I grow stronger by making my wife happy.

Chapter 136: 136:Silly questions.

The afternoon sun hung comfortably above the sanctuary as Silver and Ravenna stepped out of the Contractor Association, the heavy glass doors sliding shut behind them.

The morning had been spent pushing themselves in the training rooms, refining techniques that couldn’t be learned on the battlefield alone. Both of them were physically tired, but it was the satisfying kind of exhaustion that came from steady progress rather than desperate survival.

Silver stretched his arms above his head before letting out a contented sigh.

"So..."

Ravenna glanced sideways at him.

"So?"

He smiled.

"I think we’ve earned the right to do absolutely nothing productive for a few hours, no... the rest of the day."

She tilted her head, pretending to consider the suggestion seriously.

"Nothing productive?"

"Not a single thing, just laziness."

A small smile spread across Ravenna’s face.

"I think I can manage to do that."

Together, they turned away from the Association and allowed themselves to wander without any particular destination in mind.

The commercial district of the sanctuary was every bit as lively as the heart of the city deserved to be.

Wide streets stretched between rows of stone buildings decorated with colorful banners and neatly maintained flower boxes. Contractors mixed naturally with ordinary civilians, creating a constant flow of people moving in every direction.

Equipment stores displayed polished swords, reinforced armor, and survival packs behind spotless windows. Several blacksmiths worked with their shop doors open, rhythmic hammer strikes ringing out into the street.

Nearby cafés spilled onto the sidewalks beneath striped awnings where patrons enjoyed coffee while watching the crowds pass.

Small family-run stalls lined entire sections of the avenue. Some sold grilled meat skewers while others offered freshly baked bread, fruit pastries, or steaming bowls of noodles whose rich aromas drifted through the air.

Children chased each other between adults while merchants enthusiastically called out daily specials.

They both simply looked around.

"It’s... lively," Ravenna murmured.

"It is."

She slowly turned in place, taking in everything around her.

"I don’t think I’ve ever really walked through a place like this, freely without any worry."

Silver looked at her curiously.

"You’ve never gone shopping before?"

"I’ve bought supplies."

"That doesn’t count."

She smiled sheepishly.

"It usually meant buying what I needed and leaving as quickly as possible."

Silver nodded.

"That sounds more like completing a mission."

"It probably was."

They continued strolling at an easy pace. Neither of them hurried. Every now and then they stopped to watch something interesting before moving on again.

Outside one shop, a craftsman carved intricate wooden animal figurines by hand. Further along, a young painter sold colorful landscape paintings depicting various Sanctuaries throughout the continent.

Neither of them bought anything since simply looking felt enjoyable enough.

Eventually, the delicious scent of grilled food caught Silver’s attention. He followed it until they reached a modest family-owned food stall tucked neatly between a café and a bakery.

A middle-aged couple worked together behind the counter while their teenage son carried finished orders to waiting customers.

"What do you think?" Silver asked.

Ravenna looked over the menu hanging above the stall.

"It smells good."

"That’s all the convincing I needed."

They ordered two portions of grilled beast meat wrapped in soft flatbread alongside roasted vegetables and a pair of chilled fruit drinks.

The owners thanked them warmly before handing over their meals only a few minutes later. Unable to find an empty table nearby, they simply stood beneath the shade of a large tree overlooking the busy street.

Silver took his first bite.

"Mmm... Worth stopping."

Ravenna nodded after tasting hers.

"You say that every time we eat."

"That’s because food keeps proving me right. I don’t know if it’s the beast meat or what, but anything with it just tastes divine."

She laughed.

"I’ll remember that."

The conversation gradually drifted to the most basic things. Silver asked the sort of questions neither of them had ever really thought about before.

"So... your favorite colour is blue?"

Ravenna looked at him with visible surprise.

"That’s random."

"It is; I’m trying to start a conversation here, so humor me."

She thought quietly for a moment, then chuckled.

"You could have started with anything else but that."

Silver nodded thoughtfully.

"I will next time, but it worked, though. "

"Can’t deny that. And what about you?"

"Dark red, or black, I can’t really choose between the two..."

She blinked, then leaned in closer, smiling mischievously.

"I thought you’d say silver."

He laughed.

"That’s too predictable, and Silver is basically grey. You make me feel conscious about my name when you say that."

Ravenna smiled softly.

"I think it suits you; it looks sexy on you."

Silver smirked.

"I almost blushed at that. I guess silver is my favorite colour now," he was quiet for a moment, then added, "Okay, that feels a little narcissistic."

Ravenna burst into laughter at that.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, Silver continued.

"Favorite season?"

"This is starting to sound like an interview."

"I prefer to think of it as gathering important information."

She rolled her eyes with an amused smile.

"...Autumn, it’s not too hot and not too cold."

"And you?"

"Winter."

She looked genuinely surprised.

"Really?"

"I like quiet. When snow falls, everything feels peaceful."

She nodded slowly.

"I understand that."

They wandered farther into the district while continuing their lighthearted questions.

"Morning person or night owl?"

"Morning," Silver answered immediately.

"You?"

"...Morning. I suppose that explains why we’re both awake before sunrise."

Silver chuckled.

"I was hoping you’d say night."

"So I’d finally have an excuse to sleep in."

"You’d still wake up early."

"...Probably."

"What about childhood food?"

Ravenna’s expression softened slightly.

"My mother used to make vegetable stew. It wasn’t anything special, but I still remember the smell."

Silver smiled.

"My mother baked honey bread. I think I liked the smell more than actually eating it, it wasn’t the best."

The simple conversation continued effortlessly. Little by little, they were learning about the ordinary parts of each other’s lives.

As they walked, Silver suddenly looked toward Ravenna with an overly confident expression.

"I’ve figured something out."

"Oh?"

"I know your favorite dessert."

She folded her arms.

"You do?"

"Definitely."

"Then go ahead."

Silver grinned.

"Chocolate cake."

Ravenna stared at him for several seconds.

"...No."

He blinked.

"No?"

She shook her head.

"I’ve never even liked chocolate."

His confident smile disappeared immediately.

"...Seriously?"

She couldn’t hold it anymore. A soft laugh escaped her lips.

Silver looked dramatically wounded.

"I was so sure."

"You looked very sure."

"I actually saw that on a dating advice site once; now I feel betrayed."

"Seriously, you went with that."

"Stats don’t lie; they asked like a thousand women or something, I don’t remember that part well."

"You are something else, Silver."

She laughed again, a little louder this time. Several pedestrians turned briefly toward them before continuing on.

Silver simply smiled. Hearing Ravenna laugh so freely felt strangely rewarding.

Not long afterward, gentle music drifted across the street. A lone violinist stood beneath a decorative archway, performing a calm melody that floated effortlessly above the sounds of the marketplace.

Silver instinctively continued walking. After a few steps, he realized Ravenna wasn’t beside him anymore. Turning around, he found her standing quietly where they had stopped.

She was listening to the gentle music; there was something peaceful about it.

Silver walked back beside her.

"I didn’t know you liked music."

She kept watching the musician.

"I don’t hear it very often, but when I do, I like listening."

The melody eventually came to an end. Several people applauded before dropping small beast cores into the musician’s case. Only then did Ravenna finally begin walking again.

Silver smiled quietly.

"So that’s another thing I learned today."

She looked at him curiously.

"What?"

"You have good taste."

She bumped his shoulder lightly.

"Flattery won’t help you recover from the dessert incident."

"I was hoping you’d forgotten."

"I haven’t."

"I’ll never live it down, will I?"

"Probably not."

Without either of them consciously realizing it, their walking pace gradually synchronized. Whenever one slowed down to look at something, the other slowed as well. Whenever one stepped around a group of pedestrians, the other naturally followed.

Several more minutes passed before Ravenna’s attention shifted toward a beautifully decorated storefront. Elegant dresses and tailored jackets stood displayed behind spotless glass windows.

She slowed almost imperceptibly, just enough to look.

Silver noticed.

His gaze moved from the display to Ravenna, then back again. A small smile appeared on his face.

"I have an idea."

Ravenna looked at him.

"What kind of idea?"

He nodded toward the boutique.

"Let’s go inside."

Her eyes widened slightly.

"...A clothing store?"

Silver smiled.

"Why not?"

She hesitated, glancing once more through the display window.

"I was only looking."

"I know, and I think looking would be even better from the inside."

For a brief moment, she looked as though she might refuse, then a tiny smile appeared.

"...Alright."

Together, they turned toward the boutique entrance, the afternoon sun reflecting warmly across the polished glass as they stepped toward the door.