Inside the cosy cafe,
The low hum of background chatter and the clinking of utensils created a warm ambience. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air, intertwining with the tantalizing scent of baked goods.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
'What... is happening?' Eli thought as he observed Aadya, Alysia, and Rock.....the newcomer.
Both Aadya and Alysia shot glares at Rock as if engaging in a silent conversation through their eyes.
After a moment of awkward silence, the waiter, a young man with a polite smile, arrived and asked,
"Excuse me, Sir. May I take your order?"
Snapping out of his thoughts, Rock glanced at the waiter and said,
"Just a soft drink, please"
His gravelly voice resonated with an air of nonchalance that seemed out of place in the refined setting.
"Okay, Sir" The waiter replied before gracefully retreating and...ran away.
After the waiter left, Rock turned his attention toward Eli.
His weathered face bore the wrinkles of a life well-lived, With a casual yet piercing gaze, he asked,
"Date?"
"....No" Eli replied, taking a moment to respond. He knew he was just playfully teasing them, nothing serious. Moreover, one was the professor of his classroom, and the other was the Queen of the Flora continent....Rumours never had an endpoint, so he simply said the truth.
"No? But I heard you screaming something like, 'I never thought I would go on a date with two girls, and even more so, one girl is a homeroom teacher... hehehe'" Rock closed the distance, glaring at Eli.
"....sigh, what do you want?" Eli pinched his nose bridge, the subtle gesture revealing a touch of exasperation.
"What do I want? It's been a few days since I saw my future son-in-law..." Rock glanced at the two, who flinched for a second before calming down.
Rock continued,
"And I heard some spicy news about you" his tone teasing, adding a touch of mystery to the conversation.
'Seriously, old man, now of all times...' Eli thought and was about to reply when,
"I-I am sorry, Asher Eli. I think you guys have a lot to catch up on. I will be leaving then" Aadya said as she stood up.
"Y-Yes, we will talk later" Alysia concurred and also stood up.
Eli was baffled for a second. He didn't care if Aadya left now, but with Alysia, he needed to finish today's plan by today itself.
Just about to stop Alysia when,
"Oh, Young Lads, no need to be shy...As a gentle fa--"
"We are not leaving"
"Yes" Both of them suddenly said and sat down, glaring at Rock. The cafe's atmosphere shifted a subtle tension threading through the air.
"???" Eli blinked.
Rock smiled brightly as he thought, 'Damn, my daughter is so cute'.
Rock then turned his head and asked for details about the Dungeon incident.
Both Alysia and Aadya endeavoured to stifle their laughter.
"W-What you mean, Eli?" Rock was visibly taken aback by Eli's retort.
"What do I mean? You idiot, this is about two people; you cannot come and add it like an adding book in a large row just because that row is empty, and built with high-quality diamonds and golds... it's about understanding the person's mind and their taste" Eli admonished Rock, emphasizing that his approach was flawed and could undoubtedly inflict harm on someone in the process.
Alysia and Aadya were visibly taken aback by Eli's poignant words.
Rock sighed and countered, "Even if she holds a position of ruler or belongs to a high-class noble lineage?"
"..." Eli locked eyes with Rock and replied with solemnity, "Even if she were the Emperor of the entire world, if she doesn't love me then I don't need that kind of woman".
Rock returned a stern glare, adopting a serious tone, "Even if she possesses the ability to shape the world with a mere word from you, simplifying your life and ensuring comfort... you still wouldn't want her?"
"Even if she handed the entire world to me, without her heart being mine, I see...no value in such a woman" Eli asserted resolutely, without a trace of hesitation.
Aadya and Alysia were astonished by Eli's unwavering conviction.
Rock frowned....he genuinely disapproved of Eli's response.
While it might paint Eli as a considerate and gentle man to some women, Rock couldn't dismiss the reality that everyone had to confront,
"Wake up to reality, Boy.
That is not how a man should act. Even if love is absent, so what?....Opportunity knocks on your door only once.
You can find love at any time, anywhere, even with some lowly woman like a Maid/Slave, but a Queen/Emperor...that is not something you should lose. It's a godsend opportunity, and..." Rock leaned towards Eli and added,
"Don't squander your opportunity, even if it feels wrong, because there are millions of people eager to seize that opportunity even if it's wrong....they don't care".
"...." Eli locked eyes with Rock, whose gaze mirrored the gravity of his words and yet,
"Love is also an opportunity" Eli said as he rubbed his obsidian ring on his left hand.
"..." Rock frowned.
Both Alysia and Aadya observed the tense atmosphere between Eli and Rock, anticipating a potential confrontation.
"That's what she said, 'Love is also an opportunity; not everyone finds their Loyal love' My wife, with a radiant smile that illuminates my dark life" Eli then glanced at Rock and added,
"Yes, what you said is not incorrect at all, but... I choose to believe what I want, and you choose yours" Eli tapped Rock's chest, indicating Rock's heart.
With a dangerous smile, Eli declared, "I can make my love anything she wishes to be...freelancer, employee, entrepreneur, noble... even a queen, if that she wants to be"
Rock scrutinized Eli's eyes, searching for any sign of deceit or fear, but they only reflected genuine conviction...He was dead serious.
'Well, I was a little disappointed at the beginning, but hearing those words..'I can make my love anything she wishes to be'...I guess I didn't choose the wrong one this time' Rock thought, slowly backing down, remembering his other sons-in-law who were often too virtuous for their own good, avoiding conflicts or facing mindless adversaries.
Yet, one common trait remained: they would do anything for opportunities...just like him.
"Not bad, not bad at all, my son" Rock nodded, glancing at the two women covering their red faces. 'Please marry him faster, My daughter, and as for the other one... well, she is already in the pocket'.
Eli regained his composure and looked at the two blushing women, thinking, 'Well, I know those words could make any woman blush, but--'.
"Excuse me, Sir?"
Eli's train of thought was interrupted by the waiter.
"Yes?"
"I am sorry to inform you, but there are media and people calling for you from the outside" The waiter pointed towards the window.
"..." Eli turned his gaze in that direction, raising his eyebrows.
"Tsk, you became popular, brat" Rock clicked his tongue in annoyance after seeing hundreds of people waiting outside.
"We should leave" Alysia and Aadya had already regained their composure.