As Raphiel and Miya slept together, Miya clung to him tightly, as if afraid he might run away. Every time he tried to pull away, she would just hold on tighter, so Raphiel had no choice but to give up.
Tomorrow, all of this madness would end, only to be replaced by an even greater absurdity. Raphiel wasn't sure if he was lucky or unlucky. Miya opened her eyes and, with a sly smile, whispered, "Even while sleeping, I want to spend time with you, and my instincts tell me you can help me with that." Realizing there was no escaping her, Raphiel gave her the Void. Before Miya's eyes, a message appeared.
"[External source detected attempting to alter the system. Do you approve of this change?]"
Miya looked at Raphiel with interest and approved the system notification. Immediately, she felt a profound transformation. Her instincts told her this was a very good thing. To thank him, she gave Raphiel a short but meaningful kiss and then, with a contented smile, drifted back to sleep. Meanwhile, Raphiel was filled with a sense of dread that something bad was coming.
While Miya slept, Raphiel noticed something unusual about her: her wolf ears were like vestigial organs, as her real ears were like a normal human's. They looked odd, so she hid them under her hair.
Before long, Miya figured out how to use the [Community] tab and invited Raphiel into her domain. She chatted with him, trying to get to know him better. The more time he spent with Miya, the more she clung to him like quicksand, making it hard to escape her influence.
After a while, Miya left the Void, claiming she had some things to attend to. She released her hold on Raphiel and shyly left the room. When morning came, Miya noticed something had changed about herself, and a wave of dread washed over her.
Seeing her worried expression, Raphiel felt touched and asked her about it. Miya explained, "In our tribe, there's a tradition that one shouldn't have extra ears before marriage because it's considered unlucky." Raphiel was shocked by this but said nothing. Miya continued, "Besides, I felt like it would be easier for you to accept me with just one pair of ears."
Raphiel felt regret, but it was too late for anything now. He gently asked, "Did it hurt?" Miya shook her head in denial, and although Raphiel sensed she was lying, he chose to believe her.
Raphiel embraced her warmly and whispered, "Liar." Despite the pain from her severed ears, Miya felt a sense of peace. Once again, her instincts had proven right. Looking into her eyes, Raphiel added, "Promise me. No matter what, don't ever hurt yourself again. If you do, I'll never forgive you." Miya's instincts urged her to refuse, but under Raphiel's intense gaze, all she could manage was a quiet "Yes."
---
In Vronna, preparations were in full swing, with nobles from all over gathered in the city, giving it a bustling energy like the capital itself. The king announced that he couldn't attend due to various reasons and sent a hero to represent him instead.
The hero was a girl named Selena, whose special talent was imbuing her cooking with buffs for those who ate it. Although not particularly useful in battle, Selena had great potential even without this unique skill.
Though the wedding was scheduled for that evening, many nobles had already arrived. They brought various gifts, which were stored in a separate room to be presented after the ceremony. Among them, a mermaid gift caught everyone's attention.
Miya mingled with the nobles, occasionally casting meaningful glances at Raphiel. When asked about her ears, Miya skillfully dodged the questions.
Many nobles tried to approach Raphiel in hopes of getting closer to Miya, but her intimidating glares forced them to back off. Everything seemed to be going smoothly until Selena arrived and shifted the atmosphere.
The two exchanged glances. Selena wanted to expose Raphiel but knew it would bring trouble upon herself. She reluctantly decided to act as if she knew nothing.
Raphiel clinked glasses with the young master of the Storm family, aware of their connection to Alice and harboring a good impression of them. Suddenly, an explosion rocked the scene, and everyone panicked.
Raphiel pulled out a new spell scroll Miya had given him that morning. It contained a shield spell. Miya quickly joined him, and Raphiel tore the scroll, creating a barrier that protected both of them from external attacks.
Other nobles activated similar protective artifacts, while servants, guards, and Selena lacked any such defense. Nobles habitually carried these single-use items, but they were too expensive for commoners.
Normally, the king would have given Selena one of these artifacts, but he hadn't expected her to face danger so soon. A demon appeared, letting out a villainous laugh, but was subdued within seconds.
Seeing the demon's disappointment, Raphiel felt a tinge of sympathy. From the demon's words, it became clear that he had come with allies who had ultimately betrayed him.
The demon was taken to the dungeon beneath the manor, and as the commotion subsided, Raphiel quietly left the scene with Miya. She knew what he intended to do but didn't interfere.
When they reached the demon, Miya smiled and said, "Here's a little gift. His fate is in your hands." Raphiel looked at the demon and asked him to explain everything. Initially distrustful, the demon named Gan quickly came to trust Raphiel. Gan, a pure-blooded demon, was an ideal candidate for receiving the Void since he lacked a system.
Raphiel said, "According to the king's laws, demons are unforgivable, so I can't set you free." Knowing this was true, Gan accepted it. Raphiel offered him two choices: death or becoming Raphiel's servant. Afraid of dying, Gan chose servitude without hesitation, and Raphiel shook his head at the demon's foolishness, knowing he could have made Gan's life a living hell if he'd had bad intentions.
Raphiel promised to visit daily but told him he'd have to stay here for now, secretly giving him the Void before leaving with Miya.
---
Time passed like water, and when the priest declared he could kiss the bride, Raphiel kissed her on the forehead. Everyone congratulated them and presented their gifts. When Raphiel saw the mermaid given as a wedding gift, he was astonished, sensing the Void within her.
Miya whispered in his ear, "Concubines aren't allowed," and Raphiel could only smile in response. After the wedding, the guests gradually left. Selena gave him a murderous look, but Miya's cold glare made her back off, trembling in fear.