me," Peri complained, narrowing her eyes. "And... when did you get so tall?"

The young elf was about 6’3 and despite having not so broad shoulders in comparison to Hades, his long limbs gave the impression that he must be quite quick on the battlefield.

He grinned. "Did you think I was just wasting time? I’ve been out training."

Peri blinked, surprised by the revelation. Back in her village, everyone gave a vague answer to why Gerald had left the tribe. Turns out, he left to train.

Then she turned back to Hades. "Hades, this is Gerald, my childhood friend. Gerald, this is Hades... my husband."

Both men froze.

But Gerald’s reaction was louder, his jaw nearly dropping. "You’re... married?!"

Peri’s cheeks warmed as she gave a small nod. "Yeah... kind of." She stole a glance at Hades.

He wore a silly expression, but the smile on his face was genuine—overflowing with quiet happiness.

"I-I thought..." Gerald’s gaze dropped, his voice soft. "I thought you were going to marry someone from the tribe. This... really is shocking, Peri."

Noticing the sudden gloom clouding his face, Peri quickly tried to lift the mood. "Shall we grab dinner together? I have so many things I want to ask you."

Gerald hesitated for a moment, then nodded. His smile slowly returned. "There’s a good place nearby. Let’s go there."

Hades nodded and followed after them.

He couldn’t explain why, but his heart swelled with happiness when Peri introduced him as her husband.

Honestly, he had expected her to call him a friend—and that wouldn’t have been wrong, since they were still in the early stages of building their relationship.

But she said he was her husband.

[Such a simple guy.]

His smile faded.

Meanwhile, Gerald and Peri chatted along the way. Every so often, Peri glanced back at Hades.

He met her gaze each time, silently reassuring her that it was fine.

She had endured so much lately—both physically and emotionally. Having a friend who understood her was a welcome change.

Before long, Gerald led them to a quiet eatery tucked away at the far end of the lane.

Inside, the air carried a soft sweetness of baked bread mixed with faint herbs, while the quiet strum of a lute filled the room.

Laughter rose softly from a few corners, but overall the place held a soothing stillness—perfect for sharing a meal and conversation without the noise of the bustling market outside.

They easily found a table in the corner.

There were warm lanterns hanging from the ceiling. That’s why, it wasn’t dark even in the corner.

Hades and Gerald sat down, when suddenly, Peri said, "I will be back in a minute."

Hades’s brows elevated, "Want me to come along?"

She shook her head, "Just going to the restroom."

The redhead nodded before he saw Peri walking away.

Left alone with the person Hades met just a few minutes ago, he found himself in an awkward position.

He smiled at the man, when suddenly, Gerald said, "Since when do you know her?" His eyes were serious.

Hades thought for a moment, "Over a month?"

His eyes widened, "So I was right...it is nothing but a loveless marriage in which she was forced into."

"..." How can he be that accurate?

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A/N:- Thanks for reading.