After arriving at the room, Count Laurien turned around and bowed deeply and politely to Viktor and Gwen, smiling as he said to them, "I won't disturb the two of you during your rest time."
Viktor responded with a nod, while Gwen remained calm as usual.
When she saw Viktor nod, she also gave a slight nod.
After speaking, Count Laurien gracefully turned and left the room, not forgetting to close the door behind him.
His figure disappeared from the doorway along with the faint sound of the lock clicking shut.
Just as he reached the far end of the corridor, a servant hurried over from the side and bowed respectfully to Laurien as he said, "My lord, the young lady has 'run' out again."
Count Laurien's steps suddenly stopped. Looking down at the somewhat timid servant, he asked in a low voice, "Priscis went to her mother's room again?"
"No."
The servant shook his head and continued, "The young lady appeared just when Princess Aurelian of the Calencia Empire was passing by the madam's room."
"But she only stayed there for a moment and quickly left. I saw it with my own eyes. She didn't have the chance to enter the madam's room."
"And there's a sign on the madam's door. The young lady can't get in."
The servant's explanation made Laurien feel somewhat relieved. He waved his hand and gave a serious order, "Find her whereabouts as soon as possible. Ordinary people may not notice her, but there are many guests here today."
"If she disturbs other guests, that will become troublesome."
The servant quickly nodded and then turned and ran off.
Count Laurien remained alone in the corridor and turned to glance at Viktor's room.
Then he leaned on his cane and slowly walked away.
In the corridor, only the dull echo of the cane striking the floor remained.
Inside the room, Viktor did not rest either. Patterns and runes rapidly moved through his hands, and magic power began to surge between them.
He gently brushed his hands over the door, embedding several magical formations into it.
Soundproofing, barriers, interference.
Various magical traps were set around the room.
If someone tried to break into the room, these magical traps would entangle them and notify Viktor.
Viktor sensed the magic around him. Only after confirming that there were no other presences outside the room did he gradually relax.
After finishing this, Viktor turned around in the room and looked again at Gwen, who was sitting on the fur-covered sofa.
Compared to the Gwen from before, the current Gwen was far too obedient.
Even though they were staying in the same room, she was neither shy nor noisy.
They had once spent a night in a small town beneath a volcano. At that time, Gwen had been shy and somewhat dissatisfied.
But now…
Feeling Viktor's gaze, Gwen blinked. On her calm and expressionless face, a faint trace of confusion seemed to appear.
Her personality was completely different.
However, this also had something to do with Gwen's current instinct-driven state.
Viktor reached out and pulled the luxurious silk curtains closed, covering the wide windows and completely blocking out the bright moonlight.
Stepping across the golden-threaded carpet beneath his feet, he turned to look at Gwen.
She had already removed her armor down to her knees.
Revealing undergarments that lay against her body like white gauze.
Her fair, jade-like skin was mesmerizing, and her graceful figure added a touch of charm to her purity.
Gwen slowly walked toward Viktor, the distance between them gradually shrinking until she was almost pressed against his body.
When she finally stopped in front of him, she slightly raised her head and looked at Viktor with eyes as calm as still water.
Then, under the gazes of both Viktor and Vega,
she ignored the crow on Viktor's shoulder and gently stretched out her arms, wrapping them around Viktor's neck.
Her forehead pressed against his, and her voice emerged softly, like a spring breeze brushing over new sprouts.
"Hold me."
"…"
———
About half an hour later, the door of the steam-filled bathroom slowly opened. Gwen walked through the hazy light within the steam, letting her damp hair fall gently.
She took a towel and lightly wrapped it around her head, drying her hair.
Then she put on the thick bathrobe that had already been hung there.
At this time, Viktor was quietly sitting on a chair, leaning back slightly.
The windbreaker he had been wearing earlier was already gone, replaced by a white shirt and loose trousers.
His legs were stretched out on the crystal-carved dining table as he calmly flipped through the book in his hands.
The only sounds in the room were the dripping of water and the turning of pages, as if quietly narrating the atmosphere of the moment.
The pages continued to turn along with his thoughts.
After seeing this, Gwen walked over on her own. Like a spring breeze brushing past Viktor, she carried a faint fragrance that drifted into his nose.
It was impossible for Viktor not to notice.
Gwen stood behind him, slightly bending her body and leaning against him as if unconsciously, quietly pressing against his back.
Her soft skin rested on his shoulder, the fine, grain-like touch traveling from his shoulder straight to his heart.
Her hair swayed as she looked at the contents of Viktor's book and asked curiously, "What are you reading?"
Feeling Gwen's presence so close, Viktor closed his eyes, but that only made the fragrance beside him assault his senses even more strongly.
The hand holding the book began to tremble slightly.
"Just a simple and ordinary magic book."
After reaching the fourth tier, Viktor's composure had already improved significantly.
Spells like 'Self-Suggestion' were something he rarely used anymore.
But now, he suddenly felt the urge to pick them up again.
On the table, Vega's body trembled, its feathers shaking as it turned its head away and secretly burst into wild laughter.
It seemed extremely delighted to see Viktor in such an awkward situation.
Only when Gwen finally moved away from Viktor's shoulder did Vega barely manage to stop laughing.
'Hmm…', She couldn't understand it.
For a knight, this kind of magic book was still too advanced.
Gwen turned and sat on the soft bed, leisurely crossing one long leg over the other. Tilting her head, she stared at Viktor with full concentration.
Viktor looked at his book, while Gwen simply looked at Viktor. The atmosphere became somewhat stiff.
As if realizing that if he did nothing, the whole night might pass like this, Viktor put down the book in his hands, rubbed his brow, and looked at Gwen with a hint of helplessness.
"…Why aren't you resting yet?"
"I'm waiting for you."
Gwen looked at Viktor, gently lifting one leg and placing it on the bed, bending it slightly.
She hugged her leg with both hands, stroking it back and forth as if it were a beloved doll.
At the same time, she leaned lightly against her soft leg and slowly said, "Last time, you didn't rest properly."
'Last time?'
That must be referring to the time at the inn near Mount Vesuvius.
Viktor clearly remembered that they had only spent the night in the same room twice.
Once in the small town beneath the volcano, and the other time was tonight.
That time, he had given the only bed to Gwen and spent the entire night sitting while reading a magic book.
With the support of magic, Viktor's mental strength was enough to keep him awake for several days without rest.
But he hadn't expected Gwen to remember that incident all this time.
From the way she looked now, it seemed she had always been bothered by the fact that he didn't rest well that night.
After all, the current Gwen, being driven by instinct, expressed everything openly and never hid anything in her heart.
Viktor let out a deep sigh and voluntarily put down the book in his hand.
The book gradually cracked apart in his hands, turning into black fragments before finally dispersing into ashes, like the last petal of autumn drifting down.
As if shattered by a cold wind, it slowly disappeared.
Viktor stood up and walked toward Gwen.
She slightly raised her head.
Viktor's figure was reflected in her pupils.
She watched as he came closer and closer to her.
Closer and closer...
Until he was right in front of her.
Gwen only had to raise her head to see Viktor's chest.
And she could smell the scent coming from him.
Viktor then spoke, "Alright. Let's sleep."
As soon as he finished speaking, Gwen immediately turned over and slipped under the blanket, assuming a posture as if waiting.
When she came back to her senses, she saw Viktor still standing beside the bed.
So she stretched out both hands, lifted the blanket, and patted the space beside her.
Signaling Viktor to sleep next to her.
But just as she raised her eyes and met Viktor's gaze, a strange glow mixed with pink and purple flashed through Viktor's eyes.
[First-Tier Magic: Hypnosis]
[Evaluating target resistance. Target resistance < magic strength. Immunity failed.]
[Hypnosis successful.]
Gwen suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion rising from the bottom of her body. The hand patting the bed instantly lost its strength.
Her head gently tilted downward, and her body fell to the side.
The next moment, she fell into a deep sleep.
One side of her face was buried in the soft pillow, a pink blush spreading across her cheeks like a ripe apple, giving off an enticing charm.
Viktor simply looked at her quietly, expressionless.
An experienced mage always possessed methods that kept them in an unbeatable position.
Looking at Gwen, he spoke softly, "If you stayed awake the whole time, how would I continue my work?"
After confirming that Gwen would absolutely not wake up, Viktor extended a finger and gently traced a line across her back.
[First-Tier Magic: Cutting Hand]
His forearm instantly glowed with bright blue light, forming a ring of magical energy.
With a gentle wave, the bathrobe on Gwen's body was cut in a straight line from top to bottom.
The robe split along the line, revealing the fair skin of Gwen's back.
With a slight motion of his fingers to both sides, the robe opened wider, almost exposing her entire back.
The edges of her curves could even be faintly seen.
Viktor closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"My apologies."
Viktor extended his finger again and traced it down from the top of her spine like a pianist playing a melody.
He stopped only when he reached the tailbone.
The next second, Gwen's back seemed to split open, and a golden radiance emerged from the crack.
Vega flapped its wings and flew over, landing on Viktor's shoulder.
Looking down, it clicked its beak in amazement.
"Remarkable."
It opened its beak slightly and looked at Gwen's back with admiration.
A golden scale symbol was embedded on her back like a brand.
"The recognition of the Goddess of Justice."
"So the Goddess of Justice has already chosen her as a human vessel?"