As Alex steps into the portal with nchi by his side and Jewel still perched on his head, his vision fades to black.
It only takes a few seconds, but to his relief, he finds himself back in his penthouse suite.
Tereza is already there, waiting with a grin.
“It’s good to be back,” Alex says, taking in his apartnt, which now feels oddly foreign after spending what felt like half a year sowhere else.
“It’s only been around two weeks in real ti,” Tereza replies, “but I get it. It does feel like an eternity. I’ll miss that tiny house in Hogsade.”
Suddenly, she pulls out a thick book and shows it to Alex. “I’ll never forget our ti there! To make sure of it, I even kept a diary!”
Alex chuckles. “I’ve done that too, actually… although mine’s pretty minimal. I mostly just wrote a few lines on important days. We talked about this before, didn’t we?”
nchi joins in. “I’ve been writing a ton of study notes. I don’t think I’ll miss the place itself, but I’m proud of how much I managed to learn. It was all worth it.”
Wait a minute… I haven’t checked her stats yet. That drama earlier distracted .
[nchi]
Level: 12 (25%)
Rarity: Purple
Free Skill Slots 1/2
Skills: Potioneering (Advanced -)
Support Skills: Cooking (Advanced ), Dismantling (Advanced ), Synthesizing (Advanced)
Weapon rank: Purple
Armor rank: Light Green
Alex scans through the stats, pride swelling in his chest. She'd worked hard, without relying on the system’s help, and even acquired a new skill purely through effort, talent, and dedication.
“You really learned a new skill from all that training with Snape? That’s aweso. And your Synthesizing skill improved too. The only disappointing part is the XP gain. As a non-combat Supporter, you’re only getting about a quarter-level per mission. Even in combat, it’d just be half a level. Still, since you’ve scaled down to my level anyway, we’ve got ti to fix that.”
“It was worth it!” nchi agrees, smiling brightly as she grabs Alex’s hand and pulls him down onto the couch.
“Hey! Don’t leave out!” Tereza huffs, looking mock-offended as she slides in on his other side.
The three sit quietly for a while, eyes closed, simply enjoying each other’s presence.
Eventually, Alex feels movent on his head. Jewel stirs awake.
He gently lifts her down into his lap.
Good morning, Dearest Soulmate ❤️.
Princess Jewel couldn’t help but fall asleep—but her leg control has definitely improved! She’ll be even fiercer from now on!
“Good job,” Alex whispers with a smile. “We just got ho too. It’s hard to get motivated after such a long trip… what should we do?”
“…”
No one answers.
nchi and Tereza just silently lean into him, each holding onto one of his arms. Jewel lies contentedly in his lap, gazing up at him with nothing but love in her eyes.
Alex lazes there for half an hour, eyes half-lidded, soaking in the peace, the warmth, the relief of simply being ho. After everything—the chaos, the loss, the near-death battles—it feels unreal to just… rest.
But eventually, just as he starts dozing off, he groans and sits up, grabbing his phone.
Several missed calls light up the screen—his parents, a couple of relatives, and a handful of acquaintances he’s kept in his life.
Alex sighs but dutifully sends out responses—polite, vague ssages that explain he’d just been on a little vacation.
“This is the technology I told you about, Jewel,” Alex says with a smile, holding up his phone. “I’ve explained most of it before, but I get that it might be a little hard to understand.”
No, it isn’t. Jewel’s connection with her soulmate runs deep—so deep, in fact, that using this “magical screen” feels completely natural. Jewel doesn’t understand the chanisms behind it, but rely using it is no problem for Jewel. A true Princess like Jewel doesn’t even require an explanation
Alex, a little surprised, responds thoughtfully, “Really? Well, I can buy you your own phone. If we’re ever apart, you’ll be able to call or ssage .”
He pauses, then continues, “Anyway, it’s probably ti to make so plans. I need to organize my inventory, upgrade my skills, check the market, and finally learn how item ranking works. Tereza, I’m guessing you’ll need to do most of the sa things, right? nchi too—I’m sure you’ll want to check out the market.”
“Definitely,” Tereza replies. “Aside from that, I’ve got nothing planned.”
“I want to relax and have a bit of fun,” nchi says, her face soft with genuine peace, though there’s a hint of exhaustion there too. “Of course I’ll check the markets—I’ve got a lot of food to sell, and I’ll use the profits to experint with new dishes.”
Alex nods, then looks down at Jewel, who’s comfortably resting in his lap.
“Anything you want to do, Jewel?”
Princess Jewel has been promised a romantic trip to the magical facility called ‘Zoo’ ❤️! Dearest Soulmate wouldn’t break such an important promise, right?
Alex laughs. “Okay, Jewel. We’ll go in a few days.”
“There is one more important matter to discuss,” nchi suddenly says, her expression serious.
“What is it?” Tereza asks, looking confused—until she realizes.
“Oh, now I see. You naughty girl,” she teases her.
“What are you talking about?” Alex asks, clearly lost.
Princess Jewel demands six days per week. Her lovely subjects may share the remaining day.
Tereza, also able to hear Jewel’s thoughts, imdiately fires back.
“No way you’re getting six days, Jewel. How about 2-2-2, and one day where we all share, in the spirit of cohabitation?”
Alex, finally catching on, leans back and sighs.
A few months ago, I was hopeless and alone. Now I’ve got two beautiful won and a cute spider fighting over my ti… how the hell did I get here?
But having matured just a little, he replies with a firm smile:
“One day per week each. No negotiations. The remaining four days are mine alone. You’re all free to tag along, but I decide what to do.”
“Deal,” both won say at once, clearly satisfied with his decision.
As Tereza, nchi, and Jewel begin drawing lots to determine their days to monopolize him, Alex steps out onto the balcony, letting the cool wind hit his face as he looks out over the bustling city in the distance.
I wonder what Rishi is up to…
The sun slowly dips below the skyline, casting the world in a warm orange glow. The door behind him creaks open again, and he turns.
nchi walks out with a mischievous smile, stepping close to whisper in his ear.
“I drew Monday. And do you know what day it is today?”
“…Monday,” Alex replies, still a bit dazed.
“Correct. You’ve earned your reward,” she grins, pulling him into a deep kiss.
Alex wraps his arms around her, welcoming the affection with ease—he’s grown used to it now, no longer awkward or unsure.
“The day’s almost over,” he says with a smile, “and we were way too busy during the last mission. I guess we should make the most of it, huh?”
Without another word, he lifts nchi into a princess carry, walking confidently back into the apartnt and heading straight to the bedroom.
nchi turns to grin at the two ‘losers’ and waves at them while Alex carries her.
“…Lucky,” Tereza mutters, pouting in envy.
Princess Jewel will not forget this humiliation.
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