Aluxio came back to visit her the next day. He sat on the bed by her side, staring at the lifeless face.
"When are you going to wake up? Don't tell me you plan to die just like this," he chuckled.
Who was he talking to? Aluxio found it strange. Why couldn't he stop thinking about her? Was it a sign that she was dangerous? Did he need to eliminate her to be free?
Aluxio sat there for half the night, reluctant to leave her alone. In the end, he got up when the sun had already reached its peak. His last thought before leaving was that her complexion looked better in the sunlight; she looked more alive and well.
On the third day, he was informed of her waking up and the fact that she had lost her memories, which was suspicious, to say the least. He should have felt contempt towards her, but instead, he visited her again while she was asleep. He didn't do anything; he just watched her for a while from the window and left. He didn't dare to come close to her or lift the bed curtains.
The next day, Aluxio decided to observe her behavior throughout the day. If she seemed even a little bit suspicious, he would kill her right then and there. He was determined as he set out to spy on her.
Aluxio had been watching her from afar for half the day, but all she had done was eat, eat, and be lazy in bed. She hadn't even noticed him when he purposely exposed his mana.
He felt even more disturbed now. For some reason, his furrowed eyebrows seemed glued in the same spot. When she finally decided to get up and do something, he watched attentively. She came back with changed clothes; she was wearing pants. What was she planning to do? Aluxio placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, just in case he needed to kill her.
Heading for the garden? What was she scheming? Aluxio made sure to conceal his presence completely, keenly detecting all the other mana present nearby. He cautiously scanned around, but there was nothing strange in the surroundings.
Aluxio watched from a safe distance as she began to run around the garden. He was strangely amused by her. Was she trying to build up her stamina by running laps in the garden? After a single round, she collapsed on the path. His body instinctively flinched to catch her; he quickly realized and stopped. But in the end, he still ended up coming to see if she was alright.
"I'll just take a quick look and be on my way," Aluxio looked at her closed eyelids. She was flushed from running, sweat dripping down her forehead. The sun was hot during the day. He moved in front of the sun to block the sunlight, bending down to cover her face too.
No matter how much he stared at her face, it was never enough for him. He wanted to keep looking at her. Wrinkles appeared on his smooth forehead as he thought about it. He had never been enchanted by someone's looks before. So why only her? Could it be her secret technique?
Aluxio was interrupted when she suddenly opened her eyes wide, shocked to see him. He instantly put on an innocent appearance, seemingly worried for her.
"Are you okay? Why are you lying on the ground?" he asked in a casual tone and regretted it. Maybe he should have been more formal for their first meeting.
"Oh," she said while trying to get up. She fell again, but this time Aluxio caught her before he could think about it.
"I should call a doctor for you, my lady," he said, being formal this time. He thought he would disguise a mage specialized in finding hidden mana, in case she was hiding it. To be honest, it was a bit hard to believe that she had such low mana.
"No need," she refused immediately. "I was just feeling a little dizzy. I don't want to see a doctor for at least another year; I've had enough of that."
Aluxio didn't give up trying to know her real intentions. If she was trying to seduce him, it would be better to seem like it was working, right?
"Can I carry you to your room?" Since she didn't recognize him, she should definitely disagree with being carried by a stranger she had just met.
"Of course — I mean, if you can, I would be thankful for the help."
Aluxio smiled. It seemed like he was right all along. She had probably recognized him already but was feigning ignorance. Her goal was to seduce someone from the royal family. Aluxio had seen many dirty schemes aimed at harming the royal family, so he had to be always on alert. But this was a first; no one had dared to come into the palace by themselves to seduce him before.
Aluxio picked her up bridal style in a swift motion. She was as light as a feather. He kept her close to his chest. If she wanted to play, he would play with her for now and see the end goal himself.
He started walking towards her room. To avoid suspicion, he asked her for directions, even though he already knew where her room was. Her room was still far when Aluxio suddenly started feeling nervous. His hands were sweating, and his heart was beating unusually fast. Carrying a person of this weight should have no effect on him. Maybe it was really hot today.
Her room was just around the corner when her hand suddenly started roaming around his chest. He paused for a minute, his face heating up even more.
"I was just trying to adjust your collar," she innocently gave an explanation as he looked at her face, which also had a soft blush creeping up to her eyes.
Ah, she's more well-trained than I thought.
Aluxio's footsteps doubled in speed. He didn't say anything else until they reached the room. He gently placed her down on the floor.
"Have a good day, my lady," he said politely enough before rushing back, covering his face with his hand so no one could see his unusually red face.