"Ha?! No, no, no! Why should I accept this? We just met today, and I don't even fully know you yet!" said Ryutaro in shock.
"That's exactly what makes you interesting, Ryutaro. I'm the Demon Queen, and you are the discarded hero. We both share a grudge against the Celestia Kingdom. So, why don't we get married? That way, we can help each other, and I can assist you in managing your land. Besides, the Celestia Kingdom won't stay idle after learning that my seal has been broken," said Grace.
"Just admit it—you just want free food, don't you?" Ryutaro sighed.
"Ehe, that's one of the reasons too," Grace said with a playful smile, sticking out her tongue slightly.
"Well, having a wife as strong as her wouldn't be so bad. She's feared by the kingdom, after all... And she is my type."
These thoughts ran through Ryutaro's mind.
As Ryutaro was lost in thought, a powerful roar suddenly echoed from the southern part of the forest, shaking the ground.
"ARGHHHHH!!!"
Hearing this, Ryutaro's system suddenly activated.
BEEP!
SERIOUS THREAT DETECTED 100 METERS SOUTH. HOST IS ADVISED TO EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY.
Ignoring the system's warning, Ryutaro ran south to see what was there, with Grace following closely behind. Upon arriving, he was stunned by the creature before him—it had four heads, and its body was engulfed in raging flames.
"What is that?!" Ryutaro exclaimed in shock.
Grace, who had just arrived, was equally surprised.
"What?! Isn't that a Cerberus?!" she gasped.
"Cerberus? Isn't that the guardian dog of the underworld owned by Hades in Greek mythology from my world?" Ryutaro asked, still in disbelief.
"No, in your world, that may be the case, but here it's different," Grace explained.
"Different? How so?" Ryutaro asked.
"In your world, it might just be an underworld guardian, but here, Cerberus is one of the pets of Noctis, the God of Darkness. Many demon races worship him," Grace elaborated.
"Huh? Then why is the pet of Noctis here?" Ryutaro asked.
"It's possible that it was exiled or searching for something in this forest. But for now, we should defeat this beast before it reaches your home," Grace suggested.
"Hmm, good point. Let's take it down," Ryutaro said as he gripped his hoe tightly.
Both Ryutaro and Grace swiftly descended from the trees, ready for battle.
"Hey, ugly dog! Come and fight me!" Ryutaro taunted.
"Arghh! How dare you, a lowly human, insult me?! Have you grown tired of living?!" Cerberus growled.
"Wait, it can talk? I thought it was just a mindless beast!" Ryutaro said in shock.
"Of course it can. It's a god's pet—there's no way it would be like other monsters that can't speak," Grace replied, covering her face with one hand.
"Then why didn't you tell me earlier?" Ryutaro asked.
"You never asked," Grace replied nonchalantly.
"Enough talking! Now, taste this!" Cerberus roared.
The beast gathered an enormous fireball and, in an instant, hurled it toward them. Ryutaro swiftly slashed the fireball in half.
"Hmm, interesting. A mere human managed to split my fireball. Good, good… That saves me the trouble of searching for a strong human to devour," Cerberus sneered.
"Of course! My husband's strength is unmatched!" Grace declared proudly.
Ryutaro immediately choked on his breath.
"H-Husband?! Since when did you become my wife? I haven't even accepted your proposal!" Ryutaro stammered.
"Eh?! So, you're rejecting me?" Grace pouted, pretending to cry.
"Enough joking around! Let's deal with this first, and then we'll talk about that later!" Ryutaro said.
"Okay, okay. We'll settle this first and discuss the rest afterward," Grace replied playfully.
Ryutaro could only shake his head at Grace's antics.
"Alright, take this!" Ryutaro shouted.
He swung his hoe, aiming to pierce Cerberus' flesh, but its skin was incredibly tough.
"What?! Why is its skin so hard?!" Ryutaro exclaimed.
"Hahaha! Did you really think an ordinary hoe could pierce my skin? Now, take this!" Cerberus roared as it gathered energy for another attack.
"HELLFIRE!!!"
"Damn it! I don't have time to dodge!" Ryutaro gritted his teeth.
Just as the flames were about to consume him, Grace swiftly shielded Ryutaro with her body, causing her back to be severely burned.
"GRACE!!!" Ryutaro screamed. "Why did you protect someone like me? We only just met!"
"Cough… I already told you, didn't I? I like you, and I will protect you no matter what happens," Grace said, looking at Ryutaro with a weak smile.
"Why would you like someone like me? I'm just a nobody—a discarded hero with a trash job!" Ryutaro said, tears welling in his eyes.
"Don't belittle yourself, Ryutaro. I don't care about your skills. What I see is your unwavering determination. Even after being abandoned, you still work hard on your farm. Now… let me rest for a bit," Grace murmured before losing consciousness.
As Grace passed out, a dark and dense aura began to emerge from Ryutaro, and at the same time, the system rang out again.
BEEP!
WARNING! WARNING! HOST IS ENTERING ABYSS MODE. PLEASE REMAIN IN CONTROL.
Ryutaro ignored the warning.
"HOW DARE YOU HURT GRACE?! NOW, FACE THE CONSEQUENCES!!!" Ryutaro roared, clenching his fists.
"Hmm, interesting. You've become stronger… but you still won't defeat me!" Cerberus said smugly.
The beast launched another Hellfire attack, but Ryutaro effortlessly deflected it.
"W-What?! That's impossible!" Cerberus gasped.
Ryutaro ignored him and dashed forward at an incredible speed.
"Don't underestimate me, human!!!" Cerberus growled, preparing his strongest attack.
"Too late."
With a single strike, Cerberus was obliterated. However, the abyssal power surging through Ryutaro's body spiraled out of control.
"Damn it! I… I can't control this power!" Ryutaro groaned, struggling to maintain his sanity.
BEEP!
WARNING! WARNING! HOST MUST REGAIN CONTROL IMMEDIATELY!
"ARGHHHHH!!!" Ryutaro screamed as his consciousness began slipping away.
Meanwhile, within Grace's subconscious, the spirit of Ryutaro's legendary hoe appeared.
"Grace! Grace!" the spirit called out.
"Who's there? Where am I? And… who am I?" Grace mumbled in confusion.
"Grace, wake up! If you don't, Ryutaro will lose himself completely!" the spirit urged.
"Ryutaro…? I remember now! He's the man I love. I can't stay unconscious here!" Grace declared.
Finally, Grace's eyes fluttered open, and she saw Ryutaro.
What will happen to Ryutaro next? And what will Grace do to bring him back to his senses?
Find out in Chapter 4!
*If I made any minor mistakes that might be distracting, I sincerely apologize. I have done my best for this novel, and if you enjoy it, please consider giving it a like and sharing your feedback, suggestions, or criticism so I can learn and improve. Thank you for reading, and see you in the next chapter!*