The Silent Forest

"Xia Lun..."

"What is it?"

"Nothing." Aina sat in Xia Lun's lap, flashing a radiant smile. "Just wanted to call your name."

It seemed Aina had contracted a condition where she couldn’t go a minute without speaking to Xia Lun.

Xia Lun handed the reins to Aina, who took them without hesitation.

Then, his arms slipped beneath hers, resting on her stomach as he gently rubbed it.

"No change yet."

"Didn’t you say you didn’t want a child for now?" Aina asked, puzzled.

Xia Lun: "Ah, I was just checking if you’ve gained weight… since you ate all the skewers I grilled earlier."

Aina narrowed her eyes. "You’ve got quite the sense of humor, Xia Lun."

Xia Lun grinned. "Oh? I think so too."

Suddenly, Aina nestled deeper into his embrace.

Before Xia Lun could react, she reared back and headbutted him square in the face.

Stars exploded in his vision.

"I’m sorry, Aina..." Xia Lun rubbed his nose, which throbbed painfully—even for someone as tough as him, a Demon King’s headbutt was no joke.

Aina had clearly held back, or else his nose would’ve been gushing blood.

"But you smell amazing," Xia Lun murmured, burying his face in her silvery-white hair.

Aina carried a faint scent—cool mint mingled with creamy sweetness.

The minty freshness likely came from her vampire lineage, as their bodies naturally ran cooler than humans’.

The milky fragrance, however, baffled him. Vampires shouldn’t secrete anything that would leave a scent.

When Xia Lun asked about it, Aina stammered, eventually admitting she’d once bathed in milk.

"Aina, that sounds wasteful," Xia Lun sighed.

Aina arched a brow. "Oh? Now you’re policing how I bathe?"

Xia Lun shook his head. "No, I just meant… you didn’t save any for me."

"You’re truly a spectacular pervert, Xia Lun," Aina praised, cheeks flushing.

Relieved he didn’t press further, Aina exhaled.

Vampires and humans shared similar physiology, with minor differences—like how, after pregnancy, vampires could produce milk even without conception, if stimulated.

Too embarrassed to explain, Aina kept it to herself. Otherwise, Xia Lun would surely ask to taste it, and she disliked that idea.

The scenery ahead grew familiar.

The Tranquil Forest.

Reaching it meant they were close to Libia Forest—the border between the elven territories and the Yalan Empire.

Xia Lun and Aina had lived here after their marriage.

Back in 1819 of the Chaotic Era, after defeating Aina and proposing, they’d retreated here to begin their blissfully shameless life.

They only reemerged in 1824, when Aina—posing as a mage—held a grand wedding with Xia Lun.

After the honeymoon, they returned, resuming their carefree days…

Until 1832, when Aise turned five, and Xia Lun moved his family to a grand estate in the city.

The cabin in Tranquil Forest held countless memories—on the bed, the bench, the table, the rug… though most were too indecent to recount.

The forest was silent. A wide path cut straight through, linking the Yalan Empire to Libia Forest.

Towering trees flanked the road, each over ten meters tall, their dark green, palm-shaped leaves dense and lush.

These Silent Trees absorbed vibrations, muffling sound. They were also common magical ingredients—apprentices used their wood for silence arrays. Not that Aina needed such things.

"Shall we visit, Xia Lun?" Aina glanced back.

"Let’s," Xia Lun nodded.

Surely, after so long, the cabin he’d built would’ve crumbled to time…

Yet it hadn’t.

Down an inconspicuous trail, the space opened to reveal a small lake—and the two-story cabin, still standing as if untouched by centuries.

"Aina..." Xia Lun’s lips pressed thin.

"Of course it’s still here. Our first home," Aina smiled softly. "You built it with your own hands."

Seeing the familiar path earlier, Xia Lun had guessed. A thousand years should’ve erased it entirely.

"Thank you," he murmured, ruffling her hair.

"Don’t thank me—I had servants maintain it," Aina admitted, sticking out her tongue. "You were supposed to wake here, but because of Mida… we moved to the mountains instead."

"Ha! Xia Lun, Aina, your old place survived!" Liyana caught up, grinning. "So nostalgic—I visited often!"

"It’s getting late. Why not stay tonight?" Aina suggested.

Xia Lun glanced at her, understanding.

Three bedrooms awaited: theirs, Aise’s, and a guest room—though only Liyana had ever used it. Moke and Musen had visited but never stayed overnight.

Pushing the door open, Xia Lun froze. The interior was unchanged, as if he’d stepped back a millennium.

"What’s wrong? Don’t recognize your own home?" Aina teased, nudging him inside.

Everything was precisely as they’d left it, time seemingly paused the day they departed.

Magic hummed from the beams—no ordinary cabin could last a millennium. Aina had worked hard.

"Pardon the intrusion," Liyana whispered, ushering Mo Lini and Joli inside.

Mo Lini gaped at the surroundings, treating it like a historic site.

"I’m home," Xia Lun murmured, sinking onto the couch.

"Welcome back," Aina whispered, leaning against his cheek.