Chapter 119 Planning Best Place
The next morning, right as breakfast time arrived, Alex and Lucia were already seated at the dining table. Alex leaned back slightly in his chair, tapping his fingers absentmindedly against the wood, while Lucia sat properly with her hands folded on her lap, waiting patiently.
From the kitchen, the soft clatter of plates and utensils could be heard as Astrid prepared the meal.
A moment later, she stepped out, carrying the dishes. Her movements were calm, but there was a faint stiffness in her posture.
She first walked over to Lucia, her expression softening slightly. Gently, she placed the plate in front of her.
"Here you go."
Lucia smiled politely. "Thank you."
Then Astrid turned toward Alex.
Her expression changed.
She set his plate down a little more firmly than necessary, the faint sound of ceramic tapping against wood breaking the calm atmosphere. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and her voice carried a cold edge.
"This is for you."
Alex, however, didn't notice anything unusual. He simply picked up his utensils, a small grin already forming on his face as his thoughts wandered elsewhere.
(Alright… after this, I should try that new enchanting idea… maybe combining effects in a different way…)
He began eating quickly, clearly distracted, occasionally nodding to himself as if confirming his own thoughts.
Across from him, Astrid watched in silence Her brows slowly furrowed.
The way he casually ate, the way he smiled to himself… as if nothing was wrong her fingers curled slightly at her sides. finally, she couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Hey! Did you forget something!?"
Her voice cut sharply through the room.
Alex froze mid-bite, his spoon still halfway to his mouth. He blinked, then slowly turned his head toward Astrid, confusion written all over his face.
"…Forget what?"
Astrid's irritation grew, her expression tightening as she spoke again,
"Did you forget that after you defeated Alduin, you made a promise to me?"
Alex had, in fact, forgotten but he was quick to read the situation. Without missing a beat, he forced a confident smile.
"Of course, dear. I remember my promise. You don't need to worry."
Astrid's expression instantly shifted. The anger on her face melted away, replaced by a bright, happy smile.
"Alright then, hehe… in that case, I'll officially become your partner."
The moment those words left Astrid's lips, something finally snapped into place inside Alex's mind.
His eyes widened slightly, and his body stiffened where he sat.
(Ah… that's right )
A wave of realization crashed over him.
(I completely forgot!!!)
For a split second, his expression nearly broke his lips twitching, his eyes darting slightly as panic threatened to surface.
(I got so caught up in increasing my strength… experimenting, leveling up… that I completely forgot about it…)
He swallowed slowly, forcing himself to stay still, but the shock was still visible in the slight tension of his shoulders and the faint stiffness in his grip on the spoon.
Across from him, Astrid's mood was the complete opposite.
Her earlier irritation had already faded. A soft, dreamy smile spread across her lips as she gently closed her eyes, her head tilting just a little as if she were already picturing it all in her mind. Her fingers lightly brushed against each other on the table, a quiet, giddy energy surrounding her.
Meanwhile Lucia who had been silently observing everything, caught the exact moment Alex's expression changed.
She paused briefly her spoon hovering just above her plate her eyes flicking toward him.The widened eyes the subtle panic the forced composure It was obvious.
(Ah… he definitely forgot.)
A small, knowing look crossed her face but she said nothing. Instead, she calmly brought the spoon to her mouth and continued eating choosing to stay out of it.
After finishing his meal, Alex barely took the time to set his utensils down properly before pushing his chair back with a soft scrape. He stood up a little too quickly, almost as if sitting any longer would make things worse, then headed straight for the door.
The moment he stepped outside, the fresh air hit his face but it did little to calm the storm in his mind.
He paused a few steps away from the house glancing around aimlessly, his brows tightly furrowed. One hand rested on his hip while the other came up to his chin, fingers rubbing it in deep thought.
"Amulet of Mara…" he muttered under his breath, his voice low and uncertain. "But I'm not sure if I'll have time to get to Riften or not…"
He exhaled sharply through his nose, his shoulders tensing. His gaze drifted to the ground as his thoughts spiraled, frustration slowly creeping onto his face.
"Should I just tell Astrid that I need to postpone it… or? Hmm… but…"
His voice trailed off.
Suddenly, an image flashed in his mind.
Astrid standing there her eyes slightly downcast, lips pressed together in quiet disappointment.
Alex's face immediately twisted in alarm.
"No, no…" he shook his head quickly, waving one hand in front of him as if trying to physically dismiss the image. "She might kill me."
But his imagination wasn't done with him.
Another image replaced the first Astrid glaring at him, arms crossed, her voice sharp as she scolded him relentlessly.
Alex flinched slightly, his shoulders rising instinctively.
"…Yeah, that's it."
He let out a long breath, then suddenly raised both hands and lightly slapped his cheeks smack, smack as if trying to force himself to focus.
"I've got an idea."
His eyes sharpened with determination, though a hint of nervousness still lingered. He scratched the back of his head ruffling his hair slightly as he let out a small uneasy chuckle.
"Maybe this idea kind of a mix with modern elements, it doesn't have to follow the usual rule of showing the Amulet of Mara… since I don't have time, then…"
After reaching his conclusion, he immediately put his plan into action. He headed straight to the blacksmith and began crafting a diamond gold ring, since Alex still had a stock of jewelry in his system inventory.
(Phew… good thing I didn't sell all the jewelry I got from dungeon exploring.)
In the end, he made two diamond gold rings.
Then he left Whiterun and wandered around the surrounding areas. The scenery was beautiful and simple, but he still couldn't find the right place. He kept searching until late into the night.
"Ugh… why is it so hard to find a really perfect place to propose to Astrid…"
Eventually, Alex climbed up and sat on top of the tower that had been destroyed by a dragon. It still hadn't been repaired and was no longer guarded, leaving it completely empty. From there, he gazed out at the view, quietly thinking about the perfect place to propose to Astrid.
"How should I do this… hmm…"
Alex fell silent.
Sitting at the top of the ruined tower, he leaned slightly forward his elbows resting on his knees as his gaze drifted across the vast nighttime landscape of Whiterun. The wind brushed gently against his face, carrying the cool scent of grass and stone. Below, the plains stretched endlessly, bathed in soft silver light.
It wasn't completely dark.
The moon hung high in the sky its pale glow spilling across the land like a quiet blessing, illuminating the distant hills, the scattered trees, and the faint outline of the city walls. Everything felt calm… almost too calm.
For a while, Alex simply stared, his thoughts slowing, his usual restless energy fading into stillness then-
A faint shimmer appeared in the sky.
At first it was subtle, a thin veil of light barely noticeable against the darkness. But slowly it grew spreading, shifting, dancing across the heavens in waves of green and blue.
An aurora.
His eyes widened, the reflection of the glowing sky shimmering within them as he straightened slightly, completely drawn in by the sight.
"…Whoa…"
The colors moved like flowing silk, rippling across the stars in a silent, mesmerizing display. The world below seemed to fall away as the sky itself came alive.
"…I think I've found the perfect place to propose to her."
His voice was soft, almost reverent.
A genuine smile spread across his face warm, certain, and filled with quiet excitement. For once, there was no hesitation in his expression.
He placed his hands on the edge of the stone and pushed himself up but then he stopped.
"…Wait…"
His movement slowed, and he glanced back over his shoulder at the sky. The aurora continued to dance above him, casting a faint, ethereal glow over everything.
"…Maybe I should enjoy this a little longer."
A small, content smile returned to his lips.
He sat back down, this time leaning against the cold stone behind him, one leg stretched out while the other bent comfortably. Tilting his head upward, he let himself fully relax, his eyes following the slow, graceful movement of the lights above.
The wind whispered softly around him. The world remained quiet.
And for a while, Alex did nothing but watch letting the moment sink in, letting the beauty of the night settle into his memory.
Only after the aurora began to fade, and the night grew still once more, did he finally stand up.
With one last glance at the sky, he turned and made his way down the tower, heading back home.
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