The Fiancé's Surprise

The Fiancé's Surprise

Renji sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his reflection in the mirror. His once unremarkable face had changed drastically—his jet-black hair now carried an eerie shine, his eyes glowed faintly crimson, and his entire presence exuded an aura of dark elegance that would have intimidated the old him.

"...Damn, I really leveled up, huh?" he muttered to himself, brushing his fingers through his hair. He couldn't deny it—he looked good. Too good.

Nyx, the small shadowy creature curled up beside him, let out a soft growl as if agreeing.

The events of the previous night played over in his mind. The treasure hunt, the unexpected encounter with Nyx, and the surge of dark power coursing through his veins. He had managed to pass off his transformation as an "awakening of his bloodline," something that wasn't too suspicious given his family's dark affinity.

But what troubled him most was the power itself.

Renji opened his palm, and a flicker of dark energy crackled between his fingers. Unlike the game's depiction of darkness as an evil, corrupt force, this energy felt... natural. A part of him. He could feel it intertwining with his very soul, strengthening not just his magic, but his swordsmanship as well.

With this power... surviving this world just got a whole lot easier.

Just as he was getting lost in thought, a knock echoed through his room.

"Young master, Lady Liliana has arrived," a servant's voice called from outside the door.

Renji sighed. Here we go...

He stood up, straightened his clothes, and opened the door to find Liliana von Eldoria, his fiancée, waiting in the hallway.

As soon as her eyes fell on him, they widened in shock. Her cheeks turned an unmistakable shade of red.

"You... you're Renji?" she stammered, staring at him like she had seen a ghost.

Renji smirked slightly. "Yeah, last I checked."

"B-But your appearance..." Liliana took an involuntary step closer, her eyes scanning him with an expression torn between disbelief and curiosity. "Your eyes, your aura... it's completely different!"

Renji shrugged casually. "I just awakened my bloodline. Turns out, I can now control our family's dark aura."

Liliana's brows furrowed. "Your family does have an affinity for darkness, but such a drastic change... Are you sure it's just that?"

Before Renji could respond, she stepped even closer and placed a hand firmly against his chest. A soft glow of mana radiated from her palm, sending a strange warmth through him.

Renji winced slightly. "Ow—what are you doing?"

"I'm checking if this so-called awakening isn't something... unnatural," Liliana replied, her eyes narrowing in concentration.

Just then, Nyx peeked out from under Renji's cloak and let out a low, hostile growl. His red eyes locked onto Liliana with a protective glare, shadows rippling around him menacingly.

Liliana gasped and took a step back. "What is that?!"

Renji held up a hand to calm Nyx. "Relax, buddy. She's not an enemy." Turning back to Liliana, he sighed. "Meet Nyx. I... kind of found him when I awakened. Or rather, he found me. I think we made some sort of bond."

Liliana stared at Nyx, her expression filled with caution. "A creature born from dark energy... Are you sure this is safe?"

Renji smirked. "Of course. I mean, he's practically a part of me now." He patted Nyx gently, who let out a content purr and curled back under his cloak. "Anyway, what do you think now?"

Liliana hesitated, biting her lip. Finally, she sighed and crossed her arms. "I suppose I have no reason to doubt you... for now. But I'll be watching closely, Renji."

"Good to know," Renji replied, flashing a grin. "Wouldn't want my fiancée to be suspicious of me."

Liliana turned abruptly, her face still flushed. "D-Don't get the wrong idea!" she snapped before marching off toward her room.

Renji watched her go, an amused chuckle escaping his lips.

The moment Liliana entered her room and shut the door, she leaned against it, clutching her chest. Her heart pounded furiously, and her face was a deep shade of crimson.

"He... He's so handsome now..." she whispered to herself, feeling completely flustered.

Meanwhile, Renji smirked to himself in the hallway. "Well, looks like I'm off to a great start."