Speedrun 39

(Olivia POV)

With my heightened senses, I sensed it—the powerful, undeniable tug that space exerted on me. I couldn't resist it, as if space itself was Andy's domain, ruled with an unyielding grip.

He had grown more powerful, surpassing me once again, leaving me trailing far behind.

Was the training I've done worth only this much?

He raced towards the unknown, and I could only hope he wouldn't abandon me completely.

The world warped around me, and in a moment smaller than I could comprehend, I found myself surrounded by an explosion of colors.

My breath caught, and my eyes widened in awe as I stood in the midst of a breathtaking flower garden that extended as far as the eye could see. Countless fragrances blended, assaulting my senses with the sweet symphony of myriad distinct flowers.

The sheer grandeur of the display was almost overwhelming, both visually and aromatically. The blossoms swayed gracefully, their colors merging into a captivating tapestry that extended to the distant horizon. It was a sensory masterpiece, a kaleidoscope of nature's beauty unfolding before me.

My eyes swept across my surroundings, a futile attempt to locate Andy, who seemed to be eluding all of my senses. While on the search for him, my attention couldn't help but be drawn to the myriad of peculiar flowers, some of which resembled polished crystals that sparkled enchantingly. It was undeniably beautiful, though a few seemed oddly placed, prompting a playful pout.

"Whoever created this place clearly knows nothing about flower arrangements," I chuckled, shaking my head as a small smile graced my face.

Before me lay a pathway constructed of gleaming, polished crystals, inviting me to move forward toward a crystalline bridge that gracefully arched over a small, crystal-clear creek. The bridge harmonized seamlessly with the natural surroundings, almost as if it had organically sprouted from the earth itself.

Upon closer examination, its peculiarities became apparent, appearing more like a product of nature with its transparent footing and clear railing rather than a man-made addition. The scene was otherworldly, akin to a fairy tale materializing before my very eyes.

I stepped forward with a spring in my step, relishing the breeze and the warmth of the sunlight on my skin. "If only I wasn't wearing only a towel..." I muttered, only to halt mid-step as I finally noticed the sensation of 'freedom' I now experienced.

"When did he change my outfit..." I murmured in surprise, my eyes trailing down the shoulder-less, white sundress I was now adorned with. It was rather frilly and not exactly my style, but knowing Andy enjoyed seeing me in dresses, I didn't find the heart to object.

A stronger breeze, carrying a hint of magic, showered me with petals of myriad colors, prompting me to instinctively hold down my dress. Simultaneously, I realized the suspicious tingle the air had caused and the subsequent absence of my undergarments.

"Sneaky..." I muttered with a chuckle, playfully squinting my eyes as I attempted to locate the man responsible for all of this. Yet, despite my efforts, I still couldn't sense him at all. "Mai, where is Andy?" I inquired, anticipating a prompt response from the spirit, but suspiciously, no answer came.

"You claimed just a minute ago that you can sense everything in this universe," I pouted, expressing my dismay, yet once again, no response came. "Suspicious," I muttered, narrowing my eyes. However, instead of lingering in one place, I decided to follow the obvious path, now marked with wooden signs that sprouted out from the earth itself, pointing me in a specific direction.

Crossing the bridge, I followed the directions. Each step I took produced a faint, melodic tune, as if the crystal underneath my, for some reason, bare feet hummed with delight. After my initial surprise, I didn't dwell on the obviously magical path, as its faint hum receded into the background, instead, my senses focused on the magical forest that lay ahead.

Like the tintinnabulation of wind chimes, the blue, faintly glowing trees resonated throughout the forest with each gentle gust of wind. Thousands of small flowers, shaped like miniature white stars, and fully in bloom adorned each tree, and once again my breath was taken away.

"Andy wouldn't create something like this out of pure boredom," I mumbled. My eyes widened, and my pulse quickened as my mind finally realized that something big was about to happen.

My steps quickened, and as if the path itself had shrunk, the melodic forest was left behind in a blur. That's when my senses finally picked up a hint of something. My head snapped to the side, my eyes focusing on the shadow of a solitary tree half a mile away.

The world once again blurred around me, and with a single step, the distance shrunk in an instant.

The shadow of the tree receded, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "I know you're there, Andy," I stated, a small smile spreading across my face as I made my way towards it. "It was a nice hide-and-seek, but I'd rather hear why you wanted to show me this place~" I added in a sing-song voice, placing a palm on the tree and looking behind it, only to find nothing there.

"He and his teleportation abilities..." I huffed and pouted, crossing my arms in front of my chest, and finally gave the tree itself a good look.

It was a strange one, more normal compared to the things I've seen so far, with a wide base and a towering structure that branched out towards the heavens. It looked almost mundane, well, if you disregarded one important factor—the pink, heart-shaped leaves that covered its treetop.

"It's cute," I mumbled absentmindedly as my hand rapped on the tree trunk, causing countless leaves to fall.

And then I sensed something...

My throat tightened, and I gulped audibly, attempting to swallow the rising tide of nerves that threatened to overwhelm me. In a desperate attempt to compose myself, I drew in a deep breath, the sweet fragrance of the surrounding flowers offering a fleeting moment of respite before I mustered the courage to turn around.

"Olivia," his voice, a symphony of emotions, resonated through the air. There, in a scene of raining hearts of wonder, Andrew knelt on one knee, his eyes locking onto mine, and in his hands, a small box held the promise of an unspoken question.

A whirlwind of feelings surged within me as I met his gaze. His face wore a myriad of emotions—fear, worry, and palpable anxiety—but beneath it all, a fierce determination radiated from his eyes. My mind blurred, my heartbeat quickened, and my eyes widened in astonishment. Overwhelmed with emotion, my hand instinctively flew to my mouth, attempting to stifle the imminent scream of joy threatening to burst forth.

A tentative step forward brought me closer to the moment that held the potential to change my life forever. Andrew, sensing my movement, took a steadying breath, his eyes never leaving mine. As his lips parted, ready to reveal the depths of his heart, my own lips moved with a spontaneity that surprised even me.

"Yes!" I squealed, the sheer joy in my voice a testament to the whirlwind of emotions coursing through me. The declaration caused Andrew to pause, a chuckle escaping him, breaking the tension that hung in the air.

"At least let me finish the question," he teased with a smile, the lines of nervousness on his face softening.

"Olivia..."

"yes."

"Will..."

"Yes."

"Marry..."

"YES."

"Me?"

"YES, YES, YES, YES! A thousand times YES!" I exclaimed, my enthusiasm bubbling over. Without a moment's hesitation, I jumped into his arms, showering him with kisses as we gently tumbled onto the ground. My arms found their way around his neck, and he embraced me with love.

As we eased back, a tender smile graced my face.

"So..." he began, scratching the back of his head, "Would you allow me to put the ring on your finger?"

"Oh, right," I chuckled, almost forgetting about that part. I reluctantly pulled back and sat in front of him, while my hand trembled in excitement, as I presented it to him.

"If I had known you would be so thrilled about this, I would have asked earlier," he mused, shaking his head, an eternal smile playing on his cheeks as he reached for the small box that had fallen beside him.

"Oh, shush, you," I playfully retorted, my eyes fixated on the box as he painstakingly opened it.

After what felt like an eternity, my eyes finally landed on the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. My breath caught, and I stood there in awe as the thin white band delicately touched my skin, and a power akin to nothing I'd ever felt washed over me as it was slowly placed on my finger.

I momentarily ignored the intricate carvings on it, my eyes drawn to the perfectly cut crystal the size of a fingernail nestled in the middle. Inside it, a swirling cloud of multicolored dust danced, adorned with countless bright spots, all arranged in the shape of a Lily.

"Vow of Eternity," Andrew's words pulled me out of my dazzled state, and I looked up to him in wonder. "That's the name of the ring," he clarified, a wry smile gracing his face. "I hope you like it."

"I love it," I said, a wide smile spreading across my face. Once again, I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him into a deep and passionate kiss.

As we parted, so did my lips, and in a husky tone I expressed the deepest desires of my heart, "Now, put a baby in me, Husband~"

(Andy POV)

'Aaaaaaa!' In that fleeting moment, I felt myself freeze, my mind racing at a thousand miles a second, a silent scream echoing within.

Calming my nerves in an instant, I gulped, locking eyes with the one who had captured my heart. Beneath her charming smile, I glimpsed a profound desire for family, a longing to belong, and the need for unconditional love.

Taking a deep breath, I made my decision, 'Forget it! Hopefully, I have enough power to keep them safe.'

I nodded, a courageous smile spreading across my cheeks. "Your wish is my command, my love."

(Aletia POV)

"I can't believe he took her and just like that left without a word!" I exclaimed, my arms raised up high in annoyance as I paced in the living room.

"Do you know where they went?" I asked, turning to the spirit lounging on the sofa. Her legs were raised up high, carelessly swaying back and forth, accompanied by the two pets nonchalantly watching TV.

"It would be hard not to know," she shrugged. "There is a single place in this entire realm that I cannot observe currently. But I also know that it's better if we don't intrude on their alone time... They've been apart for some time, and Master has been working on that garden for quite a while now." She replied, not even taking her eyes off the TV, which was playing some kind of stupid cooking show.

I focused on the screen, trying to discern what was so captivating about it, and spotted a black-skinned woman explaining something. 'The terror of a soggy bottom has been keeping me up all night...' With how ridiculous that sounded, I couldn't help but give the universal spirit a deadpan look.

Ignoring my questions regarding the terrors of soggy bottoms, I asked the important question, "What garden?"

"Oh, from what Master told me, Mistress likes gardening," Mai responded, and Sky, Olivia's pet, agreed with a cute and enthusiastic little bark, momentarily pulling our attention. Mai smiled, ruffling the head of the cute little wolf, and continued her explanation, "So... Master made a space station the size of an average moon, orbiting one of the nearby stars. It currently houses a few million different species of plants, mostly flowers of all kinds, all for her." She said with a gentle smile.

"That's... How should I put it... Quite romantic and a bit out of his character?" I admitted with a wry smile.

"Nah, not really." She said with a smile, "Master would bring down the stars for her." She stopped for a moment and chuckled, "And he actually did bring down a few!"

"What do you mean?" I asked with a confused expression.

"Oh, he made her this wonderful ring, with an entire galaxy within it, with countless stars and a large nebula!" She giggled, showing a projection of the ring in the air, "He started working on it around the same time he started building that garden, and it took him ages to complete." She said with a smile, "He poured his soul into it, and I mean literally like there is a part of it inside of it."

"Wow..." I blinked, my eyes glued to the mesmerizing swirling clouds of the gem. "He is crazy..."

"Crazy in love!" She exclaimed with a giggle. "That's what he is! But it's cute." She added swiftly.

I rolled my eyes at her antics, but deep down, I gained a hint of respect and a new understanding toward my new boss. "So... What the hell are you watching?" I asked, changing the topic unable to contain my curiosity.

"Oh, a TV show called 'The Great British Bake Off'!" she exclaimed in wonder. "It's wonderful!"

With a sigh, I walked up to her and pushed her legs off the sofa. "Scoot over..."

With that, we delved into the deep intricacies of cookies, cakes and pastries, and as the episodes swiftly passed, and we didn't even notice the hours flying by.