Hot Day

Era of Chaos, Year 1818.

The sun was so scorching hot it felt as if a massive jar of chili oil had been spilled over it, mercilessly roasting the earth. The air twisted and steamed in the heatwaves, and the ground seemed scorched as wisps of white vapor struggled to rise.

"So hot!" Liyana grumbled from the carriage. Right now, she looked exactly like a stranded fish, her whole body paralyzed on the hard wooden boards, weakly sticking her tongue out and rolling her eyes.

"Well, we did just come back from the snowfields, so it's normal to be a bit unaccustomed to this," Moke said, grabbing the collar of his shirt and flapping it in a futile attempt to fan some cool air in.

The weather was indeed sweltering; Moke didn't even have the energy to bicker with Liyana.

Musen was sitting in the back, his eyes closed and completely motionless, like a stone statue.

Although the newly exchanged carriage had a canopy that blocked the direct sunlight and sheltered everyone in the shade, the hot wind kicked up by the running earth dragon, mixed with the steaming heat from ahead, became another kind of torment. It blew against their skin, making it burn, and every breath felt scorching.

"Aina... save me..." Liyana, lying flat on the wooden boards, shakily reached a hand out toward Aina in the front.

Swish—

Aina pointed backward, and a wave of clear, crisp cold air instantly permeated the cramped carriage, bringing forth a faint layer of white frost.

"Oh! I'm resurrected!" Liyana immediately regained her vigor, doing a kip-up to bounce off the floor.

"Hey! Don't make Aina use her magic on such trivial things," Moke complained out of habit, though his voice was noticeably louder than before.

After all, if they encountered a critical moment and the party's mage didn't have enough mana, it would be fatal.

But the fact that Moke was starting to pick on Liyana again... clearly showed that the cold air had refreshed his spirits as well.

"It's fine, Aina is so strong, this little bit of magic is definitely nothing to her," Liyana waved her hand, speaking somewhat carelessly.

Moke didn't say anything more. What Liyana said was indeed true... if they really ran into a crisis that could threaten Aina, this tiny amount of magic wouldn't make a difference anyway.

In the back, Musen also sat up straighter, taking out his scripture and placing it on his knees to gently flip through.

"Aren't you going to the back?" Aina glanced at Xia Lun beside her. Although he hadn't said a word, she could see fine beads of sweat seeping from his forehead, and the back of his clothes was soaked.

"I'm fine," Xia Lun smiled. Sweat rolled down his temples, which he casually wiped away with a handkerchief. "What about you? It must be pretty hot wearing that robe, right? You don't have to keep me company out here, go to the back."

Xia Lun also knew that as a vampire, Aina probably shouldn't wear too little and expose herself to the sunlight.

"There's a temperature control magic array in this robe, so I'm not hot," Aina shook her head, frowning slightly. "But I only have one robe."

"Is that so? That's great." Xia Lun seemed to breathe a sigh of relief instead.

"Let me drive the carriage, you go to the back," Aina reached out, asking for the reins in Xia Lun's hands.

"No need. Besides, you've never driven a carriage before, right? It would be bad if we went off track." Xia Lun smiled and waved his hand, his tone carrying a hint of stubbornness.

Aina fell silent for a moment.

Suddenly, she stood up and swiftly unfastened her loose black robe. The fabric, carrying a trace of cool and refreshing aura, gently draped over Xia Lun's back.

A refreshing coolness instantly enveloped Xia Lun, clearing his mind.

Immediately after, with a barely noticeable trace of hesitation, Aina leaned forward slightly and sat into Xia Lun's embrace. She adjusted her posture a bit, pulling the large robe closer like a small tent, tightly shrouding the two of them in the coolness it brought.

"Now it's not hot anymore." Aina's voice seemed a bit quieter than usual, though it remained cool and aloof. However, the tips of her ears seemed to be tinged with an extremely faint blush.

"Aina..."

Xia Lun's heart warmed. He hadn't expected that someone with Aina's personality would actually go this far for him.

Aina's robe emitted a very comfortable temperature. Through the thin clothing, Aina's cool body temperature was also clearly transmitted, like holding a piece of smooth, warm jade... As a vampire, her body temperature was naturally on the lower side.

It would definitely be very comfortable to hold her while sleeping when the weather is hot... Xia Lun couldn't help but think to himself.

Looking at Aina's fair and delicate side profile so close at hand, Xia Lun felt a stir in his heart and couldn't resist leaning in, wanting to sneak a kiss on her cheek.

However, it was as if Aina had eyes in the back of her head. The moment he approached, Aina turned her head and dodged, leaving him only with the view of her elegantly contoured back of the head.

Aina: Stare—

"Uh... can't I just give you a kiss?" Xia Lun was slightly embarrassed. The two of them had already kissed before, so just a peck on the cheek shouldn't be a big deal.

"Don't push your luck," Aina snorted coldly, her voice carrying a hint of warning. "You're covered in smelly sweat, don't just touch me casually."

He was being disdained.

"Ah, sorry."

Xia Lun twitched his nose. He shouldn't... have any sweat smell on him, right?

He composed himself, carefully passing his arms around Aina's sides to gently encircle her slender and flexible waist.

Stare—

Aina turned her head again, her sharp gaze falling on Xia Lun's face once more.

Why was this guy always getting handsy with her? So dishonest?

"Ahem, it's easier to hold the reins this way," Xia Lun explained. He had been holding the reins with one hand earlier, and after Aina sat in front of him, it became a bit difficult to maneuver.

Aina didn't say anything, presumably accepting Xia Lun's reasoning.

Xia Lun's hands rested steadily in front of Aina. Through the thin fabric, he could clearly feel her slightly cool body temperature and the gentle rise and fall of her lower abdomen.

And Aina could also feel the soft contours of Xia Lun's relaxed chest muscles behind her.

Being wrapped in the warm, solid embrace from behind... It was a very reassuring feeling that made her feel so cozy she almost wanted to just fall asleep in his arms like this.

Time stood still in peaceful tranquility.

The sky gradually darkened.

Without the scorching sunlight, the ground finally cooled down quite a bit. The night breeze was refreshing, and Xia Lun considered whether they should just take advantage of the night to continue their journey.

Traveling at night was a rather dangerous endeavor, as moving lights easily attracted starving monsters along the way... but for Xia Lun and the others, this didn't seem to be a big deal.

Xia Lun discussed the matter with the group.

"Sure, we're still quite far from the town, and we might not even make it there in a full day tomorrow... I feel pretty energetic right now anyway."

"Actually, I've trained my night vision, so fighting at night won't affect me," Moke replied. He had been trained in the ways of an assassin when he was young.

"Boo— Moke, with Xia Lun and Aina around, you won't even get a chance to make a move. You really know how to flatter yourself," Liyana snickered in a highly punchable tone.

"You bastard—"