The Roma Kingdom's main plaza was alive with chaos.
Vendors shouted, kids ran with toy swords, and knights marched proudly under fluttering flags. The Knighthood Festival was tomorrow — and the streets looked like a battlefield made of ribbons and confetti.
In the middle of it all stood Gomu, holding a bucket of paint with both trembling hands.
"Well," he muttered, "I can move an entire table with my mind, but apparently, lifting a bucket is 'better training'."
Across the square, Seraphina stood on a ladder, effortlessly hanging banners. Her muscles flexed as she tied the royal crest with perfect precision. Every passing knight stopped to stare in awe.
One even whispered, "Lady Seraphina could probably punch a dragon unconscious."
Gomu sighed. "Yep. That's my wife. A living legend… and my worst nightmare."
Seraphina looked down at him. "You're muttering again."
"I'm praising you! Totally praising you!" he said quickly.
Then he tried to move the heavy paint bucket with his telekinesis instead. It wobbled in midair, dripping blue paint onto his hair.
Plop.
Seraphina blinked. "You're… blue."
"New fashion trend," Gomu said, pretending to comb his wet hair. "I call it 'Knight Husband Chic.'"
When the festival supervisor — an old lady named Granny Molla — approached, she clasped her hands dramatically.
"Oh my! Seraphina, dear, you've married such a… unique man!"
Seraphina hesitated. "He's… unique, yes."
Gomu grinned. "Thank you, Granny. My uniqueness is my charm."
"Indeed, dear. Just don't float any food stands again this year. Last time, my pies ended up on the castle roof."
Gomu looked offended. "That was an experiment in aerodynamics."
By noon, the work was nearly done. Gomu lay on the grass, staring up at the clouds, arms behind his head.
Seraphina sat beside him, her armor glinting in the sunlight.
"You worked harder today," she said softly.
"Did I? I thought I just survived."
She smiled — a small, rare thing. "That counts as progress."
He turned his head toward her. "You know, when you smile like that, it's kind of unfair."
"Unfair?"
"Yeah. Makes me forget you could throw me across the kingdom if you wanted to."
She chuckled — a sound that made his chest feel warm. "Don't tempt me."
A group of kids suddenly ran by, waving wooden swords.
"Sir Gomu! Lady Seraphina! Play knights with us!"
Gomu sat up, horrified. "No no no, I don't do knight things."
Seraphina raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Scared you'll lose to children?"
"Emotionally? Yes."
Before he could run, one kid charged — Gomu's telekinesis reflexively lifted him off the ground.
The boy giggled as he floated midair.
"Woah! Magic!"
Soon all the kids were floating in circles, laughing and pretending to fly. Seraphina watched, surprised — even amused.
"You're good with them," she said.
Gomu shrugged. "Kids get me. We both believe naps are sacred."
When the children left, Seraphina looked at him for a long moment.
"You act lazy," she said, "but you care deeply."
He blinked. "Whoa, that almost sounded like a compliment."
"It wasn't," she said, looking away — but the faint blush on her cheeks betrayed her words.
Gomu grinned. "Sure it wasn't."
As the sun dipped below the rooftops, Seraphina stood and offered him her hand.
"Come on, lazy husband. Let's go home."
He took it — not with his telekinesis this time, but with his own hand.
"Yeah," he said softly. "Let's."