My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse - Chapter 414

Chapter 414: Chapter 414 The Misunderstanding
Feeling the frustration build with no outlet, Kisha took a deep breath, exhaling slowly to calm herself. After all, she had already secured the item she wanted.

As for the points, she knew she could earn them back—especially with so many missions queued up in her mission tab, ready to be cleared.

She reassured herself that she hadn’t lost out and, in fact, had gained something valuable.

After calming herself down a few more times, Kisha retrieved the space ring from her inventory, finally ready to examine her latest purchase.

The space ring appeared as a deep, blood-red jade encased in intricate gold engravings, giving it a fashionable and eye-catching allure.

As it materialized in her hand, it instantly caught Duke’s attention. His eyes lit up with delight, a playful crinkle forming at their corners as he perked up, clearly captivated by the item.

‘So, my little wife is trying to propose to me, huh?’ Duke mused, a smirk tugging at his lips.

‘Is that why she’s been so serious and quiet all this time? She’s been gathering the courage to do it.’ He kept his gaze fixed on the ring in Kisha’s hand, waiting patiently for her to speak, though his mind raced with amusement and curiosity.

‘It must be that,’ Duke thought, his grin widening.

‘She’s afraid of sending me off without making her feelings clear. If only I had known, I would’ve proposed first. As a man, it’s my duty to reassure her and take that step.’ He paused, his thoughts shifting.

‘But… being on this side of things doesn’t feel so bad after all.’ By the time Kisha turned to face him, Duke was already grinning from ear to ear, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

‘Did he already know what this is?’ Kisha wondered, noticing the eager look in Duke’s eyes.

Both of them were caught in their own assumptions—Duke thinking Kisha was preparing to propose, while Kisha assumed he was simply admiring the item.

With their minds running in completely different directions, a misunderstanding was born, though neither realized it.

They both continued to indulge in their separate thoughts, unaware of the growing disconnect.

“I want you to have this Space Ring,” Kisha said, her voice steady as she presented the ring to Duke. Slowly, she slid it onto his ring finger.

The atmosphere grew thick with unspoken tension. Duke swallowed hard, his throat dry, as he watched her with wide eyes.

The act felt far too intimate, almost ceremonial as if she were making a vow at the altar.

His heart raced, and in that moment, Duke felt like he was floating on cloud nine, utterly convinced that this was her way of proposing.

Duke’s grin froze, and his expression crumbled as her words sank in. ‘Wait, what?! Space Ring?’

His mind raced as he replayed her words. ‘Not a wedding ring? Not even an engagement ring?’

Before he could fully process the realization, Kisha continued. “Please put a drop of your blood on the ring so it can recognize you as its owner,” she explained, her tone matter-of-fact.

“Once it’s bound to you, you’ll have 100 cubic meters of storage space. You can think about how to use it effectively while you’re out there. With this Space Ring, I’d feel more reassured sending you outside without me.”

Duke blinked, his mind spinning between disappointment and confusion, realizing this wasn’t the romantic gesture he had imagined.

Kisha continued to talk, but Duke’s mind had flatlined the moment he realized this wasn’t a proposal—it was just a Space Ring for storing items during his missions outside the base.

Her words faded into the background as his initial disappointment settled in.

But after a few beats, Duke composed himself, schooling his expression and calming his thoughts. ‘A Space Ring isn’t something easily acquired,’ he reminded himself.

‘The fact that she’s giving it to me means she’s truly worried. She wants to make sure I’m prepared for everything out there.’

Looking down at the beautiful ring on his finger, he stroked it thoughtfully, his mood lifting.

A soft smile spread across his face, and without missing a beat, he leaned over and gave Kisha a light peck on the cheek.

Duke’s smile was genuine, with a hint of a boyish grin as if he were making a heartfelt vow. “I’m really happy to receive this, wifey. I’ll make sure to treasure your gift,” he said softly, his eyes sparkling with sincerity.

“And I’ll do my best to meet your expectations.” The way he spoke, it felt like more than just a promise—it was a pact made in the quiet space between them, filled with unspoken affection.

Kisha’s mood brightened as she watched Duke genuinely appreciate the Space Ring she had chosen for him.

It made her feel that all those points were truly worth it, especially for someone like him.

Her heart swelled with warmth as she savored the moment they shared, basking in the connection that seemed to grow deeper with every passing second.

After a while, Kisha rose from the tree trunk and began to pull items from her inventory.

She carefully selected supplies she intended to send with Duke to the rendezvous point: drone batteries, water, and a variety of fresh foods including meat, vegetables, fruits, canned goods, and instant noodles.

She packed several options of nearly everything in her inventory, ensuring that Duke would have plenty to choose from whenever he felt hungry.

She also packed essential camping gear, including a camping stove, a tent, large pots, a kettle, butane canisters, and much more.

Duke couldn’t help but smile as he watched Kisha flit around, fretting over what to send him, almost as if she wanted to pack herself and accompany him.

When she finished pulling out things from her inventory, she turned to Duke, eager to teach him how to use the ring after noticing him place a drop of his blood on it.

The ring glowed faintly as Duke felt a connection to it, but since it was his first time using such an item, he wasn’t quite sure what to do next.

“You’re doing great! Now that you’ve established a connection with the ring, relax your mind and allow yourself to feel it. The ring will guide you to the vast space within.”

“Once you get used to this connection, you’ll be able to mentally store and retrieve items without needing to physically take everything out. You can access whatever you want specifically,” Kisha explained, drawing from her own experience with her inventory.

She assumed that her system inventory and the Space Ring functioned similarly, so she shared her initial experience with her inventory—how she first connected with it and how she learned to navigate and utilize it effectively.

Thanks to Kisha’s clear explanation, Duke followed her instructions and soon felt the connection take hold.

As he focused, he was guided into the depths of the Space Ring, feeling its intricate bond with his very essence.

With a simple flick of his wrist, everything Kisha had pulled from her inventory vanished into thin air, all stored at once.

‘Ugh! What a difference between a genius and an ordinary person like me!’ Kisha thought, recalling how it had taken her multiple attempts to successfully store items in her inventory.

In contrast, Duke had managed to do it in just one try, effortlessly storing everything she had gathered.