"I too, love you, Thalia,"

A soothing and warm voice reached her ears, making her face turn crimson as she retorted with a miffed voice, "I don’t believe you"

Zeph hugged her while sitting, hearing her words clearly wanting more reassurance, "How do I make you believe me?"

Only the sound of breath existed between them as Thalia withdrew her head and locked eyes with Zeph’s golden ones. She didn’t need to use her ability; the calmness and affection in his gaze were evident to her.

"I don’t know"

"I see," Zeph chuckled slightly at Thalia’s averting gaze.

He stood, surprising Thalia, who wished for more time like this.

Noticing her surprise, he leaned close enough to feel their breaths mingling and whispered, "We’re in the academy, you see."

Thalia gazed at him blankly, her teary emerald eyes now more vibrant with the sun’s rays, becoming even more alluring.

GULP

He felt himself falling into them, as if they were deep sea, drowning him inside.

Thalia’s lips parted, mirroring Zeph’s hushed tone, "I don’t care, though"

"Pffft," Both broke into laughter before zeph offered his hand to get up.

Thalia stood up using Zeph’s hand for support while he, sticking to his habits, exerted a bit more force, causing her to collide with his body. He continued, "But, I care, wife. I don’t want others to see my love for you"

Emerald eyes kept gazing at golden ones as Thalia pursed her lips, averting her gaze downward.

"Okay"

"So, should we go somewhere else?"

Thalia turned towards Zeph, feeling a bit confused at his words. His fingers traced a single caramel hair bang before tucking it behind her ears.

"But can’t we just go to our dorm rooms?" she asked, leaning her cheek against the palm that gently caressed her ears.

Feeling her soft cheek, he rubbed his palm against it, looking at her affectionately.

"You already know, we both have roommates now. I don’t have any issue with mine, but—"

"No, I understand. Let’s go outside," Thalia swiftly shook her head. She too wanted some alone time with Zeph, especially after witnessing his earlier state.

Her mind was still preoccupied with those thoughts.

Zeph also yearned to dispel the hurtful images from his mind. He wanted to reassure himself that she wouldn’t disappear from his life, wanting their bodies and souls to be intertwined.

SWISH

Exiting the Illusion barrier created by Deventhia, it crumbled and vanished. Hurrying through the hallway without pause, both were eager to depart from the Academy’s premises, with the sun already setting.

Without dwelling on Valley’s sudden attack or Adriannel’s disappearance, Zeph focused solely on his priority: calming his tormented heart.

Exiting Valeria Academy’s gates, he turned to Thalia, who was still holding his hand, surprised by his question, "Want a ride?"

Her brow furrowed in confusion as there was no carriage in sight.

.

.

.

.

"Aaaaahhh!, Zeph, This is fun!"

WHOOSH

At an invisible speed, Zeph darted through the dense forest, taking shortcuts towards their destination. Thalia, in his arms, shouted with excitement and thrill.

"As expected of you, Thalia. Instead of fearing it, you find it fun," Zeph exclaimed with excitement, moving at a super speed, tearing the wind coming in their way.

"Hehe, I don’t feel fear now," Thalia tightened her grip around his neck, their voices louder due to the passing breeze. Zeph tightened his hold on her in response.

Fear was the last thing on Thalia’s mind as they held each other tightly, reveling in the thrill and excitement, feeling the rush of wind and the fading orange hues of the setting sun.

.

.

An hour of running felt like a mere second to them, relishing each other’s company in the moment that felt so fleeting yet so perfect.

Moon’s luminous rays gradually enveloping them. Feeling Thalia’s trust and excitement, Zeph paused and turned his gaze to meet her emerald eyes.

"Hey, want to see something even better?" Zeph asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Thalia nodded swiftly as her curiosity piqued making Zeph respond with a playful tone, "Sit tight, princess. I’m going to take you to the moon"

Thalia’s eyes widened though she wanted to say something but her words halted midway as she turned, catching Zeph’s gaze, causing him to arch an eyebrow, as he affirmed, "I speak the truth"

Without meeting his eyes, Thalia heard his words and responded softly, "I believe you"

"Indeed, I can sense that," Zeph remarked, unable to contain a chuckle.

This prompted Thalia to playfully scoff, catching Zeph off guard as he leaned in closer, meeting her gaze with an intense stare.

"If I follow through on my promise, then you must do the same, understand?"

Seeing her nod with a blush, Zeph couldn’t help but appreciate how much simpler things were with her abilities, to convey his intentions.

’Zendal, channel all mana to the lower body’

SWISH

Instantly, the air crackled with a surge of energy as Zeph harnessed the power within him.

CRACK

With a swift and powerful movement, he channeled mana through his legs, causing the ground to crack beneath him.

BOOM!

In a rush of sound and energy, they soared into the sky. Thalia, feeling the force of the jump, instinctively closed her eyes, seeking solace in Zeph’s embrace.

She held onto Zeph tightly, feeling the exhilarating rush of movement as they ascended higher and higher into the night sky.

The moonlight bathed them in its ethereal glow, casting a magical aura around the pair.

"Thalia, open your eyes. See the moon," Zeph urged gently.

Amidst the height where the clouds seemed within reach, Zeph stood with Thalia in his arms. He encouraged her to open her eyes and behold the breathtaking view before them.

Thalia slowly opened her eyes, her emerald gaze meeting Zeph’s. Then, as she turned her attention to the scenery ahead, the moon’s gentle light bathed them both.

The sensation of being weightless, suspended amidst the stars, sent a thrill through Thalia

Her eyes sparkled with wonder as the moon’s glow reflected numerous stars, creating a celestial canvas.

The serene beauty of the night sky and the shimmering stars added a magical touch to the moment shared between them.

"Wait, Zeph, you can fly?"

Thalia suddenly realized the height they were at wasn’t achievable by a mere jump. Turning towards Zeph, she found his gaze confused. Her Intuition kicked in, sensing Zeph’s hands slipping.

"No, Zeph!"

SWISH

Suddenly, Thalia’s emerald eyes met Zeph’s golden ones as he, free-falling, grabbed her hands, drawing her closer.

They plummeted headfirst, the rushing wind drowning their surroundings.

"Zeph, please—"

Thalia attempted to dissuade him from such a dangerous act, even at that moment, her mind thought about his safety over her own.

WHOOSH

But she was interrupted by a sudden light coming from Zeph’s body that started to glow in a golden hue, the intensity of the glow escalated rapidly as they fell from the seemingly never-ending height.

"Hey, Thalia," Zeph’s voice pierced through the chaos as his face became shrouded in golden light. Confused, she replied, "Yes, Zeph?"

"Will you become my wife?" His unexpected words amid the fall bewildered Thalia, but sensing the earnestness in his voice, fear was momentarily forgotten as she tightly hugged him.

"Yes, I want to be your wife, Zeph! I truly love you!"

Thalia embraced Zeph as his body glowed, closing her eyes in preparation for the impact.

BOOM!

The surrounding trees were destroyed upon their impact with the ground, their bodies shrouded in dust and smoke.

As the smoke dissipated, Thalia opened her eyes, beholding Zeph’s figure with four golden wings adorning his back. Bewildered by this sight, she landed softly with her tow on his foot.

"How was it?"

Snapped out of her thoughts, Thalia looked towards him before sighing, "It was great"

"Now, it’s your turn"

Understanding his words, With a crimson hue, Thalia diverted her gaze and changed the topic, "But where are we?"

Zeph’s head touched her forehead gently, whispering, "Focus on your mana; you’ll hear the sound of waves."

Slightly confused, Thalia concentrated and turned towards the noise. "Is it the sea?"

Meeting her emerald gaze, Zeph nodded, "Yes, and the same place where I lost my weight."

"This cursed place even stole my teddy from me. Why are we here?" Thalia frowned, showing her seriousness, causing Zeph to twitch helplessly.

thud

"Ouch!"

Thalia rubbed her forehead after feeling a slight head bump from Zeph.

She then removed her touch from his leg and moved a few steps away, turning her gaze.

Observing her reaction, Zeph looked at his hand, where a golden runic inscription had appeared, shining brightly.

A calm smile appeared on his face as the rune disappeared once again, and he turned towards Thalia’s back.

He approached the mansion before taking Thalia in a princess carry, startling her. "W-what!?"

Upon reaching the mansion’s doors, the butler hurried towards them, addressing Zeph, "Oh, young Master, if I had known, I would have prepared the mansion"

He quickly bowed, noticing Thalia in Zeph’s arms, recognizing her as the daughter of Viscount Crimwell and his future Master.

"No, it’s okay. Clear a portion of the mansion just like before; I wish to train alone here," Zeph instructed with a teasing tone.

Understanding the young couple’s energy and preferring not to hear strange sounds, the butler bowed and departed.

Thalia blushed, comprehending his intentions.

As they entered the mansion, Zeph headed towards the kitchen, perplexing Thalia.

After entering the kitchen, she waited for him to speak but still not finding anything, she can’t help herself, "What are you doing here, Zeph?"

Zeph held a cabbage and turned towards her, stating, "Of course, I am going to cook something for you"

"But I’m not hungry right now," she responded, eliciting a smile from Zeph, as he tilted his head and looked towards her.

"You need more calories for our training"