[Yue's POV]
Slowly, I explained everything that occurred during my previous timeline to Amon. He listened intently, sometimes doubtful, other times confused. However, he never once broke eye contact with me.
That's good; at least he's believing my words to a certain extent. If he doubted me completely, it would take me years to get him on my side. While he couldn't fully put his faith in me, there's no questioning that he's wary about the future now.
I just needed one final push to bring him to my side.
"In the future… Was I hailed as a hero?"
"I beg your pardon?"
Amon asked me the most incredulous question I'd ever heard. Was Amon a hero in my timeline? If you asked ten people, eleven would answer with an unwavering yes. That was how much of an impact he had on the already failing world. He shouldered the fate of the planet on his lonesome back, killing anything that threatened humanity's future.
Was he a hero?
No, Amon was THE hero.
"Did I… become a hero?"
I didn't understand Amon's obsession with heroes, and he never once told me about it, even after our relationship improved. Nevertheless, I needed to convince him to join forces with me. And so, I told him the unadulterated truth.
"You weren't just a hero, Amon. You were humanity's greatest hero."
"Hmmm…"
Amon fell into thought with his arms crossed. The adorable little creature scrunched up his face while tapping his feet. I stared intently at his shaking leg and cleared my throat. It was time for the moment of truth…
"Okay, let's join forces, Yue Elune."
YESSSS!!! YESSSS!!! YESSSSS!!!
I managed to convince him! I could feel my heart beating rapidly as if it was trying to escape my chest. I have been preparing for this very moment ever since I'd regressed. I ran through numerous simulations on what Amon would say and how to trap him in a logical negotiation. Fortunately, I convinced him without resorting to the most desperate move.
"Hehe, you won't regret it!"
I couldn't see it, but I'm sure my face wore a disgusting grin. I had to temper myself, not to divulge my overwhelming joy to him. We've reached the pivotal starting point: the point at which we can change the future forever.
Screw the calamities!
I swear that this time… We will save the world.
And I'll have my happy ever after with Amon by my side.
Huehuehuehuehuehue
"So, what do we do now?"
Oh no. I shouldn't let myself get too carried away yet. I gently knocked my chest twice to calm myself and sat back straight. Staring Amon straight in the eyes, I answered his burning question:
"Why, we continue with our engagement, of course!"
"... Why?"
"Heh, I know you can't trust me yet, but this is the best option!"
While Amon was a killing machine in his past life, he wasn't immune to reason. As long as you could convince him with excellent logic, Amon would listen to your plan and be more than likely to follow through with it.
Hence, I've prepared the best argument for us to be engaged in this life.
"Firstly, even though we are connected in the future, we are essentially strangers at this point. So, we will need an excuse if we want to meet often. This engagement eliminates that problem! Also, the mana crystal vein would help bolster the relationship between the Solaris and Elune House, essentially easing any barrier we may have in the future regarding collaboration."
I've rehearsed this explanation thousands of times before. And there were no lies in my words.
In this timeline, nothing connected Amon and me just yet. Plus, while our mental ages were much older, we were still physically young and had to be sheltered by our respective families. Perhaps if we were ten years older, we could create a partnership easily, but if we'd met then, it would have been too late to start preparing for the calamities anyway.
We could only establish a connection at this moment in time through an engagement.
"Makes sense…"
Amon nodded in agreement with my statements.
That's good… I'm slowly reeling him in.
Just like fishing, I can't be too harsh with my pulls. If I wanted to bait Amon into agreeing to this engagement, I had to give him small crumbs first and gradually move him to my waters.
"Secondly, we need to tap into the resources of the Solaris and Elune Houses to improve our individual powers. Also, we will need money. Lots and lots of it. Our engagement with the partnership of the mana crystal veins will ensure that."
"Agreed."
Amon and I needed a near-bottomless amount of money for our future to be bright. Fortunately, with both our Houses unified, we would be granted access to that ocean of gold. Amon was weak now, but after I resolved his mana issues, the former Transcendent would soar to a height unattainable by anyone else.
And he would attain it at a much younger age, too.
"And finally…"
Now, it's time for the killing blow.
Two years…
I have been waiting for this moment for two years…
Ever since the day I regressed, I have been yearning for this very moment. Over the years, I resisted the urge to barge into the Solaris House to see his face. Even as I single-handedly strengthened my position in the Elune House, all I could think about was our reunion.
I knew Amon didn't love me in this timeline, and to be frank… I wasn't sure if he loved me in the past timeline, either. Nonetheless… I couldn't just let him go.
"Even if you have forgotten our love, I haven't. The years we'd spent together, the journey we embarked on, and… The moments we shared. They are all stored in my heart."
Only half of my words were lies. While he didn't love me, I loved him with all my heart. We travelled together as partners, fought off the calamities while nursing our wounds, and shared multiple heart-wrenching moments. Amon wouldn't know it, but he was the one who changed my life.
And this time, I will change his.
"..."
"At this moment, your heart may be filled with steel. You may have forgotten how to be human and love someone, but I swear… I will make you look my way."
This was a vow, both to me and him.
Unknowingly, my face had gone so close to his that our lips were about to touch. If I wished to, I could easily leap into his arms and force a kiss onto him. But that was far too early. I had to break Amon's defences slowly, and rushing into a relationship when he was still traumatised by his past would only push him away.
However, one day for sure…
"I swear… To make you love me again… We will become husband and wife. So…"
For us to change the fate of the world, for us to see the happy ending of this story, and… for both of our happiness.
"Amon Solaris! Marry me!"