In the early morning, Ash rubbed his temples and turned to look beside him.
Aqua was still sleeping, her long blue hair a tangled mess covering half her face.
Her mouth was slightly open as she breathed evenly.
One leg was exposed outside the quilt, and her toes twitched from time to time.
Overall, her sleeping posture was terrible.
Ash didn’t wake her up; instead, he got up, walked to the table, and checked the Ea and the Sword of Termination.
Then, he took Enkidu out from the gate of babylon.
“I’ll have to use this today…” He muttered to himself, then turned to look at Aqua on the bed.
“Wake up.” No response.
“Aqua.” Still no response.
Ash walked over and reached out to pinch her nose.
Three seconds later…
“Waaah!” Aqua suddenly bolted upright, her hands waving wildly, nearly slapping Ash across the face.
“What are you doing!
Are you trying to murder your own wife?!” “Get up.
We have things to do today.” “What could possibly be so important that it can’t wait until I wake up naturally…” “Fine, then I’ll just leave you be and go drinking by myself.” Hearing the word ‘drinking,’ Aqua instantly woke up.
“Then let’s go!
What are we waiting for!” She jumped off the bed, grabbed her clothes, and pulled them on.
“Wait.” Ash held up Enkidu in his hand.
“Before that, put this on.” Aqua looked at the silver chain, and her face suddenly froze.
“What…
are you doing?” “Leashing you.” “Why!” “To prevent you from doing anything out of line.” “How could I possibly do anything out of line!
I am an elegant goddess!” “What part of you is even remotely related to elegance?” “I…” Aqua opened her mouth, wanting to say something to refute him, but realized she really didn’t have any examples of elegance to provide.
“But you still can’t leash me!
I’m not a dog!” “So you’d rather have it around your neck?” Ash asked expressionlessly.
“Around the neck would make me look even more like a dog.” “Of course not!” Aqua protected her neck with both hands, a look of vigilance on her face.
“Then around the waist it is.” Aqua looked down at the chain around her waist, then up at Ash, her blue eyes filled with speechlessness.
“Ash…” “Hmm?” “Do you have some kind of special fetish?” “No.” Aqua was so angry her face turned red.
She opened her mouth to argue, but Ash had already turned around and started walking, and the chain forced her to follow.
The two of them walked one after the other through the streets of Axel.
The silver chain around Aqua’s waist sparkled in the morning light, attracting the gaze of many passersby.
An Adventurer carrying a greatsword walked past, looked at the chain, then at Aqua, and finally at Ash, his eyes filled with ‘I understand.’ A vegetable-selling auntie stopped her work, watched the two walk by, shook her head, and sighed.
A child pointed at Aqua, tugged at his mother’s sleeve, and whispered.
“Mommy, that big sister is being walked on a leash.” “Shh—!” The mother quickly covered the child’s mouth and hurried away.
Aqua’s face grew redder and redder, from her neck all the way to her ears.
“Ash!
Look at the way these people are looking at me!” “Yeah, I saw.” “Can’t you explain it!” “Explain what?” “Explain that I’m not being leashed by you!” Ash thought for a moment, stopped, and turned to the nearest passerby.
The passerby was a young Adventurer, looking at the chain around Aqua’s waist with curiosity.
“What are you looking at?” Ash asked.
“N-nothing!” The Adventurer waved his hands frantically.
Then Ash spread his arms and shouted loudly, “Attention everyone, all eyes on me!
Look at me, look at me!
We are followers of the Axis Order!” The expressions of the surrounding people changed instantly.
From curiosity to understanding, from understanding to sympathy, and from sympathy to a kind of’so that’s how it is’ relief.
“I understand!” He nodded, turned to leave quickly, and muttered under his breath.
“The Axis Order…
then it’s not strange at all.” Aqua’s eyes widened.
Maybe it’s not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
“And If you’re enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!”