The Cursed King

Elise didn't know yet, how Loriel was probably the only person in this world who knew her so well and understood the challenges she was facing, being transported into a new, modern world that was very different from the world she was used to.

He would never judge her. In fact, he was so impressed and proud of what Elise had managed to achieve in the five years that she lived in the modern world.

Loriel knew Elise would learn new things quickly if she was comfortable enough and open about whatever things she needed to know.

He was determined to make her feel so comfortable around him that she would confide her feelings to him and let him help her navigate life in this world.

Even if Elise didn't want to learn, Loriel was ready to take on all the responsibilities to care for her here, in modern times. His knowledge about the world was enough for both of them.

He looked at the woman dotingly. "You did a great job. Next time you need to find any information, you can just look things up on the internet."

"Thank you. I will do that," said Elise.

"Or, you can ask me," Loriel added. "I know things almost as much as the internet."

"Ahaha.." Elise laughed and nodded. "Okay."

"Okay. Are you really done? We can go to the counter and get them wrapped." Loriel pointed at the cashier at the end of the section. Elise nodded, affirming that she had finished getting all the clothes she needed."

Loriel and Elise went to the counter.

A cashier greeted them, accepted Marc's business card handed to her by Loriel, and smiled politely at them. They were already instructed by the big boss about what they should do, if a man and woman came to their shop and gave them Mars's card.

"Dear customer, it seems like you have a lot of value points to redeem. Would you like to use them now?"

"Yes," Loriel said.

"Ah, the points you've redeemed are more than enough to cover these clothes and you've also earned freebies too.  Actually, the freebies are gift cards to this very store and other related brands and establishments of Sanderman Group, so you're in for a treat."

"Sanderman Group seems to know how to treat their customers, huh?" Loriel said. He puffed up his chest when he heard the cashier's tactful words. It seemed, Marc really knew how to make his people lie when needed.

"Here you go, Miss. You receive two gift cards to shop in our shop, each with a value of $5000. They are valid for a year." The cashier took out two purple cards and gave them to Elise.

The woman batted her eyes in surprise when the cards were placed on her hands. "Wh-what is this?"

"These are the gift cards for you. Next time, you can shop here anytime and buy whenever. The value of each card is $5000. You received two cards. So, with those, you can shop again with a total value $10,000. We hope you will come back here and spend them."

"Are they not losing money over this…?" Elise asked. "It's A LOT."

Loriel thought gift cards worth only $10,000 was too little, and wanted to scold Marc for being so stingy with it.

However, when he heard from Elise that the gift cards' value was high, he decided that ten thousand was a good amount after all.

Perhaps, Elise would be suspicious if she received gift cards with double or triple the value.

"Bloomingrose does their best to take good care of all of their members. It's much better to offer discounts and free things over choosing another brand for your outfit needs, ma'am." The woman at the counter offered her their shopping bags. "We hope you can come again."

Loriel grabbed them for her. "I can carry these."

"Well, you don't have to do it," said Elise haltingly. "I can carry them. They are my shopping bags."

"Nah, no need to stand on ceremony with me. I am a man, I should be the one to do the heavy lifting," Loriel said.

Finally, Elise decided not to argue with him about it and accepted it as it is. Instead, Elise took the gift card and another small bag from the cashier. 

"We've added in a small item to thank you for your patronage!" the cashier said.

"Oh, thank you as well," Elise said.

Loriel waited for her to finish her shopping spree before the two of them left Bloomingrose. "Now that we've bought your clothes, shall we go grab some lunch?"

There was a common stereotype on how men didn't enjoy shopping and preferred to leave women to do that by themselves, but Loriel stayed with Elise all throughout the entire time she shopped in Bloomingrose. There was no place on earth he would rather be, than with her.

So, of course, even though Loriel hated crowded and public places like the malls and department stores, he enjoyed the day because he could spend it with Elise.

"Lunch?" Elise didn't realize she was hungry until Loriel spoke about having lunch. "That sounds like a good idea. I can't wait to get back and sit down."

"Me too," said Loriel. He was happy he could spend dinner, breakfast, and now lunch with his beloved wife. "Let's go this way."

He motioned her to follow him after they went out of the shop. 

"Can I help you with carrying these bags? They're mine and I feel like it's too much if you carry them for me," said Elise as they walked together.

"It's fine, this isn't heavy at all so it's not troublesome at all," Loriel reassured her. "So let's go and eat lunch now."

Elise smiled. "Where do you have in mind?" 

"I know just the place," Loriel said with a smile of his own. 

Now that he already knew that this was his Elise, Loriel couldn't help but feel sentimental and brought her to the place where it all started.