Tock. Tock. Tock.
A series of soft knocks echoed through the quiet room.
"Sir Chen, may I come in?" Celestia's voice carried through the door, pulling Chen Fan out of his meditation. His cultivation had been deep, and as he opened his eyes, he noticed the golden hues of the rising sun filtering through the window. He had unknowingly spent the entire morning cultivating.
Without delay, he rose from his seated position and walked to the door, pulling it open to find Celestia standing there. She was still dressed in the same uniform from the previous night, her expression tinged with exhaustion.
"Come in," Chen Fan invited, stepping aside to let her enter.
"Thank you, Sir Chen," she murmured, dipping her head in gratitude before stepping inside.
Chen Fan gestured toward the bed, offering her a seat. She hesitated briefly, then awkwardly settled onto the edge of the mattress, exhaling softly as she tried to steady herself. Meanwhile, he took a seat on the chair across from her, studying her worn-out appearance.
After a brief silence, Celestia bowed deeply, much lower than before.
"Thank you, Sir Chen. Truly, from the bottom of my heart… thank you," she said earnestly. "Because of you, we managed to prevent an even greater disaster. I cannot express how grateful I am."
As Chen Fan had predicted, the demons, realizing they would inevitably be discovered, had chosen to go on the offensive. Throughout the night and into the early morning, battles had erupted across the kingdom. Even now, the fighting had yet to be fully suppressed. The reports were staggering—over ten thousand demons had been uncovered within the kingdom, and more than a thousand lives had already been lost in the ensuing chaos.
Had he not uncovered their presence when he did, the consequences would have been far worse. At best, the kingdom would have suffered catastrophic damage. At worst, they might have been struck down in a moment of critical vulnerability, their defenses compromised beyond repair.
In many ways, Chen Fan had become the kingdom's savior.
Despite this, he let out a small sigh and shook his head.
"It's fine," he replied calmly. "Rather than thanking me, I should be the one apologizing for making such a rushed decision. If we had handled the situation more carefully, the number of casualties might have been lower." As he spoke, he bowed his head slightly in regret.
"No, no! Please don't say that," Celestia quickly interjected, shaking her head. "If it weren't for you, Sir Chen, we wouldn't have even known about the demons at all. And even after we pulled you into this mess, you still chose to save us." Her hands clenched tightly against her lap, and her voice wavered slightly. "If anything, we're the ones who should be apologizing to you."
Then, as if steeling herself, she looked him in the eye.
"If there is anything you want—anything at all—please tell me. We will do our best to grant it, Sir Chen."
Chen Fan remained silent for a moment, studying her carefully. The determination in her voice was clear, but beneath it, he could see the exhaustion weighing her down. Her face, though resolute, bore the marks of sleepless nights. She was around his age, yet she was already burdened with such heavy responsibilities.
He let out a quiet sigh.
"Well, since you're offering, I do have one request," he finally said.
Celestia's expression brightened slightly, her eyes filled with expectation.
"Just tell me, Sir Chen. Whatever it is, I will do my best to fulfill it," she assured him.
"Then… go to sleep," he said simply.
Celestia blinked, momentarily stunned.
"S-Sleep?" she echoed in disbelief, as if she hadn't heard him correctly.
"Yes," Chen Fan affirmed. "You need to rest. If you keep pushing yourself like this, it will only cause more problems later. You're already exhausted, aren't you?"
"But there's no time to sleep," she protested, her voice rising slightly before she caught herself. "Ah—I'm sorry. I didn't mean to raise my voice…"
"It's fine," Chen Fan said, unfazed. "But that's exactly why you need to rest. If you continue leading the kingdom in this condition, without being at your best, do you truly believe you'll make the best decisions? Or… are you saying that you have so little trust in your subordinates—your father, your retainers—that you feel the need to handle everything alone?"
"I—" Celestia opened her mouth to argue, but the words caught in her throat.
Ever since she had discovered how deeply the demons had infiltrated their lands, sleep had become a distant thought. Her mind refused to rest, constantly racing through the endless possibilities of what could go wrong. What if, while she slept, the demon army infiltrated the palace? What if another sudden attack broke out? While her people were still fighting for their lives, how could she possibly allow herself the luxury of rest?
"Tell me," Chen Fan asked, his gaze steady. "When was the last time you slept?"
Celestia hesitated, trying to recall—but no answer came to mind. Each night had blurred into the next, filled with endless strategizing, revising battle plans, and reviewing reports. Too much was at stake, and the thought of closing her eyes, even for a moment, felt like a betrayal to those who had already lost their lives.
"You told me you would grant my request," Chen Fan reminded her. "Was that just an empty promise?"
Celestia flinched slightly, guilt flashing across her face.
"But… there's no benefit in this for you," she murmured, still reluctant to accept.
"There is," Chen Fan countered without hesitation. "If I have to watch one of the kingdom's key figures make decisions while running on sheer exhaustion, how could I possibly rest easy?"
Celestia bit her lip, still torn between responsibility and self-preservation.
"But—"
"Haah…" Chen Fan let out a deep sigh, shaking his head as he watched her struggle. "You're really stubborn, aren't you?"
"Then… what about my request yesterday? The one about meeting the commander?"
"Ah, that's already been approved," she informed him. "You now have permission to enter almost every part of the kingdom."
"I see," Chen Fan nodded. "Thanks for that."
"There's no need to thank me. It's only natural for us to grant it," Celestia responded with a faint smile. She then seemed to realize that the conversation had veered away from the topic of sleep. Taking this as an opportunity, she subtly stood up, intending to leave. However, before she could take a step, she felt a firm yet gentle tug on her wrist, pulling her back.
"Where do you think you're going?" Chen Fan's voice carried a teasing lilt, his lips curving into a smile.
Celestia let out an awkward laugh, avoiding his gaze. "I-I still have some things to attend to, so I will excuse myself first," she said, trying to sound confident.
"Sit," Chen Fan commanded, still smiling. Yet, despite the curve of his lips, his eyes held an unmistakable firmness that sent a chill down Celestia's spine. Instinctively, she gulped and obeyed, settling back into her seat.
"Hand over the documents you were planning to review," he ordered.
"Eh?" Celestia blinked in surprise.
"I have the right to know about the war situation now, don't I?" Chen Fan continued. "After all, the sooner we defeat the Demon King, the sooner I can figure out how to return home. So don't tell me it has nothing to do with me."
Celestia hesitated, her fingers twitching slightly as if debating whether or not to comply. But after meeting Chen Fan's unwavering gaze, she let out a soft sigh and retrieved the documents from her storage ring, handing them over to him.
"Now, get some rest while I read this," he instructed. "I'll ask you about it later."
"But—"
"Hm?" Chen Fan's smile deepened slightly, his expression carrying a subtle warning.
Celestia stiffened. She knew that look—he wasn't going to let her get away so easily. With her gaze shifting toward the bed, she swallowed nervously, her face growing warm.
"Why? Is it disgusting to sleep in my bed?" Chen Fan asked, tilting his head slightly.
"N-No! Not at all!" Celestia quickly shook her head, as if to dispel any misunderstanding. To prove her point, she hurriedly climbed onto the bed—only to realize, belatedly, just how impulsive her actions had been. The unfamiliar scent of the blankets, the warmth of the fabric, the realization that this was his bed—it all made her face flush even more.
She curled her fingers slightly against the sheets, sneaking a glance at Chen Fan. Yet, instead of paying her any attention, he was already engrossed in the documents, his expression serious.
A comfortable silence settled between them.
"It's okay to trust others, you know?" Chen Fan suddenly spoke, his voice calm yet firm.
Celestia instinctively turned her head away, avoiding his gaze. But he continued anyway.
"Just like how you care for your people, it's okay to believe that they care for you too. After all, you wouldn't be fighting so hard to protect them if you didn't think they were worth saving, right?"
Celestia remained silent for a long moment before finally whispering, "But even now, the knights are still fighting on the battlefield, constantly facing the fear of death. The citizens live in terror, knowing the Demon King could strike at any moment… How can I allow myself rest when they're suffering like this?"
Chen Fan glanced at the documents again before responding, "If you continue to show such an exhausted and weakened expression, it'll only add to their burdens. Your citizens, your vassals, your family—they'll start worrying about you on top of everything else."
His gaze softened slightly. "Where I come from, I have a similar enemy—just like the one you face now."
Celestia turned her head toward him, sensing something deeper behind his words. Almost unconsciously, she asked, "Aren't you scared? Or anxious, knowing he could appear at any moment?"
Chen Fan met her tired gaze and smirked. "Of course, I'm scared," he admitted casually. "I mean, until recently, I was just training in the mountains, minding my own business. And now, I have to deal with some thousand-year-old weirdo who's obsessed with my body."
Celestia blinked before a small giggle escaped her lips. "Heh… he sounds like a pervert."
Chen Fan chuckled as well, noting how she seemed a little more at ease now. Maybe this was what his future would be like—endless training, relentless strategizing, constantly trying to stay one step ahead of the Blood King's attacks.
"But you know," he mused, his tone lighter now, "despite all the struggles you face, it's okay to enjoy life sometimes. Spend time doing things you like. Be around people you like. Don't let your entire existence revolve around those you hate."
Celestia listened in silence.
"I mean, isn't it frustrating?" Chen Fan added with a grin. "The Demon King and the Blood King are probably lounging around somewhere, enjoying themselves, while we're the ones exhausting ourselves, wasting all our time and energy thinking about them."
He suddenly frowned. "Wait. That sounded weird."
Celestia giggled again, covering her mouth slightly.
Chen Fan chuckled before continuing. "What I'm trying to say is… it's okay to be a little selfish sometimes. Just like you care for them, trust that they care for you too."
Celestia hesitated for a moment before finally voicing the question weighing on her mind. "What about you?" she asked, her voice quieter than before. "Do you… hate me? After everything, after dragging you into danger when you were already dealing with your own troubles?"
The moment the words left her lips, she realized her mistake. A wave of anxiety washed over her, and she instinctively looked at Chen Fan, bracing herself for his response.
Chen Fan let out a small sigh, his expression unreadable. "Well, at first, I did find it annoying," he admitted. "Being thrown into an unfamiliar place and forced to deal with all this on top of everything else…"
His words made her heart tighten, an uncomfortable feeling settling in her chest. But before she could dwell on it, he continued.
"But," he said with a small chuckle, "it's not all bad. Thanks to being here, we learned about Wang Yue's condition. That alone makes it worthwhile. And besides… there are things here that have caught my curiosity, things I want to figure out. So, in a way, I see this as an opportunity rather than just a burden."
Celestia watched him, her emotions in turmoil. But when he turned to her with a teasing glint in his eyes, her breath hitched.
"Besides, this has given me a chance to catch my breath," he added. "To clear my mind and reorganize my thoughts about the mess in my own world. So, if anything, I should be the one thanking you."
She opened her mouth to protest—to say something about how much trouble she had caused him or how much he had helped them—but Chen Fan cut her off before she could get the words out.
"I already told you, didn't I?" he said, a knowing smirk on his lips. "Learn to trust others a little. Even though we got off to a rough start—built on misunderstandings—I can say this for sure now." He met her gaze, his voice turning softer but firmer.
"I do like you, you know. And that means, like it or not, I'm one of the people who cares about you."
Celestia stared at him, dazed.
Something in her heart cracked just a little—like the weight she had been carrying for so long had finally loosened. The sleepless nights, the relentless anxiety, the unshakable sense of duty… for a fleeting moment, all of it faded.
Right now, she wasn't thinking about the future.
She wasn't trapped in the past.
She was simply here, in this moment.
And the only thing occupying her thoughts was the man sitting before her.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Her heartbeat quickened. Heat crept up her cheeks, and before she realized it, she turned her back to Chen Fan, curling slightly under the blankets.
Chen Fan glanced at her, noting the thick layers of her clothing. With a flick of his fingers, he subtly lowered the temperature in the room before pulling a blanket over her.
Then, without another word, he turned back to the documents.
Pages filled with information—chronologies of demon appearances, their classifications, their numbers, the extent of their infiltration, potential locations for future attacks, battlefield reports, casualty counts, food distribution records—everything painted a grim picture. The situation was deteriorating over time.
After a while, Chen Fan glanced at Celestia. Her body had slowly relaxed, her breathing even and steady.
She had finally fallen asleep.
A quiet chuckle escaped him before he turned back to the documents, continuing his reading through the night.