As they kissed, Lia's heart and mind calmed down because of his affectionate osculation. The tenderness of Rio's touch and the depth of his love for her filled her with a sense of contentment, making the moment special for both of them.
Finally, as Rio pulled away from the kiss, Lia opened her eyes and looked up at him, her heart filled with a deep sense of love and gratitude.
She knew that she would always cherish every moment with him and that no matter how strong she became or even conquer the world she would still only feel protected in his loving embrace.
With each passing second, Lia felt herself becoming more and more enamored with Rio's touch, and she wanted to never let him go.
As the boy was looking at him, the girl remembered something that she needed to inform him of.
"Husband, I have something to tell you" The girl's lips escaped some words, Her voice was quiet, almost hesitant, and it broke the peaceful silence that had enveloped them. This was not normal as they were having their sweet moments together, and bringing up another topic meant it was really something crucial.
"Are you pregnant with my child?" The boy asked sarcastically, ruffling her hair.
"Hey..." The girl glared at him with puffed-up cheeks, despite being embarrassed at his teasing remarks she didn't snap at him or thought to give him vampire bites.
She continued, "My birthday is coming next month and Father has decided to reveal you to the Shamor Empire."
The boy raised his eyebrows, "Why?"
Lia's voice was filled with sadness as she spoke the words, "He's sick and doesn't have much time." She took a deep breath before continuing, "As you already know, other clans have been sending marriage proposals for me, Father doesn't want to delay your debut into the Shamor Empire any longer. He thinks it's time we make our marriage official. Moreover, you don't have to use your human form at the banquette."
Rio's demand was clear - he couldn't reveal himself as a human. Lia knew it was crucial for his safety. Asuras could have a traitor among themselves, and if they found out about Rio's true identity, it could put him in grave danger. He had many reasons to stay connected to the human world, and Lia understood that. She couldn't risk his safety by revealing he was a human.
"Is there something I have to be worried about before this announcement?" The boy asked, He couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to her words than just a simple announcement.
The girl hesitated for a moment before finally revealing the reason for her unease.
"Yeah..." The girl nodded, she didn't look like her normal self as she usually was very brave and mature in most of her conversations with him but today her expression resembled that of a vulnerable kitten seeking comfort.
It was due to two reasons: A month's separation and the upcoming event.
Rio patiently waited for Lia to share what was troubling her, his gaze fixated on her scarlet eyes that reflected her deep affection for him.
Lia mustered up the courage to reveal the reason for her unease, "There will be people who may challenge you for the duel," The girl told him the main concern.
"And according to Emperor, I can not turn it down?" He asked.
The girl shook her head, and said, "Father said you can turn down the challenge as you are a lot younger than them."
The boy looked at her in puzzlement and asked, "Then what's the problem?"
"They will provoke you to accept their challenge and Father doesn't even want me to slaughter their clans for causing this ruckus." The girl said, her voice saddened and She spoke almost casually as if the idea of slaughtering an entire clan was as simple as plucking a flower from her garden.
Rio forgot for a moment that the sweet girl in his embrace was even more dangerous than Helia or the grandfather of Layla. But fortunately, this girl was the most precious treasure that was bound to him for the life.
Rio couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he held onto the most beautiful girl in his arms. He knew that she may seem harmless and innocent, but he also knew just how deadly she could be if provoked. The white-haired beauty was capable of unleashing wrath worse than Helia or even Layla's grandfather.
But despite her lethal strength, Rio couldn't imagine his life without her. He can't forget the fact that she was like a priceless gem that he was lucky enough to have in his possession. She was his most precious treasure, and nothing could ever change that, a treasure that was warm, soft, and smelled like an aromatic rose.
His eyes locked onto Lia's as he asked her the question that had been burning in his mind since he heard about the upcoming duel that the emperor wanted him to turn down, "Do you know who will be my opponents and what their strength will be?"
Lia nodded, her expression turning serious. She had done her research and knew exactly who Rio would be facing in the duel.
Being the future Empress gave her a strong network of information that was not available to anyone, but she also felt a weight on her shoulders knowing the stakes of the fight as she didn't want Rio to feel inferior to others. She looked up at the boy with her scarlet, cute eyes, resembling a cute kitten.
====////====
[SnowNote]
Let me know in the comments if you guys
(1) want a long arc for Shamor Empire with new characters' introductions
OR
(2) want me to rush this arc?
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I'll add the important character images on the:
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Edited By: TheWhiteSnow
