Chapter 3: Falling Asleep

Xia An watched as Luo Ya’s emotions gradually calmed in his arms, then gently released his hold.

“Eat.”

“Mm.”

Luo Ya nodded, her eyes rimmed red.

‘How embarrassing, crying in Lord Xia An’s arms like a little child.’

She felt a small pang of shame.

But recalling Xia An’s embrace, even through thick clothes, her heart was still filled with immense satisfaction.

Luo Ya wanted to be held by Xia An again.

But she was too shy to ask.

Having survived in a suffocating environment for so long, then suddenly being rescued—it made sense that she couldn’t control her emotions.

Xia An understood that, and showed considerable tolerance toward Luo Ya.

At the same time, when he had held Luo Ya just now, he noticed her condition.

She was literally skin and bones.

It felt like if he pressed any harder, those thin little arms and legs would snap.

That wouldn’t do.

Since this girl had fallen into his hands, he had no intention of letting her suffer any further.

Xia An resolved.

“Um… I sleep here?”

After eating, Luo Ya was led to a dark room.

Xia An turned on the crystal chandelier, and the room immediately brightened.

Luo Ya’s bare feet stood on the luxurious carpet as she stared at a bed large enough to fit dozens of her, asking.

“Yes.”

Xia An nodded.

“And you?”

“I have a bed in the study.”

“I sleep here while you sleep in the study… that doesn’t seem right…”

Luo Ya hesitated.

“I’ve barely used this place. It’s mostly empty, so it’s wasted. You can make good use of it.”

Xia An said.

“Besides, I often research until dawn. It’s more convenient to sleep separately.”

He took a silk pajama set from the wardrobe and placed it on the bed.

“If you need anything, come find me in the study. I still have work to do. Remember to change into the pajamas before you sleep.”

Luo Ya nodded blankly, still stunned by the magnificent bed.

Xia An gently closed the door, and his footsteps faded away.

Only then did Luo Ya remember.

She’d forgotten to ask for a goodnight kiss.

Changing into the soft, smooth silk pajamas, they were still the wrong size—the long sleeves dragged on the floor.

Had Lord Xia An worn these before?

Luo Ya thought dazedly.

Quietly opening the door a crack, she sneaked a look like a thief to see if Xia An had gone far.

Then, blushing, she sniffed the pajamas fiercely to check if they smelled like him.

The clothes were clean, carrying a faint lavender scent—no trace of odor.

Fine.

Luo Ya obediently turned off the crystal chandelier and lay down in the dark.

Meanwhile, Xia An walked down the corridor and pushed open the study door.

He truly had work to do.

He was about to teach Luo Ya magic, but belatedly realized that he couldn’t recall most of his memories related to magic!

Part of it was because he had taken over this body, but a bigger factor was that, as a Grand Magister, he had long been able to cast most spells instantaneously without incantations.

Magic release had been deeply etched into his body as muscle memory.

Now, he had forgotten many basic theories.

It was like a person who already knows how to walk never thinks about how to take steps; they just go with the feeling.

Xia An was in that state now.

So to teach Luo Ya theory from the ground up, he needed to prepare and gradually awaken those memories.

Like a magic apprentice, he reopened Primer of Magic Theory (Elementary).

It felt like entering college and facing advanced math, only to realize he’d returned all his high school knowledge to the teacher.

Come to think of it, what was his level as a Grand Magister within Deep Blue?

Xia An thought back.

Mages, warriors, clergy—these professions had different titles at different stages, but their strength evaluation systems were universal.

The lowest tier was Middle Tier, followed by Elite, Peak, and Legendary.

That was the most common classification.

Above that, one rarely encountered anything.

As a Grand Magister, Xia An was at the Peak tier.

Below, Elite corresponded to Archmage, and Middle Tier to Normal Mage.

Above, Legendary corresponded to Sage.

Though Normal Mages as the lowest Middle Tier seemed weak, it was still a level only achievable after becoming a Formal Mage.

Most apprentices in Deep Blue Magic Tower didn’t even enter the combat power classification.

As for when Luo Ya would become a Normal Mage, Xia An wasn’t concerned about that right now.

The most important thing was to raise Luo Ya into a normal girl first.

Ten years—there was no need to rush.

Ten years…

Feeling his icy, numb body, the strange sensations reminded Xia An—

—He truly didn’t have much time left.

For a Grand Magister with a life span of several hundred years, ten years passed in the blink of an eye.

Come to think of it, what terminal illness did he have?

From memory, he pulled a notebook from the shelf—a journal recording his condition.

Xia An sat in the armchair behind the desk and opened it.

With the help of his memories, he quickly understood his situation.

[Hypothermia Syndrome]

Of course, it wasn’t the kind of hypothermia that kills people when they freeze to death in his past life.

It was a thing called [Frost Calamity] that had taken residence inside Xia An, granting him enormous magical power while gradually breaking down his body from within.

He stacked the journal, Primer of Magic Theory (Elementary), and seven or eight other books as thick as dictionaries on the desk.

Among the pile taller than himself, Xia An’s long night had only just begun.

Meanwhile, on Luo Ya’s side.

Luo Ya lay in bed.

After a while, it seemed uncomfortable.

She turned over~

Now it felt a little better.

Luo Ya tried to sink her consciousness into the darkness.

But it still felt off.

So she turned again~

Could she sleep comfortably now?

Luo Ya tried again to sink into the darkness.

…Still couldn’t sleep.

She opened her eyes in the dark.

The wide bed, the high-end pajamas, the expensive incense in the cabinet—but Luo Ya didn’t like it, so she didn’t light it.

A princess’s life was no better than this.

Why couldn’t she sleep?

The silk pajamas were undoubtedly top-tier, so smooth against the skin it felt like wearing nothing.

The huge, soft bed swallowed Luo Ya whole, and the thick quilt stitched with gold thread covered her from above.

At that moment, Luo Ya felt as if something was wrapping her from head to toe, yet also as if she wore nothing at all, lying naked in endless darkness.

She couldn’t touch solidity in any direction, as if floating in a void.

This made Luo Ya very uncomfortable.

Kicking off the thick quilt covering her, Luo Ya slowly crawled out of bed.

Like a nimble cat, she jumped down, groped in the dark, and found a corner.

A corner much like the one in that shack.

Leaning her back against the wall, Luo Ya slowly sat down.

The wounds on her body ached, making her more acutely aware of her own existence.

Feeling the firm wall behind her, that familiar sense of safety returned to her heart.

The floor under the luxurious carpet wasn’t as cold as other corners.

Perfect.

Hugging her knees, Luo Ya fell into a deep sleep in the dark corner.