[LSB] Chapter 107: Love on Both Sides, But Not Romance

“Thank you for coming, Julian.”

The dinner prepared by the estate’s chef was exceptionally delicious—a rarity in this underdeveloped world, where spices weren’t as developed or prominent as those on Earth. But knowing Cyrus, he had likely already imported a variety of spices from different regions of Artemia.

Juliet could’ve probably enjoyed it more if her mind wasn’t racing the entire time. She wanted to back out, but she already told Julian to meet her in the estate’s garden before he returned to Earth.

Now that he was standing right in front of her, the pounding in her chest drowned out her own voice. She might have even already forgotten why she had invited Julian to talk in the first place—let alone why she had chosen a secluded garden for their conversation.

Weird, they’ve been alone several times before, closer even since they work the forge together—but why does it feel like it was only now that she was noticing it?

Was it because she was calling Julian by his name again for the first time?

Because for the first time, she was meeting him not as her master, but as a woman?

As a woman… How long has it been since she thought of herself as such?

She didn’t know why, when, or how it even happened. But as she watched Julian slowly approach, the feeling only grew stronger.

For years, she had devoted herself to the forge, losing herself in the craft to prove she could surpass those who doubted her. There had been no room for anything else—no distractions, no hesitation.

But then Julian came.

And in such a short time, she had learned more from him than she had in her entire life. For the first time, she had the time to allow herself to be something more than just a blacksmith.

She knew it. And she wasn’t the type to lie to herself.

What she felt for Julian wasn’t just admiration. It wasn’t just respect.

It was love.

But she knew. She had always known.

She was competing with a ghost she could never outrun—one that lived, breathed, and existed somewhere out there in the stars. A woman not dead, but untouchable, lingering in Julian’s heart like an ember that would never burn out.

The worst part? That ghost wasn’t just a memory. She was real. Alive. Waiting for him on a planet hundreds of millions of lightyears away. Cyrus had explained the vastness of it all to her before, how Earth and Artemia were separated by an impossible gulf of space and time.

But none of that mattered.

Because right now, on this planet, beneath this sky, in this moment—Julian was here with her.

The cool night air clung to her skin, but it wasn’t enough to temper the heat rising in her chest. The scent of smoldering coal still lingered in her hair from the forge, mixing with the crisp fragrance of the garden’s blooming flowers. Her fingers curled at her sides, nails digging into her palms just to keep her grounded.

She wanted to say something. To bridge the gap between them. But the words wouldn’t come. The pounding of her heart drowned them out, the ache of knowing she would never be enough tightening like an iron band around her ribs.

Still, she forced a smile.

Because right now, Julian was in front of her. And for now, that was enough.

“What did you want to talk about?”

His voice was steady—calm, like leaves resting undisturbed in the quiet garden, never knowing the touch of the wind. That same calmness caught Juliet off guard, stealing the breath from her lungs.

Her long golden hair, freed from its usual bindings for the night, swayed gently around her shoulders, as if stirred by something unseen.

Seconds, perhaps even a minute?

She had practiced these words a hundred times, replaying them over and over in her mind. But now, standing here with Julian right in front of her, she couldn’t seem to say a single one.

And it didn’t help that he remained completely silent, just watching her, waiting.

She subtly brushed her fingers around her bracelet, her eyes moving everywhere.

Soon, however, even the quiet garden seemed to grow impatient with her hesitation. The leaves, once motionless, began to stir, swaying restlessly with the faintest whisper of the wind.

Tiny, weaker than a breath. And yet the sound they made as they danced was so loud that it gave Juliet all the confidence to raise her voice and finally say,

“Thank you. I just wanted to say thank you.”

Words. Not necessarily the words she wanted to say the most, not at all. But words.

But of course, these words confused Julian.

“What for?” He asked, “And… you already thanked me before too. And like I said before, you don’t need to thank me.”

“Because I love you.”

And then, the words she wanted to say escaped her lips on their own so casually. The leaves became silent again, with the two just staring at each other’s eyes and not knowing what emotions they held.

But after a few more slow breaths, it was Julian who broke the silence, letting out a little hum at first before he whispered,

“Thank you. And I’m sorry that I could never be able to feel the same way.”

“Never…” A smile slowly spread across Juliet’s lips as her fingers once again brushed over her bracelet. The lingering warmth it carried never faded, offering her a quiet comfort. She met Julian’s gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. And then, without a second’s hesitation, she leaned forward, gently placing her palm over his eyes before pressing her lips to his.

She stayed like that for only a single second, savoring a warmth she knew she would never feel again. She wanted to linger, to hold onto it just a little longer—but she knew that if she did, she might never be able to let go. And so, with a quiet breath, she pulled away.

“I know that. I know that you could never love me the same way, and you don’t need to. I’m happy just by being your side, and thank you for making me feel like a woman just for a little time.”

Juliet closed her eyes, a small tear leaving her eyes—perhaps for the last time and for the same reason, and said,

“But now it’s time to become a blacksmith again, Boss.” She took in a deep breath, tying her hair up again and wrapping her bandana to cover it, “Let’s show these gnarfolks what hyum craftsmanship is about.”

Julian looked at her in silence for a while, but a smile soon crept on his face as he let out a hum and said, “We will. But why did you put up your bandana again when we’re about to sleep?”

“That…” Juliet’s eye twitched and an awkward chuckle escaped her. She then sighed, shaking her head as she removed her bandana, “...That was supposed to mean that I’m saying goodbye to being a woman and then—why am I even explaining this to you, Boss? Ugh, just…It's all because of this stupid quest we share. Why would Artemis even give us a quest to travel together when...Ugh! I’ll see you in the morrow.”

Juliet walked away, marching with a sigh while wiping the traces of tears on her face. But as she passed Julian, she once again turned to him and said,

“And… please tell Ellie that I’m sorry for kissing you. Tell her that it was meant to be a goodbye to—ugh. No, don’t tell her.”

She was about to run away, but Julian unexpectedly called for her.

“Wait, Juliet.”

“Hmm?” Juliet slightly gasped, flinching as she heard her name. She didn’t turn around, however, and let Julian say what he wanted to say.

“It doesn’t make sense that you can’t be a woman and a blacksmith at the same time when you are, in fact, a woman.”

“That…” Juliet’s lips twitched as she heard that, not knowing whether she should laugh or not. But before she could do anything, Julian continued.

“And you’re a very beautiful woman, and a very good blacksmith. You’re not very hard to love, Juliet. And people would be very, very lucky to be with and have you.”

Juliet did not say anything and just paused. She took in a deep breath, smiling as she glanced back at him and said,

“You’re right, Boss. Now let’s go to sleep before I start crying again, ugh!”

And with that, Juliet continued to march away, leaving Julian alone in the garden. He stayed for a few seconds there to stare at the moons and the stars, and just casually left for his room, not uttering a single change in breath as he lay down and closed his eyes to return to Earth.

And there, Ellie’s voice welcomed him as soon as a single finger of his twitched awake.

“Morning,” she said as Julian felt her climbing on the bed and laying on top of him, removing the LinkGear herself as she cuddled him, “You ready for our date?”

“No. I need to brush my teeth and get dressed first. And also, here.”

“Hmm?” Ellie lifted herself up as Julian gently grabbed her hand and casually slid a bracelet onto her wrist—and it wasn’t the same as Juliet’s.

Well, it was the same, but Julian had tinkered with it inside the Shadow Forge. After all, if the people saw her wearing the same exact bracelet that he forged back in Artemia, they would start asking questions.

“Oh…” Ellie quickly sat up, her eyes fixating on the bracelet. A gentle smile curled on her lips as she traced its surface with her fingertips. “...This is beautiful, Julian. Thank you… it holds your warmth.”

“Hmm.”

“And for some reason, I also feel healthier and stronger. But why does it look different from the one you gave Juliet?”

“I had to change it or people might recognize it and start asking questions.”

“Huh…” Ellie stared at the bracelet for a few more seconds before jumping onto Julian and wrapping her arms around him, “...Thank you again! I also have a gift for you, but I’ll save it for later. Now, shall we go on a date!?”

Ellie rushed to change clothes, but Julian grabbed and stopped her and said,

“Juliet wanted me to tell you that she’s sorry.”

Ellie blinked a couple of times as she looked back to Julian. She sighed for a moment and then sat back down,

“...What for?” She asked.

“For kissing me on the lips.” And Julian did not hesitate to answer at all.

Ellie didn’t say a word. She simply gazed at Julian for a moment before quietly resting her head against his chest.

“And what did she do after?” She whispered.

“She thanked me for making her feel like a woman, and then she said that it was time to become a blacksmith again. It was… odd.”

“It’s love, Julian…” Ellie sighed, “It’s meant to be odd. And you do know you just broke someone’s heart, right?”

“Hmm.”

“Can you tell her that I’m sorry too? Sorry for being the first to be here with you, to love you. Because… I think that without me, you and Juliet would’ve actually made great partners. You both like the same thing, you spend a lot of time together, and she knows a side of you that I can never know. It’s… sort of beautiful.”

“I don’t think so.” Julian hummed as he brushed his fingers across Ellie’s hair, “Love, whatever it is, I only know its existence because of you. Without you, I would be a man without love.”

“Hmm.” Ellie gently held his cheek, “You have to give MEGAN a little bit more credit on that too. Wait, no. She’s going by Silvie now, right? Where is she, anyway?”

“Busy chatting with the Avatar of Searadyn.”

“She’s got a real friend now, huh? I’m really happy for her. I miss her, but I’m really happy.”

“Do you want me to call her?”

“What? No. Don’t do that, she has her own life now, Julian. And we have things to do too! Now, let’s go! Go! I’ll be meeting Talia and the others later tonight, too, she said we would be meeting with a producer? It’s…”

Julian and Ellie spent the entire day together. Granted, it was hard to roam around the streets without being recognized, but the two didn’t seem to care at all as they were just lost in each other’s company, both talking about their lives and anything that they could talk about.

***

Meanwhile, elsewhere on Earth, Vijya Thatcher’s father sat rigidly on his legless chair, his posture straight as a blade. His eyes remained fixed on the hologram before him, unwavering, scrutinizing Julian’s every move.

His large office was still filled with smoke, causing the holographic image of Julian and Ellie to become even larger than it should be.

A silhouette soon emerged from the smoke. It was his assistant, the woman's head completely bowed when she approached him.

“Mr. President, I advise against excessive surveillance through public channels. If you watch them for too long, Humanity Engineering will notice—they have eyes everywhere.” The assistant kept her head bowed as she spoke, her voice steady despite the thick haze of smoke filling the room. She fought the urge to cough, pressing a hand over her mouth to stifle it.

Vijya’s father did not switch off the display even with his assistant’s caution, and instead only looked at her while shaking his head.

“And we also have people in Humanity Engineering, correct?” He said, his voice grunted and deep.

“I am afraid we’ve been unable to contact our person there. He might have already been compromised or discovered.”

Vijya’s father did not speak, and instead breathed in a healthy puff from his shisha to calm his growling lips. But the anger inside him was too much, and he immediately removed himself from the ground and grabbed his chair, slamming it onto the floor and shattering it completely.

“Why are we afraid of Humanity Engineering!? My son has been humiliated by them, turned into a monster and then killed! All for a man called Julian Winters! And this Julian Winters roam free without consequence!? And a mutant!? Why do people not see him for what he is!? A freak! Why do I go out now, and see people celebrating this sickness!? What happened to this world where only the pure can roam free!?”

The assistant remained silent despite the president’s relentless questioning. She let him vent, knowing full well that his anger would never truly subside—not until Julian Winters was gone.

“If he’s a mutant, then we should be throwing him to some other planet. Throw him with the other alien species like you, mordol!”

The assistant’s ears twitched at President Thatcher’s words. She lifted her gaze ever so slightly, revealing eyes as pale as marble and skin that shimmered under the faintest light due to the delicate scales covering it. A subtle ripple passed through them, betraying her unease, but she quickly bowed her head once more and murmured an apology.

“I apologize, President. What do you want me to do?”

“Your species can read minds! Do I have to tell you everything!?”

“I… can only read the mind of someone from my kind.”

“You already know what I want!” President Thatcher marched toward his assistant and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her with ease as he growled, “You are the one who told me to compromise and kill his clone instead! I have waited enough—why is his clone’s corpse not being paraded in that barbaric planet for everyone to see!?”

The assistant struggled, her breath unable to leave her throat. And yet, she still answered him and said,

“We… we already have plans in motion. Julian Winters, in his clone, will be traveling… traveling to the lands of the gnarfolk soon. We have… your son has… friends there, higher level than Julian’s clone. They… they can kill him. We’ve already paid them a very handsome reward… they’ll do it. They will also… hire some locals in case Humanity Engineering decides to intervene”

President Vijya’s eyebrows twitched as he stared at his assistant. He stared at her as her breaths slowly weakened, and right when her eyes were about to close, he let her go and dropped her on the floor.

A loud gasp battled its way out of her, her scales moving on their own and making a quiet sound. As for President Vijya, he only looked at her one final time before turning around and sitting on the floor.

“Good,” he muttered, “Tell them we’ll also offer them protection, right here in our place. Keep their bodies safe from Humanity Engineering while they’re doing it. Tell them, that whatever you offered them before, we will triple it if they streamed killing Julian Winters live.”

The assistant was still recovering her breath on the floor when she stood up, once again bowing her head and whispering,

“Of course, President. It will be done.”

***

A few days later, Julian’s journey to gnarfolk territory continued. Well, not exactly, as their adventures always come to an unexpected halt due to monsters blocking their path from time to time.

More and more frequent now that they were closing in on gnarfolk territory.

And right now, Julian was holding down a jumpacabra by the neck. The monster’s glowing red eyes, slowly fading away.

The creature was grotesque, a jarring fusion of fur and scales stretched across its twisted form. Most of its body bore a humanoid shape, but its reptilian head and unnaturally long, muscular legs—reminiscent of a marsupial—turned it into something entirely unnatural.

Well, no matter how powerful its legs were, their strength fading as Julian slowly pulled Searadyn’s Veil from its heart, the blade slicing through flesh and emerging from its shoulder.

It couldn’t even let out a final cry since Julian was holding its throat.

“Hmm.” Julian then gently dropped the jumpacabra’s corpse on the cracked and dried up ground, throwing it with the rest of its mob. More than a dozen of them, littered on the ground. Juliet, who had also just finished her battle, pulled her waraxe from a corpse while sighing at Julian.

“You… didn’t even need my help, Boss,” she said while wiping the blood on her face, “Don’t tell me you’re just leaving some for me to fight so I could also level up? Well that… I appreciate that, but I only managed to kill one, and I think I almost died 12 times while doing so.”

“No, I needed your help,” Julian immediately hummed as he hid his weapon back into the shadows, “It would have taken longer without you.”

“Eh, I feel like you wanted it to last longer,” Juliet stuck out her tongue and groaned, “You were smiling from ear to ear while killing them. I still can’t get used to that, you become like a completely different person.”

“Hmm.”

Meanwhile, while the two were wrapping up and checking if they could get any materials from the monsters, Cyrus, who had been capturing everything from afar, rushed back to them with a crazed look in his eyes.

“Julian. What level are you again now?” He quickly asked.

Julian paused for a bit before uttering ‘Guidance’ and looking at his stats. And after a few seconds of checking it, he turned to Cyrus and said,

“I’m currently at level 26.”

“26? Oh, fuck…” Cyrus let out a very long and deep breath as he looked at the jumpacabra corpses, “Julian, these monsters are level 40. Do you know what that means?”

Julian remained unfazed, but Juliet's eyes widened at the words.

“Ack…” She groaned, “...So, that’s why I almost died a hundred times.”

“Julian,” Cyrus grabbed Julian by the shoulders and said,

"You didn’t just kill a monster nearly twice your level, Julian. You took down an entire group of them—and effortlessly at that. Boy, I knew Unique classes were powerful, but... just how fucking strong are you?"

[LAST CHAPTER] <-----> [NEXT CHAPTER]

AUTHOR NOTES

I am now turning into a romance writer. Bless me. lol. Anyway, kinda bittersweet that Juliet was able to tell Julian her feelings, albeit rejected. But that's that out of the way, now it's adventuring time.

Vijya, even dead though, is proving to be a problematic supremacist. Do holler!