Chapter 54: Strangely peaceful

After training, Adam spent the rest of the day at home.

He talked with his mother for hours, listening to stories he already knew, but which now seemed strangely comforting.

He also spent time with his fiancée, Selene.

She still seemed to smile more easily since the kiss in his room; every time their eyes met, there was a different sparkle in her eyes.

Adam noticed it.

And he didn’t look away.

Later, he went to supervise the slaves. Renna continued to diligently study the fundamentals of magic, repeating formulas under her breath as if afraid of forgetting them. The others worked on cultivating the Mana Dragon Lotus, focused and, surprisingly, in good spirits.

Adam had no intention of pressuring them yet.

Zev, on the other hand…

Adam had been putting it off.

He had to take him to a dungeon or fight monsters soon. He needed real experience.

But that would be later.

After the date.

Because yes, tomorrow he would have a date with Selene. He had promised to show her the city, to walk the streets without bodyguards or formalities. And although his schedule was full, he had reserved that little space just for her.

Adam had many regrets.

Too many.

And one of the heaviest was not having spent enough time with Selene in his first life.

In that life, she had been brutally murdered.

The memory still made his blood run cold.

Now she was alive.

And this time… he wouldn’t waste the opportunity.

There were things he hadn’t been able to enjoy in his first life—moments he hadn’t known how to appreciate.

After all, even someone who came from the future needed to rest from time to time.

Right?

…

The next day, the sun rose high in the sky, showering the city with golden rays as white clouds drifted slowly by on the wind.

At the Hall mansion, Adam finished getting ready. He didn’t choose anything too ostentatious; he never felt comfortable in the exaggerated clothes that nobles used to wear.

He preferred something simple. Practical. Something that would allow him to move easily if something unexpected came up.

He took the small bottle of lotion that Edrik Vellmor had prepared especially for him. He poured a few drops into his palm and gently spread them over his neck. The fresh, light scent rose to his nose, calming him.

Once ready, he left his room and headed for the main hall.

Selene should be there.

As he crossed the threshold, he paused.

Selene wore a black one-piece dress that elegantly hugged her figure. The dark color made her hair and blue eyes stand out even more, making her… impossible to ignore.

She looked him straight in the eye and smiled.

“How do I look?”

Adam didn’t hesitate for a second.

“Beautiful.”

A faint blush covered Selene’s cheeks. She looked away, feigning indifference, but her fingers played with the fabric of her dress before running up and down it.

“You look handsome too.”

Adam raised an eyebrow with feigned arrogance.

“I’ve always been handsome. Can’t you see I take after my mother?”

“Hmph! Don’t get too cocky. Sure, you’re attractive… but nothing extraordinary. In the royal capital, you’d be just another face in the crowd.”

Adam chuckled softly when he noticed how embarrassed his fiancée was. He took a step toward her and held out his hand.

“Then I’ll have to try harder not to be overshadowed.”

Selene hesitated for just a moment before accepting his hand.

However, just as they were about to leave, a familiar voice stopped them.

“And where do you think you’re going, looking so fancy?”

Alisha appeared in the doorway, watching them with a smile that promised trouble.

“Uh? I’m going on a date with my fiancée.”

Alisha’s eyes widened slightly, and she smiled.

“To think I’ll have grandchildren so soon.”

Selene’s face turned red as a tomato, and Adam’s smile widened in amusement.

“Mom, we’re just taking a step; we’re not married yet.”

After briefly saying goodbye to his mother, Adam and Selene left the mansion and walked down the cobblestone street that led to the city center.

The streets were clean, though here and there were pools of monster blood and debris from destroyed houses. Horse-drawn carts moved slowly along, and people walked with their tools; others held fruit in their hands.

There were few food stalls due to the flood of monsters, but a small shop selling coffee, tea, and pastries remained open, its sweet aroma contrasting with the freezing air.

Adam stopped.

“Let’s go in for a moment.”

Selene looked at him, surprised, but nodded.

He ordered a latte for himself and looked at Selene.

“What about you?”

She hesitated for just a second.

“A coffee… with two sugars.”

Adam remembered that in her first life, she always ordered the same thing.

They waited together for a few minutes, in silence, but not uncomfortably. Selene watched the people rebuilding their houses with calm expressions. Adam watched her.

The waiter placed the cups in front of them.

Adam paid without thinking twice, and they went back out onto the street, each holding their hot drink.

They walked slowly.

“Are we really going to walk all over the city?”

Selene asked, taking a small sip.

“If you get tired, we’ll stop.”

“I’m not tired.”

And she wasn’t.

A drizzle began to fall. Some children ran around trying to catch the raindrops with their tongues, laughing carefree.

Adam watched them.

In his previous life, there was no longer room for that kind of innocence.

He felt Selene’s gaze on him.

“What are you thinking about?”

Adam took a small sip before answering.

“That… I should have done this sooner.”

Selene tilted her head slightly.

“Done what?”

“Walked with you without thinking about anything.”

She didn’t respond immediately. She just intertwined her arm with his.

“Then do it now.”

Selene said softly.

“Just walk with me.”

Adam looked down at their joined hands.

There were many things he hadn’t been able to enjoy in his first life.

Moments he hadn’t appreciated.

But this time was different.

…

The rest of the meeting passed in an eerie calm.

The city was still struggling to breathe after the tide, but it was still breathing.

Many merchants had not opened their stalls; some were reorganizing damaged goods, others were simply cleaning ash from the wooden boards. The market did not have its usual bustle, but it was not dead either.

It was rebuilding itself.

In the streets, children ran between the half-empty stalls as if what had happened were a distant storm. Their laughter broke the silence with an almost insulting naturalness.

Life insisted on going on.

A gentle breeze ruffled Adam’s hair as he walked alongside Selene. He greeted those who crossed his path with slight nods of his head.

Some looked down respectfully. Others watched him with barely contained gratitude.

Adam knew what they saw.

A savior. A shield. A reason they were still there.

But every gesture of gratitude weighed more than it should have.

Selene, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to that weight. She looked at the fabrics hanging on the walls, touched wooden ornaments brought from nearby villages, and smiled with genuine curiosity. She didn’t buy anything.

Ss just enjoying herself.

Adam glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

That walk under the sun, with no blood in the air, no alarms, no screams…

In her past life, moments like this had been impossible.

They talked about trivial things—the weather, the price of wheat, the color of a fabric that didn’t match anything: light, superficial conversations.

In the afternoon, they returned to Hall Manor. The aroma of freshly baked bread and cooked herbs permeated the air, warm and welcoming.

Alisha supervised the servants with the natural elegance of someone who does not need to raise her voice to be obeyed. Seeing Adam and Selene cross the threshold, a subtle smile curved her lips.

“You’re back sooner than I expected.”

She commented lightly.

“I thought you would make better use of the day. After all… You are young.”

Selene immediately lowered her head, the blush spreading to the tips of her ears.

Adam noticed it.

It seemed that his mother had gotten into the habit of making his fiancée uncomfortable whenever she had the chance. And, if he was honest with himself, he didn’t dislike it at all.

“Mother, we just took a walk around town. Right, Selene?”

She nodded softly, not daring to hold his gaze completely.

Alisha sighed with exaggerated disappointment.

“What a pity… I’ll have to wait a little longer to hear the cry of a grandchild in this house.”

Then she gestured elegantly toward the dining room.

“Come on. Dinner is ready.”

They sat down in the main dining room, where sunlight streamed through the windows and cast golden lines across the long dark wood table.

The conversation flowed: Alisha talked about perfumes and their impact on the continent, Selene shared anecdotes about her family, and Adam listened quietly, speaking only when necessary.

It was a peaceful lunch.

Strangely peaceful.

…

[Author’s Note: Sorry for only posting one Chapter today. I intended to post two, but I didn’t want to write two Chapters like this one, as they’re not my strong point and I find them quite difficult to write. However, I wanted to do it, and I’m not sure how it turned out. So, if you notice anything or think I should improve something, please don’t hesitate to comment.]

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