With dinner concluded, this extraordinary day finally drew to a close.
The large contingent arriving at the Imperial City would spend the night in this residential building. Many details were yet to be finalized, as establishing the Empire's governing framework was crucial before effectively ruling this world.
Within the Imperial City, apart from the residential building where people lived, other structures silently underwent transformations according to predetermined plans. They were constructing a majestic palace featuring a grandiose central avenue.
It was merely another facade project, lacking practical significance but essential for appearances.
On the highest floor of the main building, the observation deck overlooked the sea of clouds. Above them lay the radiant starlit sky, with a luminous full moon hanging high.
"Burp~"
A certain paramecium resting her head on Zeke's lap let out a contented belch and instinctively patted her bulging stomach.
Zeke, initially gazing at the bright moon, glanced sideways and swiftly smacked her hand away.
"Slap!"
"Ouch!"
"Don't rub your belly after eating; it's unbecoming."
In response to Kiana's wince, Zeke maintained his composed demeanor and calmly reprimanded her.
Rubbing her reddened hand, Kiana looked up at Zeke, pouting, "That's harsh! My tummy feels so uncomfortably full!"
"Who told you to eat without any restraint?"
"Well, couldn't you have stopped me when I was bingeing?"
"You needed a lesson, even if you won't remember it for more than a few days." Zeke rolled his eyes, speaking coldly and unsympathetically.
Zeke couldn't fathom what this little girl constantly had on her mind. At times, she displayed tenderness and depth, making others believe she had matured. Yet most often, she remained as impulsive, spoiled, and clingy as any child.
For instance, right now:
"Ahhh! Zeke's being mean to me! I'm not happy anymore!" Kiana kicked her legs and writhed on the long bench like a misbehaving toddler throwing a tantrum.
"Sigh!"
Zeke let out a breath.
After a brief moment of contemplation, he realized he had administered enough disciplinary measures with his stick recently. Thus, he decided to switch tactics for suppression. With one hand, he gently cupped a soft and ample area, giving it a light squeeze.
"Eep!"
Kiana startled, her eyes wide with innocent surprise.
She quickly covered her face, hiding the blush spreading across it.
"Pervert Zeke! Monster! Big Creepy Wolf!"
"Still want to cause trouble?"
"No, no more trouble. Let's enjoy the scenery!"
Peeking through the gaps between her fingers, Kiana revealed her sparkling big eyes, filled with bashfulness and a hint of appeasement.
Zeke's lips curved upwards instantly. He released his hold and instead began stroking her silvery hair draped over his legs.
"Were you serious about what you said earlier today?"
Zeke shifted the conversation, gently stroking Kiana's hair with a hint of mixed emotions in his eyes.
Kiana relaxed her stance; although it wouldn't instantly change Zeke's mind, it undoubtedly alleviated much of his psychological restraint.
This could be seen as Kiana demonstrating maturity, but then again... Zeke wondered if perhaps she didn't truly love him deeply enough to make such an easy concession otherwise?
"Tsk!"
Zeke clicked his tongue, feeling unsettled by this possibility. On the other hand, he also realized that entertaining these thoughts wasn't like his usual self - someone who acted boldly without hesitation or reservations.
Unaware of Zeke's exact thoughts, Kiana sensed his subtle mood shift and tugged at his collar, asking, "What's on your mind, Zeke?"
"It's nothing."
"Hmph! Get this straight; I'm clearly the one feeling wronged here, with my heart about to shatter, not you, Mr. Casanova! Why do you make it seem like it's all my fault... Ow, ow, ow!"
Zeke pinched Kiana's cheeks, forcefully interrupting her rant.
In the next moment, tears welled up as she tugged on Zeke's arm, pleading for mercy:
"I surrender! I surrender! It was all my fault, okay?"
"You're the one who disrupted my emotions and now has my thoughts in chaos. Whose fault could it be if not yours?"
"Zeke, you're being unreasonable!"
"Hmm?"
"Sorry, it's entirely my fault. Please let go of me!"
Kiana continued frantically pleading while slapping at Zeke's hand.
After a brief moment, Zeke released his grip but couldn't resist giving Kiana's small, pale nose a gentle pinch before calming down and saying:
"Let's have a proper conversation about this. The issue is crucial, and I must understand your true feelings."
"..."
Rubbing her sore cheek, Kiana looked at Zeke with a sense of grievance.
After some time, she sat up, facing away from Zeke, hugged her knees, and spoke softly:
"What else is there to understand? If I could, no one would have a claim on Zeke but me. Of course, I wish he belonged solely to me, only looking at and caring for me... But that's impossible now, isn't it? I've taken the time to comprehend Seele and Wendy's situations; they're deeply invested. I can't bear witnessing their hearts shatter and spirits crumble... Having experienced such despair myself, I don't want them to go through it."
"So, you decided to compromise?"
Zeke narrowed his eyes, yet even with his forced calm tone, the irritation in his voice couldn't be concealed.
"I already told you, I had no other choice..." Suddenly, a realization struck him. "Wait! Could it be that Zeke is jealous? Are you doubting my love because I chose to yield for their sake?"
Initially intending to argue further, Kiana had an epiphany, grasping Zeke's underlying feelings. She turned her head, her eyes sparkling as she studied Zeke's expression and gaze, seeking confirmation of her suspicion.
Zeke remained silent, tilting his head towards the moon. Though appearing nonchalant, this gesture was clearly an attempt to evade Kia's scrutiny.
"Ha!"
Kiana's face lit up with an incredibly radiant smile as she turned towards Zeke. Crawling closer, she gently grabbed his face to continue observing him.
Then, Kiana's eyes filled with delight.
"Haha! Gotcha, Zeke is jealous!"
"...I'm not that immature."
"Wakaka! Liar! I can smell your deceit; pretending before me won't work, Zeke!" Kiana chuckled mischievously, resembling a cat savoring stolen treats, her grin both cunning and contented.
Zeke had always been straightforward with expressing emotions, almost too direct, which made such moments infrequent. Witnessing this bashful display of jealousy was nearly unheard-of for Kiana.
Overwhelmed with joy, her heart swelled with love. Following her impulse, Kiana threw herself at Zeke, embracing him tightly and pressing her lips against his.
Zeke's eyes widened slightly, the initial unease transforming into resignation and tenderness. He held Kiana's head, fully indulging in the irresistible sweetness of their kiss.
After a long moment, Kiana lay flushed on Zeke's chest, her slightly swollen lips and dreamy expression telling of her profound satisfaction.
Kiana gently caressed Zeke's face and asked with a smile, "Well? How does it feel now, Zeke?"
"It tastes like watermelon and honeydew—you didn't rinse your mouth properly after eating fruit."
"Oh, I'll be more careful next time so as not to disappoint you... Wait! That's not what I meant!" Pouting, Kiana cupped Zeke's cheeks and started playfully kneading them.
Zeke lifted his hands to pry away Kiana's mischievous fingers, looked down at her expectant eyes, and paused for a moment. The calmness on his face gradually gave way to resignation as he said, "I can't win against you..."
"Heh-heh!"
"Don't look so smug. But yes, perhaps I was feeling jealous. Just thinking that your feelings for me might not run as deep... irked me."
Imitating Kiana's earlier antics, Zeke placed both hands on her soft, smooth cheeks and began vigorously rubbing them.
"Ha-ha-ha!"
Kiana burst out laughing—whether due to Zeke acknowledging his jealousy or because his kneading tickled, it was hard to tell.
After a hearty bout of laughter, Kiana suddenly grew serious and softly called out, "Zeke."
"Hmm?"
"You're amazing, Zeke. Just when I think I couldn't be happier, you always find ways to give me more. Thank you."
"It's my pleasure, Kiana," Zeke replied with a gentle smile as he leaned down to kiss her forehead.
Kiana giggled again before sighing softly.
"So, I guess I'll just have to bear it for now. If I can endure this, Zeke won't feel so torn, and everyone will be happy. Isn't that what matters?"
"I don't need you to suffer through anything." Zeke tightened his embrace around Kiana, frowning slightly.
During Bronya's incident, Kiana had cried heartbrokenly—a scene Zeke never wanted to witness again. The first time was unavoidable, but repeating it...that would be knowingly committing a grave mistake.
As if sharing a silent understanding, Kiana sensed Zeke's thoughts once more and chuckled lightly.
"But I'm willing to bear it, Zeke. You deserve it, and they do too. This is the best solution I could come up with. Trust me, Zeke; you shouldn't worry about me. Make choices that satisfy yourself—oh, and don't think I haven't figured it out: you've definitely entertained fantasies of having multiple wives or even a harem, right? It's only natural for men; I understand!"
Kiana nudged Zeke's abs with her elbow, eyebrows raised teasingly—frankly, she looked just like those middle-aged men joking about risqué topics over drinks.
Zeke rolled his eyes.
He almost forgot that Kiana was also a bit of a pervert herself, often taking advantage of Raiden Mei's ample bosom whenever idle.
After a moment of disorganized thoughts, Zeke managed to utter:
"Siegfried is truly despicable!"
That's right! Kiana's life education had only been shaped by Siegfried and Zeke, and he was certain he never imparted any inappropriate knowledge on her.
Therefore, the prime culprit behind Kiana's lewd tendencies must be none other than Siegfried! No doubt about it!
"Uh-huh! Yes, yes! It's all that stinky dad's fault!" Kiana stuck out her tongue, effortlessly shifting the blame without considering how an unhappy Zeke might deal with Siegfried later.
As long as her "stinky dad" didn't die, everything was fine! Besides, after being absent for so many years, shouldn't he at least help shoulder some responsibility when it comes to their daughter, especially during quieter moments?
Then, Zeke lightly tapped Kiana's head, expression darkening as he said:
"Don't judge me based on your age! I'm not one of those old perverts!"
"Aiya! You can talk all you want, but stop bonking me on the head—I'm not that smart to begin with..."
"I'd say you're quite clever."
"Pfft! Anyway, I've made up my mind: I won't interfere, and I'll accept whatever happens. It's Zeke's responsibility now; take your time dealing with it!" With a playful grimace, Kiana nonchalantly tossed the problem back at Zeke.
"And no matter what comes next, there's no need for more apologies from you. I won't cry again. Look, I've already received the one thing I've always longed for—nothing can bring me down now!" She raised her hand, showing Zeke the golden ring sparkling brightly on her finger under the moonlight.
To Zeke, neither the ring nor the lunar glow—not even the myriad stars above—could match the brilliance shining in the girl's eyes, if only by a fraction.
"Aiee!" Kiana yelped as Zeke suddenly swept her off her feet, cradling her like a princess, and began walking downstairs.
Blushing, Kiana conjured images of both embarrassing and thrilling scenarios. Her arms instinctively wrapped around Zeke's neck as she tried to feign composure, asking:
"W-why suddenly picking me up? What do you plan to do?" Kiana asked hesitantly.
"Return to our room and rest," Zeke replied calmly.
Kiana knew all too well what kind of "rest" he meant.
At that moment, she couldn't help but miss Bronya, who was busy entertaining newcomer Ana elsewhere.
"G-go easy on me tonight... Since it's just...just me tonight... Be gentle..."
"I'll try my best."
With Kiana's face flushed so deeply red it seemed like blood might drip from her cheeks, Zeke gave a vague assurance.