I slept so comfortably.
This was the thought in Lucia’s mind as she drifted between sleep and wakefulness.
Because of her magical constitution, her body temperature was naturally high, and she often suffered from periodic bouts of fever. In her dreams, even without a blanket, she was frequently jolted awake by headaches and heat, parched with thirst.
But this nap was entirely different; there was no headache, and her body didn’t feel like it was burning.
Instead, there was a sense of comfort, as if the magic within her body was flowing as smoothly as a stream in early spring.
It felt icy—almost like she was embracing a piece of soft, form-fitting ice that was continuously and gently absorbing the restless heat within her.
Although she had been able to enter deep sleep over the past few days, the sudden spikes in her body temperature remained an unsolved issue. She would often wake up feeling as if she had been stuffed into a furnace, her clothes drenched in sweat.
But this time was different. It was icy and refreshing, making her want to keep holding this cold body pillow and sink into an eternal, peaceful dream.
Lucia’s arms tightened unconsciously, wrapping around the source of that coolness.
Hmm? A body pillow?
Lucia opened her eyes, and an unprecedented sense of clarity spread through her mind.
It felt amazing.
This was the first time she had ever woken up without a trace of fatigue.
The curtains blocked out the light so effectively that Lucia couldn’t tell what time it was. She glanced at the clock; it was almost time for the academy to dismiss.
She looked at Merlinlia, who was sleeping peacefully. At that moment, Lucia was indeed clutching her tightly in her arms, just like a body pillow.
Whether it was because her resistance had been futile or because she hadn’t resisted at all, the girl was curled up submissively in Lucia’s embrace, fast asleep. Like a kitten that had exhausted all its energy, the curves of her body pressed softly against Lucia’s chest.
Accompanied by steady breaths, her chest, covered by her school uniform jacket, rose and fell rhythmically.
A few strands of long, ice-blue hair clung to her translucent, porcelain cheeks.
Lucia could even see the faint, thin blue veins beneath her skin.
In this state, with her eyelashes lowered, she looked like a defenseless fruit waiting to be plucked at will.
So cute.
Lucia thought to herself.
She didn’t intend to say it out loud, though.
She’d just keep the thought to herself.
Besides… even though she was awake now, Merlinlia was still icy cool, and holding her felt wonderful and comfortable.
Lucia greedily nuzzled her cheek into the crook of Merlinlia’s neck, a crisp and sweet scent lingering at the tip of her nose.
She really wanted to keep holding her like this forever.
This was the first time Lucia had ever woken up feeling so refreshed, without the discomfort of being soaked in sweat.
It seemed Merlinlia’s constitution had done the trick.
She wondered if there would be a next time.
If Merlinlia could continue to pat her head and sing lullabies before she slept, that would be even better.
Lucia recalled the expression of watery tenderness on Merlinlia’s face while she was stroking her head.
She just didn’t know if the girl would be willing.
Now… what kind of terms should she offer?
The other girl was also a princess; anything Merlinlia wanted, her mother, Ophelia, could easily obtain for her.
This made Lucia unsure of how to negotiate terms with Merlinlia.
Treating her pain and insomnia felt more like an act of kindness, especially since Merlin hadn’t asked for anything in return so far.
Sigh, people without material desires are truly the hardest to deal with.
Furthermore, if they were to share a bed and spend the night together, whether that doting mother Ophelia would even agree was an unknown factor.
While Lucia was scheming in her mind, her grip on Merlin inadvertently tightened. The excessive pressure caused Merlinlia to let out a soft whimper, like a mumble in a dream.
The person in her arms stirred.
Lucia’s train of thought came to a screeching halt. She held her breath and looked down.
Large, watery eyes opened hazily, blinking at Lucia.
Even that dazed, semi-conscious look right after waking up was adorable.
Merlinlia didn’t seem to grasp the situation yet. Her cherry-pink lips parted slightly, emitting a mumble thick with a nasal tone.
“Mmm…”
“Are you awake?”
It took a full three seconds for Merlinlia’s vision to focus. She blinked slowly, her blue eyes finally regaining their luster, and she gave a soft reply.
“Yes.”
“I can probably guess what happened, but let me confirm. Did I grab onto you while I was out of it?”
Merlin rubbed the sleep from the corners of her eyes, gradually waking up.
“Mhmm. You fell asleep, and just as I was about to leave, you suddenly locked your limbs around me like I was a stuffed doll. I couldn’t move at all; after all, you’re much stronger than I am.”
“I’m so sorry. I don’t usually have the habit of holding things while I sleep. Perhaps our compatibility is just that good.”
Lucia decided not to mention Merlin’s constitution for the time being.
What if it was some kind of elven trait?
“Well… fine. Can you let go now? It’s a bit uncomfortable.”
“Alright.”
Only then did Lucia snap out of it, reluctantly letting go of Merlin. That addictive, cool sensation vanished instantly.
Merlin looked at the clock; it was about time to leave.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Thank you, Merlinlia. I rested very well. Even the pain in my bones has eased up after the massage.”
“Mm… the root cause is that the Light and Fire magic in your body are both too dominant. I can’t actually suppress them; I just used the medicinal liquid to try and guide the Light magic to flow first, preventing the two types of magic from colliding directly.”
“Oh? I never thought of that. You truly are the princess of the Alchemy Department.”
Merlin moved with a speed Lucia couldn’t follow, quickly getting off the bed and smoothing out the hem of her skirt that had bunched up during her nap.
“Honestly, stop teasing me. If you keep this up, I won’t give you any more new medicine in the future.”
“I’m sorry. You really are impressive; I didn’t mean to tease you.”
“Okay.”
The tables had turned.
Since Lucia hoped Merlin would stay the night with her next time, she couldn’t afford to let her favorability drop.
Because… that soft, icy-cool sensation of Merlin’s was truly addictive.
“I’ll head back now. As for the massage, there isn’t any special technique. The important part is the medicinal liquid. You can just ask Mary to do the massage.”
“I understand.”
“See you next time, Lucia.”
“See you next time, Merlinlia.”
Even though it was forced, after being saved by Lucia today and then taking a nap together, Merlin felt their distance had shortened considerably.
At the very least, they were now on a first-name basis and could say goodbye to each other naturally.
Leaving the room, Merlin checked her skirt once more in the sunlight.
Honestly, these things didn’t offer a sense of security at all; she had even seen students whose skirt hems had flipped up and gotten caught under their backpacks.
Well, time to go home.
Her room wasn’t far away anyway. Merlin walked with light steps and opened her dormitory door.
A gentle woman with purple hair was leaning quietly against the headboard of the bed, reading a book.
“Mom?”