The Extra Can't be A Hero

Chapter 272: Eloping Again (4)

As Yue's monologue came to a close, the pair sat quietly at the very same place where Yue chose to regress. She had her face directed to the floor, as she couldn't meet Amon in the eye.

"You know… When I chose to regress, I made a promise to find and marry you… But, truth be told… I was still afraid."

Amon remained silent and allowed Yue to confess her heart.

"I know my obsession over you is excessive, and sometimes… I fear that you would push me away because of that."

"..."

"But, I really can't help myself. I don't want to live with regrets as I did in my past. I want to cherish every moment, even if it means making myself hated."

Amon thought back to the past. Yes, there were times when he was annoyed by Yue, but it had never devolved into hate. Not once. No matter what Yue did, suspicious or not, Amon could feel something hidden within every one of her actions.

Love.

Or rather, the desire to help Amon with every fibre of her being.

"Yue, I never once resented you."

"Is that so? That's nice of you to say."

Yue grabbed onto Amon's fingers sheepishly. Her rosy cheeks flushed, and her eyelids were flickering rapidly. Even though they had plenty of contact before, Yue behaved like a young girl attempting to attract her first crush.

Looking at her maiden smile, it was hard to imagine that this woman was the top summoner in the world, capable of defeating Apostles with ease.

"Amon, my emotions for you didn't diminish after I came back. In fact, it grew."

Yue wasn't able to muster her courage and remained looking at the ground, her feet curlingly drawing circles.

"You claim that you weren't the same person I met in my past, but I beg to differ. Yes, you may be different in some ways, but the essence remains the same. You are Amon Solaris, no, Number 23. The same man I fell so hopelessly in love with."

"..."

"I saw how you grew from a heartless machine to someone who really cares. Even before that fraud messed with your head, you were peaking as someone I yearned for. That's when I realised… It doesn't matter if I regressed a thousand times over… I will always fall in love with you, and deeper every time."

Yue slid her slender arms around Amon's waist, drawing him close until her warmth pressed against him. A soft, familiar fragrance—sweet with a hint of wild blossoms—rose from her hair and wrapped itself around his senses.

Amon, easily a head and a half taller, lowered himself into her embrace without hesitation.

Despite their difference in size, the fit felt effortless, as though their bodies had long ago learned the shape of each other. As his arms circled her back, Yue relaxed fully, her cheek resting against his chest. Their breaths fell into the same rhythm, slow and steady, and the faint thrum of their synchronised heartbeats filled the quiet space between them.

In that moment, there was no need for words.

The warmth, the closeness, the silent understanding—they all whispered the same truth. They had become one, not through force or desperation, but through the quiet inevitability of two souls who could no longer imagine existing apart.

And thus, Yue mustered the courage to glance up at her lover.

Her ruby eyes were glistening brightly like refined diamonds. They were clear, as if reflecting her resolve and ambition.

"Amon, I'm afraid to lose you. Not only physically, but emotionally. They say the one who falls in love first loses, and I've lost so helplessly against you."

"Y-Yue… Y-you…"

Amon stumbled over his words as he tried to make sense of this new experience. Awkward and fearful, the only thing that Amon could do was honestly convey his heart.

"Yue, I… I want you. I want you more than you realise."

"Y-You do?"

"Yes," Amon nodded. "I've been juggling with this emotion for a while now, and I think I finally understand. Yue, the reason why I want to be a hero… It's because I wanted someone to save me. To teach me how to be human again."

"Amon…"

"That's why I chased Leon, thinking that following his actions would save me from my personal hell. But, I was wrong. Leon's way is noble, mine is not."

Despite being emotionally stunted, Amon wasn't stupid. He was a man who had lived two lifetimes and mentally… was already in his forties.

Especially after his emotions returned, Amon was able to see the world clearly… as the reborn human that he was.

"I wanted to have a life of my own. Not fighting for someone else. I just wanted to be happy with the people I cherished."

Amon's desire to save the world came from a desire to live happily, just as his desire to save and avenge Nixon in the past came from a desire to have his friend laugh happily by his side. All this time, Amon was fighting a selfish battle, and that was okay.

He didn't need to be the noble hero who sacrificed everything for the world.

He just needed to be the strong human who saved the world… for himself.

And one more.

"And it is my selfish desire… to be with you, Yue."

"A-Amon?"

Clumsily dropping to one knee, Amon steadied himself with one hand before reaching out to grasp Yue's dainty, porcelain-white arm. His fingers trembled, whether from nerves, exhaustion, or the overwhelming weight of the moment, even he couldn't tell.

With his free hand, he fumbled for the small ring box he had hidden away for far too long. The lid creaked open, and inside rested a ring that shimmered softly in the light.

It wasn't extravagant or ostentatious.

There were no flamboyant designs or overwhelming decorations.

Yet it held a quiet, undeniable nobility—like a piece of the heavens had been forged into metal. The band itself gleamed with a muted silver, within which two crystals—one pale gold, one a cool lunar white—glowed as if the sun and moon had been captured and taught to coexist.

Small emeralds and rubies were set along the band with delicate restraint, their colours subtle yet harmonious, completing the piece without overshadowing its elegance.

But Yue barely spared the ring a glance.

Her gaze was fixed entirely on the man kneeling before her—the mighty Amon, usually unshakeable, now fumbling over his own breath and struggling to string together a single coherent sentence. His voice kept catching, his cheeks were faintly flushed, and his eyes held a nervous brilliance she had never seen before.

And to her, that sight alone was more beautiful than any jewel he could have offered.

"Y-Yue Elune… I know that this is long overdue, but… marry me… tonight."

"Hmmm, HAHAHA. You're terrible at this!!!"

Struggling with tears in her eyes, Yue held her stomach as if she had been punched. But, the woman didn't take long to recollect herself as she confidently took the ring out of the box and slid it onto her fingers.

"You know that this has no meaning, right? We're already engaged, so there's no need to propose to me."

"I-Is that so?"

"Knowing you, you probably forgot about our engagement ceremony."

"T-That's… not true."

Amon turned his gaze away guiltily. Truth was, he did forget. But it wasn't entirely his fault. Back then, he was forced into the engagement without trusting Yue, and he simply saw the ceremony as a formality. Still, now that he had awakened his emotions, Amon felt terribly guilty.

"But, I forgive you."

Seeing the distress flicker across his face, Yue softened instantly. She let the teasing slip away and gently took Amon's trembling hands into her own. Her touch steadied him—warm, light, and reassuring.

Then, without a word, she reached into the folds of her robe and retrieved a small ring of her own and locked it on his finger. Compared to the elegant, crystal-laced band Amon had just given her, this ring looked remarkably simple.

No gems adorned it, no intricate patterns etched its surface.

It was plain, almost unremarkable at first glance.

Yet the moment it left her palm, the air around them seemed to pulse.

The ring radiated mana—dense and unfathomably vast. It felt as though countless spells had been woven into its core, layer upon layer, until the metal itself thrummed with power.

Amon could sense it immediately; the energy coiled within was enough to reshape mountains, to bend fate, to protect or destroy on a scale few could imagine.

And Yue held it out to him with a soft, earnest smile—offering him not just a ring, but a piece of her very essence.

"Yue, this is…"

"A bonding spell, one that marks you as mine, and me as yours."

Yue spoke confidently without sparing any expense for her explanation.

"You wanted a marriage? Our souls now connect us. There is no greater partnership, no greater spell, no greater love. With this ring, we are now… soulmates."

By definition.

"Yue…"

Amon and Yue shared a long, lingering gaze—one filled with warmth, relief, and the quiet certainty that they belonged to each other.

Then, without warning, they leaned in at the same time, their lips meeting in a kiss that was tender only for a heartbeat.

Emotion surged between them.

The kiss deepened, becoming urgent, almost wild, as though all the feelings they had held back finally broke free. Amon's large frame naturally pressed over Yue's smaller one, yet his touch remained instinctively gentle, careful not to overwhelm her.

Yue's soft lips were impossible for him to resist; he kissed her with an eagerness that made her breath hitch, as if savouring a sweetness he never knew he needed.

They were both inexperienced… clumsy, earnest, and entirely absorbed in each other.

Their passion had no polish, no grace.

It was raw and unrestrained, and before they even realised it, they had rolled across the grass, tangled together in a breathless embrace.

After several long moments, Yue finally pulled back just enough to speak, her voice low and teasing, her cheeks flushed as she said softly:

"Amon, your thing… It's poking me."

"I-I'm sorry, I can't control it."

"No, there's nothing to apologise… Rather…"

Unable to hide her desires, Yue grabbed onto Amon's neck and leaned in for the killing blow.

"Let's do it?"

"Yue!!!"

Fortunately or not, there wasn't a trace of human life around.

Else, they would have been treated to a feast for the eyes and ears, as the inexperienced couple finally made their marriage official.