The night grew deep.
In Lin Qingyue's arms, the warm body gave off long, even breaths.
Ilanier was exhausted and had already fallen fast asleep.
Like a cat that had finally found a safe nest, she curled up completely in Lin Qingyue's embrace. One hand subconsciously grasped the corner of Lin Qingyue's clothes, her sleeping face tranquil and utterly defenseless.
Lin Qingyue, however, was not sleepy at all.
Her eyes were open, staring at the magnificent dome formed by living tree roots intertwined on the ceiling. Her mind had never been so clear.
What kind of situation is this...
She looked down at Her Majesty the Queen sleeping sweetly in her arms, her feelings beyond what the word "complicated" could describe.
She originally just wanted to test the teleportation function and officially say goodbye.
Instead, in one night, she went through the whole process of "becoming a mother" and "having an ultra-friendly relationship with the child's other mother."
The emotional rollercoaster was more thrilling than grinding a hundred high-difficulty dungeons back-to-back in her past life.
Great, now our relationship is completely ambiguous.
Lin Qingyue sighed inwardly.
Friends?
What friends cuddle while sleeping and do that kind of thing?
Lovers?
This progress bar must be riding a rocket! From meeting to a home run in less than ten days!
But... this feeling doesn't seem too bad either?
With that unique body scent—a mix of a post-rain forest and a faint milky fragrance—lingering at the tip of her nose, and feeling the astonishing softness and warmth in her arms, this thought uncontrollably popped into her mind again.
A tall and voluptuous Elf Queen!
In her past life, this was a character she could only dream about in her head or keep on a hard drive.
Who would have thought that the aloof and lofty Monarch would act coquettishly out of loneliness in private, or jump for joy over a single promise.
Or even more so, after being "bullied" too hard, she would pitifully burrow into your arms seeking comfort.
This extreme contrast was simply fatal.
Forget it, I won't think about it anymore. Too many debts don't weigh you down; if our relationship is a mess, then let it be a mess.
Lin Qingyue shook her head, forcefully suppressing her chaotic thoughts.
I'll accept this relationship!
She glanced at the eternal moonlight outside the window, guessing it was already late into the night back on Earth.
If she didn't go back soon, and Xiyue found out she had stayed out all night when morning came, there would be hell to pay.
She began trying to withdraw her arm, which was pinned under Ilanier. She kept her movements as light as possible, as if defusing the world's most delicate bomb.
But the moment she shifted slightly.
The figure in her arms let out a dissatisfied whimper. The hand gripping her clothes tightened, and she rubbed her head against the crook of Lin Qingyue's neck, searching for a more comfortable position.
Lin Qingyue's movements froze.
"...Still so clingy even when asleep?"
Both exasperated and amused, she had no choice but to slow her movements even further. Inch by inch, she finally managed to free her arm from beneath the Queen.
She slipped out of bed as quietly as possible and glanced back.
Sensing the loss of warmth, Ilanier furrowed her brow slightly. She shifted restlessly, then pulled the soft blanket into her arms, finally smoothing out her expression.
A smile unconsciously curved the corners of Lin Qingyue's lips. She leaned over and tucked the edges of the blanket around her.
Once she finished, she turned around, ready to leave.
"Are you leaving?"
A husky voice, heavy with sleep, suddenly rang out from behind her.
Lin Qingyue froze in her tracks.
She spun around.
Ilanier had woken up at some unknown point.
She was lying on her side, resting her head on one hand, her moonlight-silver hair spilling across the pillow like a flowing sea of light.
Those wine-red eyes were strikingly bright in the dim room, watching her without blinking.
They were brimming with undisguised attachment and reluctance, as if afraid she might suddenly vanish.
"Yeah, it's time to head back." Feeling inexplicably guilty, Lin Qingyue reached up and scratched her cheek. "It's almost dawn."
"So soon..." Disappointment was unconcealed in Ilanier's voice.
She sat up, the silky blanket slipping from her rounded shoulders, revealing a large expanse of blindingly fair skin and delicate collarbones.
"Qingyue."
She looked at Lin Qingyue and asked with utmost seriousness.
"Will you... come again?"
That look in her eyes was like a small animal that had been abandoned once, using all its strength to confirm that it wouldn't be left behind again.
Lin Qingyue's heart suddenly softened.
"Of course I will."
She walked back to the edge of the bed and sat down. Reaching out, her fingertips sank into that unbelievably soft silver hair, gently ruffling it.
"Didn't I say it? As long as you want, and as long as I have time, I can come anytime."
Ilanier's eyes lit up instantly, as if infused with starlight.
"Then... it's a promise."
She held out her fair, slender pinky finger to Lin Qingyue, her face holding a trace of a little girl's slyness and anticipation.
Lin Qingyue looked at that pretty finger and couldn't help but laugh.
How old are you, still playing pinky swear.
She grumbled in her heart, but her body honestly reached out her own pinky, hooking onto the other's slightly cool fingertip.
"Alright, it's a promise."
The two fingers hooked together, establishing a silent vow.
"From now on, I'll make time every night to come see you," Lin Qingyue thought for a moment and added, "to chat with you, or... do something else."
"Do something else?" Ilanier's cheeks suddenly grew hot again, but the smile in her eyes deepened.
"Yeah, like helping you deal with your mountain of official duties," Lin Qingyue spouted nonsense with a completely straight face.
"Pfft." Ilanier was entirely amused by her demeanor. "Alright, whatever you say."
The atmosphere once again became relaxed and warm.
Lin Qingyue leaned down and pulled Ilanier back into her embrace.
She felt the person in her arms stiffen slightly before softening, leaning against her chest on her own accord.
Lin Qingyue lowered her head and gently planted a kiss on her smooth forehead.
"Alright, I really should go now."
Lin Qingyue said softly, with a bit of a wicked smile,
"This is to leave a mark on you, so you don't wake up in the middle of the night, find me gone, and start overthinking again."
Ilanier's cheeks were once again tinged red, but she didn't argue, merely hugging her a little tighter.
Though reluctant to part, she didn't try to make her stay.
She knew there would be plenty of time in the future.
Lin Qingyue walked to the center of the garden, opened [As I've Written], and prepared to initiate the teleportation.
Behind her, Ilanier simply stood barefoot at the door of the bedchamber, wearing only a thin nightgown, quietly watching her back.
A moment before the teleportation light flared, Lin Qingyue looked back and waved at her.
"Goodnight, Ilanier."
"Goodnight."
Ilanier smiled and waved back, her voice filled with a deep, melting tenderness.
Watching the figure gradually blurring in the light, she murmured softly in a breathy voice only she could hear.
"My... little pink fairy."
The pale golden light flashed and vanished, and Lin Qingyue disappeared without a trace.
Peace returned to the garden.
But the smile on Ilanier's face lingered for a long time.
She turned around, walked back to the bed, lay back down, and pulled the blanket up, revealing only a pair of sparkling eyes.
The air seemed to still hold that person's scent—refreshing yet domineering—bringing her an immense sense of peace and security.
She closed her eyes, the corners of her lips curving into a perfectly content smile.
For the first time in over five hundred years, she looked forward to the coming of night so much.