After the introduction had come to an end.
Arcus looked around him, "Umm, its still night and i don't think we should be going to the capital…"
Celene looked at him and continued, "Let's just stay at this forest for tonight, i don't care about comfort anyway."
Arcus gave a smile, "Guess, we'll just gaze at the stars for tonight !"
Celene thought with a cold expression, 'This human's mood really changes too fast'
"Celene ! can you see the star over there" Arcus said while pointing his finger towards the sky.
'What is so exciting about gazing at the stars?' She thought while looking at the sky.
Upon seeing her not reply back, Arcus said, "Did cross the line? If i did then-"
Celene cut his talk, "No, its fine, i was just thinking about something."
Arcus smiled at her and said, "The grass's comfy enough for me, guess i will just take a nap here"
Celene replied, "Sure, i don't mind."
Arcus slept at the soft grass, while Celene gazed at the stars for the whole night.
"Uhh ! the sunlight." Arcus rubbed his eyes only to find Celene sleeping beside him.
Arcus's face blushed like a shade of red, he got up immediately.
Celene looked at him, "You woke up ?"
Azure turned his head to hide his blushed face, "Did i wake you up.. I'm sorry"
"Drop the apologies, from now on if you apologize then our deal's over"
He looked back, "I shall keep that in mind !"
Celene raised his hand towards Arcus, "..."
"Oh !" Arcus offered his hand.
Celene got up, "Thanks."
Arcus said with a nervous expression, "Actually.. I need to go to the bank, could you wait ?"
"Yes."
Arcus said with a smile, "I will be back in an hour !"
—-
Arcus went to the bank and said, "I need to withdraw 1000 gold coins"
The manager said, "Name ?"
"Arcus"
The manager gave him a look and continued searching the file.
He finally took out a script and asked for his signature.
Arcus signed it, "Here !"
"Take this receipt to the guy at the back, he will provide you with the gold coins."
Arcus went there, the guy gave him the gold coins and then Arcus went to find a house for rent.
Arcus walked back from the bank, holding the pouch of gold coins tightly. His heart was racing—he had never handled this much money before, and the weight of it felt heavier than it should.
'Alright, Arcus, you got this,' he thought to himself, trying to calm his nerves.
After some wandering, he found a small house with a "For Rent" sign hanging on the door. It looked old but cozy, with a little garden in the front that seemed neglected. Arcus knocked on the door, and after a few moments, a woman in her forties opened it. She had kind eyes but looked cautious.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"I'm looking for a place to stay. Is this house available?" Arcus said, his voice shaky but polite.
She raised an eyebrow. "It is, but I hope you can pay upfront. It's 800 gold coins per month, no deposit required."
Arcus nodded and handed her the pouch of coins. "I'll take it."
The woman studied him for a moment before shrugging. "Alright. It's yours. Here's the key. Just don't go wrecking the place, alright?"
"Yes, ma'am. Thank you!" Arcus said with a small bow. He took the key and turned back toward the forest, a small smile tugging at his lips.
—-
When Arcus reached the forest, he spotted Celene sitting under a tree, her crimson eyes staring off into the distance.
"I'm back!" Arcus called out, holding up the key with a triumphant grin. "I found us a house!"
Celene turned her head slightly, her expression unreadable. "You sound proud."
Arcus chuckled nervously. "Well, it's better than sleeping out here, right? Come on, I'll show you."
—
The walk to the house was quiet, with only the sound of their footsteps breaking the silence. Arcus kept glancing at Celene, wondering what she was thinking. Her cold demeanor made her hard to read, but there was something calming about her presence.
When they arrived, Celene stopped in front of the house, her red eyes scanning it. "This is it?" she asked, her tone flat.
"Yep!" Arcus said, unlocking the door and stepping inside. "It's not much, but it's home."
Celene followed him in, her gaze moving over the worn furniture and dusty floors. She ran a finger along the edge of a table, then looked at him. "It's adequate."
Arcus grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Celene sat down on one of the chairs, crossing her legs gracefully. "So, what now?"
Arcus scratched the back of his head. "Well, I guess we settle in. Tomorrow I'll get some supplies—food, blankets, and stuff. After that, I guess we start... you know, the whole teaching thing."
Celene tilted her head slightly, her crimson eyes narrowing. "You seem hesitant."
Arcus shook his head quickly. "No, not hesitant! I just... want to do it right. That's all."
"Good." Celene leaned back slightly, her gaze piercing. "Mortal emotions are illogical and weak, but I want to understand them. Do not waste my time."
Arcus gave a nervous laugh. "I'll do my best."
Celene stood up, walking toward the stairs. "I'm going to rest. Do whatever you wish, but don't disturb me."
"Got it," Arcus said, watching her disappear upstairs. He let out a sigh, his shoulders relaxing. "She's intense... but I think I can handle this."
—--
That night, Arcus sat on the floor in his new room, looking at the pouch of coins that remained. 'I'll need to budget carefully,' he thought, already planning what to buy tomorrow. The room was small, but it was the first time in years he felt like he had a place to call home.
Upstairs, Celene sat by the window, staring at the stars. Her expression remained cold, but her thoughts were far from indifferent.
'This mortal is strange,' she thought. 'Fearful, yet persistent. Weak, yet resilient. Perhaps... this won't be as boring as I thought.'
For the first time in centuries, she felt the faintest flicker of curiosity.