…


  Lilian wasn’t asleep for long.

  Her eyes suddenly fluttered open three hours into her sleep.

  Roel noticed a hint of panic in her eyes and thought that she was having trouble due to the precarious situation they were in. But when her eyes fell on him, the panic reflected in them dispersed into tenderness, and a blissful smile blossomed on her face right after.

  “Roel…”


  “I’m here. Do you need anything?”


  “No, I don’t need anything. For a moment there, I was afraid that it was all a dream… What a relief.”


  “!”


  Lilian’s blissful words and sweet smile dealt a critical blow to Roel, leaving the latter enchanted. He felt an urge to pull her into his embrace, but he dared not to make a reckless move out of consideration of her physical state. Instead, he held her hand.

  “Of course it isn’t a dream, though I do feel like I’m inside a dream too. It’s almost like a fantasy to be able to be together with you.”


  “I’m happy you feel that way, but I don’t recall our relationship being as distant as to be divided by the boundaries of realism and fantasy. It should already be at our fingertips,” Lilian replied with a reddened face as she shifted a little to lay on top of Roel’s chest.

  In response, Roel wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close.

  “Aren’t you going to sleep for a little longer?” he asked.

  Lilian shook her head.

  “This is sufficient… I don’t want to squander this day sleeping. I want to spend more time with you.”


  “…”


  Who in the world can bear this?!

  Roel’s mind was set ablaze by the consecutive combo of critical strikes. He fell into a state of silence as he struggled to regain his composure.

  However, it turned out that Lilian wasn’t done just yet. After she sat upright, she noticed that her hair was a little messy, so she began tidying up her hair to tie a ponytail.

  “!”


  As she lowered her head to tie her bundled hair into a ponytail, she inadvertently exposed her slender and graceful neck. Her unintentional action was shockingly erotic to the already sensitive Roel, causing his eyes to widen. His heart began to race.

  He had always viewed Lilian as a mature older sister, but her change of hairstyle made her look surprisingly youthful. It felt like she had transformed from a dignified imperial princess into a vivacious student at the peak of her springtime. The vast difference that arose from this minor change played at his heartstrings.

  “What’s wrong?”


  It might have been Roel’s hastened breathing or his heated gaze, but Lilian suddenly stopped in the midst of tying her hair to look at him. Faced with her questioning look, Roel answered her honestly.

  “You look beautiful this way.”


  “!”


  Lilian was stunned by the candid compliment. Astonishment flickered across her eyes as she stared back at Roel. Her face swiftly turned red. Her lips quivered for a brief moment before she replied.

  “… If you like it, I can tie up my hair whenever we’re alone.”


  “I’d love that. Now that I’ve seen you with a ponytail, I find myself curious to know how you’ll look with your hair put up or with a bun. I want to see other sides of you too.”


  “You sure are greedy.”


  Lilian showed a troubled expression upon hearing Roel’s request. She flicked his forehead lightly as a punishment.

  “Are you curious to see my other looks because you’re tired of my usual appearance?”


  “No… It’s because I’m fonder of you now. I want to know everything about you.”


  “!”


  Roel looked at the woman he loved and revealed his innermost thought. His overly direct words left Lilian feeling incredibly embarrassed. She lowered her head and fidgeted a little before murmuring under her breath.

  “Even though you already know me so well…”


  “Pardon me?”


  “N-nothing.”


  Lilian thought about what had happened last night, and she quickly shook her head in embarrassment. She gently leaned on Roel’s chest once more, and the latter wrapped his arm around her and took in her fragrance.

  After spending a moment in each other’s warmth, Roel carried her to the guest room and placed her on the sofa. He skillfully brewed her a cup of steaming hot tea to warm her up. Lilian received the teacup with both hands and slowly sipped on it.

  It was a heartwarming atmosphere.

  It was already summer on the Sia Continent, but the mountainous region they were in remained cold, especially once the fog set in. It was almost as if Marlin City was permanently shrouded in a sinister chill. A cup of hot tea did wonders.

  Not to mention, a woman who had graduated from maidenhood mustn’t be exposed to the cold. It would soothe her to have a warm drink.

  Lilian’s heart swelled in joy at the meticulous care Roel was showering her.

  Previously, the two of them would sit opposite each other in order to maintain a polite distance, but this naturally changed along with their relationship. They were now sitting next to each other. They could feel each other’s small movements, and their neighboring hands remained persistently interlocked.

  Nary a word was spoken between them over tea. It felt like the tender affection they harbored for each other was infused into the atmosphere; there was no need for them to explicitly profess their feelings at all. The occasional collision of gazes and the natural smile that ensued was enough.

  It was also at a moment like this that their bond as bloodline kin truly shone. They could feel each other’s emotions through the resonance of their bloodlines. Their interlocked hands spoke louder than any words ever could.

  This harmonious atmosphere continued till they sipped to the bottom of their teacups.

  Lilian had already regained her composure by then, and she quickly remembered a question she had been wanting to ask all this while.

  “Roel, that witch told me that someone interrupted the curse when you were exposed to Portas Eye. Do you know who saved you?”


  “…”


  Roel’s expression visibly stiffened as he thought about the mysterious journey he had taken to the faraway abyss.