"No Marriage, Please! vs. Marry Me or Die: The Ultimate Love Showdown" - Episode 10

We were heading toward a small stream nearby.

“Such nice weather today, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it is.”

“But… do you think I can really fish?”

“Well, if you were going out to sea to catch something huge, that’d be another story. But fishing in a stream like this? Even kids can do it.”

“I see. Then I’m looking forward to it!”

“Same here.”
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“All right, we’re here.”

We arrived at the stream without any trouble. I opened the bag I’d brought and took out the fishing gear and bait—live worms.

“Ugh… they’re all squirmy…”

“Not a fan?”

“Not really… yeah.”

“Then I’ll handle the bait for you.”

“Thanks.”

I baited both my rod and Ria’s, then cast the lines into the water. Now, all we had to do was wait for the fish to bite.
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“Hey, Yuri… you’re an adventurer, right?”

“Yeah.”

“What rank are you?”

“F-rank.”

“Liar. You took down that griffin!”

“Well, that was…”

Ria didn’t press any further.
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“To be honest, I used to feel really lonely, being on my own. It hasn’t been that long since I started living with you, but… it’s been fun. Still, I’m sure you have a purpose—something really important you’re working toward.”

“Yeah. One day, I’ll be leaving this village. I have a mission to fulfill.”

“I figured. But I think you’ll become someone incredible. You’re not just some ordinary guy, Yuri. So… let’s make the most of the time we have left together, okay?”

“Yeah.”

I felt the same way. If it weren’t for my mission… maybe there really could’ve been a peaceful future where it was just the two of us.
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“Ah! I think I’ve got something!”

It looked like Ria had caught a fish. She instinctively leaned backward to pull hard, but I quickly stepped in to support her.

“Don’t yank it so hard. Slow and steady.”

“Slow and steady… got it.”

She carefully reeled it in, controlling her strength with focus.

“Now! Pull it up!”

“Okay!”

At just the right moment, Ria yanked her rod upward—and a fish was hooked on the line.
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“That’s a Starfish.”

“Starfish?’

“Yeah. See those star-like markings on its body? It’s a common catch. Tastes amazing grilled with just a bit of salt—really popular among adventurers.”

“Wow, I didn’t know that.”

“Honestly, I thought I’d be the first to catch something. Nicely done.”

“Heh! Beginner’s luck!”

We caught a few more after that, then decided to cook them on the spot.

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“Ria, can you use fire magic?”

“Of course. I can use all the basic elemental spells.”

“Impressive. Mind helping me start a fire?”

“Got it. Fire—Ignite!”

With Ria’s magic, a fire sparked to life. I began roasting the fish, carefully skewering them, seasoning them lightly with salt, and cooking them thoroughly over the flames.
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“Yuri, is your cooking this good because you’re an adventurer?”

“Yeah. Adventurers often have to live off the land and cook on the spot.”

“I see.”

After a while, the fish were done cooking.

“Here. It’s hot, so be careful.”

“Thanks. Ha—hot!”

Ria took a bite, eyes sparkling the moment the taste hit her.

“Mmm! This is amazing! And it’s just salted!”

Yeah. Salt alone really does the trick.
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“Ria, you’ve got something on your cheek.”

“Eh? Really?”

“No need to rush like that.”

“But your cooking’s just so good!”

“Well… thanks.”

“I want to be able to cook like you one day—so I can make my future husband happy.”

“A-ah… yeah, that’d be great…”

“Yup!”

…Not that it’s got anything to do with me, right?
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Just as I was thinking it might be time to head back, Ria tapped my shoulder.

“Hey, Yuri.”

“What is it?”

“You’re strong, right? Would you teach me how to fight? I think it’d be a good way to work off lunch too.”

“Fight?”

“Yeah. It’d be better if I could defend myself, even a little, don’t you think?”

“Well… you’re not wrong.”

Actually, that was a great idea. Ria’s supposed to join up with Theo during the final battle, and the stronger she is by then, the better.

Yeah! This might just be a stroke of genius. I already knew she had magical talent.
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“Your main strength is magic, right?”

“Yep. But I can use physical enhancement skills too.”

“Wait, really?”

“Uh-huh.”

“…”

That didn’t sound right. I don’t remember her having that skill in her base stats… Oh well.

“You understand the basics of casting magic, right?”

“Of course. Basic frame, shape designation, output control, duration, and supplementary elements.”

“Exactly. In combat, the key is assembling that structure as fast as possible. You don’t need to cast anything super powerful.”

“Really? I thought strong magic would be better.”

“Powerful spells take too long to cast—they’re not practical in a fight.”

“Huh… speed matters more than strength, then.”

“Exactly.”

Ria nodded in understanding.
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“Now, about skills… they’re less about theory and more about experience. You’ve just got to practice. Want to try some sparring?”

“Ooh… sounds fun!”

“Use body enhancement, and hit my palm with everything you’ve got.”

“Okay!”

She inhaled, calmly focused her mana, and activated the skill in an instant. Her fist slammed into my palm with a loud boom, and I was blown backward.

“…Huh?”

I caught myself and stared at her, stunned. What was that power…? That wasn’t normal.
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“Yuri, are you okay?! I’m so sorry—did I hit too hard?”

“No, my fault. I underestimated you. That was an incredible punch. Are you sure you’ve never fought before?”

“Never.”

“…”

A raw, untapped talent—like a diamond in the rough. With this much power, she’ll be an invaluable ally when she joins Theo’s party.

I became completely engrossed in teaching Ria everything I knew. I used all my knowledge from the original story, explaining my techniques step-by-step.

In the end, I told her this:
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“I’ve taught you all the theory, but in the end, what matters most… is courage. No matter how much talent or effort you have—without bravery, it’s meaningless. It’s courage that lets us keep moving forward. That, to me, is the foundation of it all.”

“Courage…”

That was something I learned from playing this game. Not just Theo—the protagonist—but every character in this world fought with courage. I hoped that message would reach her.

As the sun began to set, we decided to head back to the mansion.

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“You must be tired, huh?”

“Yeah… I haven’t moved this much in ages.”

“You didn’t stop, even when I told you to take a break.”

“Well… it was just really fun, moving around like that. Will you… teach me again sometime?”

“Of course.”
I stopped her because I knew pushing too far wouldn’t be good. But even so, Ria insisted she was fine and asked for more. In just a few hours, she’d already grown so much stronger.

Then, she whispered quietly:
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“If only… days like this could last forever…”

I didn’t respond. I felt the same way—but even so, I had to keep moving forward.
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†
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The next day, after our break, I felt like I’d done everything I needed. I’d taught Ria enough about fighting. She’d be fine on her own now.

“…Huh? She’s not up yet?”

I went to the dining hall, but no one was there. It was Ria’s turn to cook today, yet the kitchen was silent.

“…Did something happen?”

I hurried to her room—and found Ria still in bed.

“Ria. Are you okay?”

“…Yeah. It’s my day, right…? I… I should get up…”

Her face was flushed red with a fever. It was obvious she was sick.

“You’ve got a fever. Sorry—I must’ve pushed you too hard yesterday.”

“No… you told me to stop. It’s my fault… I’m sorry. I have to… get to work…”

I gently urged her to lie back down.

“Just rest for today. That’s your job now. I’ll let the church know you’re taking the day off.”

“Thank you… Yuri…”

“Sleep a bit more.”

“Okay…”

I tucked her in, and she quickly fell back asleep. Then I headed to the church to report her absence.
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“…Should be fine to just walk in, right?”

As I stepped into the church, a quiet stillness filled the space. Elaborate stained glass windows adorned the ceiling, casting soft beams of colored light on the floor like holy radiance.

And then—I saw him.

A man with red hair, standing alone in the center of that sacred space. He looked almost like a painting—so striking, so perfectly framed in the light.
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“Good morning. Is there something I can help you with?”

He noticed me and smiled gently as he greeted me—but for some reason, that smile sent a chill down my spine.