Kyle stared at their disappearing figures for a few seconds and started floating.
He closed his eyes and activated his scent perception skill. Instantly, he sensed a few familiar presences amidst the multitude of scents wafting into his nostrils.
Yue and Bia weren't too far from where he was. He opened his eyes and went into the forest close to the border. But after just a minute, he stopped when he sensed a barrier.
The barrier was thin and transparent, separating the space from the outside world. Kyle raised his hand and touched the barrier, causing it to flicker slightly before settling down.
He smirked and with a blink of his eyes, a symbol appeared in the air. The symbol merged with the barrier and created a small opening on its smooth surface.
Kyle peered inside, and right away his eyes landed on a serene lake. It was nestled among big rocks and trees, creating a peaceful atmosphere. Bia was sitting on one side of the lake in her phoenix form, and faint flames danced around her body, just like flickering sparks. Above her, the crimson flower floated, emitting a red aura that was absorbed by her body.
His gaze shifted towards the woman donned in elegant attire, seated on the opposite side of the lake atop a boulder, quietly observing the phoenix.
Kyle raised his leg and entered through the opening before it closed behind him.
He landed softly on the ground, careful not to disturb the deeply meditating phoenix. Gradually, he approached Yue and lightly tapped her shoulder.
Yue jolted and instinctively clenched her hand into a fist, prepared to strike. But she let out a long sigh when she realized it was Kyle.
"At least, announce your presence. What if I had attacked you?"
Kyle hummed and propped himself beside her like it was the most natural thing. Because of the limited space, their bodies were touching, and Yue wanted to shift away a little. But he gently grasped her waist and guided her to sit beside him.
"Don't tell me that after I asked you to give everyone the divine essence, you didn't take a rest for even a second?"
The woman next to him stilled, seemingly processing his words or maybe more focused on his hand on her waist. His touch was cold... just as she remembered. Yue was startled when Kyle tightened his grip slightly.
"So?"
She looked up to meet his gaze, they were too close, so close. She could feel his breath gently brushing against her face. The tips of her pointy ears instantly turned red. She wasn't sure when Kyle had started to change so much.
No, he never took the initiative to get close first, so what happened now? Her mind was racing with so many thoughts, and those deep, bright eyes were staring at her, waiting for an answer. Coupled with his handsome features... it had an immediate effect on her, and her thoughts came to a sudden halt.
'What did he ask again...? Oh, right...'
She looked down slightly, too nervous to meet his gaze directly, afraid that her heart, which was already racing, might just leap out of her chest. Her face flushed when she realized that Kyle might be able to hear the sound of her racing heart.
"It's not like... I need rest, right? I'm strong, and even if I don't rest for a few days, it wouldn't matter..."
Kyle nodded slightly, his brows furrowing.
"Still, it's not like we're going to war right away. You shouldn't put so much burden on yourself. I heard you're the Queen of the elven Kingdom now. The role suits you, but it comes with a lot of responsibilities. I just don't want you to exhaust yourself working day and night."
Yue let out a smile at his words. The tension around her body loosened, and she peered at him with that beautiful smile of hers. After all, she could clearly sense that he was worrying about her.
"A Queen..."
She rolled the words on her tongue. Clearly, it sounded hundreds of times better when Kyle called her with that title.
"Does it really suit me? I don't think so. They just needed a strong leader, and I was the only one left..."
Kyle sensed the sadness in her voice. He had heard that many people had died during his absence, so maybe someone close to her as well...
"It does, but you can always run away with me. I'm planning to leave this planet once it's safe. I have some debts to settle with some people out there, and it would also be a fun journey. So, think about it, okay?"
Yue blinked at his words and couldn't help but let out a giggle. The previous sadness seemed to evaporate into thin air as genuine laughter spilled out of her lips.
She surprised Kyle by wrapping her arm around his neck in a swift movement, pulling him closer. Her eyes turned into crescents at his stunned expression.
"You want me to run away with you? Why? We're not even close."
Kyle let out a chuckle as he felt his heart picking up its pace, and a thought that had been getting clearer in his mind became even more apparent. He realized that he liked this woman in front of him, a lot more than he expected.
"So, how about we get a little closer?"
Yue's neck flushed at his words. Her breath quickened as she sensed his grip tightening on her waist and his face moving closer to her face. The air exploded with sparks and thick tension but... the moment was destroyed when a familiar cry rang out in the distance.
-"I'm gonna break through! Oh my gosh, the majestic me can finally reach a well-suited rank! Hahaha!"
Kyle closed his eyes as Yue pulled away from his grip as quickly as one would in a startled frenzy. He took a deep breath and closed his hand, which felt empty for some reason, before glancing at Bia.
"Right, congratulations."
