Upon reaching the palace, Mavislin reverted to her human form, and the two males disembarked safely onto the rooftop garden.
"You may return to rest in your chambers for the rest of the day. I will urge you not to go out and just focus on getting your mana and energy back to full for we will be striking in the day against Lunaris. As for writing up the reports, I will handle it," explained the dragoness.
Mattheos, worn out from the night's events, could only manage a weak nod before heading back to his temporary quarters. The rabbit's heart ached as he remembered the smile Mavislin had given when Zenos awoke from his unconscious state.
Never had he received such a smile after fainting or narrowly escaping death in battle. Instead, he usually got only her back, often seen in the warmth of a fireplace setting. And yet, that blonde received such a warm gesture?!
The rabbit's ears burned with frustration as he made his way down the hall. When he reached his door, he nearly crushed the doorknob in his grip, stunned to realize that he was feeling jealous of the Viceroy.
"What the hell am I thinking?!" cried the poor tired bunny as he threw his heavy armored coat onto the soft bed.
Matt then flopped onto his bed as well and screamed into his pillow before fully passing out.
Meanwhile, Mavislin turned to the Viceroy and held out her opened palm towards him, earning a confused look from the blonde.
"With the injuries that you've suffered, wouldn't it be only natural for me to help you to your quarters? Or are you not used to having a lady help you..." taunted the dragoness, with a hint of mischievous in her tone.
"Hmph... I don't view gender as a barrier. And I don't require your assistance to reach my room, thank you very much," boasted the blonde as he walked past Mavislin in full strides.
The dragoness followed the resolute Viceroy to his private chambers, where he collapsed onto the floor, just inches from his bed.
" 'Don't require my assistance', my damned behind... You really are a spoiled and prideful child. You know, no one is going to think lowly of you if you just accept someone's help..." complained Mavislin as she easily lifted the hulk of a person from the floor and onto his bed.
As she carefully tucked the covers around the sleeping blonde, the dragoness felt a pang of melancholy. She settled beside him, gently combing through his golden locks, and found herself admiring the serene expression he wore in his slumber.
"Then again... I'm not one to chide you about asking for help when I've refused to do so myself. I guess you really are right with your assumptions, that we are both equals..." said Mavislin.
She bent down and placed a tender kiss on Zenos' forehead, lingering for a moment as he had on her cheek before the final battle.
"You are strong, Zenos Galvus. Well done for defeating Solaris."
Then, with a quiet sigh, the dragoness stretched and rose from the bed, moving to the desk where she would begin drafting a comprehensive report on the Solaris mission. Thankfully, with the support of her girls, she would be able to finish the report within a few hours.
With that task completed, Mavislin summoned a snake to deliver the full report to Raven and a summarized version directly to Beast. She anticipated that Beast would quickly scan the summary for any advantage for the Syndicate and then discard it.
However, Raven's reaction might be less predictable. Mavislin hoped the man in black wouldn't let his curiosity drive him to the palace doors. Shaking her head, she dismissed the thought—Raven was unlikely to be overly concerned with her missions.
After one last glance to ensure the Viceroy was soundly asleep, the dragoness shifted to her compact form and slipped out of the open window, closing it gently with her tail. She then flew to the nearest window of her bunny's quarters before reverting to her human form.
It only took a knock for the rabbit to jump out of his bed and swing open the door, ready to send whoever was waiting behind that door to sleep permanently. Luckily, the dragoness was skilled in reflex training, catching the punch just in time.
"Mav! I... My apologies, I wasn't expecting you or anyone..." said Mattheos as he lowered his fist.
"I don't blame you. In fact, I commend your actions. That'd be great during campsite or patrol routes. Anyways, am I intruding on your sleep if I were to come in?" asked Mavislin, smiling.
Matt shook his head and gestured for her to enter. They settled into a quiet stillness—Matt lying on his bed while the dragoness took a seat in the plush chair nearby.