Order Era, Year 1137.
Mo Lini listened intently as Aina recounted events of the past.
"And then? What happened next?" Mo Lini asked curiously. "How did you defeat that evil god?"
"Then... Ankula summoned an immensely powerful being, which descended upon her and effortlessly crushed Death Praise," Aina replied calmly.
"Huh?"
Mo Lini blinked her large eyes, visibly surprised.
The turn of events defied her expectations.
By conventional storytelling logic, when cornered and witnessing Aina's injuries, shouldn't Xia Lun, as the hero, have rallied with cries of friendship, bonds, and the power of love, charging through the evil god's defenses to deliver the decisive strike...
Followed by the classic trope of the victorious hero left grievously wounded on death's door.
Perhaps even further—Ankula, playing the role of the defeated rival, might have sacrificed herself, using a secret art to restore the hero's life...
Mo Lini could practically picture it: Ankula clasping Aina's hand, asking her to take care of Xia Lun in her stead.
But reality... was far beyond imagination.
"Miss Ankula... is that strong?" Mo Lini murmured in disbelief.
She had assumed Liyana's claim about Ankula defeating the evil god referred to her overcoming its mental shackles through sheer willpower... not literally beating it into submission.
"It wasn’t her strength. The entity she summoned was simply on another level," Liyana remarked with awe. "Looking back, we were incredibly fortunate."
Mo Lini: "Then... who did Miss Ankula summon?"
"Likely the Goddess," Aina answered plainly. "From what I recall... only She possesses such power."
Mo Lini’s jaw dropped, a visible exclamation mark popping above her head.
Why Aina knew the Goddess's capabilities, Mo Lini didn’t dare probe.
"Besides..."
Aina suddenly clenched her fist, a flicker of anger crossing her delicate features as if recalling something infuriating. "Aside from that woman, I can’t think of anyone else who..."
The tiny red beast at her feet trembled in fear.
Xia Lun took Aina’s hand. "What’s wrong, Aina?"
"Nothing," she replied, her anger subsiding into a mix of reproach and fondness as she glanced at him. "Though you certainly reaped all the benefits."
Xia Lun was baffled—he remembered none of the incident—but seeing Aina’s reluctance to elaborate, he let it slide.
Olie City thrived as a bustling trade hub of the Yalan Empire, its wide roads branching toward distant cities, teeming with merchants.
The path Xia Lun’s group had taken from the Dragonblood Mountains was the most remote.
Yet, as Liyana noted, little remained of the city’s past. It stood reborn, unfamiliar.
"My last visit here was centuries ago," Liyana admitted, scratching her head.
Time had eroded nearly everything.
Xia Lun sighed. Recovering his lost memories seemed increasingly unlikely.
Aina slipped her small hand into his palm.
But Xia Lun felt no regret.
They could simply make new memories here.
Liyana, cradling Musen’s scripture, took Mo Lini to explore the city—diverting from her initial plan to visit the smithy, opting instead for a bookstore and an apothecary.
Xia Lun and Aina were entrusted with a crucial mission: securing lodging for the night.
A quick inquiry led them to the city’s finest inn.
Xia Lun booked three rooms—one for him and Aina, another for Liyana and Mo Lini, and the last for Musen (a book).
The front desk processed their stay swiftly, even offering a discount thanks to their Olifando Academy credentials.
The clerk’s gaze brimmed with knowing amusement—youthful vigor was no secret.
The room was splendid, its floor-to-ceiling window framing the lively streets below and scenic vistas beyond.
The price matched, but the luxury justified it.
Xia Lun glanced at the wedding ring on his finger—the Demon King’s treasury left no shortage of funds.
"Want to explore outside?" he asked without turning, sensing Aina’s presence behind him.
Her soft body pressed against his back as she purred, "No, Xia Lun."
He chuckled. "Starting now? What’ll we do tonight then?"
Outside, the afternoon sun still blazed, hours from dusk.
"Isn’t it obvious?" Aina licked her lips. "We’ll continue then, of course."
Such a greedy Demon King.
But Xia Lun, the hero, felt no fear.
Silently, he drew the curtains shut, sealing out the light.
Aina snapped her fingers. A cascade of magic circles ignited across the room, casting an eerie glow—no lamps needed.
Her spellcasting speed bordered on the impossible.
Flames engulfed them, reducing clothes to ash as crimson bat wings unfurled behind Aina.
On the bed, silhouettes merged against the dappled wall.
"Mmm—this long-awaited feeling is divine," Aina moaned, arms looped around Xia Lun’s neck, her wings taut in ecstasy.
Xia Lun sighed. "Long-awaited? Aina, it’s only been three days."
"Really? Felt like ages," she breathed, eyes smoldering. "Any special requests today, Xia Lun? What shall I call you?" Her skin flushed. "My hero... darling... or... master?"
"Just my name is fine."
Aina feigned shock, covering her mouth. "Oh my, that’s far too embarrassing. I might blush."
Xia Lun: "..."
Her laughter shook them both—until the hero’s counterattack left her gasping.
"Ah—!" Unprepared, Aina winced at the sudden assault. "Xia Lun, you brute! How dare you—"
Her wings flared, momentum flipping them as she pinned him down.
"Don’t think I’ll go easy on you today!"