Vastarael woke slowly. The first thing he felt was softness under his cheek. The second was warmth. The third was the familiar scent of flowers and then Elyonari herself.
She was sitting in the exact same position as before with books floating around her. She was reading three at once, translating another and annotating a separate parchment, all while her free hand absently combed through his hair.
He stared for a moment.
"What… are you doing?"
"Oh, Good morning, Darling," she said happily, lowering one of the books. "You slept peacefully. I didn't want to wake you so I spent the night translating your mother's diary."
Right. That cursed, traumatizing, way-too-detailed diary.
"You spent all night reading that?"
Elyonari nodded with zero shame.
"You were asleep. I needed something to do. And this was… informative and extremely entertaining. Your mother is absolutely a pervert."
He covered his face. "I didn't need confirmation…"
"Oh hush, Darling. Lysameria is detailed in her desires but she actually described the Hidden Citadel well. And you slept on my lap the whole time."
He froze.
"You didn't move once. Do you know how rare that is? Most people don't dare be this defenseless with someone."
He winced in guilt. "You stayed in the same position all night. I'm sorry—"
"Don't be. It made me very happy that you relied on me. Like I said, it's rare for someone to do that."
That did something to him. He tried to sit up only for her arm to slide down and pin him with terrifying efficiency.
"Stay."
He didn't resist. Elyonari's eyes widened a little. She had not expected him to obey without even trying to resist.
"Why are you being so submissive?"
"Because you told me to?"
It took her a full second to gather herself before she floated another stack of pages toward him.
"Anyway, the Hidden Citadel. Your mother and the other Nexuses didn't struggle much. But for us? The weakest things lurking inside are Fourth Enlightenment Divine-level. And there are God Rank entities."
"Perfect. Just what I needed."
He reached up, took one of the translated books from the air and scanned her notes. His brows rose.
"You're amazing at this."
"Well, yes. High Priestess of World Tree, remember? I'm supposed to know Ancient Godscript. I hate it but I know it."
A quiet, comfortable silence settled between them until Vastarael, still lazily leaning against her thigh, spoke:
"If I wanted to push our relationship past normal intimacy, would you agree?"
Every floating book in the room froze midair. Elyonari's heart slammed so hard she felt it in her fingertips.
Inside, she was screaming YES YES YES TAKE ME NOW but out loud, she forced her lips into something mature and priestess-like.
"There's no need to rush things…"
And immediately cursed herself.
Vastarael deadpanned. "You didn't answer my question."
Before she could think, process, or summon dignity, Vastarael moved. One moment he was resting on her lap and the next, she was pinned to the couch. All the books collapsed around them. Elyonari gasped. She did not expect him to act, let alone move faster than her reflexes.
"Elyonari, I'm not dense or clueless as you think. I have the Divinity of Love. I feel everything you feel for me. All of it. So if you want something, stop circling around it. Stop pretending. Say it to me. Do you want me or not? Because if the answer is no—"
He didn't get to finish. The look she gave him cut him off. It was a look she had never shown, not to him or anyone. Every inch of her shimmering with restrained desire so potent it felt like the air shifted.
Vastarael chuckled nervously.
"Oh."
He loosened his grip immediately, stepping back. She sat up in surprise. Her cheeks were flushed. Her ears were twitching and she was pouting.
"Why did you let go?!"
He smiled faintly. "Because I'm glad."
"Glad about what?!"
"That you finally let it show. And because I was testing you."
"Testing?"
"I control myself well. Very well. You're not the only one suffering here."
Elyonari stopped breathing.
"As an Aeterium, we're built to be obsessed with our partners, more than dragons and demons to be honest. It's instinct. I think that's why my mother is like... that."
Elyonari's pulse spiked hard enough she felt dizzy.
"So if you think you're the only one suffering, you're wrong. And now that we're being honest, next time? Don't tell me 'there's no need to rush.' We both know that's a lie."
She wanted to scream. She wanted to jump him. She wanted to commit at least seventeen forbidden World Tree sins. Instead, she grabbed the nearest fallen book and hit him with it gently, but aggressively enough that he laughed. Elyonari sat frozen for a few seconds. Her cheeks were burning with mortification that only happens when a man you love casually exposes your entire emotional thoughts and then just… stands there, acting like he didn't just dismantle years of Mintheris poise in under three seconds.
She inhaled deeply.
'Breathe, Elyonari. You are a High Priestess. You have spoken before gods and spirits. You faced the World Tree itself. You are serenity incarnate—'
Vastarael leaned closer.
"Your ears are twitching."
Her entire soul tried to exit her body.
"Veneri, if you say one more thing—"
"They twitch when you're flustered. Actually, they twitch faster when you're thinking about—"
She threw another book at him. It sailed past his head and thumped harmlessly against a shelf. Vastarael didn't even blink. He just tilted his head.
"Why are you like this?"
"Because you're cute," he answered instantly.
He got closer, completely ignoring the chaos of fallen tomes and plopped down beside her on the couch. His knee brushed hers. She actually jerked like she had been struck by lightning.
"Relax. You're acting like I proposed or something."
"You practically did!"
"What? I asked if you would go further with me, not marry me on the spot."
"That's the same thing!"
"Elyonari Mintheris," he said with dramatic formality, "I promise I was not proposing. Not yet."
'Not yet?'
She hated that her first reaction wasn't panic. It was anticipation. She coughed, desperately regaining her composure.
"You… you don't need to say things like that so casually."
"Why? They're true. I'm not going anywhere. You're important to me. All of you are. I'm not going to pretend otherwise."
Everything in her went soft. She hated it. She loved it. She wanted more but she needed her dignity back. So she stood up, smoothing her dress, flicking her hair over her shoulder, and clearing her throat with High Priestess authority.
"Anyway, let's return to the topic of the Hidden Citadel—"
"Topic change? Already?"
She glared at him. "I will throw you out a window."
"You won't."
"Try me."
"Okay, but if you throw me, I'll just fly back in."
She hated that he was right.
She marched over to the pile of documents and began re-organizing them, pretending she wasn't still nervous from earlier. But she could feel his gaze on her, trailing after her every step like he was reading a scripture written just for him. This man was going to end her life expectancy. She lifted a book and pretended to focus. It didn't work because he spoke again, sincerely this time.
"You know, you're beautiful when you're flustered."
Her hands froze. Slowly, she turned her head.
"Vastarael."
"Yeah?"
"Stop talking."
His smile widened. "Make me."
She walked back to the couch, fully intending to deliver a proper priestess scolding but Vastarael tugged lightly on her wrist. She didn't resist. Suddenly she was sitting again, right next to him, his hand still loosely wrapped around her wrist with his thumb brushing her skin like he didn't even realize he was doing it.
She really, really needed to get it together.
"You didn't answer me earlier. You were honest for a moment. I saw it. So tell me clearly, do you want me?"
She wanted to look away. She didn't.
"Yes."
A slow, warm smile spread across his face. He raised her hand gently, brushing his lips against her knuckles.
"Thank you."
The tiny, reverent kiss sent tremors up her arm. Elyonari swore under her breath. This man was dangerous.
"You don't have to rush anything. I'm here. When you're ready, you tell me, and not the other way around because waiting for me will only make you more desperate. Dominate me if you will, but not today though."
Elyonari let out a helpless, shaky exhale.
"You're evil."
"And you love me anyway."
She slapped his shoulder because she had no comeback. Then, she sighed and rested her head against him, finally letting some of that tension bleed out. He wrapped an arm around her waist as if it was natural.
"Elly?"
"Hm?"
"Your ears are still twitching."
She threw another book at him. He caught it this time, laughing.