Halochassis

It had been weeks since Adzeel’s last appearance, yet nobody seemed to know where he was. Rumors had spread throughout Luminous City like smoke, changing shape every time they reached another person. Some claimed that he had already been executed in secret, while others whispered that he was being kept somewhere deep beneath the Cathedral Exa. The lack of information only made the rumors worse. Even Alexander Goldheart, who had proudly displayed Adzeel in front of the public at the Cathedral Exa, had refused to show his face to the people since then. His sudden absence had become another mystery that the citizens discussed in taverns, markets, and crowded streets.

Shin was sitting behind his desk in the Librarium, his back resting against the wooden chair as he stared through the large window beside him. Outside, the night sky stretched endlessly above Luminous City, dark and clear enough for countless stars to shine between the thin clouds. The distant lights of the city glittered below like scattered pieces of gold, while the occasional sound of carriages and late-night pedestrians drifted through the thick glass. Inside the office, however, everything was quiet. The only sounds were the soft ticking of a wall clock and the faint scratching of his unfinished quill.

Shin stared at the stars, but his mind was somewhere else.

He imagined what would happen if he were caught, just like Adzeel.

The thought made his stomach tighten.

He imagined himself stripped of everything and displayed before the entire city, his identity exposed while thousands of strangers stared at him. He could almost hear the jeers of the crowd, the angry voices blending together into one hateful roar. He imagined rotten vegetables and stones being thrown at him, the humiliation becoming a spectacle for everyone to enjoy. Worse than the thought of the crowd was the image of Lireina standing among them.

He imagined her looking at him with disappointment.

The thought of those green eyes losing their warmth was more painful than anything the crowd could do to him. He could endure insults. He could endure pain. But seeing Lireina look at him as though she no longer recognized the man she loved was something he could barely tolerate even in his imagination.

There’s nothing yet that could incriminate me.

Shin quietly sighed and rubbed his forehead. The tension between his eyebrows refused to disappear. He leaned back in his chair and looked at the ceiling for a moment, trying to push those thoughts away. His fingers unconsciously tapped against the wooden surface of the desk, producing a faint, nervous rhythm.

Then came three soft knocks on his office door.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Shin immediately stopped tapping his fingers.

Before he could answer, the door opened, revealing Lireina standing in the doorway with a bright smile. Her long golden blonde hair caught the warm light from the hallway, while her green eyes seemed to make the gloomy office feel slightly brighter.

“Good evening, Shin.” Lireina said cheerfully.

Shin’s tense expression softened almost immediately.

“Good evening, Lena.” Shin smiled. “I thought you were busy in the Adventurer’s Guild?”

“I finished early.” Lireina stepped into the office, her footsteps making a faint sound against the wooden floor. “I missed you, so I decided to visit you here.”

Shin chuckled. “Good thing I’m clocking out.”

He gathered the papers scattered across his desk and carefully closed the books he had been scribing. The smell of old paper and ink lingered around him, mixed with the faint scent of candle wax from the lamp beside his books. He slipped his coat over his shoulders and adjusted the collar before standing.

“Let’s go.” Shin offered his hand.

Lireina looked at it for a moment before happily placing her hand into his. Her fingers were warm against his, and she gave his hand a gentle squeeze as they left the office together.

The couple walked hand in hand through the Librarium corridors. The building was considerably quieter than it had been during the day. Most of the scholars had already gone home, leaving only a few workers and librarians quietly moving between the shelves. Their footsteps echoed softly against the polished floor as they passed rows upon rows of ancient books. The smell of parchment, leather bindings, and dust filled the air.

Eventually, they reached the entrance and stepped outside.

The cool evening air immediately brushed against Shin’s face. The streets of Luminous City were still alive despite the late hour. Lamps illuminated the roads with warm pools of light, while merchants were closing their stalls and adventurers returned from their jobs. The distant sound of conversation mixed with carriage wheels rolling across the stone pavement.

Lireina continued holding Shin’s hand as they walked.

Then she glanced at him.

“Hey, um...” Her voice became slightly quieter. “Is Rika staying at your place tonight?”

“Nope.” Shin answered casually. “She was visiting some distant relatives, trying to uncover anything about her bloodline.”

The lie came out smoothly. Shin kept his eyes forward, refusing to let his expression betray him. The truth was very different.

Ever since Adzeel had been displayed and humiliated in public, Risha had been working almost twenty-four hours a day. She had been searching for any possible clue regarding Adzeel’s whereabouts, following rumors, questioning informants, and checking places where the Iron Bandits might have information about him. Every lead had ended in nothing. Seven days had passed without a single useful discovery.

Risha barely had time to sleep, yet she refused to stop searching.

Shin knew that if Lireina discovered the truth, she would inevitably become involved. And Shin could not allow that to happen.

Lireina smiled, apparently satisfied with his explanation.

“I kind of feel for Rika about her long-lost clan,” she said. She paused, then her smile became more playful. “But I apologize if this is an opportunity for me to have some private time with you.”

Shin raised an eyebrow. Then he grinned.

“You naughty little elf.”

He reached over and gently poked the tip of Lireina’s ear with his finger.

Lireina’s ear twitched from the unexpected touch. She immediately gave him a playful glare, though the smile on her lips betrayed her.

“You really crave for me, don’t you?”

“I won’t lie. Yes.” Lireina answered with an innocent smile.

Shin laughed quietly. There was something comforting about seeing her act this way. For a moment, the worries surrounding Adzeel, the Iron Bandits, and the Celestial Wardens seemed distant.

“Well, I will give you what you want. For one condition.”

Shin raised his index finger as if he were negotiating an important contract.

Lireina tilted her head slightly, her blonde hair falling over one shoulder.

“What is it?”

“I want to do it on your Fourth Form.” Shin grinned.

Lireina’s playful expression immediately disappeared.

“My Higher Forms are sacred, Shin.” She placed a hand against her chest, her cheeks gaining a faint flush. “It was given to me by the nature spirits and the village elder.”

“O-Oh… sorry. Scratch that then.” Shin forced a smile, quickly raising both hands as if surrendering. The playful confidence he had shown a moment ago disappeared, replaced by an awkward expression. He had clearly pushed a little too far, and even he knew better than to argue when Lireina had called one of her Higher Forms sacred.

“Well, humor me.” Lireina’s ears twitched with genuine curiosity. Her expression softened as she looked at him. “Why would you want my Fourth Form to have sex with you?”

“Well…” Shin scratched the back of his head, searching for the right words. He glanced away for a moment, his cheeks slightly warm. “Let’s call it… something like a power fantasy. I want to dominate you in your strongest.”

Lireina blinked. For several seconds, she said nothing.

Then she slowly released Shin’s hand and crossed her arms over her chest. Her eyes wandered toward the star-filled sky as she thought about his strange request. The cool evening breeze gently moved her long golden hair, while the tips of her pointed ears occasionally twitched as she considered the idea.

“Hmmm…” Lireina murmured. “Using my Fourth Form would make me highly sensitive and drain my stamina fast.”

She lowered her gaze toward Shin.

“But it might be a new experience for us.”

Shin raised an eyebrow.

“You’re actually considering it?”

“You were honest about why you wanted it.” Lireina smiled faintly. “That counts for something.”

Shin rubbed his chin, but his expression became more serious.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. You said it’s sacred.” He shrugged. “I was just teasing you.”

“Fine!”

Shin stopped walking.

“Lena?”

Lireina’s cheeks turned slightly red, but there was a mischievous sparkle in her green eyes.

“But not on my Fourth Form.” She pointed a finger at him. “Let’s start with my Second Form first.”

Shin stared at her. Lireina leaned closer, her blush becoming more noticeable.

“Then you will work your way up until my Fourth Form, you pervert.”

She poked Shin directly on the forehead.

“Ow!”

Shin rubbed his forehead while Lireina giggled beside him. The playful sound of her laughter carried through the quiet street, making several nearby pedestrians glance in their direction before continuing on their way.

“You really enjoy teasing me, don’t you?” Shin muttered.

“Only because you make it so easy.”

Shin sighed, but he could not stop himself from smiling.

There was another reason behind his unusual request, however. It was not simply about his attraction to Lireina or his curiosity about her Higher Forms.

Shin had never seen Lireina’s Fourth Form in person.

He had heard stories about it from the Celestial Wardens and other adventurers. The Fourth Form was said to be the strongest manifestation of the Untouchable Windwalker, a form that pushed Lireina’s abilities far beyond what she could achieve normally. The transformation was surrounded by enough mystery that even Shin, despite everything he had learned about Lireina, still had very little idea what it actually looked like.

Part of him wanted to witness it for himself.

More importantly, Shin wanted to understand just how powerful Lireina truly was.

The Celestial Wardens were not ordinary adventurers. They were legendary heroes who had defeated the Demon King ten years ago, and Lireina’s abilities were among the most extraordinary of them. Every Higher Form represented another step beyond her normal limits, and Shin could not help being curious about where those limits actually ended.

But there was also a much simpler reason.

He wanted to be adventurous.

Lireina’s body became taller with every Higher Form she entered. Her Second Form already gave her a noticeably different appearance, while the higher forms continued to increase her stature and change the way she carried herself. Shin had always found that transformation fascinating.

And, admittedly, he was curious about the challenge.

He looked at Lireina from head to toe before grinning.

“So we’re starting with Second Form?”

Lireina narrowed her eyes.

“Don’t get too excited.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Your face did.”

Shin laughed.

Lireina shook her head, her golden hair swaying behind her as she continued walking. After a moment, she reached out and took Shin’s hand again.

Their fingers intertwined.

Whatever dangers waited for them in the future, for tonight, they were simply a couple walking together beneath the stars.

It was already morning.

The birds were chirping on a nearby tree, their light and cheerful calls slipping through the open window and mixing with the soft rustling of leaves. Warm sunlight filtered through the curtains and slowly spread across the room, painting the walls and bedsheets with a pale golden glow. The air was cool and comfortable, carrying the faint scent of morning flowers from outside.

A thin beam of sunlight eventually landed directly on Shin’s face.

He groaned softly and turned his head away, trying to escape the brightness. However, the warmth continued to creep across his cheek until he finally gave up. He slowly opened his eyes, blinking several times as his vision adjusted to the morning light.

The first thing he saw was Lireina lying right beside him.

Her long golden blonde hair was spread across the pillow, some strands resting over her shoulder. Her green eyes were already open, and she looked at him with a gentle smile. She seemed completely comfortable, as though waking up beside him had already become a natural part of her mornings.

“Good morning, Shin.”

Shin stared at her for a moment before smiling.

“Good morning, Lena.”

It was a simple greeting for the start of another good morning. For a few peaceful seconds, neither of them said anything. Shin could hear the birds outside and feel the warmth of Lireina’s body beside him. The room was quiet enough that he could almost forget about the troubles waiting outside.

It would have been a perfectly peaceful morning.

Only if Lireina had not suddenly asked a confusing question.

“Hey, you don’t have work today, don’t you?”

Shin blinked.

“Yeah. It’s my day-off.” He stretched his arms above his head before settling back against the pillow. “Why? Want to go on a date today?”

Lireina shook her head.

“I would love to.”

Her answer made Shin smile, but the expression on her face quickly told him that there was something else on her mind. She looked unusually serious despite the pleasant morning atmosphere.

“But I want you to meet someone today.” Lireina continued. “I’ve been trying to arrange it for a very long time.”

Shin’s smile disappeared slightly.

“Meet someone?” He turned toward her fully. “What do you mean by that?”

Lireina looked at him for a moment before calmly answering.

“Qinglong.”

The name struck Shin like a hammer.

He froze.

The warmth that had been resting comfortably across his body seemed to vanish all at once. His fingers tightened against the bedsheet, and his jaw clenched. A familiar anger rose from somewhere deep inside his chest, spreading through his body until he felt his blood practically boiling.

His face scrunched up in disgust.

“What about that bastard?”

The peaceful atmosphere of the morning was gone.

Lireina remained calm, watching Shin carefully. She seemed to have expected his reaction, which only made Shin feel more irritated.

“I want to tie up some loose ends.” Lireina said gently. “I won’t say it’s water under the bridge, but I would like to bring some closure about your best friend.”

She gave him a small, reassuring smile.

Right then and there, Shin wanted to be angry at her. For him, his morning had already been ruined just by hearing that name.

Qinglong.

Even after all this time, Shin could not separate that name from the memory of Professor Emmanuel Gagarin. His best friend. His mentor. The man who had been there for him when almost nobody else was. Whenever Shin remembered how Manny had died, the anger returned with painful clarity.

He stared at the ceiling for a moment, his breathing becoming heavier.

Just what good is it if I meet that asshole?

Shin could already imagine how uncomfortable the meeting would be. What was he supposed to say? What could Qinglong possibly do that would undo everything that had happened? An apology could never bring Manny back. No amount of regret could erase the pain, the anger, or the empty space that had remained after his death.

Yet Lireina had gone through the trouble of arranging the meeting.

That alone told Shin that she considered it important.

“Qinglong wanted to apologize...” Lireina said quietly. She paused for a moment, almost as if she was choosing her words carefully. “About what happened to Professor Gagarin.”

Shin’s eyes widened. His anger did not disappear. Neither did his resentment. But something else suddenly appeared in their place. Shock.

For several seconds, Shin simply stared at Lireina without saying a word. His mind seemed to stop working as the meaning of her words slowly sank in. Qinglong wanted to apologize?

Shin did not know what to feel.

Part of him wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it. Another part wanted to reject the apology before even hearing it. Yet another part of him, one he desperately tried to bury, wanted to know what Qinglong had to say.

His chest tightened. His hands slowly loosened their grip on the bedsheet. For the first time that morning, Shin was no longer simply angry. He was confused.

And beneath that confusion was a question he had never expected himself to ask.

Why now?