Order Era, Year 1136.
Xia Lun slowly opened his eyes, greeted by the sight of Aina's sleeping face.
Their cheeks were pressed close together, so close that Xia Lun could even see the faint, infant-like fuzz on Aina's skin. Her steady, rhythmic breaths lightly brushed against his face, tickling him slightly.
Aina's lips curled into a faint smile, no doubt satisfied with last night's pleasures.
He was covered by two layers—the outer one being a blanket, and the inner one being the bat-like wings extending from Aina's back.
Xia Lun loved playing with Aina's wings. The soft, warm membrane was incredibly pleasant to the touch, and the cartilage supporting them was firm yet flexible, never uncomfortable to hold. Especially when Aina wrapped him entirely in her wings, the sensation was both uniquely snug and soothing, like soaking in a hot spring.
Hmm… This was a delightful experience he had only come to enjoy after his resurrection. A thousand years ago, Aina would never have let him touch her wings so freely.
"Good morning, Xia Lun. Time to wake up?"
Aina stretched slightly before opening her eyes, letting out a soft yawn as she retracted the wing membrane covering Xia Lun.
He felt a twinge of regret, still longing for that warmth.
Suddenly, something snagged at the joint where the membrane connected to the cartilage of Aina's wing.
"Typical of you, Xia Lun."
Aina covered her mouth with a light chuckle, her eyes narrowing into amused slits. Xia Lun opened his mouth slightly, his cheeks flushing.
"So energetic first thing in the morning… I must have been too restrained last night," Aina murmured, her gaze shimmering with mischief.
Xia Lun wasn’t sure what he was even explaining. "It's just a natural physiological reaction—"
But Aina was already covering his mouth, straddling him with a playful smirk as her dangerously alluring crimson eyes locked onto his.
"No need to explain. Fulfilling my husband's desires is part of my wifely duties…"
……
"What kind of game are you two playing today?"
Liyana stared curiously as Xia Lun carried Aina on his back into her view.
"Aina twisted her ankle. She can't walk right now," Xia Lun replied, turning his head slightly.
Liyana's eyes widened. "Are you kidding me?"
"Yes," Xia Lun admitted.
"Then what’s the real reason?" Liyana shot him a skeptical look.
"Her toes cramped up from keeping her legs too tense in bed," Xia Lun answered frankly, meeting her gaze without hesitation.
This time, he wasn’t lying.
As for why Aina had tensed up so much that her toes cramped… Well, that was another matter entirely.
"Whatever. You two are already the talk of the academy anyway," Liyana sighed, shrugging helplessly.
Xia Lun frowned. "The talk of the academy? We haven’t done anything, have we?"
"Hah? Nothing at all?" Liyana’s voice rose incredulously. "Xia Lun, do you have zero self-awareness?
Let’s not even mention the spectacle you two made during the freshman magic aptitude test. Just the fact that you’re both ridiculously good-looking and glued to each other 24/7 is enough to spark endless gossip.
And then there’s Aina publicly declaring your relationship.
Not to mention you don’t even live in the student dorms—you two have your own place.
No one’s ever seen you in the cafeteria or library either.
When the upperclassmen went to the Ashen Corridor for their promotion trials, Kalinda dragged you two along, and you somehow got caught in an unknown teleportation array mid-journey. That kind of thing doesn’t stay quiet.
Oh, and which freshmen casually drop by the headmaster’s office all the time?
There’s even a rumor going around that you two were sneaking around in the washroom doing… you know."
"Alright, enough," Xia Lun cut her off with a firm gesture.
"Long story short, everyone in the academy knows you two have some special connection with Headmaster Wolund." Liyana finally took a deep breath after her rapid-fire rant.
Xia Lun wiped his brow. So much for the peaceful, ordinary school life he’d hoped for.
No wonder almost no one had approached him in the week since they’d arrived.
"Xia Lun." Aina gently kissed his earlobe. "Don’t overthink it. Let’s go to class."
"You’re heading to class? What class? I’m coming too!" Liyana immediately perked up, grinning. "Delyan’s already in class, and I’m bored out of my mind!"
"I saw there’s a course on magical archery and elemental arrows. Aren’t you interested?" Aina asked, trying to steer her away.
She had deliberately picked an obscure elective so she could sit in the back and tease Xia Lyn unnoticed. If Liyana tagged along, she’d definitely sit with them—ruining the plan.
"Pfft. I could shoot better than the professor with my toes." Liyana waved a dismissive hand. "Anyway, Aina, what class are you two taking?"
"Applications of Sonic Magic in Musical Theory," Aina replied, still hoping to deter her.
The course sounded utterly useless, something no one would ever take unless they were desperate for credits.
But Liyana’s eyes lit up. "That actually sounds fun! If Moke were here, he’d totally be into this."
Aina puffed her cheeks slightly—her plan had backfired. Xia Lun chuckled and turned to kiss her cheek.
"Don’t worry. Later, I’ll let you do whatever you want."
Only then did Aina show a hint of satisfaction.
The three arrived at the classroom—a cramped space with only six rows of slightly worn but clean seats. The first three rows were sparsely occupied by a dozen or so students, some already dozing off, clearly just there for the credits.
The professor hadn’t arrived yet, so the trio took seats in the very back.
Aina had wanted to sit on Xia Lun’s lap, but he firmly refused—basic respect for the professor was non-negotiable.
"Xia Lun… such a good student. I’ll reward you properly later," Aina teased lightly before letting it go.
A petite figure stepped onto the podium.
A girl with long crimson hair.
Her youthful, delicate features made it hard to believe she was the professor—most would mistake her for a student.
The trio at the back exchanged glances.
Xia Lun: "Uh… Moke?"
Aina: "She does look like Moke."
Liyana, however, shot to her feet in shock, pointing at the girl on the podium. "Moke?! What are you doing here? Weren’t you dead?!"
Mo Lini on the podium flinched, dropping her textbooks in surprise as she scrambled to pick them up.
After gathering the scattered materials, she finally looked up, flustered. "U-um, miss… who are you calling? You must have the wrong person…"