"By the way, this tea is made with Moonlight Grass picked by the lake. It calms the mind."
i explained softly as she poured a cup of floral tea for Lucian, the pale golden liquid carrying a fresh scent of flowers and fruit that perated the air.
Lucian calmly took the cup and sipped, feeling a sweet and light taste in his mouth.
He watched i standing in the sunlight—her long black hair softened to a gentle golden-brown, her profile delicate, and her focused movents as she poured tea gave off a particular serenity.
"Sit."
Lucian gestured to the other lounge chair beside him.
i hesitated for a mont, then quietly sat down.
Just like that, they sat side by side, drinking tea, neither speaking, just enjoying the rare tranquility and sunlight as a gentle breeze passed them, carrying the nearby lake's humid scent.
"You know, this is... really nice..." i said softly, with a relaxation she had never felt before in her voice. "It's like a dream... Back then, I never even dared to imagine days like this..."
"As long as you like it, it's all worth it..." Lucian replied as softly, eyes closed.
"Thank you..." i continued lightly but sincerely. "Thank you for saving Izumo, thank you for saving our holand..."
Hearing this, Lucian didn't open his eyes, but the corner of his mouth lifted.
"Well, consider this compensation for stealing your first kiss."
As soon as she heard 'first kiss,' i was instantly speechless, her face flushed, and she dared not speak anymore.
In the past, when Izumo was in chaos, her mind had been filled with national affairs and battlefields, leaving no room for other mories. Now, with peace settled, her thoughts constantly drifted back to that first encounter in the hot spring and that first kiss.
In the end, i simply closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.
Hearing no response, Lucian opened his eyes and turned to look, only to see i sitting beside him, feigning sleep.
How did he know she was feigning sleep?
Her flushed cheeks betrayed her shyness.
Lucian smiled and ultimately closed his eyes again, enjoying this rare mont of peace together with i.
===
A few days later, in the study, Lucian handled so mundane tasks on a floating screen, his fingers typing relentlessly on the virtual keyboard.
During the last relocation of Izumo, he had moved the planet near Jarilo-VI because the galactic environnt here was favorable, and at this stage, Jarilo-VI was developing, with various foreign civilizations coming and going.
Lucian intended for Izumo to ride the traffic.
More people, more elites—only then could the planet advance.
However, thanks to that, the guardians encountering foreign civilizations for the first ti all had questions for Lucian, seeking his guidance, which was why he was now back to work again.
"Fine..." Lucian muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Once they're familiar, I can step back again and slack off."
Just as his words fell, i entered the study with a freshly brewed cup of hot tea and placed it gently in his hand, letting the aroma of the tea swirl to his nose.
After handing him the tea, she didn't leave imdiately, but walked behind him and reached out with both hands, her slender fingers applying just the right pressure to his temples.
Warm fingertips, gentle and skilled movents.
"If you're tired, just take a break," i said gently, her voice was like a breeze brushing past his ear. "Don't push yourself too hard, okay? Or we'll worry."
Being suddenly massaged by i, Lucian was a little surprised as he felt his body subtly relax, then unconsciously leaned back into the wide chair, eyes closing.
i's massage was truly comfortable, carrying a sort of soothing magic that could calm his irritation. He could feel her soft fingertips tracing circles over acupoints, slowly easing the tension between his brows.
"Learned this from soone?" Lucian asked casually with his eyes closed.
"No, I figured it out myself," i replied with a gentle smile, her voice and expression soft. "When I used to get tired from battle, I'd always massage myself. Over ti, I learned the most comfortable technique. How is it? Is my massage good?"
"Good? It's the best in the world. No lie—one hundred percent," Lucian praised with a chuckle.
Just like that, the study fell into silence.
Sunlight stread through the window, warm and bright, mixing with the tea's fragrance and i's subtle scent, in a way like wisteria after rain.
A while later, i eased the pressure of her massage, then looked at Lucian's relaxed profile.
Hesitating for a mont, she ultimately leaned forward slightly, as if wanting a closer look, but the movent caused a strand of her hair to slip down, lightly brushing Lucian's cheek.
Feeling a faint tickle on his cheek, Lucian opened his eyes.
In that instant, their eyes t—they were so close that they could see their own reflections in each other's pupils and feel the warmth of each other's breath on their skin.
i's cheeks instantly turned crimson, and her body flinched, wanting to pull back her hands, but before she could, Lucian quickly lifted his hand and gently held her wrist.
"Good skill..." Lucian said, watching her flushed face and slightly panicked violet eyes, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "From now on… massage every day."
Seeing his face and hearing his words, i's heart skipped a beat, then began pounding like a drum, while the spot where he held her wrist burned with surprising heat.
Looking at the rare, gentle gaze in his eyes, her flustered heart strangely steadied, replaced by a thrill that made her cheeks burn.
i gently bit her lower lip, lowered her gaze, her long lashes trembling.
"Mm... okay..."
Just as i's almost inaudible reply fell, the house's doorbell suddenly rang.
*Ding-Dong—Ding-Dong—*
Hearing the doorbell, i quickly straightened her posture, then left the study, heading toward the front door as if she were escaping from Lucian.
As she opened the front door, she found eleven won standing there.
"i, what are you and the boss doing? It took you so long to open the door."
Kyuusyou complained with a frown as she stepped inside, and the other won followed one after another.
"It's cooler at the boss's place. It makes want to move in like i, too."
"i, you didn't do anything bad while we were gone, right?"
As i stood by the door like a waitress, Bianka and Himiko teased her as they passed.
It couldn't be helped.
Being Lucian's attendant and living in the sa house with him ant that so girlish chatter and gossip were unavoidable.
"Wow, slls so good! Is there so snack?"
As they entered the study, Senti swung her gray hair and ca up to Lucian, sniffing the air.
"Boss, can I have these cookies?"
As always, Senti expressed her desire to Lucian so openly, saying whatever ca to mind without caring about consequences.
And that was what made Lucian like her.
"Well, they're made by i, but there are only a few left, so you can only have one piece."
"What? Made by i?" Himiko asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "I've never eaten cookies made by i. I want so too."
In the next mont, she raised her hand, grabbed a cookie from the table, and stuffed it into her mouth.
"Oh, I want one too."
Xuanyuan chid in with a smile, then took a step forward to grab a cookie, but when her raised foot touched the floor—
*Thud!*
To everyone's surprise, Xuanyuan sohow tripped over her own feet and fell flat on the floor. However, seeing a battle-hardened warrior like her fall like that on a flat floor without any obstacles was sowhat odd.
"Ouch, ouch, it hurts..." Xuanyuan complained, rubbing her sore buttocks. "Is it just , or have I been unlucky lately? Always tripping for no reason..."
Lucian's ears imdiately perked up upon hearing this.
Unlucky lately?
Ever since becoming Izumo's sole ruler, he had always observed his surroundings very closely in case the conceptual ability 'Law of Calamity' was activated, so he could see who in Izumo was dissatisfied with him.
Before Xuanyuan's fall, he hadn't heard of anyone being constantly unlucky, but now there was.
"Xuanyuan, be honest with ..." Lucian clasped his hands together on the table and asked calmly. "Do you have any ill intentions or thoughts toward ? Otherwise, you wouldn't be cursed by my ability."
""What?""
All the won in the study gasped in unison.
Cursed?
He could curse others?
Just having ill intentions or thoughts toward him ant that you would be cursed?
If that were true, it would be terrifying.
Did that an that even gossiping about him required the utmost care?
All the won imdiately looked at Xuanyuan.
"Xuanyuan, what are you thinking of doing to Lucian?"
i, staring sharply at Xuanyuan, asked seriously, with a deep frown adorning her face.
Even though Xuanyuan was a companion who had fought against the kami alongside her for years, a shared history that made their current relationship essentially no different from that of sisters and family, she would still never allow anyone to threaten Lucian, even if that person were her own family, because allowing such a threat would disrupt this happy and peaceful life that every people of Izumo had always longed for.
Being suddenly interrogated, Xuanyuan remained calm, even smiling.
"Good grief, you found out, huh?" Xuanyuan said with a light smile, then shrugged her shoulders. "Fine, I admit, I did have a bit of ill intent toward the boss."
===
[A bonus chapter for every 500 Power Stones.]
[Support and read next chapters early at: patreon/VALRRR]
User Comments
0 comments from readers