“Oh ho? Finally remembered, huh? Young Master His~”
The girl let go, allowing her long hair to fall loose behind her back, and a smile returned to her face.
“I thought you’d forgotten all about me by now~”
“So you were…”
Before His could finish, a sharp sword aura suddenly struck between the two of them.
“His! Are you alright?”
The next instant, a cool voice sounded in His’s ear, yet the tone was filled with concern.
Looking at Ai Lin, who had suddenly appeared before him wearing only a thin set of undergarments, His was somewhat stunned.
“Ai Lin? How did you…”
“I was about to take a bath when I sensed a demonic presence, so I followed the trail all the way here.”
“So that’s why you ran out wearing nothing but undergarments…”
Though he had to say, his fiancée’s figure… when she usually wore her light armor, he really couldn’t tell.
Guess I underestimated you!
Lilith bit her lip, clearly not expecting to run into Ai Lin here.
“Tch… So it’s the Sword Maiden of the Kingdom, huh…”
Ai Lin raised her sword with one hand, the tip pointing directly at Lilith.
“Demon race? Quite bold of you, daring to come all the way over here alone.”
“Hehe, aren’t you afraid I came alone because I’m confident in my own strength?”
Although Ai Lin’s appearance caught the Demon Princess off guard, Lilith still maintained a relaxed demeanor on the surface.
“What a coincidence. I’m quite confident in my own strength too.”
With that, Ai Lin swung several sword qi waves toward Lilith with one hand.
“Oh my, I didn’t expect the famed Sword Maiden of the Kingdom to be such an impatient one?”
“You’ve already prepared yourself to die, haven’t you?!”
While dodging Ai Lin’s attacks, Lilith still found time to tease.
“Huh? So doing this gets you killed?”
“Enough talk! As a demon, daring to cross the Two Realms Border without permission—if you want to die, then come take this sword!”
Ai Lin didn’t continue bickering with Lilith. Instead, she flashed forward, closing the distance between them, attempting to engage the demon in close-quarters combat.
“Tsk tsk tsk, rumors say the Sword Maiden of the Kingdom fights with elegance, but from what I can see now, there’s nothing special about it.”
Lilith pulled out a fan from who knows where and calmly blocked Ai Lin’s sword strikes coming from all angles.
Ai Lin remained silent, simply attacking relentlessly.
“Sigh, looks like today’s business can’t be discussed after all. Next time, let’s have a proper chat, Young Master His, alright?”
Seeing Ai Lin’s attacks growing increasingly fierce, Lilith wisely winked at His before transforming into a puff of black mist and vanishing on the spot.
“Damn it! She got away just like that!”
Facing the demon’s escape art, Ai Lin, who knew nothing of magic, was helpless. She could only swing her sword twice in frustration to vent her annoyance.
“Come to think of it, didn’t she just say she had something she wanted to discuss with you?”
Recalling what Lilith had said to His before disappearing, Ai Lin turned to look at him and asked.
“Yeah.”
His admitted it openly.
“What could a demon possibly need that’s worth risking coming all the way here to find you?”
The Vice Captain of the Kingdom Knights’ aura was now in full display. Ai Lin narrowed her eyes, her tone growing serious.
“And you agreed?”
“She said something about wanting me to stop producing Gray Weapons.”
“Impossible.”
His put on a righteous expression.
“What do you take me for? I’d never do anything that harms the Kingdom’s interests. Besides, you’re part of the Knights. If I stopped making Gray Crystal weapons, what would you rely on to fight the demons on the Frontline? I don’t want you to end up in danger.”
“I… I have…”
Ai Lin was actually intimidated by His’s momentum for a moment.
“Cough! Cough, cough!”
His’s words made Ai Lin’s face flush red. She quickly coughed a couple of times to compose herself.
“I’m sorry. I was being too sensitive. I shouldn’t have doubted you.”
“It’s… it’s fine. Don’t be like that. I’m a bit unused to it…”
“Unused to what?”
“Nothing… it’s nothing.”
Seeing His looking confused, Ai Lin didn’t dwell on the matter. Instead, she turned her attention to his well-being.
“So, that demon just now didn’t hurt you, did she?”
“No, thanks to my wife arriving just in time.”
“What are you saying? I’m not your wife yet…”
“Then… Lady Fiancée?”
“Cheeky.”
Ai Lin lightly punched His on the shoulder.
“Let’s head back first. It feels a bit dangerous staying here.”
“Alright.”
The two walked side by side toward the Duke’s Mansion.
“That demon came to you because of the Gray Weapons matter. Regardless, I need to get the full picture.”
“Of course.”
Ai Lin nodded.
“After all, you said it yourself—she’s from the Demon Race.”
Back in the Bedroom, looking at Ai Lin’s serious expression, His tentatively asked:
“So, you’re insisting on sleeping with me tonight?”
“Whether as your fiancée or as the Captain of the Kingdom Knights, I have an obligation to protect your safety.”
“But we don’t have to sleep in the same bed…”
“Why not? Just now I only managed to drive that demon away. You said it yourself—she lured you out by setting up a Dark Element in your room. That means she’s fully capable of invading your room. Tonight is the most dangerous time.”
Ai Lin’s expression was serious as she spoke, leaving His with no room to argue.
“But you’ll have to return to the Royal Capital eventually, right? We… we won’t be together forever…”
“That’s not necessarily out of the question…”
Ai Lin muttered quietly.
“Sorry, what did you just say? I didn’t catch that.”
“Ah… I said that’s exactly why I should protect you properly while I’m still here. I’ll do my best to protect you these few days and make sure that demon completely gives up on any ideas of harming you.”
“But… but if word of this gets out, wouldn’t it be bad for your reputation?”
Realizing that angle wouldn’t work, His switched tactics, making one final attempt.
“Hey hey, it’s just the two of us here right now. If you don’t say anything, who else would know?”
Ai Lin still showed no sign of backing down.
“Besides, I’m already your fiancée. Even if someone found out we slept in the same room, it wouldn’t be a big deal, would it?”
“This…”
With that, Ai Lin pulled back the blanket on her own accord, about to lie down on the bed, when she suddenly froze as if she’d remembered something.
“What’s wrong?”
“I… haven’t bathed yet.”
“Huh?”
“Well… it’s been a long day, so I’d still like to wash up a bit, you know.”
Ai Lin straightened up and looked around, her gaze quickly locking onto the bathroom in His’s room.
“Wait for me for a bit. I’ll be quick.”
As she walked toward the bathroom, Ai Lin instructed His:
“If someone comes to invade, shout loudly, got it?”
“Huh? Ah… oh…”
Seeing His obediently comply, Ai Lin nodded in satisfaction and turned to enter the bathroom.
Listening to the sound of water coming from the bathroom, even His, who had lived two lives, couldn’t help but feel his heart racing.
The one bathing in there right now was the Sword Maiden of the Kingdom!
Thinking of her usual dashing appearance in light armor, and then imagining the scene in the bathroom at this very moment…
“His?”
Just as His was vigorously shaking his head, trying to rid his mind of those inappropriate images, Ai Lin’s voice came from the bathroom.
“Ah? What is it?”
“Um… I need to change into some clothes, but they’re still in the other room. Could you…”
Ai Lin cracked the bathroom door open just a sliver, poking half her face out.
“Go grab them for me!”
“G… Got it. I’ll go get them for you… Don’t come out yet!”
The moment he saw the bathroom door open, His immediately shut his eyes and turned his head away.
“If you run into a demon attack on the way, hurry back to me.”
“Mhm… sorry for the trouble…”
Ai Lin was feeling a bit shy as well.
“K… Know it. Don’t worry. You… you close the door first.”
“Okay.”
Only after hearing the sound of the door closing did His dare to slowly open his eyes.
Really… why am I so nervous.
She’s my fiancée anyway. It wouldn’t be a big deal if I accidentally saw something.
“Stop, stop. This line of thinking is already getting dangerous.”
His let out a long breath and pushed open the door, stepping out of the Bedroom.
Standing in the Corridor, His suddenly realized something.
He had left the task of arranging Ai Lin’s room to La Fei Na. Now it seemed… he had no idea which room Ai Lin had been staying in before!
Th… This is bad.
What do I do? Ai Lin is still waiting in the bathroom.
If I take too long to get back and she thinks I was attacked by a demon, who knows what she might do.
No choice… I’ll have to do this.
As if having resolved himself to a certain decision, His tiptoed toward La Fei Na and Ni Wei’s room.
La Fei Na dreamed she was sitting in a small boat, surrounded by calm seas.
Suddenly, a fierce gale arose, and her little boat rocked continuously in the wind and waves…
“La Fei Na… wake up…”
La Fei Na reluctantly opened her hazy, sleep-filled eyes.
“Mm… who is it… Fei Na… wake up…”
She felt like she could hear Young Master His’s voice.
Finally, when she was fully awake, La Fei Na discovered that His was currently by her bedside, shaking her relentlessly.
“La Fei Na, wake up!”
“Young Master His? Why are you here? Ah!”
La Fei Na let out a startled cry, then quickly covered her mouth with her hand.
“Forget about that. I have something urgent to ask you. Which room did you put Ai Lin in?”
“It’s… it’s the first room on the second floor by the stairwell…”
La Fei Na blinked in confusion and answered.
“Got it! Thanks! Go back to sleep! Good night!”
With that, His turned around and vanished from the Twin Maids’ room in a flash.
“Huh?”
Only after His left did La Fei Na slowly come to her senses.
Realizing what His had asked, La Fei Na’s eyes grew wider and wider in the darkness.
Young Master His is… going to find Miss Ai Lin?
Well, that makes sense. After all, they’re an Engaged Couple.
He even specially arranged a separate room for Miss Ai Lin before… probably just to save face in front of others…
“Mm… sister… why aren’t you asleep yet?”
Just then, perhaps woken by La Fei Na’s earlier startled cry, Ni Wei sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes.
“I… I’m a bit sleepless. I’ll sleep in a bit.”
Ni Wei squinted, scratched her hair, then flopped back onto her pillow.
“Is that so… then get some rest soon, okay…”
Looking at her younger sister, La Fei Na let out a soft sigh.
Young Master His’s fiancée is flawless in every way…
I heard she lives in the Royal Capital. Will Young Master His move there too after this?
Then we…
That night, the young girl ultimately couldn’t fall asleep.
“Ai Lin? I’m back.”
“Mhm mhm. Did you… bring the clothes?”
“I didn’t know which one you wanted to change into, so I brought your whole suitcase.”
With that, His set Ai Lin’s suitcase down by the bathroom door.
“I’ll leave it here for you. I’ll wait outside first. Call me when you’re done changing.”
“Okay…”
A moment later, Ai Lin, now changed into a set of pajamas, opened the bedroom door and called His, who was crouching outside, back in.
“Mm~ I do feel much better after a bath.”
Ai Lin stretched as she walked toward His’s bed.
At this point, His no longer planned to argue. He couldn’t win anyway, so he might as well go along with it. He followed Ai Lin to the bedside.
“I figure if that demon comes looking for you tonight, she’ll definitely come through the window. So I’ll sleep on the window side. That alright?”
“No problem.”
His acknowledged and lay down without hesitation.
Ai Lin was very satisfied with His’s behavior and lay down beside him as well.
“You know? A few months ago, if someone had told me that one day I’d be sleeping in the same bed as His Blackstone, I never would have believed it.”
“Ha… is that so…”
“So you see, this situation right now is truly unbelievable.”
“I feel the same way.”
The two lay there on the bed, chatting back and forth.
“There’s actually a question I’ve been wanting to ask you.”
“Lady Wife, please go ahead. Your servant will tell you everything he knows.”
“Less with the cheeky talk.”
Ai Lin smiled and poked His’s arm.
“Back then, you willingly fronted the money to provide Gray Weapons for our Knights. Did you really have zero ulterior motives?”
“Well…”
His thought for a moment.
“There was definitely a little bit.”
“Oh? Let’s hear it.”
Ai Lin seemed very interested in this matter, turning her entire body to face His.
“The main reason… of course, was to prevent too many casualties among our Kingdom’s warriors. But like you said when you first came to see me—you’re my fiancée. If my fiancée is heading to the Frontline, how could I, as her fiancé, keep good things hidden from her?”
“Hmph, I knew it.”
A rare hint of smugness appeared on Ai Lin’s usually cool face.
“Making it sound so righteous…”
“Hey hey, my desire to help your Knights is the real deal.”
“Alright, alright. No need to explain. It’s not like I’m going to blame you for this.”
For some reason, Ai Lin seemed to be in an excellent mood after hearing His’s answer, even reaching out to pat his head.
Rest early.
His, however, felt a bit annoyed.
Why does it feel like… I’m being treated like a kid?
Just as His was about to close his eyes and sleep, the familiar lettering that hadn’t appeared in a long time finally materialized before him once more.