Two Subordinates

"Lady Aina hasn't left her room for two days."

Feina said to Niya.

"Well... that seems pretty normal." Niya shrugged. "In the past, Lady Aina would basically hole up in her room alone doing research anyway."

"But Lady Aina isn't alone right now!" Feina said seriously.

Niya nodded. "True, Lady Aina is of the Blood Race, not the Human Race."

Feina grew a little frantic. "You know that's not what I meant, Niya... Lady Aina and her husband have been staying in her room for two days!"

Niya's face remained as calm as a frozen lake. "What, are you worried that Lady Aina's husband is affecting her research?"

"Of... of course not, Niya, you know that. It's just... the two of them might have been 'researching' together this whole time..." As she spoke, steam seemed to rise from Feina's head.

Niya shook her head and sighed, "Sister Feina, your mind is in a mess."

"Eh?"

"Is what Lady Aina does something we subordinates should be discussing?" Niya hugged the little bear in her arms, her hands grasping the bear's short little arms.

"I know, Niya, but whenever I think about Lady Aina being... it just feels completely unbelievable." Feina scratched her head frantically. "It's as if my worldview has been turned upside down! Do you understand what I mean? Lady Aina is clearly so powerful, elegant, and aloof... I absolutely cannot imagine her acting like an ordinary woman, doing such things..."

"Don't overthink it, Sister Feina."

"Don't you care at all? It's like Lady Aina has become a completely different person. I had never even seen Lady Aina smile before..."

Niya reminded her, "Then you should be happy, shouldn't you? Lady Aina is smiling now, which means she is very happy."

Feina paused for a moment, then suddenly saw the light, a smile spreading across her face. "You're right! I really should be happy!"

Sister Feina had accompanied Lady Aina for a very long time; to her, Lady Aina was virtually akin to a faith.

Therefore, her excessive concern would sometimes cause her thoughts to run in circles.

"Still, Niya, how can you accept this so calmly?" Feina poked Niya's little cheek. "You ought to look up to Lady Aina more than anyone else."

"Because, Sister Feina, in your eyes, you only see superficial relations between men and women. The stereotypes your mind holds about these things are that they are lewd and dirty..." Niya began to analyze logically. "So, when Lady Aina becomes like this too, you find it somewhat unacceptable."

"Hah..." Feina nodded thoughtfully.

Niya's eyes lit up. "But in my eyes, I see the powerful force of pure love! Lady Aina resurrected her lover after a thousand years, so wanting to do anything to him seems perfectly justifiable..."

"Alright, I get it." Feina raised her hand to interrupt Niya, who was chattering away like a cult leader. It was only when talking about such things that she would become so talkative.

Feina: "But still, Lady Aina really hasn't taken a single step out the door."

Niya nodded. "Yeah, and there haven't been any orders either."

Feina: "But is that kind of thing... really that comfortable? To think that even Lady Aina would..."

Niya paused. "Sister Feina... are you in heat?"

"You brat! What nonsense are you spouting!" Feina's cheeks flushed a deep red. "Watch me teach you a lesson!"

...

Blood Moon Hall.

Aina sat alone on the Scarlet Throne, with Xia Lun standing quietly by her left side, and four figures standing below.

"Is there anything else?"

Aina looked down coldly. The pale moonlight pierced through the stained glass of the domed skylight, eerily twisting and gathering, ultimately illuminating only the small area of the throne.

Within the pillar of light, Aina's skin appeared an almost transparent, inhumanly pale white, completely devoid of the vitality of a living creature. Only a pair of deep crimson eyes swirled with a profound, dark gleam under the moonlight.

She really is full of majesty... Xia Lun felt amused in his heart, but still kept a very serious, straight face so as not to ruin the atmosphere.

"Lady Aina... may I ask who this person beside you is..." Xie Lun looked up, staring intently at Xia Lun standing next to Aina.

What exactly was this man's identity? To think he could stand in that position!

That guy was even a human!

A mere human! Lady Aina... could it be... could it be that she has feelings for a human... Xie Lun's thoughts churned, almost breaking through the dam of his reason.

"You do not need to know," Aina said indifferently.

Xie Lun's breath hitched slightly, but he still lowered his head, not daring to say another word.

"If there is nothing else, you may withdraw." Aina raised her hand.

Dorian bowed slightly, and then his figure rapidly merged into the shadows like ink dropping into deep water; he was the first to leave.

There were many matters on the Human Race's side, and he was the busiest. As Aina's main agent in human affairs, he truly lacked the time to spare.

If Luo Lun would just agree readily, Aina would most likely make her Dorian's deputy.

Subsequently, Feina and Niya also curtsied elegantly, exchanged a tacit glance, and left together.

Xie Lun took another deep look at Xia Lun before his figure dissipated, leaving behind a faint, lingering chill of unwillingness in his wake.

Only two people remained in the hall.

Aina immediately shifted her bottom, proactively making a little room for Xia Lun, and Xia Lun sat down without hesitation.

The next second, Aina dropped all her disguises. Like a small beast seeking refuge, she leaned forward softly, resting her forehead against the warm crook of Xia Lun's neck, and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I'm sorry... Xia Lun." Aina lay in Xia Lun's embrace, speaking with a bit of endearing grievance, acting like a completely different person from how she was in front of her subordinates just now.

"I haven't even said anything yet, what are you apologizing for?" Xia Lun couldn't help but laugh, one hand gently stroking her flowing, moonlight-like silver hair.

"Back when I was selecting subordinates... I saw that guy had good strength, and his name was very similar to yours, so in a moment of impulse, I gave him the spot." Aina stuck out her tongue.

"Mhm, and then?"

"Now if I want to dismiss him, there has to be a suitable reason." Aina sighed. "After all, his status in the Blood Race is also very high. If I arbitrarily strip him of his bloodline, I'm afraid there will be dissenting voices in private..."

Xia Lun nodded.

"If you still feel uncomfortable about it, do you want me to just erase him directly? No one would know anyway..."

"That won't be necessary... I won't blame you, Aina. Just ignore him." Xia Lun narrowed his eyes. "As long as he knows his place..."