Chapter 1000: A Sweet Night ( 1000 )

When Javier arrived at the estate, he noticed the patrols riding their pekkos, keeping watch around the Armand grounds.

At the gate, the Armand Elite Knights stood at their posts, vigilant in the moonlight. As soon as they saw Javier, they straightened up instantly.

"Prince Javier. We’re all glad you arrived safely," Lozan called out.

Javier grinned. "Aw, come on, Lozan. At ease, everyone. It’s not like you’re new here." He chuckled, shaking his head. "You’ve all been with us since before I was even born, serving Armand back when our house was still just baron rank."

Lozan rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish grin.

"Come on, Prince, you know how strict His Majesty is. And if General Hesbeirn, Sir Alf, or Mrs. Erinette saw us slacking off around the King’s sons... we’d be in trouble. Rules are rules."

Javier just laughed. "Alright, alright. If you all insist. Have you eaten?"

"Yes, Young..." Lozan caught himself, almost saying young master out of habit. He cleared his throat." Your Highness. We’ve all eaten. As usual, we can just head to the kitchen if we’re hungry." He grinned, then glanced around in panicked and placed his fist over his chest while the others followed suit.

Javier raised an eyebrow, still smiling. "Alright, alright. If I stick around too long, you’ll all get restless, worrying about protocol and keeping up appearances. I’ll head in now."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Javier nudged Buddy forward through the gates.

He looked around, taking in the quiet night. "Looks like everyone’s already asleep."

"Buddy?"

"Cuquawked?"

"Let’s head to the pekko pen."

"Cuquawked!!"

Once Javier arrived at the pekko pen, he climbed down and gave Buddy’s huge body a firm, grateful pat.

"Alright, big guy. Go join the others."

"Cuquawked!!" Buddy squawked and nuzzled his head against Javier.

"Alright, alright! I’ll give you plenty of meat tomorrow, okay?" Javier laughed, running his hand over the Pekko’s smooth feathers. "Extra. A whole roast. I promise."

"Cuquawked!" Buddy puffed out his chest, gave a final, smug squawk, and trotted proudly toward the other pekkos.

Javier smiled, then glanced toward his personal workshop next to the pen.

Well... this month will be busy, but maybe I can find some spare time to tinker in the workshop tomorrow.

As he finished admiring his workshop, he turned and stopped in surprise.

Liana was standing a short distance away, her hands clasped gently in front of her, wearing a beautiful nightdress that shimmered softly in the moonlight.

"Welcome back, young master." Liana smiled and offered a graceful bow.

"Liana? You’re still up?"

"Mmm... I was waiting for you, young master."

Javier sighed, but his smile was warm. "You know you don’t have to wait up for me."

Liana shook her head, her smile gentle. "No... I will always wait for you, young master."

Javier crossed the space between them and pulled Liana into a soft embrace.

She smiled, wrapping her arms around him. When they parted, Javier leaned down, and Liana looked up into his eyes. Slowly, their lips met in a tender, heartfelt kiss.

Liana’s eyes slowly closed as she returned the kiss, her chest warming. Her hand moved to clutch the fabric of Javier’s shirt over his heart.

She felt his tongue slowly meet hers and leaned up further, locking their lips into a deeper, more passionate kiss.

A tear traced from the corner of her closed eye.

I love you, young master.

My love for you will never fade.

Even if we are different races...

Even if you are only human...

I will love only you.

In my heart, there is only you.

She tightened her grip on his shirt, holding him close, letting the kiss say everything she couldn’t.

Javier could feel the softness of her lips, the faint tremble in her hands where they rested against his chest.

The kiss was sweet. And he could feel how Liana poured her feeling into it, every year of waiting, every quiet glance, every unspoken promise.

When they parted, their foreheads touched, and Javier saw a tear trace from the corner of her eye.

He raised his thumb and gently brushed it away.

"You’re crying?" he whispered, his eyes still holding hers.

Liana shook her head slowly, a soft smile gracing her lips.

"Mm... no. I’m just happy... to see you again. To kiss you again. To be with you again."

"Really?" Javier whispered, gazing at how beautiful Liana’s smile was in the moonlight.

"Mm... really." Liana kept her eyes locked on his, her expression graceful, elegant, and soft.

Javier’s hand slowly settled at her waist.

Liana smiled and gently linked her hands on his shoulder.

He guided her gently, turning them in a slow sway under the stars, their bodies naturally falling into rhythm.

The whisper of the night breeze and the distant chirp of garden crickets were their only music.

Javier and Liana held each other’s gaze, smiling as they danced without a word.

After a moment, Javier whispered, "Do you want music?"

Liana kept her eyes on his, smiled, and gently shook her head.

"Mm... no. I love this. I just need you."

"If you say so," Javier smiled.

They kept dancing.

Slowly, the air around them began to glow with soft, floating lights, shimmering in time with their gentle sway.

The world around them grew beautiful, wrapped in a quiet, magical haze.

Javier smiled when Liana glanced around, her eyes wide with wonder.

"Do you like it?" he whispered.

"You did all this?" Liana smiled again, her voice full of warmth.

"Mm... I did it for you."

"Thank you," Liana murmured, her voice low and soft.

Javier leaned down once more and closed the space between their lips, kissing her again in the glow of the lights he’d made just for her.

Meanwhile, on the balcony of Javier’s room...

"Nya!!! Lucky Liana! She gets all the attention from our husband!" Mimi puffed out her cheeks, her tail swaying in restless arcs.

Felicia sighed, her chin resting in her palm as she watched the distant, glowing dance from afar. "Liana always knew how to make our husband melt into her..."

Delya hugged Javier’s pillow, resting her chin on it as she gazed dreamily at the scene below. "I’m going to ask Danna-sama for a romantic moment too~"

Gloria just smiled, adjusting her glasses with a knowing glint. "Ara~ No wonder Liana didn’t wake me up."

Mimi huffed. "Let’s go down there, nya!"

But Gloria shook her head gently, her gaze softening as she glanced at each of them.

"No... let’s let Liana have her moment. Among all of us, she’s been with him the longest, his first love, and he was hers. She’s waited for this... let her have her sweet night."

( End Of Chapter )