"Garde is back!"
Following closely behind Garde and Gavial, Zumama and Tomimi were about to step into Garde's house.
"Garde, long time no see—"
Before Zumama could finish her sentence, she heard a loud bang—Gavial had slammed the door shut.
"Gavial, what are you doing?"
Seeing the closed door, Zumama was visibly annoyed. Just as she was about to knock, Gavial opened it again, her expression dark, and handed over a bundle.
"Take care of her."
"Got it."
Noticing Gavial's foul mood, Tomimi shrank back nervously. It had been a long time since she'd seen Gavial this upset.
"Could it be..."
Zumama and Tomimi both turned to look at the little head poking out of the bundle.
Was she really Garde's illegitimate daughter!?
Bang!
After slamming the door shut again, Gavial leaned against it. It took her a while to regain her composure.
"What did you mean by what you said just now?"
Gavial glared at Garde with a cold expression. For just a moment earlier, she had felt a genuine surge of joy in her heart.
But that joy had lasted only a few seconds before disappearing entirely.
"I like you."
Garde repeated himself.
"I want to marry you."
"And then?"
Gavial let out a bitter laugh. If that was all, she wouldn't have reacted this way.
"But you wouldn't be my only wife."
Lowering his head, Garde eventually looked back at Gavial with determination.
"Laurentina and Saria. Besides you, there's also them."
"Saria? You've only known her for less than three months, haven't you? And Laurentina—who even is she?"
Gavial gritted her teeth, glaring daggers at Garde.
"What makes you think I'd share a man with someone else? Yes, I like you, I won't deny it! Because apart from you, no one else catches my eye at all!"
"So when you said you liked me, I was genuinely, incredibly happy. I've never been so happy in my entire life."
"I like you, but I was scared you didn't like me!"
"I've been trying to become stronger, to become as strong as you, so I can stand beside you and fight alongside you—not be a burden who constantly needs your protection!"
"I want to be worthy of you!"
"But that doesn't mean I'm willing to share you with other women! Why should the ten-plus years I've spent by your side lose to two women who came out of nowhere?"
"If you'd said Zumama, or Inam, or Tomimi, I'd at most call you shameless, despicable, and a pervert. Even if I lost, I'd accept it without complaint."
"But Laurentina? I don't even know who she is!"
Suddenly, memories flashed through Gavial's mind. She wondered why Garde had always liked going down to the riverbank, why he often brought items there that he himself didn't need.
"How long have you known her?"
"Three years."
"If you like them, then go find them! Why did you come to me?"
"Because I like you."
"And everyone else too, right?" Gavial sneered, as if she had only now seen through Garde's true nature.
With no experience in relationships and far from a romantic, Garde lacked the tact to handle this situation properly. In frustration, he decided to just lay it all out.
"Yes, I'm shameless. I'm a scumbag. I want to marry three wives at the same time. Gavial, I want you to be my wife!"
"Don't even think about it!"
"And when you were little, didn't you promise to marry me?"
"I never said I'd only marry you!"
A vein bulged on Gavial's forehead as she cracked her knuckles. Today, someone wasn't leaving this room upright.
But just as she swung her fist, Garde caught it.
"I've grown much stronger since before. You can't escape now."
"Let go of me!"
"Among Tiacauh, the rule is simple: whoever wins the fight, calls the shots."
Garde released her hand.
"I'm marrying three!"
"Drop dead!"
Gavial kicked him, but Garde didn't even budge.
"You can use weapons, magic, anything at your disposal. I'll make you accept it."
"I don't need any of that!"
"Then it's settled."
Garde's large hand moved to grab Gavial. Seeing this, she immediately tried to dodge. With her speed, she should have been able to evade easily.
But she miscalculated—Garde now was not the same as Garde before his journey to the Hotlands.
Before, he was only Level 3. Now, he was Level 6.
His previous weaknesses had been patched up. Speed was no longer his flaw. Even the shortest plank in his metaphorical barrel was now taller than Gavial.
Garde grabbed Gavial and pinned her to the ground.
"I win."
Lying there, Gavial clenched her teeth, fists trembling as she pounded the floor in frustration.
Seeing this, Garde quickly picked her up, worried she'd break his floor. But then Gavial started pounding his chest instead. Even after a while, Garde didn't feel a thing.
Finally, Gavial couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Stupid Garde, stupid Garde, stupid Garde! Even if you've fallen for other girls, couldn't you at least comfort me a little?!"
"Did you really have to use this method to make me accept sharing you with others?!"
"Why should I have to share the person I like with anyone else?!"
If she weren't so clearly outmatched, she'd have fought Garde to the bitter end to make him give up on the other women.
But why couldn't she beat him?
Despite all her hard training, despite her efforts to grow stronger, Garde had still left her behind—so far behind she couldn't even see his shadow.
Yet Garde already liked someone else. Was she really supposed to leave him?
How could she possibly do that?
In the rainforest, strength was law. If she couldn't beat Garde, she had no right to stop him. But she also didn't want to walk away in defeat.
So there was only one thing left to do.
"How far have you gone with them?"
"What?"
"I don't care what you've done with them. I was here first. So whatever you've done with them, you're doing it with me first!"
Gavial wrapped her arms around Garde's neck, her golden eyes glaring into his with the same intensity.
"I want you to do with me everything you've done with them!"
"This might not be a good idea..."
"What's wrong with it? If they want it, I want it too! Do you think I'm any less than them?"
"No, it's just... I'm worried you might not handle it..."
"Are you doing it or not?"
Cornered with no way out, Garde could only pick her up and, with a tone of utter defeat, shouted:
"Fine!"
<+>
If you want to see more chapter of this story and don't mind spending $5 monthly to see till the latest chapter, please go to my Patreon[1]
Latest Chapter in Patreon: Volume 2 Chapter 56: Faith and Truth[2]
Link to the Latest Chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/butcher-of-126110418[3]
https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/butcher-of-126110418
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/butcher-of-126110418
[4] https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl