Chapter 22: Wife

'Now I've done it. There's no going back now.'

It was early in the morning when the sun had just risen to shine its bright warmth on land.

Juan woke up after a ray of sunlight passed through a small gap in his window, which coincidentally heated his face.

Now, looking at the mess he made last night, Juan felt like a lifetime had passed as he stared at the ceiling while his mind elsewhere.

Looking at the right side, on top of his chest and right shoulder, lay the face of a sleeping young woman. Both were naked under the cover of the blanket.

He could clearly feel and see what's underneath the blanket that has been pressing on him all this time.

The softness and firmness, the elasticity of a young woman's body on top of him. Juan could only marvel and sigh at the joyful situation he was in.

'That was a wild night. I didn't expect this youthful body of mine to actually hide so much strength. Ceth, sorry; you had to go through such pain on your first night.'

It's not that he was showing off, nor was he prideful or arrogant. He really didn't expect himself to be such a beast yesterday night.

This made him have something in mind. There might be more to his youth than meets the eye.

"Hmm."

Suddenly, Juan stiffened at the slight sound and movements on top of him. He didn't want to move; he didn't want to wake her up.

There's this shame and embarrassment he can't explain after all that happened yesterday night.

But how could he escape fate when his destiny had already been written when he made the choice last night?

Those pair of pretty yet tired eyes slowly opened. In front of his face, the two eyes met just a few inches away from each other.

"Um... morning."

Juan could only brace himself and initiate the conversation to avoid the awkwardness around them.

Still, he could hear his heart start beating louder as the time passed by. She must have felt it too by now.

"Mm...ugh..."

Ceth, who hummed in response, suddenly winced in pain. Seeing such an expression from her suddenly made Juan nervous and worried.

"Ceth?"

Just as he was calling her name, he could feel those two long legs wrapped on top of his lower body seem to tremble after Ceth made some movements below.

"I'm okay. Don't worry."

Ceth answered softly, feeling tired all over her body. She closed her tired eyes and made her face closely stuck on Juan's neck.

Her breathe was lightly blowing Juan's sensitive neck with an ambiguous signal. This made his neck up to his face and ears turn a beet reddish.

"Are you in pain?"

To wince in pain after a movement below, there could only be one possibility for that to happen after what happened that night.

"Mm."

Indeed, Juan's guess is right. Though he didn't ask where the pain was, judging from Ceth's now blushing reaction, his guess must have been right.

Should he say sorry? Nah, Juan wouldn't do such silly thing. Instead, remaining silent was all he could do. It's his personality.

'Now what should I do from now on? I feel lost about what to do.'

Having a wife so suddenly and doing the deed straight away without any planning.

All he could do at that time was follow his desire to conquer and plant his seeds deeply inside her, marking her as his.

'Ah, men lose rationality when women tempt us with their bodies. When the deed is done, men mostly run away because they can't take responsibility.'

Most of the time, lust breaks all barriers without any fear of what might be the consequences thereafter.

Responsibility is a heavy word. Juan could almost feel a new weight pressing on his heart and shoulders.

'I can't run. I'm not that kind of person. Since you have given everything to me, How could I not kindly respond to that? '

Juan made up his mind that he would take responsibility and create a family with Ceth. Courage surged within him, which prompted him to say something.

"Ceth, from now on be my wife. No, your already my wife starting yesterday night."

With that said, in front of Ceth's face. Juan leaned forward and kissed her face.

Just in time for Ceth, who opened her eyes after hearing what Juan had said, she suddenly saw the latter's face nearing hers.

"M-mn?"

Two lips were once again pressed against each other. Juan's eyes were closed, while Ceth's eyes went wide, surprised that her mind went blank for a while.

When she came to her senses, Juan had already withdrawn. Leaving only the aftertaste of their kiss.

Ceth couldn't help but look dazedly at the face of the man before her. Juan was also looking at her with seriousness.

Though his face was beet red, so was Ceth.

"Mm."

Juan saw her nodding and suddenly showing a heartwarming smile. Different from Ceth's usual silent and expressionless face.

This is the first time Juan has seen her smile so warmly and brightly at this moment.

'They say people in love would automatically beautify the person they love as the most beautiful person in the world. Ceth is already pretty without any makeup...'

And yet she became even more beautiful in his eyes. No, she should be the most beautiful woman in the world—his world.

...

In the meantime, at the village chief house, The door opened.

"Your back."

Garu looked at his wife lovingly, despite his haggard look and tired body. After placing his things to the side, he stepped forward and hugged his wife.

"You stayed here all night? I told you to not wait for me whenever this happens, right? Look now, you're ruining your beautiful face."

However, the madam just rolled her eyes after hearing that. Instead, she looked at him silently. Seemingly waiting for him to say something.

Garu raised both his hands helplessly at the sight of that. It was at this moment that he, the village chief, was helpless against his wife's worry.

"Ceth really inherited this personality of yours, my wife."

They wouldn't ask, but their eyes and actions were pressuring him to say something.

This always happens when his wife is worried but doesn't want to create trouble in case it irritates him.

"It's...sigh~. It's a monster. We confirmed and met with it. I gathered the hunters and engaged with it in a fight, but."

Garu sighed wearily.

"We found it's weakness, but we can't use it against the monster, and the monster also can't do anything among us.... probably."

"However, although it can't do anything to us, we also can't leave it alone because it won't leave us even when we retreat back to the village."

"It's a strange monster that has no defined form or shape. It hides in the dark and gives you a scare from time to time."

"We can only accompany it till morning. When we sense that morning is coming, the monster has already disappeared. After waiting for some time, we return, seeing it's complete disappearance."

"But I know it's in there. In the forest, hiding among the bushes where shades of the eaves would never disappear."

"I might be getting busy these following days, so you better not wait for me every night. Lock the door, sleep early, and by the next day, you will see me."

A monster is a very dangerous creature living somewhere. They are each unique and special.

They go by in many forms, which is why Garu wasn't surprised. He remembered the teachings of his predecessor.

"Monsters come in many different shapes and forms. Is this one dangerous? Will you be okay?"

The madam spoke after Garu's explanation.

Garu immediately showed his muscles, which were the source of his confidence.

"I, the village chief, am your husband, the strongest hunter in our [Greenfield Village]. Not to mention, we already knew the weakness of that monster."

Monsters are powerful and bizarre, but they are not invincible. Just like how each of them is unique and special, their weakness is also their opposite.

"It won't take long before we can bring it down. This one is easier than the others, but the problem is, we are afraid of causing wildfires. The forest may suffer."

Garu sat down on the chair and leaned back with his arms on the table behind him. He took some breaths of relief as he started to relax.

Seeing him like this, his wife immediately walked towards the kitchen.

"You must be hungry, just wait for a while; I'll heat the food yesterday."

The madam said it much more gently this time.

This made Garu glance over and saw his wife's expression returning to normal, which made him greatly relaxed; he almost wanted to sleep.

However, he can't do that. His wife hasn't even slept a wink, yet she is working in the kitchen, preparing him his meal after all.

How could he waste his wife's effort? That would be disrespectful. So he can only keep his mind busy to fight the drowsiness eating away at his mind right now.

"Right, did Juan come here yet? Where's Ceth? She should be awake by this time."

It was just a passing question, and yet he suddenly felt his heart skipping a beat which made his mind woke up a bit.

"Hmm? Strange, why do I feel upset for some reason just now?" Garu muttered dazedly.