Free Web NovelChapter 21: Budding Feelings
[Hidden Achievement: Budding Feelings]
[You are not in love, you are not infatuated, but for the first time you have realized that you enjoy the silent company of your wife. Just as you continue to earn her trust, she has quietly begun to earn yours.]
[Reward: Twin Wedding Rings]
[Tap to Claim Reward]
Luke choked on the water.
His coughing drew the attention of the other patrons, who watched as he punched his chest in an attempt to clear the water from his throat.
It took his full might to finally push the water back up one pipe and into the other.
The choking fit was partially caused by the abrupt appearance of the system and the achievement’s description.
Luke couldn’t help but have such an abrupt reaction to it, after all, the description basically confirmed the feeling he’s had for the past couple minutes. Yet, it also confirmed what it was not.
Seeing that he was fine, the other patrons returned to their dining mates and continued their conversations. Valeria, most likely drawn by the shaking of the table, observed Luke until he had calmed down and then continued her small bites.
Luke found her elegant dining to remind him of a high-end food critic from his world, but they didn’t exist in just his world.
With the situation taken care of, Luke focused on the reward and a new screen popped up.
[Twin Wedding Rings]
[When both partners wear the rings, Mana Regeneration is increased by 10%]
’What the-’
The description was accompanied by a picture of the rings. They were simple gold wedding bands with multiple spiraling patterns that reminded him of an endless river.
Luke couldn’t care less about their appearance, he was more concerned with the effect.
The rate of mana regeneration is fixed for every person, no matter how big their mana core grows. Luke fell into the average with it taking exactly 20 hours for his mana core to go from empty to full.
’This ring bypasses the laws of the world...’ He couldn’t help but think to himself.
While wearing the ring, the mana regeneration that would take 20 hours would be cut down to 18 hours, a substantial decrease that would be more than helpful when trying to practice spells or clear longer rifts.
He couldn’t help but remember the day of the wedding, neither Valeria or himself had a wedding ring from the day. Maybe that was why the system gave him the reward. Now that both of them possessed some feelings, not matter how small, it decided that the marriage had become more than just a way to clear debt.
Luke didn’t collect the rewards right away, instead he left the system screen hovering just outside of his vision and continued through the night. He would have to wait for the right opportunity to give Valeria the ring.
And so, the meal passed quickly. When the waiter saw Valeria finished with her meal, he came back with a check.
He looked at her a little nervously, hoping to see her confidence be tangibly backed. Indeed it was. Before the waiter could even walk away from the table, Valeria reached into the ring on her finger. Her hand disappeared inside of the tiny gem on top, the sight almost made Luke gag for a second before he realized what it was.
A storage device.
He had almost forgotten that his spellbook was resting inside it.
Although they weren’t common, it was a necessity for explorers past A-Rank, as rifts above that rank aren’t just linear caves or small fields, instead it is like a tiny world inside. Luke didn’t worry too much about it though, as he would have to make it to that rank first.
When her hand appeared again, it held two blue coins and placed them on the bill. The waiter turned around and Luke watched as his eyes widened at the sight of the coins. He immediately stopped what he was doing and took the check up to a register.
The waiter’s hands moved with a speed that Luke hadn’t seen from him all afternoon. When he came back, the waiter attempted to speak, but was cut off by Valeria’s notepad.
Keep the change.
Valeria had already started to reverse her wheelchair, while Luke simply followed her lead and the two left the stunned waiter staring blankly at their table.
The afternoon air felt fresh as it entered his nose. At some point between Valeria pulling out the coins and exiting the restaurant, Luke remembered who she used to be. She was part of a high noble family, but more importantly she used to be an SSS-Rank explorer whose coffers could support her throwing around Platinum Coins.
His family only made a handful a year; all of which went to their debts.
Even so, the meal was only priced at a few gold coins and yet she calmly paid with platinum coins worth almost 100 times more than the meal.
His conscience wouldn’t allow the memory to fade.
He had to ask.
Why did you pay so much? The meal barely cost a fraction of a platinum coin.
Valeria read the note and stared at Luke for a second, before responding.
I liked the food.
For once, Luke realized how big of a gap there was between them. In his world he couldn’t even tip ten percent on a meal, yet his wife had just tipped more than a commoner would make in their entire life.
He couldn’t help but think of the morals his dad drilled into him as a boy:
A man should always pay on a date. It is the man’s responsibility.
His head hung a little lower than usual. Luke was sure his dad would understand, after all he was in another world.
The past was the past, the present was the present.
With his head in the clouds, they reached the house before Luke snapped back to reality. Even after Valeria had stopped in front of the door, Luke continued to walk until his forehead smacked into the white wooden door.
"Ow."
He heard a noise behind, something like a snicker, but when he turned around Valeria had the same cool expression as usual.
’This must be divine punishment for not listening to you dad.’ Luke thought, as he rubbed his forehead.
