Lloyd found Silvia in the kitchen peeling a potato, or well trying to. It was clear she couldn't find the right angle. The poor thing had random gashes across its skin, and some of the exposed flesh was already going mushy. Out of frustration, Silvia smacked the peeler down onto the table, glaring at the potato with frustration.
"...need a little help?" Lloyd tentatively offered.
Silvia smiled at him brightly, hiding the destroyed potato behind her back.
"I-I got this." She mumbled shyly.
With a smirk, Lloyd walked up to her and booped her nose.
"Housework really isn't meant for you, hm?" He pressed a kiss against the top of her head. "Leave it to me."
The goddess nuzzled against his chest, acting like a softened kitten.
He took the peeler from her hand without fanfare and got to work. Silvia hopped onto the counter beside him, swinging her legs, watching him work curiously.
"You make it look easy." She muttered.
"Years of practice." He replied without looking up. "My mom always made me help her out with this kind of stuff. Chopping, peeling, seasoning, I actually find it fun."
…
After peeling everything, Lloyd sat down Silvia in the kitchen table.
"It sort of slipped my mind, but I need to tell you something." He spoke seriously.
"So, don't freak out, but you know how there are things called dungeons and monsters spawn in them and heroes go and destroy them to keep the world at peace right?" Silvia nodded.
"Something similar happens right here." Lloyd pointed out the window. Almost on cue, a flurry of crows burst out from the treeline of the sinister looking forest across the way.
"Once a year, a portal spawns in that forest. The villagers group together and destroy it from the inside before the monsters spill out. I don't know the full details of how it works but it's seriously dangerous."
Silvia stared at the forest for a moment. All she could see were dark, luscious locks of leaves sprouting from long branches of thick trees. Though the view was normal, there was just this creepy vibe that came from the forest. It appeared darker than it's surrounding, the sunlight getting absorbed rather than bouncing off of it.
"And everyone's just…okay with that?" She asked.
"Eh, it's been popping up since before I was born. I guess the villagers made peace with it." Lloyd shrugged.
"That's pretty scary. I'm guessing there's been a few casualties" Silvia probed.
"A few is quite an understatement. Well, I don't know too much since I was kind of isolated, but it appears that the amount dead keeps ramping up each year. And uh" Lloyd paused. "my dad was a casualty as well."
Silvia gave him a minute to recover. She had learned by now that Lloyd always needed one when his parents came up.
Lloyd gave her a small smile. "We can talk about it. I'm fine."
"Regardless…I've been thinking of participating this year."
"Hell no" Silvia immediately protested.
"Yeah, I expected that. But, I have my reasons." Lloyd continued anyways.
"No, absolutely not. Think of it, what if a tragedy occurs? Even if you don't end up dead, god forbid, what if you injure your hands? Legs? Lloyd, you're the sole breadwinner. If something happens to you, it impacts everyone around you as well." Her voice was firm but her eyes were worried. "Think about Nora. What would she do without her brother?"
"I know." He gritted his teeth. "I know I'm being selfish but I'm not the type to standby watching everybody else suffer when I can make a difference!"
He met her eyes, ocean waves flooding emerald gems.
"Silvia…I'm an awakener" Lloyd revealed, his eyes determined and firm, shining brightly like blue flames.
Silvia didn't react at first, obviously. She was the reason for him being an awakener to begin with. But staring at Lloyd's expectant eyes, she realized she had to make a show about it.
"What? Really?! I had no idea" She gasped, mouth wide open as she placed a palm over her lips.
"I get that it's hard to believe but, there's a reason why money and food are no longer issues. I've awakened an SSS-rank farming talent. Not only do my crops grow faster, I also gain attributes from them like strength and agility"
Now that was something Silvia didn't know. She helped Lloyd awaken, but she never knew the full extent of his abilities.
"SSS-Rank?!" She shouted.
"Shh" Lloyd pressed a finger against his lips.
"keep it a secret. I can't let others know" He whispered.
"Why would you tell me then?" Silvia questioned.
"Because I trust you." He stroked her hair. "You're my partner. If I can't trust you, who can I?"
The goddess blushed, but gave him a slight glare.
"Don't think you can sweet talk your way out of this one! Even if you're an awakener, you're not particularly strong" She crossed her arms.
"Ouch, I've gained a bit of muscle if you couldn't tell." Lloyd proudly flexed his biceps. Silvia ran a hand over them, squeezing once.
"Okay, maybe you did get stronger, but not monster killing strong!" She pressed harder.
"I won't be alone. There's the other villagers to help me as well and I'll get weapons to help me like a gun"
"...you're deadset on this already, right?" Silvia sighed out of defeat.
"Yeah. And there's still time for preparation. I just gotta eat and workout more." Lloyd rubbed her shoulder.
"Fine. But you're the one who has to explain this to Nora."
"Who says I'm telling her anything? She's practically a baby. I'll be done with the dungeon before she even wakes up!" Lloyd joked.
"Allegedly. Hopefully. Maybe but not likely" Silvia grounded him.
"...I deserved that"
"Get started on your 'training' and make us lunch" She kicked his leg gently.
Lloyd immediately got up. "Yes ma'am". He scurried off to the kitchen.
…
After eating, Lloyd went straight to his room to train.
100 situps. 100 pushups. 100 squats!
"Huff, huff" Lloyd was sweating like crazy, but he kept on grinding.
Mid pushup, he felt a weight on his back and nearly splatted on the ground.
"Add 10 weighted pushups onto your regime~" A familiar, cheerful voice sang from above.
Lloyd didn't need to look up to tell who it was. "Babe, get off of me"
"Hm? I thought you were a big strong man. Can't even lift up your girl properly. Tsk tsk tsk" Silvia kicked his side.
"I was just surprised." With a grunt, Lloyd pushed up once, then again. Silvia was light, roughly 110 pounds, and he managed all 10 pushups with only a moderate struggle.
He collapsed onto the wooden floor when it was done, cheek pressed against the cool surface.
"Am I 'big and strong' enough for you?" Lloyd bit back at her, breathless.
"Acceptable. I would expect nothing less from the man I chose~" She bit his ear, leaving a noticeable toothmark.
Lloyd briefly rested for 15 minutes before starting on his squats. He stretched his arms forward, spread his legs apart, and bent down with his back straight. Up and down, over and over until his thighs burned and breath heavy.
He finished all 100 in 4 sets of 25 and then took a quick shower in the bathroom before settling into bed. The room was pitch black with only the moonlight from the opened curtains of his window providing any light. The shine flickered on and off of Lloyd, highlighting his sharpened features over the months of finally getting proper nutrients and exercise. He'd changed without fully noticing it himself. His features were sharper, his jaw more defined. The hollowness that winter had carved into his cheeks had filled out
Silvia rested next to him, watching Lloyd stare out the window.
"Not sleepy?" She mumbled, wrapping an arm around his thin waist.
"Not really. I feel tired but my eyes aren't closing." He leaned into her touch, feeling her heavy breasts pressing against his back.
"Let me help with that then~" The hand on his waist snaked downwards, resting on the waistband of his pants.
Lloyd stiffened in both ways.
"What are you trying to do? Don't tease me so late at night" He tried to act calm.
"What do you think I'm trying to do, Lloyd?" Silvia's voice deepened, reaching a sultry tone as she bit down on his neck.
"You're right. It was a dumb question." Lloyd muttered sheepishly.
"We've been together for a few months and you're still this shy around me." She pinched his cheek.
"W-Well it's not everyday where somebody offers me a…you know. It's the first time you just sprung this on me." Lloyd explained.
"Hm, I guess you're right. It is a bit sporadic, but so what?" She kissed his cheek.
"...well, are you going to get on with it?" Lloyd mustered up all his courage.