CHAPTER 25: PROMISE AND RIVAL

Nick quietly washed the dishes.

The open kitchen was calm, lit only by warm overhead lights and the sound of running water.

Nick scrubbed a pan and sighed lightly.

『So the ban on my account got lifted... which means I can go back and see Merlin again.』

He rinsed the suds away, set the pan aside—

Then glanced over his shoulder.

Melis was fast asleep on the couch, her legs stretched out and carelessly crossed over the small side table, her arms tucked under her head.

Her breathing was soft and steady as her glossy black hair spilled everywhere like silk.

She looked... comfortable.

Nick dried his hands slowly.

『I was planning to see if Merlin had any spellbooks on interworld teleportation... but who am I kidding? Even if she does, I doubt I’m anywhere near talented enough to make sense of it.』

He looked at Melis again.

Her foot twitched in her sleep.

『No... not right now. Telling her she’s in another world can wait. I have to focus on the Merlin route for now. I’ll explain everything when I get back.』

He gave a small firm nod to himself.

Nick finished washing the last dish.

"Alright..."

He wiped his hands on the apron, then folded the apron neatly and set it aside.

He stretched his arms until they popped.

"Tired..."

Then he quietly went to one of the unused rooms where the VR pod sat waiting.

Nick adjusted the straps, the helmet, the settings...

"Alright, lock-in time! All I gotta do is make sure I keep the love rival in check."

He lay back.

"Shouldn’t be too hard... I hope..." (ー_ー゛)

The pod sealed with a soft hiss.

[CONNECTING...]

[BOOTING...]

════════

When Nick opened his eyes—

He was once again Nero.

His dark tunic, leather straps, and black vambraces etched with silver were back.

The air had that fresh, familiar forest scent.

A floating notification blinked gently.

[ⓘ Welcome back, Nero!]

‣ Location: Elaris Village – Merlin’s Cottage

Nero brushed off his tunic and looked around.

That’s when he spotted Thorin in the front yard of the neighboring cottage.

The dwarf was hammering a glowing blade with deep concentration until he looked up.

"Oh yeah—Thorin!" Nero waved. |˶˙ᵕ˙ )ﾉﾞ

Thorin froze.

Then dropped his hammer.

And the blade.

And the tongs.

It was uncharacteristically dramatic from him.

Then the dwarf sprinted toward Merlin’s yard like his beard was on fire.

"WOAH—hey hey hey—calm down!"

Nero staggered as Thorin desperately grabbed him by the shoulders like he was a thief.

"What’s going on!?"

Thorin looked like a man who hadn’t slept in five days.

"NERO, lad—WHERE HAVE YE BEEN!?"

"I—what?"

"Merlin went through the five stages of grief!"

Thorin barked. (╬ಠ益ಠ)

"Except the acceptance part! WHY NOT THAT!?"

Nero blinked.

『If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was the one who missed me.』

Thorin shook him vigorously.

"HOW COULD YE LEAVE WITHOUT A WORD!? Not even a LETTER!? NOT EVEN A SCRIBBLE ON A LEAF!? Merlin has made my life a living hell! Nero boy, if I have to sit through another hour of listening to her talk about you I WILL GO OUT OF ME MIND!"

Nero scratched his cheek awkwardly.

"Eh? I didn’t think I was gone long... And Merlin’s always so nonchalant. Sometimes I leave for hours in the morning and she barely notices."

"NOT THIS TIME SHE DIDN’T!" (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ

Thorin wailed and almost fell flat on his back.

Before Nero could say anything else, the dwarf spun him around and started pushing him toward the cottage door with a furious yet desperate face.

"Thorin—hey—HEY—STOP—!"

"She got so lonely she started contacting old party members to go explore an ancient tomb."

Thorin cried.

"I HAVE A FAMILY NOW! I CAN’T BE DRAGGED INTO THAT MADNESS AGAIN!"

Nero was shoved so hard that his face smushed against the front door.

"Gnnngh—Thorin—too close—!"

"Just stop her from doing anything insane!"

Thorin patted him on the back with his last energy.

"I beg ye."

He was panting and wheezing at the same time.

Then the dwarf ran away before Nero could say a single explanation.

Nero sighed.

"He... didn’t even wait to hear me out." (◞ ⸝⸝ ◟ )

He grabbed the doorknob and opened it gently.

══════

Inside the cottage.

Merlin sat slouched in her little reading nook.

Single elbow propped on the armrest.

Her cheek squished into her palm as she flicked her finger repeatedly at a quill on the table like she was trying to poke it to death with wind magic alone.

Her hair was messy, as usual.

Her expression was dull.

She looked like a depressed cat in wizard form.

Nero’s heart softened immediately.

He smiled, then quietly inhaled.

"I... I’m home."

Merlin’s finger froze mid-flick.

She turned and her eyes widened.

Her entire face LIT UP like the sun.

"N E R O !!!" ＼(≧▽≦)／♡

She zoomed from the chair with absurd levels of speed and crashed into him with a hug so tight his poor spine may have realigned.

Her soft curves pressed fully into him as she buried her face against his chest.

Nero’s arms stayed awkwardly in the air.

"Uhh—woah—okay—?"

He smiled mildly.

"Is this a perk of being the Great Mage’s student or should I not get my hopes u—"

"Shut up!"

Merlin mumbled into his chest and tightened her hold.

"Just—let me do my thing." ( = ⩊ = )

[ⓘ Merlin is overjoyed you returned!]

‣ Affection +5

‣ Emotional State: Glowing, Relieved, Clingy!

[ⓘ Your title "Caretaker of the Archmage" has leveled up significantly, congrats!]

‣ +20 Possessiveness from Merlin

‣ Acquired the "Academy Teacher" hidden event

‣ More provocative scenes

‣ Choose any 1 "Magic Attribute" from the shop

The affectionate hug lasted so long that even Nero lost strength in his arms.

The only downside to hugging a woman like Merlin who had such wide, generous hips, was that your arms just couldn’t quite reach all the way around her. But honestly, that hardly mattered when you felt how soft and plush her round butt was as it slowly filled the hands when it pressed up against your palms, inch by inch.

"Uhm... Merlin? Isn’t that enough?"

"No." She clung tighter. "Just a little longer."

Nero smiled softly and stroked her stylishly messy hair.

Her grip trembled slightly.

『Guess I was right, she really was lonely.』

After several minutes.

Merlin finally pulled back only to grab his wrist and drag him toward the dining table.

"Sit! Sit!"

Nero sat, confused.

Merlin threw a cloth over his thighs like a loving but wildly incompetent housewife.

"You—really don’t have to—"

"Nope! I WANT TO!"

She proudly held up a wicker basket... of ashes.

Literal ashes.

"Nero, look! I washed your clothes!" ( ᵔ ⩊ ᵔ )

Nero stared.

"That’s... a pile of ash."

Merlin wilted.

"T-, Those are your clothes... I accidentally scorched them while drying them with [Fire Magic]. I... I really thought I did a good job... guess not."

She looked away, sulking.

Nero flailed.

"No no no—they look... lovely."

They absolutely did not.

Merlin pumped a fist.

"Yosh!" (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧

She zoomed away and zoomed back with a plate.

A plate of, well... charred bread.

Eggs murdered beyond recognition.

It was a thoughtful platter of disaster.

She set it down proudly.

"I also cooked for my favorite... and only student!"

Nero picked up the fork like it might explode.

"Mm— I’m sure it’s—"

"It’s trash, isn’t it?" Merlin asked, voice flat.

Nero panicked.

"Well, I—"

"No need to lie..." she sighed. ( ｡• ᴖ •)

"Yeah... it’s kinda horrible."

She drooped.

But Nero immediately stood, reached for her apron, and gently tugged it off her wide hips.

"That’s fine! I prefer it this way. You’re the great mage. You’re good at magic... and I’m good at house chores. That way, I can still be useful to you."

Merlin slowly looked up.

Her eyes softened like melting honey.

"Really...?"

Nero nodded and slipped the apron on.

"You’re beautiful, funny, crazy-talented..."

He packed his long hair with a band.

"If you miss me, that’s enough for me to stay. I’d be insane to go anywhere."

She folded her arms under her breasts and smiled.

A very warm and affectionate smile.

"Do you... promise?"

Nero held out his pinky.

"As long as you don’t leave me either."

Merlin grinned.

"Deal!"

Their pinkies intertwined.

[ⓘ Bond Strengthened!]

‣ Merlin’s Affection: +15

‣ Merlin’s Mood: Overflowing Happiness ♡

And the cottage felt warm again.

Very, very warm.

══════

Nick hummed happily as he stirred the pot while his apron swayed over his hips.

The tempting scent of sizzling meat was in the air.

He flipped a pan and whistled a sharp upbeat note.

『Dinner smells great... Merlin’s in a good mood... and like I promised Thorin, I convinced her to call off her plans with her party members of hers! This was ea—』

CREAK—

The front door swung open.

Nick paused for a second.

SCREAM.

"VIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!"

The spoon flew out of Nick’s hand.

He slammed the lid on the pot, wiped his palms on the apron in a panic, nearly slipped on the floor, then sprinted toward the living room—CRASH!

A few sturdy plates went skittering across the wooden floor behind him.

"MERLIN—WHAT’S WRONG!?"

He shouted at full volume as he stumbled into the room.

And then he froze.

Because Merlin... was hugging another woman.

Not just any woman.

An absurdly beautiful dark elf with hair like onyx silk flowing all the way down to her perfect waist while her long pointed ears peeked through its lusciousness.

Her eyes were a deep, dull crimson that looked like they could casually eviscerate your soul.

Merlin bounced in her arms like an excited child.

"VIVI, YOU’RE HERE!!"

She squealed and tightened the hug.

Vivianne... did not react.

Her expression was the emotional equivalent of a half-wilted flower.

She let Merlin squeeze her, but her face said she’d rather be anywhere else.

Then she raised a hand and stroked Merlin’s hair.

"You said to come..."

Vivianne murmured in a low voice.

"So I did."

Nick gulped.

Her eyes slid toward him in a sluggish manner.

And Nero flinched so hard his spine straightened.

『W-whoa— okay—she’s insanely beautiful...!』

Vivianne’s red gaze didn’t waver.

Neither did it blink nor soften.

She just kept staring at him like he was a boring piece of literature.

"Who’s the human?" she asked in her flat voice.

"Huh?" Merlin blinked, then turned around.

Nick stood in the doorway holding a wooden spoon like it was a weapon of self-defense.

Merlin gasped and clapped.

"Oh! That’s my precious student! Nero!"

She snapped her fingers at him with a bright smile.

"Nero—hey! These are my old party members!"

Nero shuffled forward.

Merlin beamed with pride.

"This gloomy beauty is Vivianne! She’s a dark elf!"

Nero blinked, then finally noticed her elven ears.

"Ohhh... yeah... that makes sense..."

"..."

Vivianne did not respond.

Her eyes simply narrowed the tiniest bit.

Then Merlin turned, placed a hand on the shoulder of the tall man standing beside her.

That was what got Nero’s attention.

A tall, muscular man with long golden hair roughly tied in a loose ponytail...

Shining armor strapped to his chest...

And a grin so wide it could split mountains.

He’d been smiling like an idiot since the moment he entered the room.

"And this big guy here is Lancelot!"

Merlin gave him two pats on the back.

Lancelot raised a hand in a friendly wave.

"Yo! You must be the famous Nero! Merlin hasn’t shut up about you in her letters."

PING!

A glowing red notification appeared in front of Nero.

[⚠️ LOVE RIVAL DETECTED!]

Nero stared at the message and sighed.