"She is accompanying you to the forest?" Monica asked in surprise. "Isn’t it dangerous out there for her?" Naturally, as both a woman and the chief’s mate no less, Roxanne going there with Luke was bound to raise concerns.

The green-haired man shrugged as he slipped into a fresh pair of pants. "Well, I never asked her to. She wants to come along because she’s curious about the reward I plan to ask for in exchange for what I did." As he said, he bought a new pair of slippers too which would be comfortable and allow him to walk through the forest without a problem.

Monica hummed softly. "You still haven’t made up your mind?"

Luke shook his head. "Earning something is easier than asking for something. I mean, what exactly am I supposed to ask for when I already have everything right beside me?"

Turning toward his mate, he wrapped an arm around her waist. "A good house, food to eat, money to spend, and most importantly, such a cute woman as my life partner. What more could a man possibly ask for?"

A faint blush spread across Monica’s cheeks as her lips curved into a smile.

"Luke... you shouldn’t make an old woman feel this way." She complained, though there wasn’t the slightest trace of bite in her voice.

Luke hummed. "What old? You’re in your prime, and you’ll only become more beautiful as time passes."

Leaning closer, he placed a gentle kiss on her soft cheek.

Monica let out a quiet hum of delight, savoring the affection she had only recently grown accustomed to.

Luke then stepped away and began combing his hair before asking, "Do you have anything in mind that I could ask for as a reward?"

Just then, almost as if the system had been waiting for Luke to rely on someone else to make a decision for him, a quest appeared before his eyes.

[Quest: Visit the hometown of the target, Roxanne.]

[Reward: Scroll of Weapon Mastery — Beginner Rank.]

"..."

What?

There was actually something like this?

He could genuinely learn how to wield a weapon properly?

Up until now, Luke had been relying purely on the combat knowledge he picked up from self-defense classes in his previous life.

The only weapon he had ever been truly familiar with was a glock. Everything else he used in this world had been nothing more than instinctive action and reaction.

And somehow, that had worked.

After all, he wasn’t fighting humans. He was fighting monsters. Every battle had revolved around a single purpose: hunt or survive.

That simple mindset had carried him this far.

But things were beginning to change.

Now, he was handling a far heavier weapon.

Those twin war hammers were intimidating enough on their own, and without proper technique, there was a real chance he would end up injuring himself before dealing meaningful damage to his opponents.

So yes, this reward felt almost tailor-made for him.

"Nngh... I really can’t think of anything..." Monica groaned in frustration. Despite spending so much time trying, she still couldn’t come up with a single idea.

Luke could only smile helplessly at how adorable his mate was being.

Gently caressing her head, he said, "Don’t worry. I’ve got this."

Monica blinked in surprise. "What is it?"

Luke grinned. "We’ll be traveling soon. Be prepared."

.....

After leaving the house, Luke walked beside Roxanne as the two made their way toward the forest.

At the moment, Luke felt slightly exasperated.

"Are those two seriously going to follow us the entire way?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder at the pair of men trailing behind them.

Roxanne smiled helplessly. "After what happened recently, the chief always assigns someone to accompany us whenever we leave the house."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Does he seriously think those two could make a difference if a monster like that appears again?"

Roxanne stayed silent because the answer was obvious.

Luke merely shook his head and said nothing more.

Soon, they entered the village streets, drawing countless glances along the way. The two of them had practically become celebrities within the village.

Luke had gained immense popularity recently, while Roxanne was... well, there was no need to explain why she attracted attention wherever she went.

As they walked, Roxanne suddenly spoke.

"Umm... Luke."

He turned toward her. "Yeah?"

She looked slightly hesitant, as though unsure whether she should even ask the question, but eventually gathered the courage anyway.

"Are you planning to move away? Maybe to the chief tribe?"

Luke looked genuinely surprised. "Where did that come from?"

Roxanne let out a quiet sigh. "It’s just a guess. I mean, considering your strength and the fact that you can use magic, wouldn’t you feel restrained staying here? There probably wouldn’t be enough opportunities for you to grow."

Luke raised a brow and teasingly asked, "Is that a suggestion or just an assumption?"

Roxanne immediately panicked. "O-Of course it’s just an assumption."

Lowering her gaze, she added softly, "If I could, I would ask you to stay here forever. The villagers finally found a new hope... someone they can rely on. A savior."

Luke chuckled softly. "You’re speaking as the chief’s mate, I suppose?"

Roxanne immediately grew flustered. "No... that’s just my personal opinion."

Luke raised a brow. "Is that so...?"

A faint grin appeared on his face before he continued, "Well, I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon, so you can relax."

A subtle smile bloomed across Roxanne’s lips at those words.

Just then, Luke asked, "I remember you mentioning once that you’re the daughter of a chief, right?"

Roxanne nodded. "Yes. Why?"

"Where is your hometown?" Luke asked curiously. "Can you tell me about it?"

Roxanne looked slightly surprised by his sudden interest, though she held no resentment toward the village where she was born.

"I used to live in a village called Tilivor. It’s one of the four pillars under the main tribe, Gangaur. I am the daughter of that village’s former chief."

As she spoke, her voice softened slightly, carrying a trace of nostalgia.

"My birthplace is nestled near the mountains, surrounded by greenery and towering peaks. It’s especially beautiful during the early mornings. The moment you step outside, the entire landscape feels covered in fresh life."

Luke nodded thoughtfully. "I see. How long has it been since you last visited Tilivor?"

Roxanne thought for a moment before answering, "It’s been quite a while... Rhea was only seven back then."

Luke nodded before asking another question.

"And how long would it take to get there by horse?"

At this point, Roxanne’s curiosity had completely taken over.

"It would take around two days, but... why are you asking so much about it, Luke?"

A grin slowly spread across Luke’s face as he finally revealed his intentions.

"Because I’m planning to visit your homeland."

He looked directly at her.

"And you, Roxanne, are going to be my guide."

Roxanne froze in shock. "Wha... but..."

Luke interrupted her before she could protest further.

"Consider this my reward. In exchange for saving the village, I want you to take me to the place where you were born."

••••••••

A/N:- I hope you liked the Chapter. And please let me know if the pace is fine.