Chapter 80 Seclusion
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The awakening event never came.
Last night, Marina had lost all control—wild, wordless, until both of them collapsed in exhaustion. Yet now her warmth was gone. No birdsong, no rustle, no trace of life in the room. The silence pressed close, and for a moment Yuuri wondered if he’d dreamed her entirely.
Still naked, he opened the adjoining door to her study without hesitation. He hadn’t heard a sound, so he didn’t expect her to be there—but on the desk lay a folded note.
’Good morning, sleepyhead. I’m making breakfast, so take a shower and come to the cafeteria when you’re done!’
The handwriting was neat yet hesitant, letters drawn with care. It was their old tongue—the language of the Kingdom of Restea—something only the two of them still remembered. She could have written it in the fluent script of this world, but she hadn’t. She’d chosen the language of their past, of shared souls. A small act of affection, one only he could read.
”That woman—” Yuuri murmured, brushing a thumb over the ink. Her script was unsteady, like a melody he half remembered, and yet it struck him deep. He’d seen that language printed on old workshop manuals, but never written by her hand. Somehow, the fact that Marina had chosen these words to reach him stirred something far stronger than he’d expected. The loneliness of waking alone eased, just a little.
”Being naked… might be a problem,” he muttered.
It had been a long time since he’d woken without another’s warmth. Once, solitude had been normal—but now it felt wrong, like a missing heartbeat. Perhaps that was why her absence irked him more than it should have. He’d even imagined ambushing her on the way to the showers, half in jest, half from lingering irritation. He’d considered—absurdly—walking all the way to the pool without a stitch of clothing, just to spite her.
But the sight of that delicate handwriting—so unlike her usual practiced grace—snapped him out of it. Was she clever enough to plan that effect? Probably not. And yet… with Marina, the golden girl of Restea, even chance could feel like destiny. He found himself smiling at the thought.
* * *
In the end, he pulled on a spare tracksuit—no underwear, just to avoid staining anything—and retraced yesterday’s path through the academy halls. Naturally, that meant passing by the cafeteria. Naturally, Marina found him first.
”Good morning, Yuuri. Isn’t it a beautiful day?” she said brightly.
”Oh, morning. Sorry I’m late. You feeling all right?”
Even without seeing her, there was no hiding from a servant’s keen sense of smell. Sure enough, she poked her head from the doorway, eyes gleaming. She moved with a bounce in her step, nothing like the wilted creature who’d collapsed the night before. For a moment he worried she was overexerting herself, but her skin glowed with health—no exhaustion, only energy.
”Oh, don’t stare like that♡” Marina laughed, touching her flushed cheeks. “You spoiled me so much last night, I can’t stop smiling♡ Don’t worry, I’m perfectly fine. My heart’s been dancing since sunrise♡”
”I see. I was afraid I’d pushed you too far. Glad to hear it was only my imagination.”
She blushed deeper, tilting her head, and he couldn’t help feeling a little unfairly treated. After all, he was the one who needed more sleep. Maybe, he mused wryly, servants like her drained their master in the act only to draw strength from what they received afterward. Judging by her vigor, she might have recovered faster than he did. Having three such devoted servants might actually shorten his lifespan.
”Mm, Yuuri, you smell so nice♡” she teased, leaning close. “But hurry and wash up. Breakfast will be ready soon.”
”R-right. Food won’t taste right if I’m still dirty. Thanks for cooking.”
And perhaps he wasn’t wrong. Even as she spoke, her chest rose and fell a touch too quickly, as if catching the scent of what lingered between them. His body twitched in response, and her golden eyes flicked downward for a fleeting moment before she smiled knowingly.
Normally, he would have taken that as invitation enough. But today, he forced restraint. The kitchen likely had a pot on the stove, and she’d clearly washed and dressed neatly for cooking. If he lost control now, breakfast would turn into leftover bread at best.
”Uh-uh♡ Not now, okay?♡ I’m a little tempted too, but I want you to taste my cafeteria cooking first♡”
”Ugh… it’s your outfit’s fault,” he grumbled.
The thought of her—neatly dressed, cheerful—only stoked his desire. She wore a triangular headscarf tied over her golden hair, a modest apron embroidered with a small carrot, sleeves rolled up like a domestic goddess straight out of a dream. Somehow, even that plain apron made her look more charming, more mature.
”Hehe, thank you♡ Yuuri likes the homely type, huh? I’ll keep that in mind for next time♡”
”What—no, that’s not—just… be gentle. I’ll go shower.”
Unable to trust himself, Yuuri turned away, leaving his adorable, teasing wife behind. Her gaze lingered on his back all the way to the hall, warm enough to burn.
* * *
After breakfast in the cafeteria, they spent a quiet while discussing future plans.
Private domains were convenient for such talks—no need to clean up afterward when the space itself would vanish later. Dishes could stay where they were. They simply moved to the next table, steaming cups of green tea between them.
Even then, the discussion didn’t begin right away. Marina had gone all out on breakfast, and though the domain would eventually dissolve, neither of them could bring themselves to waste food they’d prepared with their own hands.
The cooking hall’s great cauldron had been far too large, so Marina had followed a small-scale recipe on the side burner instead. The miso soup, grilled fish, sunny-side-up eggs, and salad—familiar, homey dishes—were plentiful, yet hunger from the previous night’s exertions made sure nothing went to waste.
”So, we’ll head out after lunch,” Marina said, resting her chin on one hand. “I’d feel bad sending a worn-out Yuuri back to Suzuri.”
”Fair enough. Let’s look around for anything we can take before then.”
Once their full stomachs settled, she brought up the return plan. What remained was simple: gather materials useful for future labyrinth expeditions. Yet most necessities were already in the workshop, leaving little to collect.
”Hard to make a list,” Marina mused. “There isn’t much I can carry at once. Let’s just gather whatever stands out later. What matters more is how we’ll use this realm from now on—and how we’ll handle skill creation.”
”Agreed,” Yuuri said. “As the realm’s owner and your… advisor, deciding between us makes sense.”
He had expected their talk to stay within the boundaries of this space. But as Marina laid out the agenda, he realized she was right—this was the perfect moment to speak freely. Ashley and Suzuri, loyal as they were, tended to defer to authority. If he and Marina were going to weave new skills from the Holy Sword’s essence, now was the time for honesty.
He nodded, and Marina’s expression turned businesslike.
”First, the name,” she began. “I like your term—’Individual Realm.’ It fits. The space shifts with our intent, so the name should reflect that.”
She smiled, faint and approving. Yuuri felt heat creep up his neck; he’d only been calling it that for convenience, but hearing her validation made it sound almost official.
”As for duration,” she continued, “Ashley’s idea was good—let’s say roughly one day. Some copies might lack clocks or even a day-night cycle, so we’ll keep it flexible. Ideally, no longer than until the next evening, or however it fits without jet lag after returning.”
”Right… provisional for now, pending their input,” he said.
It matched their experience—leaving Ashley’s realm at dusk, arriving here around midday. Perhaps his stamina had lagged not from weakness, but from a time offset between servants.
”Also,” Marina added, tone firming, “we shouldn’t use this realm too often. Maybe once every few days, in workshop time. If we swap servants daily, your personal time will speed up far faster than ours. It already flows more than twenty times faster here. Add repeated visits, and Yuuri, you’ll age before your time.”
”So it’s… borrowing joy from the future,” he muttered, startled.
Her point struck hard. He’d never noticed that trap. To indulge endlessly in these realms was tempting—but if he did, even the goddess who’d gifted him this ability, Schelm, would smirk at his folly. Reward disguised as ruin. A divine joke, perfectly in character.
”That’s why,” Marina said softly, “we should treat it as a reward. A rare gift for one of us, or a practical session if we need to replicate a place for supplies.”
”Yeah… thanks, Marina. You keep my reins in check. I’d fall apart without you.”
He meant it. She was his balance, the golden voice that kept him from tumbling off the edge.
”Hehe, well, if you fall, we all fall together♡” she teased. “So pay me back later—with affection♡”
”Count on it. I’ll never let you go.”
He meant that too—with the same conviction he’d give an oath. The emptiness he’d felt waking alone this morning was something he never wanted to feel again. The idea of losing her forever was unthinkable.
”Gosh, you say that so easily♡” she said, flustered but smiling. “Ahem—then, cautiously using our realms, that’s settled. Next: new skills. I think Suzuri should be the first to get one using my Holy Sword. The deeper labyrinth levels are unpredictable. She needs something powerful enough to escape solo to the nearest Safety Area if we’re separated. Worst case, a servant may need to act as shield or decoy so you can survive.”
The thought of retreating and leaving his beloved behind twisted his stomach. Yet faced with her serious gaze, he could only nod. If the Familial Workshop vanished, extinction would follow soon after. As the skill’s bearer, he had to endure—so that others’ lives wouldn’t be wasted.
”She’s often assigned to solo tasks,” Marina went on. “And if I end up staying behind, I’ll need a way back too. A skill derived from your Familial Workshop—one that manipulates space or ensures safe transit—would be ideal.”
”All right,” Yuuri said quietly. “If it means you come back alive to me, I’ll give whatever it takes.”
The golden girl who had offered not just her body but her heart now looked upon him with calm pride. To grant her the use of her own Holy Sword, and to answer it with his Familial Workshop—nothing could have been more fitting. When he declared it openly, she smiled, serene as a queen with her plans complete.
Her golden eyes shone with trust and affection, and for a fleeting moment, the plain cafeteria chair beneath her seemed a throne.
Notes:
• Marina – First Princess of Restea—needs labyrinth escort.
• Restea – Yuuri’s homeland.
• Suzuri – A scout who braved the labyrinth and lured a petrifying monster to protect her friends, she endured long isolation while frozen in stone and relied on inner magic to preserve her sense of self.
• Ashley – Count’s daughter, royal attendant, has a crush on Yuuri.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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