ISEKAI? More like I See Crap!-Chapter 135: Bound by Destiny ( )

The Royal Guards, pretending to browse nearby stalls, exchanged secret grins.

And Ridan, floating overhead, whispered through telepathy:

"Oho~ Idiot finally realized it’s real. About damn time."

As they waited for the meat to finish grilling, Ellyn leaned forward.

She rested her small head softly against Hazuki’s messy black hair, her golden tail curling loosely around his shoulder for balance.

The noisy marketplace, the smells of food, the chattering crowd — it all faded into a distant hum.

It was just them, sharing the quiet.

"You know, Uncle..." Ellyn said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Hazuki tilted his head slightly, listening.

She smiled faintly, her cheek brushing against his hair.

"Just... don’t die before we get married."

Hazuki’s chest tightened slightly.

He felt the weight behind her simple words —

the vulnerability she rarely showed,

the quiet hope she hid under all her playful teasing.

Hazuki closed his eyes for a moment.

A small, honest smile tugged at his lips.

He answered without hesitation:

"Okay."

For a few heartbeats, they stayed like that—

A secret promise exchanged under the sky, unnoticed by the bustling world around them.

A boy who thought he was just a loser.

A girl who was secretly a princess.

Bound by a simple pinky promise—

And now something deeper.

Meanwhile, Ridan floated nearby, pretending to be disinterested but sneaking peeks, his cloudy arms crossed.

Through telepathy, he muttered:

"Idiot finally gave a good answer for once..."

But he couldn’t hide the faint, proud smirk tugging at his mouth.

Ellyn, now happily munching on a giant roast meat skewer, swung her legs excitedly from Hazuki’s shoulders.

"Alright, Uncle!!" she cheered between bites.

"TO THE NEXT STALL!!"

Hazuki groaned dramatically, but a proud, goofy grin stretched across his face.

"Ugh! Fine!!" he shouted for the whole market to hear, thrusting his chest out proudly.

He grabbed his adventurer card in his right hand, waving it around like a trophy.

In his left hand, he jangled a small pouch of coins—the loot he had taken from the tiger assassin who tried to kidnap Ellyn before.

"ONLY FOR MY FUTURE WIFE!!!" he declared heroically.

Passersby stared at him.

Some vendors chuckled.

A few beastkin girls clapped.

One old beastkin woman wiped a tear from her eye, whispering, "Young love is so beautiful..."

Ridan, floating above them, facepalmed so hard his cloud form wobbled.

Through telepathy, he muttered:

"Dear gods... he’s hopeless. Completely whipped and he doesn’t even know it yet."

Ellyn, still nibbling her meat, looked down at Hazuki with a bright smile and sparkling eyes.

Her heart felt light. Happy. Safe.

This was fun.

This was warm.

This was hers.

Hazuki marched forward dramatically, waving his card and coin pouch like battle banners.

"TO MORE FOOD!! TO MORE ADVENTURES!!" he shouted.

"TO MORE MEAT!!" Ellyn added, pumping her tiny fist in the air.

And the strange, chaotic trio moved deeper into the marketplace—

Leaving laughter, confused merchants, and amazed townsfolk in their wake.

As Hazuki marched forward like a proud fool, waving his adventurer card and coin pouch around, Ellyn sat quietly atop his shoulders, finishing the last bites of her roast meat.

She smiled.

But inside—

Her heart was whispering something only she could hear.

Inside Ellyn’s mind—

He’s my fate.

The one chosen by the Absolute Eye.

The only one who doesn’t care about power... or my abilities.

The only one who doesn’t try to use me or fear me.

Even after seeing my real self—he only smiled.

He’s the one...

The only one...

Who treats me like a girl first, not a princess.

Not a weapon.

Not a prize.

She closed her eyes briefly, feeling the soft bounce of his steps, the warmth of his presence carrying her forward through the noisy, bustling town.

Her fingers curled slightly in Hazuki’s hair—

A silent, precious connection she never wanted to let go of.

I’m lucky...

I’m so lucky... that he’s the one the Absolute Eye chose for me.

And deeper in her heart—

A small, quiet prayer bloomed.

Please, let this happiness stay... just a little longer.

Meanwhile, Hazuki was obliviously scanning the next row of food stalls, completely unaware of the weight of destiny riding on his shoulders.

Ridan, floating nearby, glanced at Ellyn thoughtfully through half-lidded eyes.

He didn’t say anything.

But inside, even the old spirit smiled a little.

Ridan floated lazily next to Ellyn, spinning slow circles in the air.

Hazuki, still marching proudly ahead through the busy street, didn’t even notice that he hadn’t talked to Ridan all day.

He was too busy waving his adventurer card like a flag of victory.

Through telepathy, Ridan chuckled,

"Oho~ I wonder what he’ll think if he ever finds out you’re actually a royal princess?"

Ellyn stiffened slightly, her ears twitching.

"Don’t you dare tell him!" she snapped mentally, eyes wide.

"Ohhh~ Why the panic now, Princess~?" Ridan teased, swirling lazily around her head like a mischievous cloud.

Ellyn pouted slightly.

"If he finds out now, he’ll throw me off and run away without even looking back!" she said firmly.

Ridan laughed softly.

"Yeah, I get it. This idiot would definitely stutter and freak out if he knew you were royalty at this point. Better save that bomb for later... maybe right before the wedding."

Ellyn huffed and crossed her arms.

"Promise me, old man."

Ridan’s cloud form wobbled violently.

"OI!! WHO ARE YOU CALLING OLD MAN!?" he shouted through telepathy.

Ellyn giggled, pressing a hand against her mouth to muffle her laugh.

She leaned closer to Ridan, whispering mentally with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes,

"Just make sure you bring him back here in two years, okay?"

Ridan smirked, swirling around her once.

"Oho~ Someone can’t wait to get married to this idiot, huh?"

Ellyn puffed her cheeks dramatically.

"Nooo~ It’s the other way around.

He’ll be the one crawling to me later~"

Ridan barked out a puff of laughter, spinning wildly above Ellyn’s head like a drunken cloud.

Through telepathy, he smirked.

"Heh~ If only that idiot knew... he only needs to wait an actual two years. Or maybe even less by now?"

Ellyn giggled softly, brushing a strand of her golden hair behind her small ear.

"Yeah... I’m already near seventeen. Just a couple more months."

Ridan let out a low, impressed whistle.

"Time flies, huh, Princess?"

He floated a little lower, peering at her with a teasing glint.

"You not tired maintaining the ’kid Ellyn’ form all the time?"

Ellyn just smiled innocently.

"I could hold this form for longer than a month if I wanted to."

Her tone was light, but there was an unmistakable strength underneath.

Ridan shuddered dramatically, spinning backward.

"Ohoo~ Someone with the Absolute Eye is really scary~" he teased.

Ellyn tilted her head playfully, smiling.

"It’s a secret, you know? Uncle must never know."

"Yeah, yeah..." Ridan muttered.

"Poor dumbass doesn’t realize he’s practically raising his future wife already."

( End of Chapter )