Chapter -4 Conflict.

Chapter -4.

It was Gilbert. He had returned after conversing with the village chief about Lucien and one another place, but what he didn't expect was to find his wife and Lucien standing so close to each other. "Perhaps I'm overthinking this?" he thought, trying to dismiss the idea that had popped into his mind.

Aleena, on the other hand, was taken aback by her husband's sudden arrival. Her heart raced erratically, as if she had been caught doing something taboo. However, she quickly realized that she had done nothing wrong. It was Gilbert's fault for not being around the house to help her. Straightening her corset, while the manly scent of Lucien still lingered on her skin, she said, "Mr. Lucien was just helping me reach for that jar, since a certain someone doesn't have time for housework."

Hearing Aleena, Lucien turned to look at her. He hadn't expected her to say it out loud, potentially leading to a misunderstanding with her husband. Now that she had spoken, all he could do was wait and explain to Gilbert if he took it the wrong way.

"Oh, so that's what you two were doing," Gilbert suddenly said. Then, looking at Lucien, he smiled. "Lucien, I knew I could count on you, young man." Taking a step forward, he patted Lucien heavily on the shoulder and then made his way toward the table behind him, continuing while ignoring Aleena's complaint. "Lucien, I spoke with the village chief about you, and she agreed to let you stay in the village if you wish. We could also use someone like you to help us get rid of the goblins. What do you think?"

'getting rid of the goblins?' Lucien thought, as the mention of goblins once again popped up.

Being an earthling, he was familiar with creatures like goblins, and he was confident in his skills for slaying them, having learned swordsmanship and archery during his solitary life. However, he worried whether the goblins in this world were as weak as depicted in those mangas or more ruthless, which made him anxious.

As his gaze lingered on Aleena, who was also looking at him sneakily, he felt something stir in his heart. At the same time, he realized this was the opportunity to do something he truly desired. After a moment of careful consideration, he said, "I'll stay and join you in slaying those goblins, since I owe you and Miss Aleena for saving me and providing me with such delicious food." He sugar-coated his words slightly.

"That's great!" Gilbert exclaimed in excitement, thinking, 'We've lost too many of our men; maybe this time we can make a slight difference on the hunt.' For Gilbert, the safety of the village came before everything else, as this village had sheltered him when he had nothing. It felt only natural to safeguard it.

Meanwhile, Aleena, standing behind her husband, felt a smile appear on her lips, which she quickly hid before anyone could notice. She had been wanting someone who could listen to her and help her when needed. Now she could finally have that, and she couldn't help but feel that maybe she too was involved in his decision to stay.

"Alright then, you can go rest for now. I'll take you to meet the village chief tomorrow and to another place you might like," Gilbert said, showing Lucien a smile. Lucien nodded and then sneakily looking at Aleena, got up from his chair, and headed toward his room, knowing he couldn't be that aggressive helper in front of Gilbert.

...

"So, how is she?" Aleena asked the moment she noticed Lucien making his way upstairs, a hint of mockery appearing on her face. She couldn't help but feel a tinge of scorn for her husband, who preferred to spend more time with that old woman instead of with her. She would have understood if that woman, who had become village chief thanks to her management abilities, had fighting prowess, since her husband was a warrior, but that didn't seem to be the case.

"She's fine, Aleena, and working hard to manage our village's resources and its people," Gilbert said, aware of the underlying meaning behind her words.

"Of course she should be, since she's always surrounded by people like you to protect her," Aleena said, emphasizing the word "protect," as if she wanted to imply something else.

"Aleena, how many times do I have to tell you that it's not what you think? She's a capable woman, not someone like you think," Gilbert said, raising his voice slightly. He couldn't help but feel angry seeing his wife make silly and nonsensical assumptions about a woman who was working hard for the village.

"Oh, that's right, she's a capable woman. Maybe I should become a capable person too," Aleena said, unable to suppress the anger boiling inside her. How could a man who loved her so dearly now protect another woman in front of her? It was too much for her to swallow.

"That's not what I mean, dear," Gilbert said, sighing. He got up and tried to put his arms around his wife, but Aleena pulled away, not allowing him to touch her. "I understand; there's no need to explain," she said, walking back toward her room.

'Sigh,' Gilbert thought, 'Maybe she'll understand if I let her be for the time being.' He sat back down in his chair, realizing he didn't have time for such fights at the moment. There were many things that needed his attention, and he had to prepare for the hunt that was scheduled for the day after tomorrow. "I hope that Lucien fellow proves to be more useful than I'm feeling," he mumbled, getting lost in his own thoughts.

...

"Killing goblins? Can I really do that?" Lucien, who was unaware of the intense fight that had escalated due to his earlier help to miss Aleena, was currently contemplating the challenges he would likely need to face. At that moment, he was still confused about how he had supposedly dealt with those goblins before losing consciousness.

Just as he was lost in thought, the perfect figure of Miss Aleena, and how his hands had melted into the fabric of clothes, while he had embraced her from behind earlier, suddenly resurfaced in his mind, subtly shifting his perspective on many things.