Chapter 47: Fleeting Ten Hours: A Husband’s Promise
The Question rang in his head continuously. What was happening? Was Kelly actually asking him to hold her? Was she always this straightforward? He had faced down SSS-Rank killing intent without flinching, but this simple domestic request paralyzed him. He stared at her; even when indirectly given the go button, Asher sat still, trapped by his own lingering insecurities.
"Fufufu... You are so cute." Kelly said, the melodic sound of her laughter echoing softly against the tunnel walls, and hooked her arm in his, leaning her head against his shoulder.
"You know, in my prime, countless men both old and young were after me, some after my money, others my body... Gosh, I hated those men. Well... Due to some events in my life, I hated all men, that’s how I got the title of cold Queen." She lightly squeezed his hand.
"But you are different, we didn’t know each other back then, but now, you’re my husband... So start behaving like one." She said with a smile, an invitation wrapped in a gentle command.
"If we had met back then, you wouldn’t even have spared me a glance." Asher muttered in a low voice, the shadow of his miserable upbringing as the Starfire family’s garbage briefly darkening his mood.
"True, I won’t refute that... You don’t have any qualifications to catch my attention."
"...?!"
Asher blinked; was she always so brutal with her words? Kelly was the same with Juliana’s gangster side, they were both super straightforward, completely unfiltered in their assessments.
"But that will be my fault."
"Huh? Why?" Asher turned his head to her, genuinely surprised by the sudden shift in accountability. Kelly exhaled, her gaze turning distant as the red neon lights washed over her face.
"You see, when I was young, and after my Mother’s death, my Dad beat me whenever he got drunk, venting all his frustration, pain and anger on me! Then the following morning, he will apologize; he showed me men can’t be trusted, which is why I hated all men, but because of this, I also miss the good ones." She flashed him a smile, the bitterness of her past melting away as she looked at the man beside her.
"Thank you, Asher. You showed me men are different."
"Hey." Asher grabbed her hand in his, the warmth of his grip anchoring her back to the present, staring at her with a serious expression. Their shared trauma of abusive fathers bridged the gap between them perfectly.
"Can you promise me something?" He asked.
Kelly blinked, staring at him, caught off guard by the sudden intensity in his eyes, then nodded her head: "Sure."
"Continue being the way you are, choose me, and hate any other man... I know this sounds selfish, but that is my wish, can you--"
"...?!"
Asher froze as Kelly kissed him straight on the lips, then withdrew before his mind could even process what just happened. The touch was soft, fleeting, but hit him harder than a physical blow.
"Alright, Husband... If that is your wish, I accept. Let me ask, was that your first kiss?"
Asher blinked a couple of times, the heat rushing to his ears, and slowly nodded his head at her.
"It’s also my first... Hope it’s not a bad thing giving your first wife your first kiss?" She asked, a playful smirk forming on her face as she enjoyed flustering her usually stoic protector.
Asher stared at her, thinking this girl was too bold. Will he just stay there and watch her misbehave? He had promised to stop being a victim to his circumstances. He decided, whatever happens, let it happen. He grabbed Kelly’s neck, gently but firmly pulling her in, and kissed her on the lips.
".....?"
Kelly was stunned by his action, entirely unprepared for him to take charge so decisively, but remembering everything he had done for her, especially today, she melted into his embrace and decided to reward him.
_
Some distance away, hiding behind an artificial Castle, the three men stared at the two moving on the river, kissing.
"They are actually making out, should we attack now?" One asked, drawing his dagger, the steel glinting dangerously under the dim tunnel lights.
"Not in the tunnel of love... We wait, and strike when they’re alone... Remember, our goal is to kidnap that lady." The leader said coldly, keeping his eyes locked on the drifting red boat.
"Alright." The two nodded their heads, falling back into the shadows, waiting patiently.
__
Asher finally separated from the kiss, staring at Kelly with a gaze that could devour anything, an intense fire burning in his usually calm eyes. But Kelly placed her hand on his cheek, halting his advance.
"Slow down, Tiger..." She said, and added in a low whisper, her breath tickling his ear:
"If you want me that much, you should think of a way to permanently cure me... And fulfill some of my wishes." She said with a smile, laying down objectives with the calculated precision of a CEO negotiating a merger.
Asher chuckled lightly, the tension breaking, and relaxed on the seat: "No matter how intense it becomes, I won’t touch any of my wives until I cure all of you... As for your wishes, Can I know what they are?"
Kelly held him tighter, resting her head back against his chest. ’He isn’t angry or even disappointed... I know he wanted to continue, go further, but he held back... This husband of mine is interesting.’ She thought, her respect for him deepening.
"I only have a few wishes, the first wish... In two months, there will be an auction in Crownfall City, located south of Vaeloria." She said.
’Crownfall?’ Asher’s mind raced. ’That city belongs to the Starfire family... I can’t step foot there without preparation, but what is she after in the auction?’ He tilted his head, maintaining his composure as Kelly continued:
"My Mother was an SS-RANK Awakened, she had a very powerful necklace which was lost when she died... I made some investigations in the past, and everything pointed to that auction. Can you help me get it? But there will also be powerful nobles in there."
Asher listened to her request and warning. Crownfall was the heart of the enemy’s territory, teeming with the arrogant elites who had abused him. But he has everything at the moment to become a Supreme Awakened, and money? He has more than enough to crush them financially.
"Two months? Alright then, In two months, you three will follow me to Crownfall City for the auction." He declared it not as a possibility, but as an absolute fact.
"We three?" Kelly asked in mild confusion.
"Yes, in one month, I will permanently cure my three wives." He said with a smile, brimming with absolute confidence in his System and his own abilities.
"One month? How?"
"You don’t have to worry about that, in one month, I will answer that question..." He held her waist, and pulled her into him, his tone seamlessly dropping an octave from romantic husband to cold, calculating warrior:
"We are reaching the exit, and there are three stalkers following us from the park."
"What?" Kelly stiffened, her instincts flaring up instantly.
"Shhh... Let’s play a game of hide and seek in the haunted house, what do you think?" Asher whispered, a dangerous smirk replacing his gentle smile as the boat drifted toward the light.