My Cheat Skill Lets Me Copy Powers....But only if i kill-Chapter 29: Unexpected Proposal

Chapter 28 - Unexpected proposal

The inn door creaked open, warm light and the hum of laughter and clinking mugs spilling into the night. Renji stepped inside, shoulders tense, exhaustion weighing on his limbs, but his eyes were alert, cautious.

The scent of roasted meat and fresh bread greeted him, a small comfort after the chaos in the forest. Elara and Lena sat near the hearth, their laughter loud, drinks in hand, and smiles easy — until they saw him.

"Renji!" Elara stood abruptly, waving an envelope in the air like a trophy. "Look what we got!"

Lena followed, a sly grin on her face. "A letter. From royalty."

Renji raised a brow. "What?"

Elara reached him, holding the cream-colored envelope, a golden seal pressed into the flap — the royal crest of Lysoria.

"Princess Seraphina Valenhardt herself," Elara said with a dramatic bow.

Lena leaned closer. "You've got powerful admirers, huh?"

Renji took the letter quickly, heart already racing. "Thanks," he muttered.

He turened, stepping toward a dimmer corner of the inn, cracking the seal with trembling fingers. His eyes scanned the page, and his blood ran cold.

Marriage proposal.

His mind froze. Marry her? Join royalty? What was she thinking?

Elara and Lena crept up behind him, curiosity brimming.

"Well?" Lena asked, peering over his shoulder.

Renji snapped the letter shut, nearly crumpling it in his fist. "Nothing important," he said too fast, too flat.

Elara's eyes narrowed. "You look like you saw a ghost."

"It's... nothing," Renji repeated, forcing the letter into his coat pocket, voice strained.

Lena exchanged a glance with Elara, both clearly unconvinced.

"Renji..." Elara stepped in front of him, arms crossed. "You've never been a good liar."

His gaze didn't meet theirs. "Drop it. Please."

The words were quiet, but firm — with an edge that silenced further questions.

The girls stared for a long moment before backing off, though their eyes never left the pocket where the letter disappeared.

Renji exhaled sharply, mind racing.

"No one can see that letter. Not now. Not ever."

The throne room of Ravenspire Castle was cold, vast, and silent, the sound of Kiera's boots echoing against the polished obsidian floors. Tall stained-glass windows cast fractured light across the stone, while flames flickered in wrought-iron sconces.

At the end of the hall, King Alaric sat on a raised throne, clad in dark robes lined with fur, a slender crown of steel upon his brow. His eyes — sharp and calculating — bore down on Kiera as she knelt before him.

"Rise," he commanded.

Kiera stood, keeping her gaze low but steady. "I've returned from Valkris, Your Majesty."

"And Renji Hurozawa?" Alaric's voice was calm but edged with impatience.

Kiera hesitated, her hands clenched at her sides. "He's... chosen no side. Not ours, not the demons'. He walks his own path."

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A pause. Alaric steepled his fingers, leaning forward slightly.

"Good," he said. "And disappointing."

Kiera blinked. "Your Majesty?"

Alaric stood, stepping down from his throne, boots silent against the stone. "Good, because he hasn't yet sided with the enemy. Disappointing, because he hasn't accepted my offer."

He circled Kiera slowly. "Did he suspect you?"

Kiera's voice lowered. "Yes. After our encounter... he knows I was watching him. I... fought him, Your Majesty."

Alaric's brow twitched. "And?"

"I failed. He held back, but still... I lost."

The king exhaled slowly, walking to the window. "He's stronger than we expected. Perhaps too strong."

Kiera's heart pounded. "What are your orders?"

Alaric turned, face hard. "You will cease contact. Do not approach him again. He will no longer trust you — use that. Watch him from afar. I want to know where he is, who he speaks with, and every step he takes."

She stiffened, pain flickering in her eyes. "Yes... Your Majesty."

A pause.

Alaric studied her. "You care for him."

Kiera's eyes widened. "I—no, my loyalty is to you."

He said nothing for a moment, then turned back to the throne. "Keep it that way."

Kiera bowed deeply, then turned and walked away, the king's words echoing like chains around her neck.

Renji sat at the edge of his bed, the room dimly lit by a single lantern that flickered softly on the nightstand. The letter lay open in his hands again, the elegant handwriting seeming almost surreal.

He read it a second time. A third.

Renji,

I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. Ever since you stood by my side — calm, fearless, untamed — your presence has lingered in my mind, even in the quiet hours of the night.

There is something in you... something dangerous, something intoxicating. You are unlike any man I've ever known. You didn't bow. You didn't flinch. You challenged the world with those silver eyes — and I find myself wanting to see them again, not as a ruler... but as a woman.

I want you. Not just your strength, not just your sword — you. Your touch, your voice, your will beside mine. I offer you a bond no man could dream of: marry me, and you will stand as Prince-Consort of Lysoria, ruling by my side, commanding power, respect, and... me.

Let me belong to you, Renji. In every way. Let me show you what it means to rule — not through duty, but through desire.

Come to me. Claim what's yours.

Yours — body, crown, and soul,

Seraphina Valenhardt

His hands tightened around the parchment, the weight of the offer crushing his thoughts.

Royalty? A throne? All for a marriage he hadn't sought — to a woman he barely knew.

He closed the letter carefully, sliding it into a pouch and tucking it beneath his bedroll, hidden from sight.

Just then, a knock rapped softly at the door.

He stood, body still sore, and opened it to find Elara and Lena, each holding a bundle of folded clothes, grinning.

"We come bearing gifts," Elara said, stepping in.

"You're not allowed to dress like a brooding mercenary forever," Lena added, holding up a sleek, black tunic with silver threadwork.

Renji blinked, caught off guard. "You... bought this for me?"

Elara gave a mock gasp. "What, you think we'd not spoil our party leader?"

Lena pushed the bundle into his arms. "Go on. Try them. We need to make sure it fits that new bulk of yours."

Renji chuckled softly, something in him relaxing. "Alright, alright..."

He disappeared behind a curtain to change. Moments later, he stepped out — the tunic fitting perfectly, gloves snug, the black scarf tied loosely around his neck.

Elara's eyes lit up. "Damn. We did good."

Lena gave him a playful thumbs-up. "You look like a real adventurer now. Less 'mysterious hobo.'"

Renji laughed for real this time — the first in days.

"Thanks," he said, voice warm but quieter. "Really... I needed this."

Elara smiled, stepping closer. "We've got your back, Renji. Always."

Lena nodded. "Even if royalty's sending you love letters."

Renji tensed for a second — too quick for them to catch — and forced a smile.

"Let's... not talk about letters."

They laughed again, and for a brief moment, peace returned.

But the letter's weight still pressed on his mind.