Summer had arrived, bringing longer days and filling the Hel Mountains with lush greenery. The penthouse atop the Magic Tower had changed slightly with the season. The once steaming hot spring had been converted into a pool filled with cool water, while the trees that once bore white blossoms now created refreshing shade with their abundant foliage.

Leah sat in a hammock under the tree shade, gently swinging her legs. Janet, who had brought drinks and desserts, asked, “Tower Master, do you need anything else?”

“No. This is plenty,” she replied, taking the drink Janet offered. The carbonated water with floating ice cubes tasted refreshingly of lemon and lime. “Ah, so cool.”

Leah smiled, suddenly appreciating her ability to enjoy such a refreshing drink on a summer day. Watching her, Janet smiled in return. “Does it suit your taste?”

Her bright smile was radiant. Leah observed Janet while sipping her drink, realizing it had been about ten months since they first met. In that time, Janet had shed her country girl appearance and become a capable maid. She had grown taller, and her face had matured.

When Leah gazed at her with a pleased smile, Janet touched her own face. “What is it, Tower Master?”

“Nothing. I was just thinking how much you’ve changed. You have quite a sophisticated air about you now.”

“Me?” Janet waved her hands dismissively. “You’re the impressive one, Tower Master!”

“Am I?”

“Of course!” Her eyes sparkled. “I still can’t forget how you called that wretched priest ‘L*stful Demon Uglydaus’! Such power!”

“Cough!” Leah choked on her drink. “…Why that line of all things?”

“Because it stirred my heart! If only I had such verbal prowess! You were so cool!”

Our Janet has rather strange tastes, Leah thought. ‘I hope she’s not picking up my peculiarities by being around me.’ Feeling embarrassed, she fanned her face with her hand. Janet promptly offered her a fan, then glanced at the tray she had brought with the drinks.

“Oh, I almost forgot. A letter arrived from the Marquis in the capital.”

“From my older brother?”

Leah took the letter Janet handed her and opened it. She began reading while gently swinging in the hammock. “Hmm…”

Her blue eyes sharpened with focus. Janet quietly withdrew to avoid disturbing her concentration.

Leah tapped the letter and murmured, “Is he really preparing for the future crown now?”

“Future crown?” A deep voice resonated from directly behind her. Lost in thought, she startled violently.

“Eek!”

As she nearly toppled backward in the hammock, Helix quickly caught her. “Why such a strong reaction?”

“I was lost in thought…” she grumbled, trying to calm her still-racing heart. He soothingly touched her shoulders, then noticed the letter.

“I see you received a letter from the Marquis.”

“Yes. Prince Patrick keeps asking my brothers to become his right-hand men. He even offered to grant Ruyan a new title.”

“Hmm.” Helix studied her expression. “Leah, do you dislike the idea of the Marquis and Ruyan becoming Prince Patrick’s faction?”

“How could I dislike it?” She shrugged. “I have no complaints about Prince Patrick. I’m grateful to him in many ways. But some of the Peiren nobles… just thinking about them makes my blood boil.”

Her blood pressure still rose when she recalled what the nobles had said during the war—that there wouldn’t have been a war if she had just accepted Crown Prince Archaik’s marriage proposal, or that the prince was putting too much faith in a young woman who only knew how to put on a show.

“What did they say when the proposal actually came? They made such a fuss about how a Sword Master couldn’t be ‘exported’ and insisted I should marry Prince Patrick or one of the Calosi men.”

Helix’s face darkened. He came around to face her and held her hands firmly. “…I should have been more supportive by your side then.”

Hearing his regretful voice, Leah pretended to scold him sternly. “The guilty party acknowledges his crime!”

“I truly did wrong.”

“Tut-tut, you should say ‘I truly did wrong, my lady.'”

“…I truly did wrong, my lady.”

His uncharacteristic formal speech made her burst into laughter. Leah extended her hand regally, like a queen.

“Since you show deep remorse, I shall inquire no further about your crime.”

Helix bowed and pressed his lips to her outstretched hand. “My merciful queen.”

His warm breath tickled the back of her hand as he whispered, “Still, please punish me.”

“Punishment?” Leah narrowed her eyes. “What punishment should I give you?”

“Whatever you desire.”

His tender voice promising to grant anything made her heart flutter. She unconsciously lowered her voice and asked, “Truly anything I want?”

“Truly, anything at all.”

“Well, I have something in mind.”

Leah extended her other hand and placed it on Helix’s chest. The heartbeat beneath her palm made her own heart beat stronger in response.

She pronounced her verdict: “The guilty party shall repent and continue to bestow his love upon me henceforth.”

He covered her hand on his heart with his own. Restraining the urge to grip it tightly, he held her white hand, treating it as the most fragile and precious thing in the world.

“…That’s not punishment but reward.”

Smooch. Helix kissed the back of her hand again. Leah giggled brightly.

“Is it? A reward?”

“Indeed.”

He pulled her hand behind him and embraced her tightly. Leah instinctively hugged him back, burying her face in his chest.

A fresh, invigorating scent enveloped her. He spoke softly, “Allowing me to continue loving you—there could be no greater reward.”

Whoosh.

The wind that rustled the leaves passed over them.

Summer tree shade. The sound of blue leaves swaying in the breeze. The familiar scent of the man holding her. His heart beating rapidly as always.

Hugging him tighter, she said, “For me too, Helix is the best reward in the world.”

Helix held his breath.

Whoooosh.

The wind rustling the leaves seemed to shake him too. In the illusion that the world was trembling, he blinked slowly.

How did Leah transform his world into heaven in an instant like this?

“Leah,” he breathed her name like an exhalation.

“Yes. I’m right here, Helix.”

How did she know his desire to confirm her presence even while holding her against his chest? Touched by her loving response, he kissed the top of her head. As she laughed softly, he planted more kisses, when suddenly the wind blew away the letter she had left on the hammock.

“Ah, the letter!”

Leah pulled away from Helix and used wind magic, but the letter only flew farther away. Helix quickly ran to catch it and placed it under the dessert tray.

“The wind seems more playful these days.”

“Yes. It’s been like this since I became an Archmage.”

Since becoming an Archmage, both fire and wind seemed to recognize her more intimately. The wind caressed her cheek apologetically, then retreated while further tousling her hair.

“Oh, come on.”

As she wrinkled her nose in a mixture of amusement and annoyance, Helix’s large hand smoothed down her hair, gathering and arranging it in one motion. While tucking her silky platinum blonde hair behind her ear, he lightly touched her earlobe.

“There.”

Though his touch was casual, the fine hairs on her white skin from ear to neckline stood on end. Leah hunched her shoulders and smiled, ticklish from his touch.

“You’re still ticklish every time, despite how often I touch you.”

Helix looked down at her with fascination and affection, moving from her earlobe to gently stroke her cheek. Despite her bright smile showing no wariness, the fine hairs on her cheek stood up.

“…”

He didn’t dislike this contradiction in Leah.

Trusting him completely in her heart while her body remained physically aware of him as a man—wasn’t that adorable? Helix slowly traced her lips.

As his touch became increasingly bold, Leah’s ears turned red. He bent down and gently bit her ear, which resembled a red flower petal. Soothingly caressing the rising goosebumps and soft skin, his lips slid down to her neck.

“Mmm…”

When she responded by twisting her waist, the hammock swayed. He embraced her protectively as she lost her balance and pressed his body closer.

“Ahh…”

Buried in the swinging hammock, she moaned softly. The hot hands, lips, and the ticklish sensation of his long silver hair brushing against her each time he lowered his head made her increasingly dazed.

“Leah.”

His voice was low and deep, deliberately suppressing heat. His affectionate yet hungry call made her throat dry and her heart race.

“Why…”

Leah raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck.

“Why do you sound like you’re holding back? You don’t need to…”

“…”

Reason vanished from his gray eyes.

***

Helix reflected as he watched Leah sleeping beside him.

She looked utterly exhausted, even snoring lightly.

‘…Did I go too far?’

Though he had wiped her face with a wet towel, her swollen lips showed no signs of subsiding. Her fair complexion seemed somewhat paler too.

Concerned, he placed his hand on her round shoulder and gently infused some mana. She exhaled a strange “phew” and turned toward him.

‘Even her sleeping face is this cute.’

Unable to resist, he lightly poked her cheek. Leah frowned slightly and moved her plump lips.

“Helix…”

Her slightly husky voice sounded sweet as honey.

Helix unconsciously clenched his fist. The reason that had returned after escaping stirred again.

“It’s a scam. I thought you were a Confucian man…”

“…”

What was a scam?

And what was a Confucian man?

Leah occasionally said such incomprehensible things. Her sleep-talking was even stranger.

“Save me…”