So… she vented. She wrote all about her problems, sending text after text to Dyon. Knowing she wouldn’t get a response, but somehow feeling better knowing he would be somewhere reading what she had to say…

In her head, she imagined his calm and reassuring voice telling her that she was silly to worry so much… that in just a few months from now, they’d see each other, and nothing else would matter.

**

Within Dead Kings Valley, Dyon and Ri had spent the month completely incapacitated.

They each lay parallel to each other, being watched over by the stone puppet.

Slowly, Ri’s fingers began to twitch as she woke up.

Sitting up, she took in her surroundings… but, that didn’t last long because she almost immediately noticed Dyon laying beside her.

Ri’s brow’s furrowed as she tentatively shook Dyon.

“Dyon?” She asked softly.

Suddenly she felt a strong arm wrap around her waist. Ri’s senses were suddenly invaded by such a strong masculine scent she lowered her head and blushed. Dyon smelt exactly like what pinewood sprinkled with spicy cinnamon would smell like… cultivators, especially those with bodies as strong as Dyon’s, usually began giving off their own unique scents. And Dyon’s was beyond intoxicating.

Being pulled into Dyon’s lap, Ri had no idea what to do, “wake up you idiot,” she whispered.

But, she suddenly heard Dyon whisper something that made her feel like her heart was shattering into a million pieces.

“Madeleine…” Dyon’s voice was faint… but how could Ri not hear him in such close proximity?

Ri started to fight harder to wiggle out of Dyon’s embrace, she couldn’t handle being this intimate with him right now. But, she felt like her emotions had caused her to lose all of her strength. Dyon’s arm was like a steel bar, unmoving and sturdy…

Ri felt like tears were about to spill out of her eyes. ‘What kind of ridiculous situation is this? Get off of me!”

But suddenly Ri froze again…

“She’s Ri…” Dyon spun in his sleep, pulling in Ri even tighter, “yea… she’s great… don’t you think you two would make great sister wives?…”

Ri buried her head into Dyon’s bare chest as she cried. She had no idea whether they were tears of happiness or anger at being toyed with, but she cried them, nonetheless.

And just like that, another day passed… Dyon none the wiser.

** 𝑖.𝘤ℴ𝘮

“Mm,” Dyon stirred in his sleep. “Hm… what?”

Dyon felt a bundle of softness in his arms, invading his senses with unparalleled comfort.

“Ri? What are you doing clinging to me?” Dyon suddenly grinned, “if you wanted to get intimate, you should have just asked. I’d be more than willing.”

However, Dyon didn’t receive the usual eye roll and forehead flick… instead, Ri wiggled her head up from his chest and the sight Dyon saw was something that sent him into a panic.

“Ri? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

Tears still fell from Ri’s eyes as she looked up at Dyon with her gentle blue-silver eyes.

Her hair was a mess, and her face was a sight that would break the heart of anyone seeing it… Dyon had no idea what was going on… for all his intelligence, he was truly lost.

‘What did I do…’

Almost ridiculously, Dyon checked to see if his essence blood had done something ridiculous in his sleep. With his consciousness to reign it in, his body could have very well done something to Dyon to replenish itself… and what could replenish a body filled with demonic blood better than a virgin with a body as powerful as Ri’s?

But, he soon sighed in relief after he scanned Ri. Her virginity was intact… but that only confused Dyon further.

Dyon reached for Ri’s cheek, pushing away the hair that was sticking to her face. “Little feu glace, why are you melting?”

Dyon’s voice was so gentle and full of concern that Ri almost started crying again. But that only made her scream even louder in her head.

‘What is wrong with me!’

Minutes passed as Ri stabilized her emotions.

Dyon was in such a worried state, he didn’t even realize how tightly he was holding onto Ri’s waist… they were even in an odd position on the ground… lying to their sides yet facing each other.

Luckily, Ri soon took a deep breath and spoke softly. “Tell me something Dyon… if I one day looked nothing like this anymore… would you feel the same way about me?…”

Dyon scoffed in relief. “That’s what you wanted to ask me?” he lightly pinched Ri’s small nose, “you can look the same, you can look different, but you’d still be you, no?”

Dyon didn’t wait for Ri to respond, immediately picking her up bridal style to jump onto the shoulder of the stone puppet.

Ri grabbed onto Dyon’s shoulders, resting her chin to one side, unwilling to have Dyon look at her in this state anymore. Her water will silently came to life, wiping her face clean.

“You can set me down now, pervert.”

Dyon put Ri down, pinching her nose again. “Pervert? Aren’t you the one who came into my manly embrace while I slept? I feel violated”

Ri scoffed, clearly exasperated. “It was YOU who pulled me to you! You’re lucky I didn’t punch you to death!”

Dyon grinned shamelessly. “There’s no need to lie, I’ll accept all your flaws.”

Ri turned away, clearly annoyed. “Humph, what’ll it be like in the future? You’ll take my first everything, then claim it wasn’t you then too? Maybe I should just ignore you from now on.”

Dyon suddenly looked distraught. “Don’t be like that, I was kidding, only kidding… don’t ignore me.”

Ri still kept her face turned from Dyon, but smiled gently. ‘At least he knows when to give in.’ .

Ri suddenly felt a gentle pat on her head.

“We’ve wasted enough time,” said Dyon, “let’s start this raid.”

With that, the stone puppet walked forward, leaving the effective area of the last step with Ri and Dyon on its shoulder.

𝑖.𝘤ℴ𝘮