"Aiyo, Little Flower, you don't have to do that." Grandmaster Wei halted his second disciple from clearing the table. "Let your Senior Brother and betrothed clean them."

Said duo snapped their attention to the elderly man. When his words registered in their brains, Death groaned childishly while Ethan nodded in acquiesce. ​​

He gathered the dirty dishes, pushed some onto the albino's arms, and grabbed him by the back of his collar, dragging him towards the kitchen.

"He's very obliging, that betrothed of yours." Grandmaster Wei sighed. He was hoping to hear a protest or even a tiny bit of reaction from Ethan.

Apparently, he was one tough nut to crack. Several schemes stirred up inside the master's mind; taxing chores he would make Ethan do tomorrow before sunlight hits the earth.

Why did the master make it sound like it's a bad thing? Lillie wasn't certain, but she suddenly felt sorry for Ethan.

"Should we leave those two and retire for the night, Little Flower?"

"If master doesn't mind, I would like to wait for Ethan."

"Hm, suit yourself. But remember what I told you two earlier..." Grandmaster Wei's face then contorted into a stern visage.

"Master, we're not children anymore." Lillie softly conjured up to her resolute master.

"No, no! I will not let any beast trample you! Even when I choke up and die, my volition shall be passed down to your good-for-nothing senior brother!"

Lillie glued her mouth shut of the truth for the sake of preventing Ethan's untimely death and not giving her master a heart attack.

***

Lanterns and light post illuminated the garden. The storm has long since past with only a few remnants of raindrops dripping on the roofs, creating a soft, pitter-patter sound.

Standing by the edge of the porch's rails, Lillie and Ethan enjoyed each other's presence the best they could with the cool, after-storm breeze, the not-so-quiet night, and the moderately flooded garden.

After Ethan and her Senior Brother were done cleaning, she shooed the latter away like a stray cat, and lead the former en route for the porch where they could get the best view of the night sky and the garden.

"The storm battered the garden quite harshly, hasn't it? I was really looking forward to spending some time strolling around with you."

"It'll be prettier again tomorrow." Lillie reassured him. "The people assigned in taking care of it will come to clean it up."

Ethan was standing behind her. His arms wrapped around her waist and his chin resting on the crown of her head. Lillie felt his head bobbing as he nod.

"I'll take you to a trip around the Academy tomorrow, if you'd like. There are places I would like to show you that I visit often when I wanted to be alone and enjoy the scenery."

"I would love that very much." Ethan replied without hesitation. "No matter where the place you take me, as long as I'm with you, I'm bound to enjoy every single moment of it."

"Diligently doing your research, I see. You're getting better with your sweet talks."

"No research required. I'm simply speaking for what my heart tells me." Ethan nestled his nose onto her hair, inhaling the sweet scent of vanilla and lavender that came from her shampoo—

Ethan froze, then cringed when he recalled to have smelled the exact fragrance from the white-haired menace.

Because of his sensitive nose, he can also tell that he used the same soap as Lillie!

Ethan silently cursed Death. Knowing him, he must've done it on purpose to aggravate him.

However, if you place the two sibling disciples together and make him wear a blindfold to search for his wife just by her scent alone, he's certain to ace it with flying colors.

The answer how is unclear even for him. There's just this unexplainable scent that he can smell only from Lillie. Maybe it's her natural, feminine scent?

But, Ethan has been exposed to many scent—especially perfume—that women he interacts with emits. Yet, non had the ability to make Ethan want to smell it again, yearn for it, nor calm him.

Aiyo, the love experts must be having an internal war going on through their heads right now.

Unbeknownst to Ethan, the answer is simple; he's just head-over-heels in love.

Then, later when they all retreated to their own bedrooms, he will be tested on how much he could endure being separated from her during every night of their stay in the Academy.

"I hate this." He grumbled, his voice muffled by her hair.

Comprehending what he was pertaining, a sigh extruded from her lips in a silent agreement.

Likewise, she had been used of having Ethan beside her before she closes her eyes for the night, then open to wake up the next day.

Lillie was no longer certain if she was used of sleeping alone again. Because ever since she and Ethan started sleeping together, sleep was nothing but peaceful.

And when she wakes up the next morning, she felt complete and well-rested like never before.