Ludmint held onto the curtain and lifted it gently. Warm sunlight peered through the gap, painting the bedroom in soft orange shades. She deliberately slowed herself, letting the radiances steadily grow. She mustn’t startle her resting Iris.

On the messy bed, Iris lay with her eyes half-closed, her mind half-awake. Her pupils contracted as sparkles filled her visions. She lifted her head and, lethargy plaguing her motion, pressed her right hand on her forehead. Her body was warm, her mind clouded.

She looked at her Ludmint. Their eyes met and triggered flushes on their bodies. Last night, their muddled hearts intertwined, and they burned through their passion like fireworks through their fuels. Ludmint was the first to avert her gaze, though the strangeness in Iris’s eyes didn’t elude her.

She walked to sit on the bed. Her hands moved to hold Iris’s.

“Why . . . haven’t you slept?” she said. “Is it because of that nightmare?”

Iris wryly smiled. “If you don’t get ready now, you might be late.”

“What happened in there?” Ludmint squeezed Iris’s hands. “You’re burning up. You’ve never fallen sick before.”

“A little complication. I . . . I can’t sleep. If I fall asleep, she’ll come for me.”

“Could it be that not even my hug could stop the nightmare?” Ludmint drew close to her Iris, feeling the irritating heat. “I may not specialise in curses, but I’m still a scholar of magic. Whatever’s plaguing you, I should be able to alleviate it.”

Iris slid her hands to Ludmint’s shoulders and held onto them firmly. She drew Ludmint’s face close to her and, as Ludmint nervously closed her eyes, pressed her forehead to Ludmint’s.

An invisible flame jolted Ludmint. She opened her eyes and leaned away.

That turbulent flow of energy, it was beyond extraordinary. The branches of Corruption Power, akin to vessels through which Iris consciousness coursed, wilted like flowers deprived of water and sunlight. Kinks and dots of foreign power disrupted all order, waging wars which threatened to fracture Iris herself.

“Are you . . . still confident?” Iris said.

“What . . . did you go through?”

“I . . . chatted with the Saintess of Pure Mind.”

Ludmint shook her head. “The curse inside you, it’s of Corrupted origin. Iris, what did you go through?”

“Have you heard of the name . . . Nupian?” Iris shivered. Uttering that name filled her chest with tingles. Those syllables rang so pleasantly in her ears. “Before I came here, I had the fortune of meeting her. She came from the Northern Continent; she came for me.”

Ludmint held her breath. Her mind raced for any potential solution, yet all that emerged got mercilessly cut down by the great disparity in power. A Solidification Phase Monster Girl was and had always been beyond her reach.

She was not powerful enough.

“Did the Founder know?” Ludmint said. “She wouldn’t have let anyone touch you. The Court wouldn’t let you suffer like this.”

“Would I have shown you this side of me, if I could resolve it by myself?” Iris laughed. Her hoarse voice only pained her throat. “The Founder is busy, uncontactable. I . . . have no idea when she will return.”

Moreover, The Founder might not have the power to resolve this curse.

“How could you be so reckless?” Ludmint hugged her sick lover, tightening her embrace to let her coolness extinguish that excess heat. “If you keep doing this, I won’t be able to leave you alone. How can I trust you, when you like to plunge into danger?”

“I have no such terrific desire; it’s simply necessary.”

“Your pain is never necessary. Don’t ever imply such a thing.”

“What I did, I deem obligatory. You need not pity me. Sharing burden is what we do.” Iris closed her eyes and exhaled. Her hands relaxed as they dropped to the bed. Her head drooped, but she straightened her back and forced open her eyes. “This calming silence, it’s quite troublesome.”

“Have a short rest, Iris. I’m here; she won’t be able to take you.”

“You shouldn’t underestimate her. If she could affect me, even though she was a continent away, she could stop me from waking up. We surprised her once; I don’t want to gamble a second time.”

“But without rest, you won’t ever recover.”

“And with rest, I won’t ever return.”

Ludmint turned her head away. Her eyes wandered around the room, her thoughts astray. Her Iris, her fiancée, was suffering. She was suffering a curse so terrible she couldn’t even rest.

This wouldn’t do!

Ludmint slid her hands around Iris’s waist and held her up. “I’ll wash and dress you up. We’ll head for Shivering Heart Salon.”

“You’ll wash and dress up, and you’ll head for Multi-Path Complex.”

“I’ve never spent my allocated time off before.” Ludmint brushed her face on Iris’s. That warmth pricked her skin, but she enjoyed it. “I’m still a senior researcher and a member of Rising Horizon Council; no one can punish me for a few days off.”

“Fatigue might plague me, but it doesn’t cloud my mind.” Iris pinched Ludmint’s lips, sealing them. “The Grand Formation failed in its most crucial moment. And you, my Ludmint, will soon come under a great scrutinise.”

Ludmint averted her eyes. “A sick person shouldn’t think too deeply, my Dear. You should close your eyes and let me care for you. Do you not want your worried fiancée to stay by your side?”

“I . . . don’t want to become your burden. Your absence will arouse suspicion, and such suspicion will implicate us.” Iris pressed her right hand on her chest and revealed a tired smile. “Do you want to harm me, your loveliest?”

“I’ll resign if they dare to blame you.”

“Please, Ludmint, my Honey. If they have any reason to suspect you, you’ll have to stay with them for even longer. I’ll be . . . especially lonely at night.”

“How can you be so logical?” Ludmint reluctantly turned around and lay her Iris on the bed. She placed her left hand on Iris’s forehead. A flow of cool and soothing energy permeated Iris, alleviating her heating body. “After I call Parmin and Morbi, I’ll go to Multi-Path Complex. You don’t have to worry. We’ll take care of you until you recover.”

“Parmin and Morbi too will be busy. I’ll call for my Lorient, and she’ll take care of me in your stead.”

“Then, allow me to stay with you until she arrives.”

“Can I really chase you away, if I want to?”

Ludmint smiled. Even if her Iris pushed her away, she would grab that hand and never let go. “Since I’ll be late nonetheless, I want to sleep with you more.”

As Ludmint snapped her fingers, the curtains draped over the windows, and a thin layer of mist cloaked the bedroom. Sunlight receded from her view. Darkness cast its soothing mood onto this tenable world.

Iris dully lifted her left hand. Bluish glows manifested in her palm and condensed into a glimmering silhouette of a bird. It circled her hand, nuzzled her fingers, and let out a soft cry before vanishing from her sight, its destination her knight.

Ludmint hmphed. “You should’ve let me notify her.”

“And when would that be?”

“Of course . . . it would be soon, very soon.”

Iris furrowed her brows. She was ready to tease her Ludmint when Ludmint bent down and fell on the bed. She snuggled her body inside the blanket, beside her Iris, and leaned too close to her beloved. Her warm, excited breaths tickled Iris, dispelling her exasperation.

Sleeping with Ludmint . . . always rejuvenated her. There existed no place safer than here, no rest better than now.

If only she could close her eyes and let her dream take her. But at least she got to spend her time with her beloved.

In peace the two hugged each other. Their hands rested upon their bodies, feeling the warmth and the chill, the flesh and the bones. Subtle noises from the outside murmured around them, though they put no mind to those sounds. They only concentrated on their thoughts and the occasional gasps of their partner.

While time marched, and while the sunlight through the thin shade gradually brightened, Iris’s mind wandered. Her bubbling thoughts led her far from her reality; her awareness grew heavy, blurry, and her eyes lost their focus. She was tired, tired enough to stop thinking, tired enough to hug her Ludmint and let her feeling take over.

A series of knocks interrupted her dreamy sequence. Iris jerked her head up and arose from her bed. Her dim eyes flickered, her consciousness returning. Ludmint, laying beside her, clicked her tongue. She was watching her Iris falling asleep, lulling her with her warmth.

It seemed Lorient was more eager than imagined.

“I’ll answer her,” Ludmint said. “Rest a little more, Dear.”

“You think I would trust you not to deceive her?” Iris ran her fingers through her messy hair. “Whether you like it or not, she’ll take care of me while you take care of your own business.”

Until Ludmint was no longer under investigation, she wouldn’t get to stay with her Iris. That was the promise, that was the declaration.

Ludmint firmly nodded. She helped Iris get up and draw open the curtains. Light illuminated the room and the atmosphere. Iris’s eyes narrowed as the radiance reflected on them; it chased away parts of her drowsiness.

After adjusting her pyjamas, Iris opened the door and, smiling, waved at her Lorient. Ludmint, standing behind Iris, stared at her replacement, observing her neat, spotless attire.

Lorient swallowed a puff of warm air. She lowered her head to greet her superiors. Ludmint’s glare startled her, Iris’s appearance even more so.

Her mistress, her lady, her most admired, how could she look so . . . pallid?

“I’ve received and answered your summon, Mistress,” she said. “However, my ability is lacking in the domain of healing; please allow me to invite others more suitable.”

“My sickness isn’t something you can cure, nor is it something your friends could treat. I call you today . . . to serve me.”

“How may I serve you, Mistress?” Lorient pressed her arms against her chest, her thighs against each other. A bashful blush tainted her cheeks. “For Mistress, I’m willing to do everything.”

Ludmint frowned. She wanted to reach for Lorient, but Iris glanced at her.

“Lorient, do you wish to take advantage of me while my fiancée is standing behind me?”

“I would never, Mistress!”

“Then serve me well.” Iris turned around and went to sit on her bed. “The promised reward, I’ll have to postpone it. But worry not, my knight. You’ll receive your due in time.”

“Your health comes first, Mistress.”

Lorient peeped at Ludmint before she entered the room to help her mistress. She carefully held her mistress’s hair and brushed it gently. Her delicate motion resembled that of a thoughtful gardener taking care of her beloved flowers, hoping to see them blossom most beautifully.

Iris sat motionless while her knight took care of her. She looked into Ludmint’s eyes, telling her to depart soon. Ludmint naturally complied. She was already late; the meeting might have already proceeded without her.

Lorient drew Iris’s hair to her face and caressed it. The strands twirled around her fingers and grazed her lips. As her flushes rose on her face, she took a light whiff of that floral scent and drew away her head. Her eyes peeked at her mistress, whose body was unmoving, mind unreadable.

Was that . . . silent permission? She . . . couldn’t bring herself to risk it. To tend to her sickly mistress was her duty; everything else was a mere indulgence.

“Mistress, is the temperature bearable?” Lorient skillfully unclothed her mistress, though her mind stayed steadfast, focused on any hint of discomfort. “Please rest for a moment. I’ll go prepare your cooling bath.”

“No.” Iris turned to her temporary maid. “We’ll go together. I shall lay in the bath and let the water slowly submerge me.”

“Such a dull wait isn’t worth—”

“My sickness is such that I should not be left alone, for even a slip of attention would prove harmful.”

“Could you not . . . rest at all?”

“Would I have bothered you otherwise?”

The chirpings of the birds echoed in this quiet morning. After Lorient finally bared her mistress naked, she embraced her mistress and lifted her up. The two made their way to the bathroom.

Lorient lay her mistress on the gradually filling bath. Cold water dripped from a pipe, making resounding noises that disrupted the tranquillity. It built up from merely hiding Iris’s bottom to tickling her waist. She shivered whenever water evaporated from her sweating flesh, feeling a wave of lightness subsiding her stiff posture.

While her Lorient washed her body and applied soap on her fair, snow-like skin, Iris sank herself into the bathtub. Her back touched its cold wall, and her arms rested on herself, occasionally held, washed, and wiped by her maid. She enjoyed every tickle, yet the weariness numbed her expression.

A forced smile manifested on her face, highlighting her bloodless feature, giving her an intense aura of desolation, of fragility. Her maid slowed her motion as if dealing with the feeblest sculpture of divine beauty.

This calming, rhythmic dripping touched her eyelids. She tilted down her head and slackened her arms. Her reflection in the rippling water grew muddled as she drowned herself inside her realm of consciousness.