Kael had actually been considering this for a long time. After all, Amelia was the woman he loved—the one he believed he could spend his life with. His original plan had been to propose to Amelia once all matters in Laffey City were settled, and this thought had been lingering in his mind for ages.
Lone Wolf's words only strengthened Kael's resolve. To hell with political marriages! Marrying the woman he loved was the only way!
Now, Kael was finally ready to propose. But when the moment actually arrived, he found himself at a loss for words.
Gazing into those clear, bright eyes, he realized he hadn't actually figured out how to say it.
"How should I phrase this?" Kael cleared his throat, thinking inwardly. "Most normal girls prefer something gentle, right? Maybe I should kneel on one knee and invite all the important figures in Laffey City to witness it?"
"No, given Amelia's personality, she might not like that. Maybe I should be more solemn, speak earnestly… 'Dearest Amelia, I've loved you for so long. Please marry me… Let's spend our lives together…' Ugh, no, that sounds way too cheesy."
Countless thoughts raced through Kael's mind, leaving him utterly frustrated. Damn it, I should've brought a book like '360 Ways to Propose' before crossing into this world! What kind of mess is this?!
By the gods, this was the first time since arriving in this world that Kael—a man who feared nothing—had ever felt this flustered.
Fine, so what if I embarrass myself?
Gritting his teeth, Kael steeled himself and blurted out:
"Amelia, I want to propose to you!"
The moment the words left his mouth, a weight seemed to lift from his chest. Without waiting to gauge Amelia's reaction, he took her hand and pressed on:
"Amelia, if it weren't for you, I might not even be alive today. All this time, you've been the one standing by my side. So… Amelia, please marry me!"
His words were clumsy, his phrasing awkward—but at least he'd said it. That was infinitely better than staying silent.
"You... what did you just say?"
Amelia stood there, her delicate figure frozen in shock, utterly unprepared for Kael's words. Her fair face flushed crimson, and her obsidian-like eyes—usually so composed—were now fixed on him with an expression he had never seen before: three parts joy, three parts shyness, and three parts disbelief.
Kael scratched his head vigorously. **"Amelia, I just proposed to you. Don't tell me you want me to say it again?"**
"Proposed..." Amelia's cheeks burned so red they seemed about to drip blood. It was then that Kael realized even she could be this bashful.
Watching her expression, warmth surged through Kael's chest. **"That's right. A proposal. Amelia, you—"**
Amelia's face instantly softened with happiness. She laughed lightly, teasing, **"Aren't you going to reconsider? Who knows how many unwed daughters of dukes—or even princes—might be waiting for you?"** There was no jealousy in her tone, only playful mischief.
Kael grinned and played along, stroking his chin with exaggerated seriousness. **"Hmm, you're right. Maybe I should think it over."**
"You—! How dare you!" Amelia hadn't expected him to seize the joke and run with it. Her eyes flashed with mock threat, though laughter danced in them too. She glared, feigning indignation.
Kael found her utterly adorable. Who would've thought the usually cool and composed Amelia could show such a tender, feminine side?
Without hesitation, he stepped forward, gently took her right hand, and inhaled deeply before dropping to one knee.
"What are you—?" Amelia blinked in confusion, flustered as she tried to pull him up, but Kael lightly brushed her off. **"Stay still. I'm doing this properly now."**
"But... why are you kneeling?" She was baffled. In the Three Continents, where male dominance was the norm, men rarely knelt—especially not like this.
Kael smiled, cradling her slender, jade-smooth fingers in his palm. **"Just let me finish,"** he murmured. **"Amelia, you already know how I feel. So... marry me."**
Finally voicing the words, Kael felt a weight lift. He prided himself on being eloquent, yet here he was, stumbling over his feelings. Truly, this was a first.
Amelia's eyes shimmered, her obsidian-like pupils brimming with happiness as a soft smile graced her lips, her entire expression radiating tenderness. Finally, she lowered her head slightly, letting out a shy but unmistakable **"Mm."** The sight of her blushing cheeks would have made any man's heart race.
Though her response was almost inaudible, Kael caught it. His face broke into a grin as he wrapped an arm around her waist.
"Good. That means you're mine now!" he declared, asserting his 'territorial sovereignty' over Amelia while clasping her delicate hand.
Amelia shot him a playful glare—though to Kael, it carried more affection than reproach. He reveled in her expression, knowing that this peerless beauty would now be the woman by his side forever.
A trace of lingering shyness remained in Amelia, but it was eclipsed by irrepressible joy. Kael's proposal might have been abrupt, but to her, what mattered wasn't the gesture—it was the man behind it.
"Aren't you going to reconsider? I'm no noble's daughter, nor the heiress of some merchant empire. You might regret this," she teased, her voice light and melodic, though she nestled against Kael's shoulder, savoring the quiet intimacy with visible contentment.
Kael chuckled, running his fingers through her long hair. A flicker of curiosity stirred in him. **"Amelia, come to think of it, you've never mentioned your family. Is your lineage particularly prominent?"**
He had always assumed as much—someone as gifted as Amelia, with her rare talents and secret techniques, couldn't have emerged from nowhere. Geniuses weren't common weeds; those born among commoners were exceedingly rare.
In the past, Amelia had never brought it up, and Kael had never pressed. Now, though he didn't truly care, he couldn't help but wonder.
"My family?" At Kael's question, Amelia's gaze grew distant, as if recalling something, before she smiled at him. **"I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. My family isn't some renowned martial lineage, nor a merchant clan with boundless wealth."**
"They're from the Southern Continent—though I left when I was very young. I do hope to visit them again someday," she added.
The Southern Continent?
Kael knew the Southern Continent had no unified nations—just a chaotic web of factions. It was also home to many non-human races, rumored to even include vampires, and served as a breeding ground for dark-winged mage organizations.
He hadn't expected Amelia's family to be from such a place.
But now wasn't the time to delve deeper into her past. Besides, Kael trusted that Amelia wouldn't deliberately hide anything from him. Now that she'd accepted his proposal, the priority was preparing for their wedding.
Without delay, Kael gathered everyone in the city lord's manor.
Ella was in seclusion, pushing for her breakthrough to level nine. This was a critical moment for her, and Kael had even supplied her with magic gems to accelerate her progress—so she couldn't attend.
As for the others—Finn, Jett, Lone Wolf, and even Lone Wolf's subordinate Amanda, along with the Snowbear Beast and the unicorn rhino Alaric—Kael summoned them all.
"Lord City Lord, you've called us all here. Is there some major announcement?" Jett asked, puzzled by the grand assembly. Everyone present held significant influence in Laffey City—they were Kael's core circle.
Lone Wolf glanced at Amelia seated beside Kael, his eyes narrowing in understanding. He coughed pointedly and shot Jett a look, thinking to himself: So our lord has finally found his heart's desire.