The Worship of Mi'an

Xia Lun had never expected to receive such an answer from Aise.

A goddess…

Regarding that existence, Xia Lun was well aware that his initial attitude toward her had been one of reverence and gratitude, nothing more. He had never entertained any extra thoughts, let alone considered anything involving romantic feelings between a man and a woman.

So when facing Aina, he could remain open and upright, with a clear conscience.

But he had truly never considered that the goddess might harbor such forbidden emotions toward him.

It wasn’t merely liking—it was love…

Aise’s words struck the calm lake of his heart like a pebble, stirring ripples of doubt.

Xia Lun wasn’t entirely sure what Aise meant by love—whether it was the compassion a deity feels for a devotee, or something closer to the burning passion of the mortal world.

But one thing he could be certain of was that the emotions the goddess held for him were far more complicated than he had assumed.

Yet all of that was in the past now. The goddess was gone.

“Aina,” Xia Lun said softly, taking hold of Aina’s somewhat cold hand.

Aina, of course, knew that the real Aise had already fled, and that the person before them now was the innocent Mian. She should not take out her anger on him.

She let out an unwilling, cold snort, then waved her hand. The deadly icy spears dissolved instantly, crumbling into a shower of crystalline ice dust that drifted down and vanished into nothing.

Only then did Mian dare to take a deep breath. The back of his clothes was soaked with cold sweat, pressed against the icy wall. The ice spears, so close to him moments ago, carried the stench of death, leaving him trembling from the depths of his soul.

“Sorry, I scared you,” Xia Lun said, reaching out a hand to help Mian, who had slumped against the wall, to his feet.

“Are you alright?” Xia Lun looked at the boy’s still-pale face, his tone filled with genuine apology. He cast a slightly reproachful glance at his wife, who turned her head away, sticking out her tongue.

“What… just happened?” Mian asked instinctively, his voice still trembling. He knew that whatever the presence inside him had said must have turned the atmosphere so hostile.

“Uh… forget I said anything,” Mian quickly added, shrinking back again. He suddenly realized that now was hardly the time to probe further.

Xia Lun sighed inwardly at Mian’s cautious demeanor. The boy should have been living an ordinary life, yet here he was, dragged into their tangled affairs.

“It’s going to be tough on you from now on, too. If that thing inside you shows any signs of trouble, tell me immediately,” Xia Lun said, patting Mian on the shoulder.

Mian was momentarily stunned. The legendary hero was patting him on the shoulder, encouraging him…

“Yes, Sir Hero!” Mian suddenly became excited, his breathing quickening, his eyes blazing with determination. “I will definitely be of help!”

Xia Lun hadn’t expected his encouragement to be this effective.

Before this, Mian hadn’t truly grasped the weight of Xia Lun’s identity. But after spending these days at the manor, he had slowly calmed down.

Moreover, through his interactions with Musen and his conversations with Aise, Mian had learned more about Xia Lun.

The man standing before him was indeed the legendary hero who had ended the chaos a thousand years ago and sealed away the Demon King.

Like most boys, Mian had grown up hearing stories of Xia Lun… Even though in their childhood games of playing hero, he always ended up being the villain, it hadn’t stopped him from wanting to become someone like the hero one day.

Now, the living legend stood before him—not only needing his help but also acknowledging him… To Mian, this was more powerful than any reward.

“I’ve perfected the formation in the estate. You don’t have to stay in that room anymore—you can walk around outside,” Aina said flatly, her face as cold as frost when it came to outsiders. “But don’t go outside the estate.”

“Yes, Lady Aina,” Mian replied seriously.

He had already guessed her identity. As the hero’s wife, Aina must be the powerful vampire mage from the hero’s party.

That was someone who had fought alongside the hero against the evil gods in the early days—her strength was unfathomable.

Tales of Aina were also widely told among the people. Many scholars and bar-goers passionately debated who was stronger at their peak—the hero or this vampire mage—often arguing until red-faced without reaching a conclusion.

Only a man like Xia Lun could have won the heart of such an extraordinary woman.

The prevailing opinion was that during the campaign against the Demon King, the hero was stronger, because he had not brought his wife along. It was assumed that even the vampire mage could not intervene in the battle between the hero and the Demon King…

Of course, no one knew the truth. All anyone knew was that right after sealing the Demon King, the hero quickly married his vampire wife.

This marriage itself laid a delicate foundation for the relatively peaceful relations between humans and demons that followed…

Mian reined in his wandering thoughts.

In any case, the two people before him were both legends.

The hero’s descendants… Mian had heard that Xia Lun once had a son, but he died young due to illness, leaving no further bloodline.

Now it seemed that behind Aise’s situation was clearly a secret far more complex and weighty than “sudden death from illness.”

Though curious, Mian knew this was not something an outsider like him should pry into.

“Mian… after we take care of the threat inside you, Aina will erase your memories, and you can return to your old life,” Xia Lun said, looking into Mian’s eyes with the same steadfast seriousness as a rock. “Trust me—I will save you.”

“Yes, Sir Hero…”

Mian’s eyes dimmed. Erase the memories? It would be such a pity to have such a thrilling experience wiped from his mind…

No, he shouldn’t trouble the hero any further… Mian shook his head again.

“Just call me by my name from now on,” Xia Lun said with a wave of his hand. “Besides, I’m no longer a hero. I’m just a nameless adventurer.”

Xia Lun took Aina’s hand and slowly walked away, leaving behind a somewhat lonely silhouette.

Indeed, a true hero never calls himself a hero… What makes a hero is not the goddess’s blessing, but the recognition of the people.

Mian watched Xia Lun’s retreating back, his eyes once again filled with reverence, and a faint glimmer of crimson.