章 120: Chapter 120

The moon shimmered with ethereal beauty, casting long shadows over the tranquil night. The air was refreshingly cool, accentuated by the hushed silence that had settled upon the streets as most had retired for the night.

The only remnants of activity were the faint echoes emanating from the still-open bars and the occasional stumbling figure making their way home.

Cradling Tsubaki in my arms, I couldn't help but smile as she snuggled closer to me, seeking warmth whenever a gust of wind blew too forcefully.

It was a heartwarming sight, but I knew better than to be ensnared in any troublesome matters at this hour.

The city, both day and night, held its fair share of dangers, but the shadiest activities tended to unfold in the darkness. As such, I had no interest in getting involved, so I hurried home.

Upon arriving at my familia manor, I noticed that most of the lights were extinguished, signalling that my familia members had already succumbed to sleep.

I navigated my way towards one of the unoccupied guest rooms on the ground floor, intending to lay Tsubaki down for the night.

However, a problem arose as she adamantly refused to let go of me. Initially unsure how to proceed, I eventually devised a solution.

Using my tail, I painstakingly stacked warm pillows into a human-like shape, a makeshift bed for her to latch onto.

This allowed me to extricate myself from her embrace, and as she nestled against the pillows, I was freed.

Sighing, I couldn't help but mutter, "What an exhausting ordeal." Leaving the guest room behind, I recollected my picnic basket and pondered its whereabouts, wondering if it still rested upon the kitchen counter.

As I stepped into the kitchen, my eyes fell upon a note left by Bahamut. Curiosity piqued, I read it aloud, unable to contain a chuckle at the slightly cheesy writing style.

"Thanks for the food. I'll share it with Hephaestus. Love from your super awesome lover, Bahamut. Oh, don't wait up late; I won't be back tonight.".

Despite my initial plans being thwarted, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that the food had brought joy to someone.

"Well, I suppose I'll retire for the night," I muttered to myself. My scheduled date with Rose wasn't scheduled for another week or so, and although I considered arranging a proper outing with Tsubaki, she appeared content with how things were, so there was no need to rush.

The next morning, I awoke to the cacophony of bustling streets as a new day began. It was time to immerse myself in the grind for Excelia once more.

Making my way downstairs, I first headed to the bathroom, then moved on to the kitchen.

"Morning, Draco nii," greeted my familia members, their voices filled with warmth.

"Good morning, everyone. How are your endeavours in the dungeon progressing?" I inquired, realizing that it had been some time since we last conversed about it.

"We're doing fairly well, just experiencing a few minor encounters with the Soma familia," Vasiliki responded, her voice tinged with a hint of concern.

"What exactly happened?" I asked, my concern deepening.

"It seems they've been extorting money from weaker adventurers on the 4th to 8th floors," she explained.

"Hmm, sounds like something they would do," I mused silently. "Are you confident in handling the situation yourselves?" I asked, offering my assistance if necessary.

"Yes, we believe we can handle it," Michalis assured me this time.

Just as inquiries and discussions were taking place, Eleni interjected, her voice filled with a mix of tiredness and anticipation.

"Draco nii, when will you come to inspect the potions? It's been quite a while since I brought it up."

"Ah, my apologies. I completely forgot," I admitted, genuine remorse evident in my voice. It was true; the matter had slipped my mind entirely.

Suddenly, Tsubaki's voice broke through the conversation, her tone slightly disoriented yet tinged with affection. "Yawn, what's with all the noise? Where am I? Where is Draco?"

As everyone turned their attention to her, I smiled warmly. It seemed that the night's events had left her momentarily bewildered.

Tsubaki made her way to the kitchen conveniently located near the guest rooms. As I spotted her, I greeted her with a cheerful "Morning, Tsubaki."

With a pained expression, Tsubaki responded, "Draco, what happened yesterday?" Her hangover was clearly taking its toll.

I couldn't help but playfully tease her, saying, "I simply won our little drinking competition, but unfortunately, I didn't receive the promised reward because someone got knocked out quickly." It was true; in her intoxicated state, she had promised me a kiss as a prize.

"Yo.u," Tsubaki started, then paused, as if the headache was too much to bear. Before she could finish her sentence, Dimitra muttered, "Sigh, another woman."

Meanwhile, Nikolaos whispered, "No way, he actually snagged Tsubaki." The rest of my familia members started to exchange whispers amongst themselves.

Clearing my throat, I realized I had forgotten to introduce Tsubaki to everyone.

"Ahem, I apologize, I haven't introduced you guys yet. This is Tsubaki, and Tsubaki, these are my familia members," I stated, gesturing towards each individual. Tsubaki and my familia members nodded and exchanged greetings.

Suddenly, I noticed that Lili was missing. "Wait, where is Lili?" I inquired, curious about her whereabouts. A thought crossed my mind. Could she have gone out with Bahamut?

"Lili is out back, training with her spear," Vasileios informed me. Taking in this information, I questioned the rest of my familia members, "And what exactly are you all doing here?"

Michalis, looking out at the sky, exclaimed, "Ahem, has it gotten that late already? It's time to head to the dungeon." With that, he swiftly made his exit, followed by the rest of my familia, each offering their excuses and departing. Soon, it was just Tsubaki and me left in the room.

I handed her a glass of water, prompting her to drink it. "Here, drink this. It will make you feel better," I offered kindly. Tsubaki expressed her gratitude with a simple "Thanks."

A brief silence ensued, so I took the opportunity to tease her about our supposed date from the previous night. However, my intention behind the teasing was to gauge where we truly stood in our relationship.

"Was I not clear enough?" Tsubaki asked, her tone slightly frustrated.

Confused, I responded, "What do you mean?"

Sighing, Tsubaki looked at me intently and said, "Look, it's simple. I like you, and you like me. We don't need fancy dates or anything like that."

Feeling as though I had stepped on a landmine during our conversation, I apologized, admitting my inexperience in matters of love. "Sorry, I am still somewhat new to all of this," I confessed.

Tsubaki let out another exasperated sigh. "So, is that a yes or no?" she asked, seemingly wanting a straight answer.

Trying to process the situation and make sense of her question, I racked my brain. This felt like a crucial turning point in our relationship, and I didn't want to mess it up. "Yes, Tsubaki. Will you be my lover?" I replied, hoping it was the right response.

With a smile on her face, Tsubaki affirmed, "That's the right answer." She leaned in and kissed me passionately, leaving my head spinning as she hurriedly left the room.

Feeling a mixture of excitement and confusion, I muttered to myself, "Okay, I have no idea what just happened, but I must have given the right answer, even though I'm not entirely sure what I was answering."

As I contemplated the whirlwind of emotions and events, I couldn't help but wonder what the future held for Tsubaki and me.

A/N: Soz no pounding.