"CAPTAIN Kiho," Captain Denver greeted him with a serious look on his face. "You're scaring me."

Tilly noticed that even Captain Denver said that Kiho scared him, she didn't look scared at all. The captain of the Red Phoenix Knights didn't even flinch even though his hand and arm were now covered with ice.

And she realized why right away.

An orange flame engulfed Captain Denver's hand and arm until the ice melted. She could see that the flame came from the metal arm band that he was wearing.

[Right. Captain Denver is a Fire Wielder. He can't produce fire from his body but he can use items that produce fire.]

Tilly didn't have the time to process that because the next thing she knew, she was already leaning against Kiho's solid chest while a protective arm was wrapped around her shoulders. Everything happened so fast that she didn't know how exactly Kiho "snatched" her away from Captain Denver's hold.

"Are you okay, Tilly?" Kiho asked her. His voiced was laced with a mix of worry and anger. But she knew that his anger was directed at Captain Denver and not her. "What did Captain Denver do to you? Don't be afraid to talk. I'm here."

"Hey," Captain Denver complained. "You make it sound like I assaulted your fiancée, Captain Kiho."

Kiho turned to the other captain with a very, very cold stare.

[It's cold enough to freeze the entire mountain.]

"Kiho, Captain Denver was just trying to help me," Tilly explained to calm Kiho. When he turned to her, she placed a hand on his cheek. His face instantly softened up. "My chest suddenly felt like it was burning. Captain Denver noticed that and tried to help."

[I just don't know how.]

Kiho turned to Captain Denver, his face cold again. "Captain Denver, how do you plan to help my fiancée by trying to touch her chest?"

"I just wanted to absorb the heat in her chest," Captain Denver said. "I can't produce fire within my body but my Mana allows me to absorb it. Same with body heat."

Kiho didn't comment on that but he turned to her. Then, he placed a hand on her forehead to probably check her temperature. "Are you having fever again?"

"I'm not sure," Tilly said. "I think my body is acting weird these days."

Was it because she kept on making her temperature rise? In her past life, she rarely used her Mana. Maybe the side-effect of continuously using it was only showing now that she was kind of "abusing" it.

"Tilly, we should go to the hospital," Kiho said. "I think this has something to do with your Mana."

The hospital in the empire had "Mana Doctors." Like its name, a Mana Doctor was someone who specialized in treating Mana that was harming its owner's physical health.

[If a Mana Doctor takes a look at my Mana, they would find out that I'm using it to fake my sickness.]

"We don't need to go to the doctor, Kiho," Tilly said. Then, she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Your body is cool. The burning in my chest is starting to disappear."

And that was true.

Kiho's cool temperature seemed to help her.

"Are you sure?" Kiho asked while wrapping his arms around her body. "Should I lower my temperature more?"

"You'll die if your body temperature dropped down any more than this," she lightly scolded him. "This is fine. Let's stay like this for a while."

"Okay."

Captain Denver cleared his throat but they just ignored him. That was probably why he turned to Blake instead. "Vice Captain Blake, are they usually like that?"

"Yes, Captain Denver," Blake answered politely. "Captain Kiho and Lady Prescott get into their own world when they are together."

***

TILLY was now perfectly fine. The burning in her chest was gone as if it never happened. But now, she had learned her lesson.

[I will not abuse my Mana again.]

"Kiho, this is Baby Julian," Tilly said to Kiho. "Pretty, isn't he?"

She was carrying the baby in her arms while showing him off to Kiho who was standing protectively in front of her. To be precise, her fiancé was blocking Captain Denver's view of her.

Captain Denver was helping Flint pack his things. Blake left for a while to walk Grandma Rosa to home. They were waiting for the vice captain to return before they left. And of course, she wanted to properly send off Flint and Julian, too.

"He's pretty," Kiho said while looking down at Julian. "But tiny. Very tiny."

She giggled at his remark. "Julian is only fourteen months old. Of course, he's tiny."

When Julian giggled, she smiled and gently rubbed her nose against his little nose.

[He's so cute!]

"Kiho, try holding him," she told him.

Kiho backed away while shaking his head. "I'm afraid that I might actually crush him. I think my hands are bigger than him."

She laughed softly at that. "No, you won't crush him. Just try it, Kiho. You need practice anyway. Will you not hold our son once he was born?"

That seemed to change his mind. "Y-You'll guide me, right?"

She smiled and nodded. "Of course."

He gulped before he agreed. "Okay. I'll try…"

Tilly carefully guided Kiho to hold Julian in his arms. Once he was carrying the baby, he froze. If it wasn't for the heaving of his chest, she'd think that he had turned into an ice sculpture. His face also looked as pale as a white canvas.

[Who knew that the mighty captain of the Black Serpent Knights is afraid of babies?]

Well, more like he was afraid of holding a tiny human being.

"Don't worry, you're doing great," she assured him. She had one hand on the baby's back while the other was wrapped around Kiho's waist. She held onto him so he wouldn't panic. "How is it?"

She knew that he would easily get used to holding a baby because in her past life, Kiho practically raised Winter on his own. Because during that time, she was a spoiled little girl who didn't have the patience to take care of her son.

"He's very light," Kiho said. Now he was looking at Julian like he was the most precious thing in the world. "I want to take him home."

She giggled. "Right?"

"Hey!" Flint complained. Then, the child stood in front of them while glaring at Kiho. "Mister, you can't take my brother away from me."

Kiho's face reddened in embarrassment. "Sorry."

"And who are you?" Flint continued "harassing" Kiho. "Why are you clinging to my Big Sister Tilly?"

Well, she was actually the one clinging to Kiho…

"I'm Kiho," he said to the child. "And I'm Tilly's fiancé."

"No!" Flint whined. "I'm the one who's going to marry Big Sister Tilly when I grow up!"

Tilly bit her lower lip to stop herself from laughing.

[Kids are cute.]

"No," Kiho told Flint coldly. "I'll freeze you to death if you try to steal Tilly from me."

Flint looked shocked– and scared– by Kiho's threat.

She couldn't help but finally laugh at her fiancé's childishness.

"Hey," Captain Denver lightly scolded Kiho. "He's just a child."

"A rival is a rival," the Black Serpent Knights' captain countered.

Captain Denver just rolled his eyes.

Tilly, on the other hand, playfully hit Kiho in the arm. "Stop that, Kiho."

"Okay," Kiho said right away. Then, he turned to her with a soft look on his face. "Tilly, do you want to shop for baby things later?"

***

"TAKE care, Flint," Tilly said to Flint while hugging him tight. "And always be a good brother to Julian."

"I will," Flint promised her. Then, he looked at her with a smile. "Can I write to you, big sister?"

"Of course," she said. "I'll wait for your letter."

Flint smiled, then kissed her on the cheek.

She felt a cold aura behind her so Kiho was probably getting jealous. He might be even glaring at the child. She ignored him for now.

[I didn't know that Kiho had this side.]

After saying her farewell to Flint, she turned to Julian who was now asleep in Captain Denver's arms.

"Bye-bye for now, Baby Julian," she whispered, then she kissed the baby's floppy cheek. "See you later." Then, she looked up at Captain Denver. "Please take care of them, Captain Denver. Make them fine Fire Wielders someday."

"I'll take care of the children," Captain Denver promised her. "As the master of the Fire Wielder Guild, I swear that I will raise them well."

Tilly smiled at that. "Thank you, Captain Denver."

***

[OH, someone is in a good mood.]

Tilly couldn't help but notice that Kiho looked happy while talking about the baby things that they would buy for Julian. They decided to shop for Flint and the baby so that they could have brand new stuff once they lived in the guild.

Currently, they were in the carriage (that Blake was driving) on the way to Blanca– the town near Mount Elea. They were sitting across each other so she had a nice view of his handsome and glowing face.

[Kiho looks more handsome when he's happy.]

"Kiho, I've never seen you that excited," Tilly said with a smile. "It seems like you're ready to be a father now, huh?"

Kiho's cheeks reddened but he didn't act shy this time. "Yes. When I saw how you took care of Julian and the brat– I mean Flint, I knew right away that you'd be a good mother. I can't wait to see you with our own child."

She smiled at that.

[I can't wait for our family to be complete again, Kiho.]

"Kiho, should we try making our baby now?" she teased him.

The captain's face lit up. Instead of answering verbally, he just extended his hand to her.

She was confused by she still gave him her hand.

Much to her pleasant surprise, he gently pulled her until she was sitting on his lap. He secured her by snaking his arms around her waist. Then, he pulled her closer for a kiss.

She hugged his neck and leaned forward while closing her eyes.

And then, they kissed.

It was as hot and as intoxicatingly as the first one. Kiho's body was usually cold but right now, his every touch left a burning sensation on her body. The warmth of his wandering hand penetrated the fabric her clothes, making her feel like he was directly touching her skin.

She did the same. From his neck, her hands slid down his chest, and then further more until she was feeling the hardness of his stomach.

[Ohhh… abs!]

When they broke their kiss to catch their breath, Kiho buried his face in her neck, taking in her scent. Then, his mouth started to move, leaving a trail of wet kisses in its wake. His hands slip up her back and brushed the sides of her breasts.

She moaned, her fingers skimming through the length of his neck. He seemed to like that because he groaned lowly against the skin of her collarbone.

Hot.

She felt so hot.

"Tilly," Kiho said in a surprised voice. Then, he gently pulled away from her to look at her with a worried look on his face. "You're hot."

Tilly smiled weakly at him, wondering why she was suddenly out of breath. "Thank you, baby."

And then she collapsed.

[Oh, Kiho meant it literally.]

***

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