Chapter 48: Only a Year

“Long time… no see?”

A trace of confusion flickered in Lias’s eyes as she looked a bit bewildered.

“Do you not remember how long you’ve slept?”

Li Ang gazed at the girl’s dazed expression, some guesses forming in his heart.

Lias furrowed her brows slightly, her beautiful peach blossom eyes even more alluring.

She pressed her aching head, her voice sluggish: “I… don’t remember.”

“I only remember that after drinking the potion you left for me, my mana absorption sped up, and then… I just fell asleep?”

So she had been completely unconscious during her slumber.

Fortunately, he’d stayed by her side this whole time.

But that also meant that every time Lias had a Bloodline Breakthrough in the future, it would be very dangerous.

“So how long did I sleep?”

Lias looked up curiously, as she noticed Li Ang seemed a little different from before, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

Li Ang met the familiar gaze of the girl and replied softly, “A year.”

It had been a little over a year since he left Everfrost City.

Upon hearing this, Lias let out a sigh of relief and stuck out her tongue.

“Only a year, huh.”

Li Ang subconsciously touched his right eye— a habit he’d picked up over the past year.

For him, a year was enough to change a person’s habits, but for Lias, a year of sleep was just a tiny grain in the river of her life.

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but laugh at himself.

He was still so young—what was there to worry about?

Lias seemed to have fully recovered from her deep sleep.

The girl immediately jumped up, pressed on Li Ang’s shoulders, and leaned in close, excitedly showing off her right eye.

“Li Ang, look at my eyes! What do they look like?”

The girl’s faint fragrance drifted over like a gentle breeze.

Her face, a mixture of charm and innocence, was so close that Li Ang could feel the warmth of her every breath.

Those fox-like, captivating eyes were locked onto him, and her rosy lips seemed just a moment away from kissing him.

Li Ang couldn’t resist the accidental allure of the little cat succubus.

He turned his face aside, avoided her gaze, and muttered, “They look beautiful.”

“Really?”

“Really. And haven’t you noticed you’ve grown taller, too? And your horns have grown back.”

Li Ang spoke softly.

“Really…”

Lias let go of his shoulders, a rare hint of shyness on her face.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, then suddenly remembered something.

She hopped off the bed and pulled Li Ang up with her.

Standing face to face, her more developed chest lightly pressed against his—soft as a tuft of cotton, sending a teasing itch through him.

Her warm body temperature and heartbeat transmitted through the two points, spreading through his whole body.

Earlier, when Lias was leaning over on the bed, Li Ang hadn’t noticed, but now that they stood toe-to-toe in the narrow space, there was nowhere to avoid.

Li Ang took an uncharacteristic step back, his eyes a bit awkward.

Luckily, the little cat succubus didn’t notice his discomfort.

She just rose on tiptoe in slight disappointment, comparing their heights above their heads.

“But how am I still not as tall as you?”

She still remembered what Li Ang had once said—when she grew taller than him, she’d know what a kiss really was.

“That’s because I’ve grown taller too.”

Li Ang reached out and patted her head, a bit helplessly.

But the difference in their heights was very slight.

Maybe after a few more Bloodline Breakthroughs, Lias would surpass him.

After all, demon genes were what they were.

“Fine.”

Lias accepted the little gap with a hint of disappointment.

She looked down at her now-too-small clothes, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

Seeing this, Li Ang pulled out the clothes he’d long prepared—a dark black dress decorated with black lace and a few deep red gems, giving it an air of nobility and mystery.

He’d thought the dress would suit Lias perfectly the first time he saw it and had bought it on the spot.

“What a beautiful dress!”

Lias clearly loved it.

She directly slipped off her clothes in front of Li Ang, revealing her graceful figure.

Li Ang’s eye twitched at the sight, and he quickly turned away.

When the rustling behind him finally stopped, he turned back.

The girl stood sideways, examining her new dress and looking very satisfied.

Only now did he realize the design was rather bold—the sleeves were separate, baring her fair shoulders, and a layer of black gauze covered her chest, faintly revealing the line between her breasts.

There was no denying that the dress truly suited Lias; her succubus charm now radiated in full.

But something seemed to be missing?

Li Ang glanced at the girl’s bare feet and quickly realized what it was.

Black stockings!

He decided that when he took Lias back to the city, he would definitely buy her a few pairs.

Watching the girl spinning in place, Li Ang couldn’t help but smile.

The little succubus was like a kitten twirling around, chasing her own tail.

“By the way, how did it go at that Association?”

Lias suddenly remembered something and looked at Li Ang, a little nervous.

She still recalled that Li Ang had written to her earlier, saying he was going to join some Association.

“Mm, they invited me to join the Association.”

“I knew you could do it.”

“But…”

Li Ang paused for a moment, then looked up at the girl.

“The Association is in the royal capital. I’ll have to go there from now on…”

“The royal capital… is it far?”

Lias lowered her head, staring at her toes.

Realizing she might not see him for a long time, her mood sank.

“Yes, it’s far.”

“Then… when are you leaving…?”

Lias twisted her pale hands together.

“In a few days, probably.”

“So soon… alright then…”

Lias was a little aggrieved, but still forced a smile and looked at Li Ang seriously.

“It’s fine. I’ll wait for you…”

Seeing her like this, Li Ang felt a pang in his heart.

His desire to tease her melted away.

He said nothing more, simply reached out his hand to Lias and smiled.

“So, do you want to come with me?”

“W-what?”

Lias wondered if she’d misheard, but when she looked up and saw Li Ang’s smiling face, she knew she hadn’t.

At that moment, a radiant smile blossomed on the girl’s pure, flawless face—a smile Li Ang had never seen before, bright as sunlight shining into a dark corner.

The little cat succubus ignored Li Ang’s outstretched hand and instead leaped into his arms, wrapping her slender legs around his waist, then hugged his neck and shouted out her answer.

“Yes!”

For her, there was never any need to hesitate about this question.

Because there was only ever one answer.