"How do you handle so many girls at once?" Leo asked, laughing. "I'm having difficulty just with one!"
His laughter was cut short as he felt a sharp pinch near his stomach. It was Grace, who gave him a playful but stern look.
"You just have to manage when you don't have any other options," Rio replied sarcastically. As he spoke, he felt a chilly wave of glares coming from multiple directions but maintained his composure.
Hearing the reply, Leo burst into laughter. Rio didn't dare look back at his women, who were already planning to give him a lesson later.
On the other hand, Grace was gazing at him with complicated emotions, trying hard to remember where she had seen him before.
As Leo's laughter subsided, his face turned serious. "Brother, I don't mean to offend you, but I can't stand polygamy. It's beyond me how one man can claim to love multiple women. It's just crazy. I'm content with Grace and don't want anyone else intruding on that," he said, an edge to his voice.
Rio noticed the eyes of all three of his women shift toward him, filled with expectation. Especially Lia and Nyla; they knew they were the reason he'd chosen a polygamous path. They were aware that he and Layla had been together from the start and that they had entered his life unexpectedly. They waited, almost holding their breath, for his response.
A soft smile graced Rio's face as he looked at the grilled fish in his hand. "People often say you can't truly love more than one person at a time. But who sets these limits? Your heart or society?"
"Love isn't a finite resource," Rio continued, looking up. "Loving more than one person doesn't mean loving each one less. It's not division; it's multiplication. The more love you give, the more you have."
Lia's eyes softened at this, appreciating the sincerity in his tone.
Rio went on, "Moreover, life is unpredictable. Layla, Lia, and Nyla each came into my life at different times and under different circumstances. They've added dimensions to my life I never knew I needed."
Nyla's eyes met his, glowing with a lively warmth. 'He's my man. Oh boy, I am so proud of my sweetie!' she mused cheerfully.
Leo chuckled. "Details, details. They were still monsters." He retorted with a grin. "They had teeth and claws and everything!"
"Oh, teeth and claws?" Nyla asked, feigning awe. "You must've been trembling."
"Nah, I was practically a one-man army," Leo replied, "One swing of my sword and—swoosh! Three heads rolled."
"Wow, you took them out with a 'swoosh'? Most people have to settle for a 'thud' or a 'clank,'" Nyla commented, trying hard to resist her laugh.
Even Lia and Layla faces were getting red, hearing the funny conversation. They were well aware that Nyla was strong herself and had killed many fierce and high level beasts.
"Ah, but when you're as good as me, your sword sings," Leo beamed, clearly enjoying himself.
Rio sighed glancing at Leo and kept a safe distance to not get affected by his infectious banter.
Throughout their journey, he noticed Grace's occasional side glances. He couldn't help but feel uneasy, recognizing the complexity behind her eyes as something he might not want to explore at the moment.
As they walked and talked from morning until noon, the outline of a village began to gradually form in the distance.
________________________________
Instagram=the.whitesnow
Like it? Add to the library!