Behind Aiden, the bedroom door was gently pushed open without a single sound.
"Aiden, it's so late. Are you still not resting?"
Robin's voice was like a moonlit stream, gentle and clear.
She didn't turn on the light. She simply walked in quietly, wearing that magnificent evening gown adorned with starbursts and pearls.
The moonlight filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, coating her in a hazy silver halo that made her look less like a mortal and more like a star spirit that had accidentally wandered into the human realm.
"I can't sleep."
Aiden didn't turn around, his voice slightly hoarse. "I'm thinking about some things."
Robin walked over to his side and stood beside him, casting her gaze toward the myriad of twinkling lights of Orario in the night.
She didn't press him with questions; she simply kept him company in silence.
Her emerald eyes, as deep and serene as a tranquil lake, had already seen through the hesitation in Aiden's heart.
After a long time, Aiden finally spoke slowly, "Robin, are you afraid?"
"Afraid of what?"
"Afraid of... me."
Aiden turned his head to look at the girl beside him.
"Afraid that one day, I'll become an existence that even I won't recognize."
He handed the parchment to her.
Robin took it and, by the moonlight, read through the description of the [Lord Ravager] magic word by word.
When she saw the name "Lord Ravager," her brow furrowed. That was not a good name.
In her world, that title belonged to an existence that brought disaster to the stars, an entity that struck fear into all life.
No wonder she felt something was wrong with Aiden's emotions. So this was why.
"I see. 'Deification Magic'..."
She gently folded the parchment, handed it back to him, and then looked up earnestly into his eyes. "Aiden, you know about 'Harmony,' don't you?"
"Harmony?"
Aiden looked confused. He certainly knew of Harmony, but he didn't understand why Robin was suddenly bringing it up.
"Mhm."
Robin smiled softly. The night breeze was exceptionally gentle, lifting her silver-purple hair.
"A single person's voice, no matter how loud, is still just a solo. But when countless voices intertwine, they can play a symphony powerful enough to shake the stars. A person might lose themselves in overwhelming power, but as long as they still have connections to the world, they will never truly be alone."
Her finger lightly tapped against her own heart.
"You, me, Hyacine, Tifa, Jeanne, Furina, and even Daphne and Cassandra—we are all members of the Focalors Familia. The Familia connects the hearts of every single one of us, forming an unbreakable karmic bond. No matter how high you fly or how far you go, we will be your anchor, tying you firmly to this safe harbor called 'home'."
"So, I'm not afraid."
Her words were like the most moving aria, every syllable brimming with a soothing power. "Because I know that no matter what you become, your 'roots' will always be right here."
Aiden stared at her blankly. The worries in his heart were quietly dispelled in that very moment by the tenderness and resolve in her eyes.
Yes. He wasn't alone.
He had Furina, he had Robin, he had Tifa, he had Hyacine, he had Jeanne... He had a "home."
He reached out and gently grasped her slightly cool fingertips. "Thank you."
"Family doesn't need to say thank you."
Robin held his hand in return, her palm warm and soft.
The two looked at each other in silence, but a subtle, intoxicating affection rapidly blossomed and deepened under the moonlight.
It was an emotion that surpassed comradeship and family—something deeper and far more passionate.
It was like a long-brewing musical composition that, tonight, had finally found its cue to be played.
"Tonight... let's celebrate my level up."
Aiden's voice grew low. He could clearly hear his own heartbeat thundering like a drum.
"Mhm."
An imperceptible blush crept up Robin's cheeks, but she didn't look away, bravely meeting his gaze.
"Then..."
Aiden took a deep breath, as if making a certain resolution. "I want to invite you, as my one and only tonight, to attend a... graduation ceremony meant just for you and me."
"A graduation ceremony?" A flash of confusion appeared in Robin's eyes first, but it was quickly replaced by a knowing shyness and anticipation.
"Yes."
Aiden took her hand and slowly pulled her into the room. Behind them, the floor-to-ceiling curtains moved without any wind, gently drawing to a close and sealing off everything from the outside world.
The lights in the room remained off. Only the moonlight squeezed through the gap in the curtains, casting a few hazy ribbons of light.
This was their concert hall.
Tonight, a unique symphony titled "Life" would be performed.
Aiden didn't speak. He merely used his other hand to gently unfasten the exquisite musical note brooch on the chest of Robin's gown.
The movement was as light as a feather brushing against piano keys, carrying an almost sacred reverence.
The brooch fell with a soft, crisp clink, like a conductor's baton tapping against a music stand for the first time before a concert began.
This was the first note of the overture.
Robin's body trembled slightly. She closed her eyes, her long eyelashes casting two small shadows in the dimness.
She didn't resist. Instead, she took the initiative to raise her hands and, a little clumsily but with absolute determination, began to unbutton Aiden's shirt.
This was a silent response, the entrance of the second vocal part.
The movement commenced.
Their actions were very slow, very light.
The peeling away of every piece of clothing was like shedding the outer shell of a musical score, gradually revealing the purest, most primal melody within.
He untied the sash at her waist, the silky fabric slipping from his fingertips like a waterfall flowing through a mountain ravine.
She slid his shirt off. Beneath the smooth fabric was warm skin, pulsing with life.
The air in the room seemed to freeze, yet simultaneously vibrate at an incredibly high frequency.
Every breath, every heartbeat, became an indispensable beat in this symphony.
When the final restraints were undone, two equally young and beautiful bodies faced each other honestly under the hazy moonlight.
He saw the soft light, akin to moonbeams, flowing over her skin. She felt the volcanic, scorching heat hidden within his body.
He scooped her up into his arms and walked toward the large, soft bed, his movements as gentle as if he were laying down a priceless instrument.
When her bare back touched the soft sheets, a faint, almost imperceptible moan escaped her lips.
That sound was like the first string of a harp being plucked by a gentle breeze.
He leaned down. He didn't rush for success, but rather, like a master performer, used his lips to kiss, to explore, and to "read" this instrument that belonged exclusively to him.
----
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