The morning after the Dungeon outbreak, Aeron walked alone through Orario with a calm smile. He moved like a breeze drifting through stone streets—effortless, unbothered.
He was heading toward the Hephaestus storefront.
Not to buy anything.
Just to be petty.
He stopped in front of a plot of land pressed right between the Hephaestus Familia's main blacksmithing hall and a long row of artisan shops. The land was occupied by an aging commercial building still bearing soot from decades of smiths renting it.
An agent approached him nervously.
"S-Sir Aeron, this entire property is extremely expensive—"
Aeron handed over a satchel of valis so heavy the man almost dislocated a shoulder.
"I'll take it," he said simply.
The agent blinked. "A-All of it?!"
"Yes."
Aeron walked forward, surveying the building with a contemplative tilt of his head.
"Demolish it."
The man paled. "W-What?"
"Demolish everything on this land," Aeron repeated, smiling gently. "I want a fresh start."
Within an hour, crews arrived.
And within ten minutes, Aeron secretly used Creative Mode to speed the demolition behind the scenes—breaking beams, weakening foundations, nudging rubble.
Workers shouted in shock.
"H-How did it fall so cleanly?!"
"It's like the supports just… gave up!"
"This is the easiest demolition I've ever done!"
Aeron just smiled politely.
By evening, the land was completely cleared.
And that night, he built.
Marble.
White stone.
Gold leaf.
Graceful archways.
Pools lined with water lilies.
Greek-style columns entwined with carved vines.
It became a grand public park—shimmering in moonlight, serene, spacious, elegant.
When he finished, he placed a sign at the entrance.
"This land was originally going to be another shop,
but I didn't want to steal all of Hephaestus Familia's customers.
So I decided to give back to the community instead."
—Aeron"
He stood back, admiring his work.
"The pettiness is immaculate," he murmured to himself, smiling.
And it was.
By dawn, the Hephaestus Familia woke to customers crying with laughter in front of the sign.
"Tsubaki, LOOK!"
"Tsubaki, he made a PARK!"
"And he said he didn't wanna steal our customers!"
"Tsubaki, he's calling us LOOSERS!"
Tsubaki just stared blankly at the sign, sweating bullets.
"...That elf is mocking us."
Hephaestus herself stared in disbelief before pinching the bridge of her nose.
"That elf… is a problem."
---
Hostess of Fertility — The Night Everything Changes
Later that evening, Aeron walked into the Hostess of Fertility.
The bar was lively.
Warm air humming with conversation.
Mia shouting at someone from behind the counter.
Adventurers laughing loudly as they'd already begun drinking for the night.
Aeron rarely drank.
But tonight?
Today was a victory lap.
He sat at the counter and ordered a drink.
Just one.
Which became two.
Then three.
And Mia, smirking, slid him a fourth without being asked.
"Drink, pretty boy," she said.
Aeron blinked—slowly.
The alcohol warmed his cheeks.
His thoughts softened.
His balance stayed perfect because he was Aeron—
—but his restraint loosened.
He turned slightly.
Someone had just walked into the Hostess.
Green hair.
Emerald eyes.
Elven posture graceful and commanding.
Riveria Ljos Alf.
Their eyes met.
And Aeron's alcohol-softened mind whispered:
She looks beautiful.
Riveria approached him with a slightly tense expression.
"I heard you were here."
Aeron smiled lazily. "Did you come for a drink?"
Riveria opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
"…Perhaps."
She sat beside him.
The closeness felt warm—dangerously warm.
They talked.
Longer than either expected.
Riveria normally kept her emotions sealed. But tonight his gentle tone and faint intoxication softened her composure.
"You truly built a park to be petty?" she asked quietly.
Aeron chuckled. "It was funny."
Riveria covered her mouth with her hand, shoulders trembling—
—she was laughing.
An elf of royal nobility, laughing at pettiness.
Alcohol warmed Aeron's veins again.
His eyes softened.
Riveria noticed—her pulse quickened.
Then Aeron leaned closer.
Closer.
Until she could feel the soft warmth of his breath brushing her cheek.
"Riveria…" he whispered.
Her heart almost stopped.
"Yes?" she breathed.
Aeron leaned in—
And kissed her.
Soft.
Warm.
Longer than a second.
Too gently to be forceful.
Too firmly to be accidental.
Riveria froze.
Absolutely stunned.
Her hands hovered in shock at his chest without pushing him away.
A long moment passed—
—before she allowed her eyes to close, lips trembling into the kiss without meaning to.
When he finally pulled back, she stared at him with wide, stunned eyes.
"You… kissed me."
Aeron smiled faintly.
"You looked beautiful," he murmured.
And Riveria—Riveria Ljos Alf, royal-blooded, proud, disciplined—lost all ability to speak.
She stood abruptly, grabbed his arm without thinking, and whispered:
"We're leaving."
---
Riveria Brings Him Home
Despite Aeron being perfectly able to walk, Riveria held his arm tightly the entire way back—cheeks still flushed, ears burning, mind a mess.
They reached the Emporium.
Riveria opened the door, guiding him inside.
"Where… is your room?" she asked weakly.
"Fifth floor," Aeron murmured.
Riveria swallowed hard.
She led him up the stairs.
He opened the bedroom door.
And Aeron, still warm from alcohol, gently took Riveria's hand and pulled her toward him—
—not forcefully.
But softly.
Invitingly.
Riveria stumbled forward and caught herself on the bed—her body pressed lightly against his.
"A-Aeron…?"
He didn't say a word.
He simply wrapped his arms around her and lay back, pulling her down with him—his breathing softening as he drifted instantly into sleep.
Riveria froze like a statue.
Her face was pressed against his chest.
His arms remained wrapped around her waist.
Her entire royal-trained mind shut down.
She couldn't move.
She couldn't think.
She couldn't even breathe right.
"…I'm… in his arms," she whispered helplessly.
"…Sleeping… together?"
She stayed like that.
All night.
Eyes open.
Heart racing.
Mind blank.
And somewhere deep inside her—
—she didn't want to leave.
---
Morning — Rumors Explode Across Orario
The next morning, Aeron still slept peacefully.
Riveria, however, was sitting upright on the bed, staring hollowly at the opposite wall.
Her face was still crimson.
Her mind was still broken.
And her body was still very much wrapped in Aeron's arms.
When he stirred awake, blinking sleepily, Riveria snapped her gaze toward him.
Her voice came out quiet, high, and utterly flustered.
"Good morning."
Aeron smiled softly. "You stayed."
Her heart nearly burst.
"I—It was late and—You—You kissed me—and—And I—You fell asleep—And—"
Aeron gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Thank you for staying."
Her breath caught.
She fled the bed.
"W-We will speak later!"
And she ran out the door.
---
Loki Familia Interrogation Scene — LONG, COMEDIC, AND CHAOTIC
Riveria returned to the Twilight Manor.
And the entire Loki Familia was waiting.
In the lobby.
Staring.
In silence.
Tiona leaned forward. "Sooooo… Riveriaaaaaaa~"
Tione smirked. "Rough night?"
Bete pointed at her, snarling. "YOU SMELL LIKE A MAN."
Riveria turned bright red. "I—WHAT—NO—THAT IS—"
Aiz blinked softly. "…You slept at Aeron's shop."
Riveria's knees nearly buckled.
Loki herself sauntered forward, grinning like a fox who found the henhouse.
"Well well WELL, Riveriaaaaa, what's this about you spending the night in a man's bed~?"
Riveria nearly died on the spot.
"It was NOTHING—NOTHING inappropriate happened!"
"Riiiiight," Tiona sang.
"Sure," Tione teased.
Aiz tilted her head. "Did you two… kiss?"
Riveria covered her face with both hands.
"T-That was AN ACCIDENT!"
Tione leaned forward. "What did his lips feel like~?"
"TIONE!" Riveria shrieked.
Loki slung an arm around her. "Come oooon, tell your goddess! Mommy Loki needs DETAILS!"
Riveria screamed internally.
Bete barked, "IF YOU GOT COMPROMISED WE'RE THROWING YOU IN A DUNGEON."
Tiona elbowed him. "Bete, shut up."
Aiz quietly asked again, "Did you… like it?"
Riveria froze.
Silence fell.
Her cheeks pinked softly.
"…I don't know," she whispered.
Tiona screamed.
Tione screamed.
Loki screamed.
Bete howled.
Aiz blinked softly, confused.
And Riveria wished the earth would swallow her whole.