Mmm~ So soft... what a nice pillow.
Half-unconscious and adrift in the hazy tide of lingering sleep, Lina allowed a blissful smile to pull at her lips. The pillow beneath her cheek was unlike any she had ever known; it possessed a radiating warmth that surpassed goose down and a rhythmic, gentle bounce that felt almost alive. In her half-dreaming state, she sighed, wrapping her small arms around the plush surface and rubbing her face against it with the contentment of a pampered house cat.
Giggle-giggle.
Hmm?
The sound of soft, melodic laughter acted like a splash of cold water. Lina's eyes fluttered open, her vision blurry as she lifted her head just a fraction.
B-Boobs!!?
The realization hit her with the force of a falling star. She hadn't been sleeping on a pillow at all; she had somehow migrated across the room in her sleep, her face now buried firmly in the valley of Seliora's chest. The 'divine pillow' was, in fact, the soft, ivory curves of a royal.
Though... they really were the best pillows ever.
Lina's face turned a shade of crimson that put the sunrise to shame. She smirked despite herself, a tiny, mischievous thought crossing her mind before she checked her surroundings.
Thank the gods she isn't awake—speaking of which, what about the others?
She rolled away with the silent agility of a thief, surveying the wreckage of the previous night's revelry. The room was a tapestry of exhausted bodies, everyone pinned to the spots where sleep had claimed them. But as her gaze drifted toward the center of the lounge, her breath hitched.
What is with those two?
She stared at Noa and Vionette, who were entangled like two vines seeking the same patch of sun.
Wait... what is—!!!
---
Uhhh... my head...
Vionette's consciousness returned in slow, agonizing fragments. Her eyes remained shut, the lids heavy as lead, but her body was beginning to register its surroundings. As she rolled over, her arm draped naturally across Noa's right shoulder. She felt the cool air against his skin where the top three buttons of his shirt had somehow come undone. Her face was tucked into the crook of his neck, her leg hooked over his waist as if her subconscious had refused to let go even in the depths of a drunken stupor.
...Noa? Oh right... the wine. But how did I end up this close to him?
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The shriek was a jagged blade that sliced through the morning silence, shattering the peaceful atmosphere. Vionette bolted upright, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird.
"What is it now?" Noa groaned, rising slowly and gingerly tapping his temples as if trying to keep his brain from rattling.
"Big bro, don't move! Something bit you! Something huge and terrible!" Lina shrieked, pointing a trembling finger at his throat.
Something... bit him? Vionette blinked, her confusion thick. What kind of beast could possibly bypass his defenses, even when he's off-guard?
[Warning! User is in a state of severe confusion.]
[Problem detected: Memories are fragmented and hazy. Would you like to organize the chronological data?]
Uh... yes. Please.
[Beginning reconstruction...]
Slowly, the fog in her mind began to burn away. The memories of the previous night unfolded like a blossoming flower — the wine, the heat, the bold demand for a kiss, and finally... the bite.
As the vivid image of her own lips marking his skin flashed through her mind, Vionette's entire face turned a blinding, radioactive red. Her eyes widened to the size of saucers.
SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! WHAT HAVE I DONE?! Why did I act like that?!
"Is it a snake or something? A venomous one?" Lina pressed closer, her eyes sharpening as she inspected the dark mark on Noa's neck.
Noa touched the spot, his expression blank. He felt no pain, only a lingering warmth, and he tilted his head in genuine confusion.
Around them, the others were stirring. Seliora stood with a knowing, radiant smile; Elina looked just as baffled as Lina; Elan and Lucien shared a silent, wide-eyed look; Kaelen merely shook his head with a tired sigh, while Rose buried her face in her palm, looking like she wanted the floor to swallow her whole.
"Well... it wasn't a common snake, Lina," Seliora said, patting the girl's head with a soft chuckle while her eyes locked onto the flustered Vionette. "This was a bite from a very rare, very possessive species called the White Snake."
Vionette looked at Seliora, her expression collapsing into a 'puppy face' of pure, desperate embarrassment. She began twirling a lock of her hair nervously, her gaze darting everywhere but at Noa.
Elina and Lina simply tilted their heads, the metaphor flying miles over their heads.
"Now you've really done it, Princess," Rose muttered.
"You know, Rose... you almost fell on top of me last night. That's how drunk you were," Kaelen interjected, his voice dry as bone.
"Shut it, Kaelen!"
...What are they talking about—
Suddenly, Noa's own memories surged back with the force of a tidal wave. He didn't remember the mark being made — he had drifted off just before the final 'claim' — but he remembered the kiss, the weight of her body, and the intoxicating scent of her skin.
He turned his head to look at Vionette, seeing her trembling and red-faced, and the pieces of the puzzle clicked together with a resounding clack.
Don't tell me she...
***
Creak.
The heavy door to Vionette's office groaned on its hinges as Noa stepped inside. He had changed back into his signature black outfit, looking sharp and composed, one hand buried in his pocket while the other lingered on the handle.
Slam!
Before he could even turn around, Vionette kicked the door shut with a sudden, violent finality. She looked 'too' serious, dressed in her professional attire — the tight black pants and the long-sleeved white top that traced her silhouette.
Without a word, Vionette closed the distance, leaning toward his neck with an intensity that bordered on desperation. Noa didn't even flinch; he had expected something similar when he enter.
"It's... it hasn't faded yet?" She narrowed her crimson eyes, her voice laced with suspicion. "Your regeneration is fast enough to heal a sword wound in seconds. It should have disappeared instantly."
Noa didn't pull away. Instead, he leaned toward her, his arm sliding around the small of her back as he pressed his forehead against hers. The scent of her filled his senses.
"I intentionally rejected the regeneration on that specific spot, so it'll only fade at a natural pace," he murmured, a smirk of arrogant teasing dancing on his lips. "Why? Did you mark me just to have it vanish so soon?"
"As I said... I was drunk at the time," she huffed, pushing his face away, though it was a playful, side-eyed smile. "But if you're going to keep it, don't go showing it around. It's embarrassing for both of us."
"So, are we ready to move?" Noa finally let her go, his tone shifting back to the mission at hand. "Where exactly are we headed next?"
Vionette walked toward her desk and retrieved a thick leather file. She adjusted her glasses — the frames adding a sharp, intellectual edge to her beauty — before sitting smoothly on the edge of the desk. She crossed her legs, the movement fluid and authoritative, and slid a document toward him.
"A very interesting location. We need to find information regarding this 'Fable Mark' that Kaelen received, along with a few other necessities for the future."
"Aha... what is this Fable Mark thingy again?" Noa tilted his head, his confusion genuine. "I just heard the name."
"You didn't 'just' hear it, you idiot!" Vionette slammed the paper onto the desk with a sharp thwack. "You were too busy staring at my festival outfit when I explained it to you!"
"I was? Well, whatever. You can give me the lecture while we travel." He stepped into her space again, his voice dropping an octave. "But you know... those glasses really fit you."
"Really now — Hey!"
As Vionette leaned forward to tap his head with a pen in a playful manner, Noa's hands moved like lightning. He lifted her effortlessly from the desk, her back straightening in surprise as he transitioned her into a perfect, steady bridal carry. Their faces were level now, the heat between them palpable.
"You were jealous of Seliora getting a ride earlier, weren't you?" He didn't wait for an answer, leaning in to capture her lips in a sudden, firm kiss. "I'll carry you all the way to your room so you can pack your things."
Vionette's eyes softened, her head dipping slightly as she wrapped her arms securely around his neck, tucking her face against his chest.
"Sounds good," she whispered.
***
Somewhere in the world, deep within a library that seemed to defy the laws of geometry, the air was thick with the scent of parchment and ancient books. The floors stretched into an infinite darkness below, while glowing magic circles hummed in the air, moving monolithic books from one shelf to another like silent, soaring birds.
In a forgotten corner of the highest floor, a woman stood alone. Her hair was a waterfall of messy, golden silk, and her eyes were bloodshot from lack of rest.
Flap-flap-flap.
She turned the pages of a massive tome with frantic, trembling fingers, biting her fingertips in a fit of manic anxiety. Her eyes darted from right to left, scanning the archaic script before she flipped the page with a violent snap.
"No... not this one either. Where is it? Goddammit, where is it!?"
She shoved the book back and grabbed another from a shelf. This one was more ancient, its leather cover ragged and scarred, pulsing with a faint, malevolent aura that seemed to chill the very air. The title etched into the spine was simple yet heavy:
"...The King."
She cast a paranoid glance over her shoulder, checking the endless aisles for any eavesdroppers, before turning back to the page. She rubbed the ancient dust away, her breath coming in shallow gasps.
"An entity who rose to the top... also known as The Blinded Chaos... King of $*&#... the creator of — Uhh!"
A sudden, agonizing spike of pain lanced through her brain. She clutched her head, her knees buckling.
Wh-what did I just say?
She looked back at the book, but the text was shifting. There were blanks where the names should be, as if the reality of the words had been erased by a higher power.
A sensation of pure, unadulterated evil curled up her spine like a serpent. Her arms began to tremble, and cold sweat matted her golden hair to her forehead. The very space around her started to vibrate, the shelves groaning as if the space itself was afraid of the knowledge she sought.
"You shouldn't peek into things you shouldn't know..."
The voice didn't come from the room; it resonated from within her own skull, an echoing, hollow sound that carried the weight of a thousand years. She spun around, but the aisles were empty. When she looked down at her hands, they were empty too. The book was gone — erased from existence as if it had never been there.
I don't know what that was... but I need to keep searching. I have to find it.
Through the rubbles of forbidden knowledge, she continued her hunt. Her eyes were a haunting kaleidoscope of despair, gluttony, and a terrifying intensity.
It wasn't one color—it was a collision of them, bleeding into each other without permission.