Chapter 4: Hunter Certificate & Wife’s Favorite Perfume
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The Hobgoblin roared loudly in an attempt to intimidate Riven, but the effort failed completely. Riven held his ground firmly and met the charging monster with another powerful punch.
However, the Hobgoblin skillfully avoided his predictable jab and smashed its wooden club hard into Riven’s stomach.
CRASH!
The wooden club exploded into pieces upon impact. The Hobgoblin’s eyes widened in pure shock.
"G-Gah?"
As it let out a confused and startled sound, Riven’s hand shot forward and clamped tightly over its mouth. With only the bare minimum amount of strength required...
CRACK.
He crushed his neck completely.
The lifeless body dropped limply to the ground, leaving the entire audience stunned into silence.
"T-That’s definitely a High Awakened! He was completely impervious to low-level damage...!"
"Impressive!"
"It has been some years since we’ve seen someone with such an advanced physical enhancement talent!"
The people watching began to clap with genuine admiration. Riven simply nodded in silent acknowledgement of their praise.
"Congratulations, Sir Riven! To be expected of the Claymore Family, you are an incredible talent! You have passed all the tests and can now become an official Hunter!"
Riven nodded once more and then looked down at the scattered corpses. After a brief pause he asked calmly,
"Can I keep them?"
The people exchanged uncertain glances in silence. The professor present in the audience readjusted his glasses and gave a thoughtful nod.
"Sure, they have no real value to us. As very low-level monsters, not even the cores are particularly valuable, to tell the truth. But why do you need them?"
"I haven’t had my dinner yet."
His response came with an almost creepy grin, and for a brief moment his eyes glowed a faint red.
The audience stared at one another in disbelief. Who exactly was this strange young man?
Yet because of his status as a member of the Claymore family, they eventually shrugged and accepted it.
"S-Sure... we will pack them up for you, Riven."
"Thank you."
It did not take long for Riven to receive his official Hunter Certificate after paying the required fees for its creation. The certificate was a simple bronze plaque.
"Even with your current strength, you are only registered as an E-Rank Hunter right now, Sir Riven. You will need to continue completing Gates and defeating stronger enemies in order to rise through the ranks and receive greater benefits."
"Understood. Thank you."
"Um, don’t you need some sort of assistance finding the Gates?"
"Nah, I have my own contacts."
Riven left just like that. He made his way back home after several hours had already passed, his mind quietly worrying about his wife the entire time.
On the road home he noticed a small shop that sold her favorite perfume. He remembered that she had run out of it long ago yet had never voiced a single complaint about it. Without hesitation he stepped inside and purchased a new bottle.
It was quite expensive, a full $1,500 USD gone in one purchase, but for his wife it felt like a worthwhile investment.
When he finally returned home he found her awake, staring at the ceiling with a confused and sleepy expression while softly calling his name.
"Riven? Are you there? Riven?"
"I’m here. Sorry, I went out for a couple of hours."
"Riven..."
Her gaze drifted over his newly strengthened musculature and a faint blush colored her cheeks.
"You awakened."
"I did. That must have scared you a lot... I’m sorry."
"N-No, it’s fine..."
She quickly averted her eyes, but Riven held out the small wrapped present he had brought.
"I’ve registered as a Hunter. I have a Physical Strengthening Talent."
"And I always thought you were talentless... just how did that ever happen?"
"Hm... well, I have no idea myself."
For her sake he decided not to overexplain the situation. He did not want her to hyperventilate and pass out again.
"Here, I bought you a present."
"F-For me?"
She looked genuinely shocked. Riven carefully opened the package and revealed the familiar bottle inside.
"My favorite perfume... Sea Pearl Princess Fragrance..."
It was a special perfume crafted from refined monster materials that had grown popular over the last few decades.
"I remembered you had run out of it, so I bought you more. This is the fragrance I have always associated with you."
"..."
A soft blush spread across her face. Riven gently helped her sit upright and then tested a small amount of the perfume on her wrist.
She smiled just a little.
"Well... thanks. That was nice of you, I guess."
"I’m glad you liked it."
He placed the bottle carefully on the nearby table and then settled her back into her wheelchair.
"Let’s eat dinner, shall we?"
"Um... a-actually, I need to go to the bathroom first..."
"Ah, right. Let’s go."
He carefully brought her to the bathroom and afterward decided to give her a proper bath, leaving her clean and refreshed.
"Phew..."
She still looked a little sleepy, yet her stomach quietly rumbled with hunger.
Her long silvery-white hair drifted gently with the night breeze while her soft silver eyes gazed up at the moon in quiet silence as Riven prepared their meal in the kitchen.
During dinner Riven explained everything that had happened at the association. Elisa listened with clear awe mixed with a faint trace of jealousy.
"Now that you’re awakened... I’m really just the useless one here..."
"..."
Riven did not respond right away.
"Are you even paying attention to what I’m saying?"
"Sorry. I was just... well, you look especially beautiful under the moonlight tonight, dear."
"?!"
Elisa gasped in pure disbelief.
Who was this Riven? He was praising her, spoiling her, and even flirting with her so openly?
She had no idea how deeply he had loved her throughout all those long years of his previous life.
After living through so many painful and lonely lives, he was finally happy to reunite with her again.
And he intended to make certain that every single moment they shared from now on truly lasted.
"W-What sort of... nonsense are you talking about? R-Remember that this is an arranged marriage, okay?! We’re not actually in love...!"
Riven let out a soft laugh. She was still so endearing even when she got flustered and angry.
"Sorry."
"Hmph!"
If she could have crossed her arms she would have, but instead she simply pouted and turned her face away from him.
After dinner he carefully lifted her into his arms and carried her to bed like a princess.
"Here. Sleep well."
She looked up at him in silence for a long moment.
"Where are you going? You’re not going to sleep?"
"Ah, I still have something I need to do right now... I’ll train outside for a while. Don’t worry about me."
"Do you really need to try so hard to seem tough now?"
"Trust me... I am doing this for the two of us. I want to change our future. I will give you the best life I possibly can, Elisa. I promise I will make you happy."
"...!"
Elisa felt a sharp jolt of shock at his sincere words, then slowly lowered her head.
"Come closer."
"?"
He stepped toward her without question.
"Closer!"
He leaned in a little more.
"A bit closer still, you loser!"
"Okay, what is it— Hm?"
Riven was taken completely by surprise when she suddenly pressed a soft kiss against his cheek.
"Eh? But didn’t you just say—"
"D-Don’t get the wrong idea! It was just a little something because you weren’t an insufferable prick today. So go do whatever you want now!"
"Hahah... thank you."
Riven walked away with a warm smile still on his face. He closed the door gently behind him and left Elisa alone in the quiet room.
Elisa slowly drifted off to sleep, quietly wondering whether everything that had happened that day had merely been a dream and whether she would wake up to the same dull and unreliable Riven she had known before.
Riven, on the other hand, was outside eating the freshly prepared goblin meat under the moonlight.
"Ugh."
It was disgusting.
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