Chapter Thirteen: The Newlywed Couple Formed by Circumstance

As the sun set in the west, a single strand of sunlight slipped beneath the eaves, casting a half-lit, half-shadowed glow across Selos's beautifully curved jaw. The scene was like a meticulously painted portrait, so exquisite it felt almost unreal.

Shen Ce never imagined he would encounter Selos here. Ever since Hatal asked if he had met any demons, Shen Ce had grown increasingly suspicious of Selos's identity. He casually stopped a black-armored guard and pointed toward Selos and the middle-aged man standing not far away. "Hello, I am here to seek an audience with the lord of the city. May I ask who those two people are?"

The stern-faced guard was surprised by Shen Ce’s question. "Those two? The man on the left is the city lord. As for the other, I have no idea." With that, the guard turned and left.

Shen Ce hadn’t expected the middle-aged man to be the city lord. Standing there, he gazed at the pair, the puzzle in his heart deepening. To become a city lord, the NPC’s level must be high. If Selos were a demon, how could the city lord not notice?

Perhaps sensing Shen Ce’s scrutiny, Selos swept an unnoticeable glance toward him. Their eyes met for a moment, leaving Shen Ce startled, but Selos quickly looked away.

Most of the conversation was conducted by the middle-aged man, while Selos occasionally offered a few insights. Whether in gesture or speech, Selos was exceedingly restrained, his entire persona elegant and noble—more aristocratic even than the richly dressed city lord. The city lord listened to Selos’s words, either laughing heartily or nodding in approval, clearly valuing Selos’s opinions.

After a long while, their conversation ended and Shen Ce hurried forward, offering a shallow bow to the city lord. "Greetings, Lord. I wish to establish a guild and humbly ask you to grant me this opportunity."

The city lord squinted, scrutinizing Shen Ce, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes. "Young man, many have come to seek permission to found a guild recently. What makes you think you stand out?"

Shen Ce lowered his head slightly, his demeanor respectful and sincere, laying his right arm across his left chest. "I am a priest, devoted to following the guidance of the God of Light. My purpose in founding a guild is to cleanse the world of suffering and lead all toward a brighter future." These lines were Shen Ce’s usual response to most NPCs, and paired with his serious expression, he almost seemed genuinely earnest.

As soon as Shen Ce finished speaking, he caught a faint laugh. Glancing from the corner of his eye, he saw that Selos had not left, but stood with arms folded, watching him with a hint of mischief in his gaze.

The city lord cleared his throat, his voice carrying the authority of a superior. "Young priest, you are impressive. I believe I’ve heard of you from the old priest. You may establish your guild, but first you must complete a task for me. I offer you two choices: either find a Heart of Deep Blue and give it to me, or slay the evil serpent in the cave atop Snow Cliff. Which will you choose?"

Shen Ce looked up, answering without hesitation, "I choose the latter."

The city lord glanced in surprise at Shen Ce’s slender frame, seeming to doubt his ability to succeed. "Young man, the serpent is formidable. Are you sure you won’t reconsider the first task?"

Seeing Shen Ce’s unwavering nod, the city lord smiled appreciatively. "Then I await your good news. This task is difficult, and you may recruit a partner." The city lord then entered the house.

"Ding—You have triggered a Grade B quest: 'Slay the Red-Crested Twin-Headed Serpent of Snow Cliff.' Quest duration: 15 days. This quest may be completed by up to two people. Good luck."

Having accepted the quest, Shen Ce approached Selos, who stood quietly to the side. Hesitating, he looked at Selos and, for reasons unknown, voiced his greatest question directly: "Are you a player?" This was only a shade better than asking if Selos was an NPC; if Selos truly was an NPC, it would be extremely rude and could easily result in being blacklisted.

"You don’t think I am?" Selos arched a brow at Shen Ce’s scrutinizing gaze. In his deep black eyes, a faint trace of violet shimmered, elusive enough to make one doubt it wasn’t just a trick of the light.

Shen Ce exhaled softly, steadying his breath. For some reason, he felt more pressure in Selos’s presence than he had before the city lord; at least he knew the city lord was definitely an NPC, while this man before him remained utterly inscrutable.

Shen Ce stared into those fog-like, bottomless eyes—if Selos really was a player...

As he pondered, Shui Linglong’s suggestion flashed through his mind, and he voiced an absurd, wild idea: "If that’s the case, Selos, would you be interested in joining me in the quest I just received?"

Recalling Selos’s astonishing prowess at Frostleaf Plain, if he was indeed a player, there could be no one better suited to help with this quest.

"Slay a serpent?"

Hearing the nearly dismissive tone, Shen Ce felt a familiar disappointment. He hadn’t held much hope, given he still wasn’t sure if Selos was a player.

Just as Shen Ce expected rejection, the masked man’s lips curled upward. "Why not?" This priest dared to question him so directly—more interesting than he had imagined.

"Ding—Player [Selos] has accepted your quest invitation. May you and your partner complete the task successfully."

For an instant, Shen Ce thought he was hearing things. But opening the quest scroll, he saw that besides himself, there was indeed another name listed, and those three letters spelled Selos. Knowing now that Selos was a player, the odd feeling in Shen Ce’s heart finally dissipated; he laughed inwardly at his own paranoia.

Now that they were quest partners, the next topic was Shui Linglong’s suggestion. Shen Ce hesitated; he knew some people treated in-game marriage very seriously. "Selos, do you have someone you like?"

Selos hadn’t expected the conversation to shift so abruptly. He paused for two seconds, his gaze fixed intently on Shen Ce. "Could it be you’ve fallen for me at first sight?"

...

Shen Ce’s calm expression nearly cracked at Selos’s words. He lifted his eyelid. "You’re overthinking it. I’m just asking if you’ve married in the game, because Snow Cliff is steep and difficult to climb—I thought we could use the ‘Winged Flight’ couple skill to reach the top. It’s easier that way."

Selos’s smile remained, but as Shen Ce finished, the atmosphere suddenly stiffened. Shen Ce frowned; he hadn’t said anything offensive, had he? If Selos didn’t want to, he could simply refuse—they could find another way up Snow Cliff.

"So your meaning is, it’s just a game, so nothing is real?" Selos pressed his lips together, his tone suddenly sharp.

Shen Ce was puzzled by Selos’s cold attitude. "The marriage would be temporary—once we finish the quest, we’ll divorce, and no one will know. You’re free to pursue anyone else afterward..."

Selos’s eyes darkened, as cold and keen as a drawn sword, making Shen Ce extremely uncomfortable. "As you wish."

Shen Ce’s face grew frosty in response to Selos’s insincere attitude. He stared straight at Selos, his voice indifferent. "If you don’t want to, forget it. There are other ways up Snow Cliff."

As soon as he finished, Selos regarded him inquisitively, then—without warning—burst into laughter. While Shen Ce wondered how someone could change expression so quickly, Selos suddenly grabbed him and led him out of the city lord’s residence.

Shen Ce tried to shake off Selos’s hand, but due to his priest’s frail stats, he found himself unable to break free. Just as he was about to order Selos to let go, Selos impatiently glanced at him, crushed a scroll in his hand, and in an instant the two appeared outside the church.

Staring at the grand church building, Shen Ce felt a complicated mix of emotions—had he found himself a true tycoon? Single-use intra-city teleport scrolls were expensive enough, yet Selos had one that could transport two at once.

Though Selos’s thoughts were a mystery to him, Shen Ce no longer cared. The pair entered the church together, recited the marriage vows as required, and the smiling, white-robed female priest looked at them. "Congratulations on becoming partners. Would you like to book a church wedding or commission wedding rings?"

Shen Ce shook his head expressionlessly. The priest widened her eyes in surprise; it was the first time she had seen players refuse both options. "Would you like to commission a wedding house?"

Although marriage in "Heaven’s Dominion" was simple—just recite the vows and it was done—without these extras, the couple’s affection would only be thirty, insufficient to activate couple skills. Church weddings, exchanging rings, and commissioning a wedding house were optional and costly, but could quickly boost affection, much faster than daily couple quests.

"No need."

"Are there country estates? Get one."

The two voices rang out almost simultaneously, leaving the priest wondering if these newlyweds were here just to make fun of her.