Chapter 15
The evening party was held by the shores of Berna Lake.
Amidst the shimmering waters, countless "stars" were lit up, each encased in a transparent medium that felt like a bouncy jelly, with a blue water core inside.
White and gold-rimmed carpets were spread out, with pure white carved long tables nearby, laden with various desserts, colorful sparkling wines, and seasonal fruits.
Numerous puffy dresses and tailcoats flitted about.
When Liu Yu entered arm-in-arm with Gaia, she almost felt as if she had stepped into a European court drama—gleaming utensils, men and women engaged in lively conversations—
She was also handed a star.
The attendant, dressed as a steward, winked at her:
"May you shine like a star."
"Thank you."
Liu Yu smiled in gratitude.
The welcoming party has always been a tradition at the Academy of Light, where the stewards serve them, symbolizing the passing of the torch.
They combined divine arts with ancient technology to create a fantastical, beautiful world. Liu Yu had to admit, it was breathtaking.
Starlight, moonlit night, lake waters, fireflies, and the enormous reflection of the Staff of Light in the sky.
"Miss Beiliya! Mr. Leslie! Over here!"
Carlo Prince waved at them from a distance.
Natasi, sitting beside Carlo Prince, looked up and saw them too.
Sister Beiliya, wearing a violet puffy dress, stood intimately with Mr. Leslie, looking perfectly matched.
Her dazzling golden hair and Mr. Leslie's silver hair occasionally blew in the wind, intertwining and then separating...
Natasi tried hard to keep her smile.
"Miss Beiliya and Mr. Leslie are a perfect match!"
"Shut up! Mr. Leslie would never fall for Miss Beiliya! If he just asks around in the city, everyone knows the Beiliya family only survived by sucking the blood of a merchant..."
"Mary!" Carlo Prince stopped her, "Enough! This is the Academy of Light."
Mary huffed and turned away.
"It's... it's okay," Natasi mustered her courage, "I... I think Sister Beiliya won't mind."
"Won't mind what?"
Liu Yu approached, catching only the tail end of the conversation.
"Ah... it's..." Natasi stammered, "It's Princess Mary who said..."
Carlo Prince smoothly took over:
"Miss Beiliya, did you rest well?"
Liu Yu lifted her skirt slightly:
"Thanks to your concern, quite well."
"Oh, Mr. Leslie, as soon as you appeared, all the ladies here only have eyes for you," Carlo Prince joked with a hint of complaint.
"My apologies for stealing your spotlight."
Mr. Leslie gave a slight bow.
The two exchanged a knowing smile.
"Gaia, sit here!"
She pulled Gaia down onto the carpet.
The combination of a beautiful young man and a beautiful young woman, amidst the floating starlight, looked like a dream.
No one spoke for a moment.
Finally, the steward broke the silence, approaching with a tray:
"Ladies and gentlemen, would you like some sparkling wine?"
"Sparkling wine?"
"Mmm-hmm," the steward smiled warmly, "To celebrate your joining the Academy of Light! How about a glass?"
Nearby, the blessed ones were scattered across the white floral carpets, freely playing instruments, singing, and even dancing.
In the distance, the stewards were chanting:
"May you shine like stars, never falling!"
"May you shine like stars, forever radiant!"
"..."
The lively atmosphere infected the young crowd, and they eagerly reached out:
"One glass, please!"
"I'll take one too!"
"The blue one!"
"I want the red one!"
Soon, everyone had a glass in hand.
"How about a toast?"
Carlo Prince suggested.
"I'll just take a sip, is that okay? I hurt my hand and just applied some medicine."
Liu Yu took off her glove to show her hand.
Her delicate, pale palm was covered in tiny scratches, densely packed. The most shocking, however, were the deep, bone-exposing wounds, as if something heavy had pressed down hard, causing the flesh to curl outward.
Someone gasped, and Natasi exclaimed:
"Sister Beiliya, your injuries are so severe... you should go back and rest."
"Beiliya."
Gaia turned to her with concern.
"It's nothing, just a few minor wounds," Liu Yu looked at Gaia, her face pale from blood loss, "But if Gaia would drink for me, I'd be very happy. Gaia, would you?"
The young man, now dressed in a black tailcoat, looked slender and elegant. He turned his head and smiled:
"Of course."
Liu Yu was momentarily dazzled by his smile, and for some reason, her nose tingled with a hint of sorrow.
She masked it with a smile:
"Gaia, you're so kind."
The crowd around them groaned:
"Miss Beiliya, Mr. Leslie, stop smiling, both of you! We all know you're a perfect match!"
"A perfect match!"
"Mr. Leslie, on the equestrian field, I swore I'd get you drunk... no hard feelings," Carlo Prince cheerfully clinked glasses with him, "To the God of Light!"
"To the God of Light."
Liu Yu stepped back a little, watching them drink.
Gaia's drinking posture was elegant; even sitting on the carpet, his back was straight, like a tall poplar tree.
Perhaps feeling warm from the alcohol, he took off his black coat and vest, tossing them aside. He rolled up his sleeves slightly, revealing the graceful lines of his elbows and arms. The white silk shirt, previously buttoned up to the top, now had two buttons undone, showing a hint of his collarbone and Adam's apple.
He was a flawless young man from every angle.
Every part of him was exquisite, every part a delight to behold.
Liu Yu watched intently, calculating his level of intoxication—if he drank too much, her plan wouldn't work.
"Miss Beiliya, don't forget what you promised me."
Mary approached her with a glass in hand.
"Princess Mary, you just whipped me this afternoon."
"So what? You offended the great Carlo Royal Family. I only gave you one lash, that's already merciful."
Liu Yu stared at her until Mary felt uneasy, then smiled:
"Alright, if Princess Mary insists."
The perfect scapegoat, isn't she?
She hadn't intended to go this far originally.
"O-of course!"
"Wait a little longer, and I'll introduce you to Gaia. But I must remind you, Gaia doesn't like overly forward girls."
"You're being so kind?"
Mary looked at her with suspicion.
Liu Yu shrugged:
"By the God of Light, who would dare deceive the great Carlo Royal Family? I don't want another lash."
Mentioning the Carlo Royal Family, Mary immediately believed her.
Though the blessed ones are above nobles, they still can't surpass the royal family, as even the Golden Knights can be hired by the royal family—
Of course, the temple itself is above the royal family.
"Alright, what should I do then?"
Liu Yu leaned in and whispered instructions into her ear. Mary was taken aback:
"Must it be this way?"
"You don't have to listen to me, but you know, there are so many who adore Gaia. He's always wary of those with ulterior motives. If you toast me, and I pass it to Gaia, wouldn't it seem more natural?"
Liu Yu spoke slowly, "And... Princess Mary, that lash you gave me on the equestrian field was witnessed by many. Apologizing in advance might help salvage your image."
"Alright, fine."
Princess Mary gave in.
She pretended the negotiation failed and huffed back to sit beside Carlo Prince.
Liu Yu watched Gaia drink five or six more glasses, then touched her ear and smoothed her hair.
Mary suddenly stood up.
She held a glass of sparkling wine in each hand and, in full view of everyone, approached Liu Yu, offering her one:
"Miss Beiliya, I apologize for my rudeness this afternoon."
Liu Yu didn't take it, lounging lazily on the carpet:
"Oh? Princess Mary, are you apologizing for your unruly whip?"
"Yes," Mary extended the glass, her face flushed, "I apologize."
Liu Yu looked at her for a moment:
"I accept."
She took the glass, "But, your forgiveness aside, I can't drink. Gaia, would you drink with Mary for me?"
"My pleasure."
Gaia propped his chin on his hand, smiling at her with a hint of silliness.
He seemed to have had quite a bit to drink, but his mind was still clear.
Gaia reached out to take the glass, but Liu Yu suddenly pulled back, spilling some of the blue liquid onto her purple dress.
"Oh, by the God of Light!"
Liu Yu pretended to be startled, and amidst the chaos, she discreetly slipped a drop of vampire blood mixed with an aphrodisiac into the wine glass while patting it.
"Miss Fergus, what are you doing?"
"Princess Mary, this wine... You didn't put anything in it, did you?" Liu Yu said with lingering fear, "I'm afraid you might dislike me and cause trouble for me again. It wouldn't be good if Gaia got hurt."
"By the God of Light, how could I ever harm Gaia?!"
Mary widened her eyes, "You're lying!"
"Oh, it seems there isn't anything." Liu Yu handed the glass to Gaia, smiling sweetly, "Please, my dear Mr. Leslie."
The young man covered his face with his hands, smiling at her, and continued,
"It's my honor."
As if he couldn't say anything else.
He took the glass, sniffed it, and was about to speak when Liu Yu urged him to drink it all in one go.
"Hmm, strange..."
"Alright, let's make peace." Liu Yu smiled at Mary, then turned to Gaia, "Gaia, this is Mary Carlo, my roommate, from the great Carlo Royal Family."
"Mary Carlo, this is Gaia Leslie, my... Mr. Leslie." She smiled, declaring her claim.
Mary glared at her, then smiled warmly at Gaia, "Mr. Leslie, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Mr. Leslie crouched on the ground, his silver hair disheveled, and smiled, "It's... it's a pleasure to meet you too."
Mary's face instantly turned red.
This domineering, impulsive girl, who was used to using her royal authority to pressure others, suddenly seemed unexpectedly innocent:
"Mr. Leslie, would you... like to dance with me?"
"Dance?"
Gaia looked at the nearby couples dancing gracefully.
They embraced, separated, and intertwined, their small steps spinning continuously. He shook his head,
"No, I don't like being too close to people."
Mary couldn't help but glance at the quiet Miss Fergus, feeling that the victorious smile on her face was utterly detestable.
"Then..."
"But I can sing."
Gaia smiled childishly and turned to Liu Yu, "My dear friend, you haven't heard me sing, have you? I'll sing for you."
He began to sing:
"In the name of the God of Light,
The children of God,
The children of God,
Here, flowers bloom,
Here, wine flows,
You dance and sing.
Life is like the morning dew,
Death approaches swiftly,
Yet you fear not.
Justice, freedom, you yearn for the light.
The children of God, the children of God,
An ancient and noble people..."
The young man's voice carried far and wide.
Beautiful, more moving and enchanting than any instrument in the world, his voice entered everyone's ears, and the world seemed to pause. Everyone stopped what they were doing.
If there were truly sirens in this world, none could surpass Gaia at this moment.
Liu Yu watched the entranced crowd, feeling as if she had been swept into a large-scale hypnosis session.
Fortunately, she was the first to snap out of it.
The boy was still singing:
"The children of God, the children of God..."
She quietly walked over, tugged at his sleeve:
"Gaia, let's go."
The boy's delicate features stood out even more under the starlight, and he opened his eyes in confusion:
"Hmm?"
"My dress is dirty."
She whispered.
Gaia nodded, and the two of them slipped away quietly through the mesmerized crowd.
As they walked away from Lake Berna, Liu Yu couldn't help but look back. Everyone stood still, as if still immersed in the enchanting song—
Was this the... power of the God of Light?
When he sang, did the world have to stop and listen...?
"Gaia, don't you think you're a bit... domineering?"
Liu Yu couldn't help but ask.
"Domineering? No, I don't think so."
"...Oh," Liu Yu pulled him along, and as they passed a small grove, she changed direction, "Gaia, I don't want to go back so early. Let's take a walk nearby, okay?"
"...The children of God, here, flowers bloom..." Gaia hummed the song, nodding, "Sure."
He tugged at his collar with his free hand.
Liu Yu knew the drug was taking effect.
She had scouted the area earlier. There was a stone pavilion in the grove, usually deserted, and now that everyone was by Lake Berna, it would be even more secluded.
As they walked, they found the pavilion, and indeed, no one was there.
The entire grove was like an empty city, with nothing but the occasional chirping of insects.
"Gaia, what's wrong? Your face is so red."
Liu Yu guided Gaia to the pavilion and had him sit down.
The young man sat dazedly, his pale skin tinged with a faint blush, his whole body radiating heat:
"Beiliya, I... I don't know."
Liu Yu touched his forehead, then his cheek:
"Oh, you're burning up."
The boy sat on the railing, puffed out his cheeks, and looked up:
"Beiliya, am I... am I like a human, running a fever?"
"Why use the word 'human'? Aren't you human?"
Liu Yu avoided the question, sitting close to him on the pavilion bench. Their legs touched, and she could feel the intense heat radiating from his body.
"I... I don't know."
Gaia chuckled foolishly.
Liu Yu noticed that when he smiled wider, a dimple appeared on his right cheek, making him look both childish and adorable, quite different from his usual self.
She leaned on the railing, half-rising, and kissed his right cheek:
"Gaia, I like you."
The boy covered his face, blinking.
His long, curled eyelashes and skin that gleamed like jade in the moonlight made him even more captivating.
She pulled him closer, turned slightly, and kissed him from his cheek to his thin, cherry-blossom-like lips:
"I like you."
The boy sat stiffly:
"Beiliya, my body... it feels like it's about to explode."
Liu Yu chuckled softly against him, then took his hand and placed it on her cheek:
"Gaia, you're so cute."
"Men can't be called cute."
He slurred, shaking his head, "Beiliya, this... this doesn't feel right."
"What doesn't feel right?"
Liu Yu's voice was soft.
She didn't kiss him again, just sat quietly beside him—earlier, it could be said she acted on impulse, but now it wasn't the time to push further—
She knew how perceptive Gaia was.
Unlike in TV dramas where amnesia leads to a loss of intelligence, his true nature, though temporarily submerged, would gradually resurface like floating ice.
"I... I don't know."
Gaia shook his head, stood up unsteadily, and tried to walk away, but Liu Yu pulled him back, "Where are you going?"
In their struggle, they both fell to the ground.
The boy's limbs were stiff, unsure where to place them. He wanted to push her away, but his hand stopped halfway.
"I know," he covered his face, "I'm like a human... I... I..."
What did he mean by 'like a human'...
Liu Yu blinked.
"Beiliya, I... I'm sorry..."
"I didn't expect that drinking too much would... would make me like this..." Gaia's face was red with shame, "Beiliya, I really didn't expect... Please get up, I... I'm being too rude to you..."
Liu Yu hadn't expected that when Gaia was drunk—or rather, when his rationality left him—he would be like this, a little chatterbox, struggling with himself.
It was utterly adorable.
She looked at his face, illuminated by the fragmented moonlight, and said shyly:
"Gaia, you know I don't mind you being rude to me. I'm quite willing..."
With that, she climbed up a bit, cupped his face, and clumsily kissed him a few times. In his flustered state, she kissed him deeply.
"Boom—"
Gaia's vision seemed to explode with dazzling fireworks.
The scent of roses enveloped him once more, stronger and more fragrant than ever before.
"Beiliya..."
He suddenly grabbed her, pulling her arms away:
"No, we can't do this."
Liu Yu opened her eyes, and Gaia moved back. His body, sculpted by the gods, was perfectly proportioned, his muscle lines as beautiful as the finest art, like a masterpiece by Michelangelo.
"Beiliya, this isn't right."
"Why isn't it right?"
She propped herself up slightly.
The girl's graceful figure was distinct in the moonlight, her white glass beads faintly visible in the darkness. The purple violets curled, and her long, straight legs were like a myth created by the divine, though this myth was hidden by the moonlight, unseen by anyone.
“What’s wrong? Gaia, I love you, and I’m willing.”
“No, it’s not right. It’s not right! I can’t…”
“Why can’t you?”
The girl stood up. The moonlight filtered through the dense tree shadows, half blocked by the stone pavilion. She stood on the edge of light and darkness, like the tempting poisoned apple in the Garden of Eden. “This world is like this. Noblewomen have their knights, kings have their mistresses. Even young girls can roll in the fields with their loved ones whenever they want.”
“Don’t you want to?”
She walked toward him.
“I do.” The boy looked agonized. His cheeks were flushed, and his cool silver hair seemed drenched in the waters of the Danube. Sweat dripped down from his forehead. “But just because the world is like that doesn’t mean I have to be.”
“Beiliya, you don’t understand… I don’t love you, so I can’t.”
When he said “can’t,” his voice was resolute.
Liu Yu didn’t understand.
In the modern world, efficiency was everything. Men and women could lock eyes one second and swipe a room key the next. This world was frivolous and unrestrained.
No one understood the meaning of loyalty.
Natasi could be intimate with a vampire one moment and flirt with Carlo Prince the next, only to shift her affections to Gaia as soon as she saw him. Even Princess Mary had three lovers.
They were more carefree with love and desire, and no one thought it was wrong.
They thought it was natural.
But why did Gaia have such an ancient, unyielding adherence to love and desire, things that seemed so useless?
Liu Yu finally understood why the God of Light, despite having so many saints and saintesses in the divine palace, including Natasi, had never touched any of them.
She covered her face and began to cry.
“But I need you, Gaia… How do you know you won’t love me in the future? Have you ever loved anyone?”
She tried to confuse the boy, who was tormented by desire, with her sophistry:
“You’ve never loved anyone, so how do you know this isn’t love? Have you ever felt this way about anyone else? You want to hold me tightly, to possess me, to do all sorts of intimate things with me, don’t you?”
She leaned against him like a delicate vine.
The vine tightly wrapped around the poor boy, their bodies pressed together.
“No, not with anyone else. I can’t remember, but I’m sure I haven’t.”
The boy spoke with confusion but certainty.
“So,” Liu Yu whispered in his ear, her breath like orchids, “you love me. There’s no doubt about it.”
At that moment, she was the cunning serpent in the Garden of Eden, spewing venom at Adam. That venom was laced with illusion, desire, and an alluring fragrance.
The young, amnesiac Adam, softened by drugs, should have been easily swayed.
But he “looked” at her:
“No, I’m sorry.”
“Beiliya, I can’t.”
He still refused her.
“Why?”
Liu Yu truly couldn’t understand his stubborn adherence.
She had never met anyone like him.
His heart was like iron. Even at this point, he wouldn’t surrender to her.
Most of the men she had known were eager and opportunistic, rarely turning down a meal served to them—she was even sure that if she threw herself at Louis, he wouldn’t reject her either.
But it was Gaia who refused.
“No reason, Beiliya. I don’t love you.”
No, no, don’t panic. You still have a chance.
Liu Yu comforted herself, but fear and helplessness were already creeping up like spiderwebs.
In the dim light, she seemed to see herself forever crushed at the bottom, unable to move.
It tortured her.
“Why?”
She asked herself, and she asked fate.
She had already done ninety-nine percent of the work, so why wouldn’t that last one percent be granted to her?
Was it fate?
No, she didn’t believe in fate.
There had to be another way.
Yes, she still had three drops of vampire blood.
Half a cup for one drop, just in case, she had exchanged two cups.
But Gaia seemed to have regained his senses.
He stepped back, bent down to pick up her clothes, and helped her put them back on.
His hands were skillful, seemingly unmoved by the sight before him, though he struggled a bit with the laces of her underskirt. He straightened her collar with excessive gentleness.
Then he dressed himself: white shirt, black vest, trousers, boots, and finally draped the long tailcoat over her shoulders.
“It’s time to go back.”
He spoke “calmly.”
But Liu Yu could tell from the boy’s burning, trembling hands that he wasn’t as composed as he appeared.
“Before we go, let me give up.”
She sobbed, using the opportunity of covering her face to open the thumb-sized bottle hidden in her clothes. Inside were three drops of medicine mixed with blood.
She swallowed them.
“Hmm?”
Gaia didn’t understand.
But Liu Yu stepped forward, stood on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him again. She kissed him fiercely, biting his lip until it bled. The taste of blood mixed with the medicine as she pushed it into his mouth.
“Mmm…”
The medicine, the kiss, or something else entirely softened the boy’s defenses. His resistance gradually weakened.
His rationality was burned to ashes, completely crushed this time.
Outside the stone pavilion, it had started to rain.
The gentle rain fell to the ground, and bamboo shoots broke through the soil, growing rapidly. The spring rain mingled with the earth, vines winding tightly around tree trunks, rustling and dripping like a tango—passionate, unrestrained, feet brushing against each other before parting again, in a dance of blood, tears, sweat, and song.
Liu Yu didn’t know when she fell asleep, but when she woke up, she found herself lying in a warm embrace. Gaia held her, leaning quietly against the railing.
He “looked” toward the sky beyond the forest.
The sky was beginning to lighten.
“Gaia…”
“The wine I drank was tampered with. I’m certain of it.”
He turned his head and “looked” at her seriously:
“Was it you, or Mary?”
