[Mother…] Lory gasped and blinked a few times to clear her eyesight. There was a grey sheet above her head that looked familiar. It seemed she was inside a tent. She wondered if she on a quest or beast subjugation but she didn't remember taking a guild job and she did not understand why her whole body was sore.
Lory turned her head to the side and was stunned by the sight of the man sleeping next to her. She was not shocked that there was a strange man beside her, she was simply surprised by his handsomeness which made him seem surreal. He had well-defined cheekbones, thin lips, a pointed nose, thick and long eyelashes. He was as beautiful as a painting. She could stare at his for ages without being bored.
?
His eyelashes fluttered and his dark onyx eyes opened slowly. She unconsciously blushed as he looked at her warmly.
"You are awake. Are you still hurting?" He asked with concern.
"Zhao…Li Xin?" Lory murmured.
He chuckled lightly and gently tucked her hair behind her ears, "What's wrong? You didn't recognize me?"
His words brought back her memories. She was inside the ancient tomb and had been dodging and fighting beasts for a few days. This was something she could never have dreamed of before she arrived in this world. Lory pinched her temples as the rush of memories slightly made her dizzy.
"Are you alright? Let me call Jin Hao right away!" Zhao Li Xin quickly rose from the mattress but Lory abruptly held his sleeve.
"I'm fine, don't worry!" She forced a smile. Zhao Li Xin took in her frail look and could not bear to leave her alone.
He dropped back on the mattress to accompany her. Lory pulled him to her side and snuggled into his embrace. Being close to him always made her calm as she didn't need to think too much. She placed her face on his chest as she made herself more comfortable.
Zhao Li Xin's heart raced as she did all this. Lory was only wrapped by a gauze because her wounds were all over her body. She was almost completely naked. He felt excited as he lived in a world where women were not allowed to even expose their bare feet to a man, not even a family member. However, he also knew Lory did not have the intention to seduce him as she looked overwhelmed by something else. He felt sad for her but still...
Her body was too much of a temptation for a healthy twenty-five-year-old man. What stopped him was the fact she was not well and they were still inside the tomb. The location won't have bothered him but her wellbeing was his priority.
"What's wrong? Another nightmare?" Zhao Li Xin caressed her head.
Lory nodded. Her mother's health had deteriorated when she was a child. The news released to the public said the queen was sick but the truth was the queen used all her mana to mark Lory. Lory had not known this and her father never told her. The dream revelation left her with so many questions about the mysterious bluebell flower marks that always appeared whenever she reacted to the curse. Was her mother trying to protect her from the curse? What was the connection between the bluebell flower and her mother as the flower was a druid priestess insignia? Were the druids also connected to her mother. Sadly, there was no one to answer her questions.
She had too many unanswered questions whenever the past revealed itself to her. How many secrets did they hide from her and for what reason? Lory sighed. It was exhausting to think. She inhaled the familiar agarwood and pine scent and her mind slowly calmed. However, the man was not calmed by her closeness.
"Ehm… Ri...Ri Yi, you need to put on your clothes. It is too cold in here," Zhao Li Xin averted his eyes from her as he pushed her lightly. The fire within him was torturous.
"Oh, yes. Sorry…" Lory was dejected. Zhao Li Xin had never pushed her away. She wondered if she had done something wrong.
"No. it's not like that…" Zhao Li Xin felt guilty when he saw her sad expression as he hadn't meant to hurt her. However, he also did not know how to explain to her what the problem was since he didn't understand it himself. All he knew was his lower body part reacted fiercely to her almost naked body.
"Man and woman should not be together…and your body is still wounded…you are not wearing clothes and I'm a man…so…" His words were a mess. His expressionless face slightly turned red and Lory finally understood what he meant.
Apart from the gauze covering her wounds, Lory only had a blanket to cover herself. She had not thought it was wrong as the only person to see her was the man she loved. His perplexed look reminded her she was in a different world with strict customs.
"Once I announce your position as my wife to the Hei Shen Sect and your body is healed, I would definitely do the deed," Zhao Li Xin said with confidence.
"Wait… What?" She did not remember saying anything about marriage. She had grown up with a widower father who was never involved with another woman after her mother's death.
The other adults around her also didn't have stable relationships. The Archknight invested all their lives and time to the king and many didn't get married. Those who had children were mostly unplanned illegitimate children Fredhard. Fredhard's father, Stephan, had a child from his on and off relationship with his long-time girlfriend.
There was no difference between illegitimate and legitimated children in Harland. Most people didn't blame the children for being born or their mothers. They would instead blame the father for being a scum if he was not in the picture. It was also normal for unmarried couples to have children and fathers were obligated to pay child support.
Most women in Harland were also independent and could raise their own children without a man's interference. It was up to the mother to choose if the man could be part of her life or not. The equal position between men and women made marriage an option and not an obligation. It was not weird for powerful women to choose not to marry.
Lory's view on marriage was different because she was raised with Archknights and relationships were not a priority to them. No one even mentioned the word marriage to the young and teenage Lory. Women in Harland also married in their late twenties and Harland never used political marriage as a tool. This meant Lory was not pressed to marry for the kingdom's benefit.
Although Lory loved Zhao Li Xin, she thought being married before twenty was too soon. She also had many questions that needed answers not to mention the curse in her body. Getting married was the last thing she needed at the moment.
"Let's…let's talk about this later," Lory smiled wryly and Zhao Li Xin didn't miss the panic in her eyes. It annoyed him.
"You seem to disagree. You don't want to marry me?" Zhao Li Xin was dissatisfied. He never showed her his anger before so his reaction worried Lory.
"It's not like that… It is just too soon, isn't it?" Lory tried to make an excuse.
"I'm twenty-five and you are almost eighteen. Most women would have had two children at your age. We have also lived together for almost a year. Which part is too soon for you?" Zhao Li Xin challenged her excuse.
Lory forgot the different mindset between this world and her world. In this world, marriage brought glory to a woman and status to her family. Her position in society was also based on her husband's excellent position. An unmarried woman would bring bad luck and shame to her family.
The concept was as different as heaven and earth when compared to her world. Lory was tongue-tied when she realized she could not use the time excuse in this world. Zhao Li Xin wanted to push her away in his anger but he didn't have the heart to do it when he saw the panic on her face.
He sighed, "We won't get married right away but I at least must announce you are my fiancée. It would ruin your reputation if I don't do it and people might think you are my concubine or bed warmer. How could I let them degrade you?"
His explanation made her feel more guilty as he was doing it her own good. It was not only her reputation that will be ruined by this but his reputation will too. People killed to protect their reputation in this world and she knew he worried about her.
"Li Xin, trust me when I say it has got nothing to do with my feelings for you. There is a lot on my plate right now and there are certain things I need to be clear about first. I can't blindly involve you in something dangerous. I also have so much to tell you but I don't even know where's to begin... so can you wait a little longer?" Lory held his hand as he begged him to understand her.
"I don't mind the danger and you know how my life is," Zhao Li Xin casually said.
"But I do. I can't let anything happen to you!" Lory insisted. She didn't want to lose anyone anymore. She didn't think she would survive if she was experience loss again.
Her persistence gave him no leeway and he could only give in to her once again, "Okay. I'll wait for you. You don't need to worry about that. I also can wait for the secret you wish to tell me."
"Thank you," Lory was relieved and grateful for his patience. A man like Zhao Li Xin was rare to find even in Harland. She felt lucky to have met him and be loved by him.
Zhao Li Xin sighed again. His eyes moved to her chest. "Ri Yi, can you now wear clothes? It is getting harder for me to control myself."
Her blanket had fallen to her waist as she was frantic before. Her chest was only covered by the gauze. She pulled the blanket to her chest and smiled shyly, "Sorry, my mistake."
"I'll wait outside," Zhao Li Xin calmly left the tent yet something at the back of his head nagged him. He was puzzled as to when his little savior's body matured. Her appearance was quite modest when he first met her but she had changed so much in a short period.
What he didn't know was Lory had reduced the potency of the shapeshifter spell on herself since she moved in with Zhao Li Xin. This was because she no longer felt threatened enough to hide all the time. Reducing the shapeshifter spell had a good outcome as it lifted a significant amount of pressure from her curse. Eating well and living in a better environment also played a part in her body changes.
Visit freewe𝑏nov(e)l.𝗰𝐨𝐦 for the 𝑏est n𝘰vel reading experience