The System's mocking words still lingered in Selarion's mind.
"You see, even girls are stronger than you. Yet, fundamentally, men are supposed to be stronger. What a loser, Host. What a loser."
Selarion clenched his jaw.
For a moment, irritation burned in his chest like a small fire refusing to die.
But slowly… the anger faded.
His gaze drifted across the room.
Tarya moved quietly between the wooden shelves, carefully placing bundles of herbs into small clay jars. The soft rustling of dried leaves filled the modest room, accompanied by the gentle sound of glass clinking against wood.
She seemed completely at peace.
The fading sunlight pouring through the window painted her chestnut hair with warm gold, and the faint scent of medicinal herbs lingered in the air.
Selarion watched her silently.
They had only lived under the same roof for a few days.
Three days at most.
And yet…
He realized something strange.
He barely knew anything about her daily life.
Most of his time had been spent thinking about training, about power, about the path he needed to walk.
Tarya had simply been there.
Quiet.
Calm.
Existing beside him like a steady current beneath a restless sea.
Selarion rubbed the back of his neck.
Now that I think about it…
I don't spend enough time with Tarya.
The thought surprised him.
His pride usually pushed him toward training or challenges, but today…
Today felt different.
He exhaled slowly.
What should I do today…
Then the answer came naturally.
I think I'll just spend the day with Tarya.
Selarion stepped forward.
"Tarya is there anything that you need help with right now?"
She looked up from the herbs.
Her amber eyes blinked once in mild surprise.
For a brief moment she studied him, as if confirming she had heard correctly.
Then a gentle smile appeared.
"Well…" she said softly.
She lifted a small bundle of herbs tied with thin twine.
"These need to be sorted and dried before evening. Some of them lose their medicinal properties if they're left too long."
She held the bundle toward him.
"If you don't mind helping."
Selarion nodded immediately.
"I'll help."
Tarya's smile widened slightly.
"Thank you."
The morning passed quietly.
Selarion sat beside her at the wooden table as they sorted herbs into different baskets.
Lavender.
Moonleaf.
Silver fern.
Tarya explained each one patiently, occasionally correcting Selarion when he mixed them up.
"That one isn't silver fern," she said gently.
Selarion looked down.
"Oh."
He stared at the plant in his hand.
"What is it then?"
Tarya leaned closer, examining it.
"That's frost thyme."
Their shoulders brushed lightly as she pointed at the small crystalline veins along the leaf.
Selarion felt the warmth of her presence beside him.
Strangely it felt nice.
He quickly looked back down at the table.
"Right. Frost thyme."
Tarya suppressed a quiet laugh.
By afternoon, the work moved outside.
The small garden beside the house was filled with rows of herbs and flowers swaying gently in the breeze.
Tarya knelt beside a patch of pale blue plants.
"These need to be harvested carefully," she said.
"The roots are valuable."
Selarion crouched beside her.
His hands moved through the soil, pulling the plants free as she showed him.
The sun was warm above them, and the peaceful rhythm of their work slowly filled the day.
Occasionally their hands touched while passing tools or plants.
Each time it happened, Selarion felt a strange awareness settle over him.
He couldn't quite explain it.
But he didn't dislike it.
Not at all.
Evening arrived quietly.
The sky above Aetherwyn turned deep gold and crimson as the sun began to sink beyond the forest.
Inside the house, lantern light flickered softly across the walls.
The herbs they had gathered were spread across the table to dry.
Tarya closed the window gently.
The room felt warm and calm.
Selarion leaned back slightly in his chair, exhaling.
"That was more work than I expected."
Tarya laughed softly.
"Herbs are a lot of work."
She sat down across from him.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
The silence wasn't awkward.
It was… comfortable.
Tarya looked at him thoughtfully.
"You didn't have to spend the whole day helping me," she said.
Selarion shrugged.
"I wanted to."
Her amber eyes softened.
The lantern light reflected within them like small golden flames.
"I'm glad you did."
The room felt quieter than before.
The air between them carried a gentle warmth that hadn't been there earlier.
Selarion suddenly became aware of how close they were sitting.
The faint scent of herbs still lingered in her hair.
Tarya leaned slightly closer.
Her voice dropped to a soft whisper.
"You know… we've only lived together for a few days."
Selarion nodded slowly.
"Yeah."
She smiled faintly.
"But today was the first time we really spent time together."
Selarion felt his chest tighten slightly.
"I guess it was."
Their eyes met.
For a moment neither looked away.
The lantern flame flickered softly, casting dancing shadows across the room.
Tarya's gaze slowly drifted down to his lips before returning to his eyes.
Her voice was quiet.
"Selarion…"
He swallowed.
"Yes?"
She leaned a little closer.
So close he could feel the warmth of her breath.
The entire room seemed to shrink until only the two of them remained.
"I like today," she murmured.
Selarion's heartbeat pounded in his chest.
"Me too."
The silence between them deepened.
Heavy.
Warm.
Charged with something neither of them fully understood yet.
But both could feel.
The lantern flame flickered softly between them.
Tarya had leaned close without realizing how little space remained between them. Selarion could feel the warmth of her breath, gentle and steady, brushing against his face.
He glanced at her, and for a brief moment, a small, teasing smile touched his lips.
"You look nervous," he murmured.
Her amber eyes widened instantly, and she realized how close they were despite this being their second time having a nice kiss she was nervous and then immediately glanced away, cheeks flushing faintly.
"I-I'm not," she stammered, though the slight tremble in her voice betrayed her.
Selarion leaned in closer, careful, deliberate. The faint scent of herbs and sunlight clung to her, making his heart beat faster than he would admit.
"You were the one who got flustered the first time," he said softly, voice low and confident. "Now it's my turn to make you nervous."
Tarya's fingers twitched slightly as she reached out, almost instinctively touching his chest, but she froze halfway.
Her lips parted, her breath quickened, and her eyes flicked between his face and his eyes like she wasn't sure what to do.
Selarion didn't hesitate. He closed the gap, pressing his lips to hers.
This time, the kiss was different from the first.
It was bolder. Warmer. Charged with the unspoken electricity that had built between them since their first kiss.
Tarya stiffened at first, then slowly leaned into him, letting the warmth and pressure consume her nerves. Her hands trembled slightly as they found his shoulders, holding on as if she feared letting go.
The lantern light flickered across their faces, shadows dancing over her flushed cheeks and the faint gold strands in her hair.
Selarion's hands rested lightly on her waist, steadying her, grounding both of them in the moment.
Time seemed to stop. The small wooden room, the quiet lantern light, even the faint scent of herbs became a universe of its own ,and they were at the center of it.
When they finally pulled back slightly, Tarya's forehead rested against his chest, and she let out a soft, uneven breath.
"I… you…" she whispered, eyes wide and cheeks burning.
Selarion smiled gently, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
"Shh , don't worry," he murmured. "I've got you."
She clutched his tunic lightly, still flustered, still trembling from the intensity of their closeness.
And in that quiet, intimate moment, the room felt impossibly small, the world outside impossibly distant, and the bond between them impossibly strong.
Author's Note:
Thank you for reading Selarion: God of Elarion. I truly appreciate everyone who takes the time to follow Selarion's journey. If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider sharing the novel with other readers or leaving a comment. Your support helps the story grow and motivates me to keep writing. More chapters are coming