The night was fading into dawn.
Wendy gasped for air.
The snowflakes filling his vision finally dispersed, coalescing back into the dim, ambiguous lamplight of the room.
Something heavy weighed on him.
A scorching body pressed against him, bringing a suffocating pressure that made every breath an ordeal.
It was Astreia.
Something soft lay beside him.
Another equally burning, beautiful figure slumped weakly against him, golden hair strewn messily across the sheets and his arm. Her body twitched unconsciously, lips slightly parted, eyes vacant—completely lost in a daze.
It was Laxana.
Two beauties in his arms—the ultimate bliss.
It should have been every man’s dream paradise, but all Wendy felt was the dull ache in his lower back and a hollow, drained emptiness.
He looked at the near-collapsed lady beside him—her pitiful state stirred an unexpected sympathy and pity in his heart.
“Ah… why put yourself through this…”
The prince sighed helplessly, compassion overcoming his exhaustion.
He carefully extended his left hand, adjusted his position, and pulled the limp figure into his embrace, gently stroking her sweat-soaked golden hair.
This small gesture naturally didn’t escape the queen’s eyes.
Astreia watched like a lioness who had just feasted and was now admiring her spoil.
Her emerald starry eyes swept between the two, carrying a lazy, amused smile.
She propped her chin up with interest, enjoying the scene.
Perhaps it was the warmth of Wendy’s arms, or maybe his gentle soothing had an effect—Laxana’s unfocused pupils finally began to regain clarity.
She blinked in confusion.
The first thing that entered her sight was Wendy’s face, marked with sympathy and helplessness.
Then she heard his whisper.
“Why put yourself through this…”
Boom.
Those words hit harder than any punishment before.
Sympathy? Pity?
She didn’t need it!
A surge of nameless rage dispelled the weakness in her body.
Laxana jerked her head up, opened her mouth, and bit down hard on the hand that was messing with her hair!
But this attack, filled with anger and resentment, landed on Wendy’s hand without leaving even a tooth mark.
All he felt was a wetness on the back of his hand, teeth softly pressing against his skin—not enough to cause any pain.
Wendy raised an eyebrow.
He looked down at his damp hand, then at Laxana, who was glaring at him with a ferocious expression that screamed “I’ll eat you alive,” completely baffled.
“It was Astreia who messed with you—why bite me?”
“Mmph…”
Laxana kept her teeth on his hand, her voice muffled.
She seemed to realize her attack had no effect at all, and humiliation flushed her pretty face crimson.
She turned her face away stubbornly, avoiding Wendy’s gaze, and muttered in a voice as thin as a mosquito’s hum:
“You… can’t you just resist?”
“Are you really… so willing to… let Astreia toy with you like this?”
Her skill at turning the tables made Wendy laugh in spite of himself.
“What good would resisting do?”
“Tell me—how was I supposed to fight back?”
“I can’t beat Astreia anyway…”
He shrugged, his tone full of the helplessness that said, “What can I do? I’m desperate too.”
Those words hit harder than any excuse.
Right.
Can’t beat her.
Laxana instantly fell silent.
The courage she had mustered was punctured.
She had been tied to the ceiling as a hanging ornament herself—how could she blame Wendy, who was equally powerless?
But logic was logic; the unease and jealousy in her heart couldn’t be quelled.
As they fell into a tense silence, a playful voice came from above Wendy’s chest.
“Oh? What’s this? My military advisor and my court mage—are they conspiring to defy me now?”
Astreia’s lips curled into a wicked smirk.
The next second, she reached out with both hands, pinched Wendy’s and Laxana’s cheeks, and pulled them gently apart.
The force was light, but the humiliation was immense.
“Hey, hey! Don’t pinch! My face will get deformed!”
Wendy immediately began to beg.
“How would I dare! Your Highness Astreia, you are invincible, the greatest in the world—I revere you beyond measure!”
Dignity? What was that?
Could you eat it?
But Laxana beside him clearly lacked that sense of self-preservation.
“Mmph… Astreia! Don’t get cocky!”
She spoke stubbornly through her pinched cheeks.
“Hmph! Wait… wait till I figure out high-level sealing arts—I’ll bring you down with one move!”
“Pfft.”
Astreia outright laughed at that.
She let go, shaking her head with amusement at Laxana’s bluffing demeanor.
“Tsk tsk tsk. It seems you really have a thing for rebellion from below.”
Her emerald eyes gleamed with mocking light.
“Looks like the punishment I gave you earlier was too lenient.”
“In that case, I’ll have to step it up!”
Step it up?
Laxana flinched violently, countless unbearable memories flashing through her mind.
The shame of being suspended in midair.
The empathic link experience that nearly shattered her soul.
And the mesmerizing look of ecstasy on Wendy’s face…
The young lady instinctively curled up, hugging her chest, staring at Astreia in terror.
“You! W-what are you going to do now?!”
“I warn you—don’t you dare! This is the Central Academy!”
Her threat carried no conviction.
“What am I going to do?”
Astreia sat up slowly, her long golden hair cascading like a waterfall, veiling her form but adding a seductive allure.
She looked down at them from above, like a queen surveying her possessions.
She licked her lips, her smile dangerous and enchanting.
“Of course… play a game.”
“A game that will make you truly recognize your place.”
The moment Wendy heard “game,” his scalp went numb.
This woman’s games were never anything pleasant!
He opened his mouth to smooth things over, planning to say something like “It’s late, time to sleep.”
But Astreia had already announced the rules herself.
“From now until dawn tomorrow.”
“You two will unconditionally obey any command I give.”
“Of course, you can choose to resist.”
She paused, specifically fixing her gaze on Laxana, whose face screamed “I refuse.”
“But every act of resistance will come with a corresponding ‘punishment’~”
“You’re dreaming!”
Laxana blurted out without thinking.
Obey this woman’s orders?
She’d rather die!
“I, Laxana Klein, would rather die! Jump off this window! Than listen to a single word from you!”
She got agitated, struggling to sit up to show her backbone.
But her body was just drained—her weak limbs wouldn’t obey.
She only managed to lift her upper body slightly before her legs gave way, sending her tumbling forward uncontrollably.
Her head hit Wendy’s abdomen with a solid thud.
That impact was heavy.
“Ooh!!”
Wendy felt like his stomach contents were about to be forced out.
Laxana, dizzy from the collision, lay sprawled across Wendy, taking a long while to recover.
Tears welled in her eyes.
The scene was painfully awkward.
Astreia stared at the comical sight for two seconds.
Then she burst into merciless laughter.
“Hahahahaha!”
“Impressive, impressive! Such backbone!”
“Truly worthy of the Klein family’s young lady—even your resistance is uniquely creative.”
“Mmph…”
Laxana buried her face in Wendy’s body, consumed by shame, wishing she could crawl into a hole.
It was too embarrassing!
Far too embarrassing!
Wendy clutched his stomach, wincing, and tried to reason with her:
“My lady, can’t you see the situation first? A wise man knows when to bend. Just give in for now, and later you can get even.”
“No!”
Laxana’s voice was muffled against his abdomen, thick with nasal tone.
“This is a matter of principle!”
“You spineless man!”
Wendy felt he was being truly wronged.