Disbelief froze Lily's mind as she stared at him at the mention of her having a talent, until it was finally proven true when she summoned the Windbreath Hound, a real beast answering her call.

"Lunaria… I am glad I have you to remind me of such a sweet memory," she murmured softly.

Her heart overflowed with emotions she couldn't put into words as she finally confessed to Leo.

To her surprise, he did the same.

They kissed that morning, long and lingering, neither of them wanting to pull away. Even then, it wasn't enough for her. She could feel Leo's nervousness, mirroring her own, but together they explored that unfamiliar territory for the first time.

And she was happy.

Extremely happy.

Leo himself was a complete newbie, awkwardly trying to replicate what little he had seen online. Somehow, it worked wonders with Lily, and the two of them ended up enjoying each other far more than either had expected.

Lily had waited for years—long before her parents' death—and she had wanted Leo all that time. When he didn't reciprocate her feelings, she had convinced herself that she had to make him do so. That conviction slowly took root in her heart.

Because of this, an entirely new persona began to surface within her. One that wanted to isolate him from outside influence and make his attention hers alone. One who believed any action was justified, as long as it kept him close. She pushed herself to extremes she thought were necessary, but the results were always the opposite of what she wanted, leaving her increasingly frustrated.

All of that frustration, however, was washed away on the very night that followed their kiss that morning.

Now that she knew she, too, had the potential to grow strong and stand beside Leo, her mental state reached its peak. The weight she had carried for so long vanished in an instant. She couldn't stop herself from jumping onto him—taking his virginity while giving her own to him in return.

She saw how earnestly Leo tried during their intimacy, how careful and attentive he was, and she resolved to give him nothing less in return. She tried every method she had ever learned or overheard from others, every fragment of knowledge she had picked up over the years. She even disregarded the pain of her first time, focusing entirely on pleasing Leo—on making sure his eyes never strayed from her.

And she succeeded.

Later, she learned that they had formed the sacred soul bond with one another—something that could only occur when two people loved each other deeply. Information on such bonds was scarce, but among young girls, the topic was hot and whispered about with reverence and fascination. Even though Lily had spent most of her youth chasing after Leo instead of building friendships, she still understood just how important a soul bond was to a couple.

It was then that the strange persona within her finally began to subside.

She was certain now—certain that Leo loved her enough for such a bond to form between them. That realization soothed her mind to an extreme degree, easing fears she hadn't even realized were suffocating her.

But it never truly disappeared.

Whenever Leo was hurt—whenever someone threatened him or their relationship—that same urge stirred quietly within her.

If the world hurts him, then the world is the problem.

If someone tries to take him away, they simply shouldn't exist near him.

Keep him secure at all costs.

And Finally—

As long as he's safe with me… nothing else matters.

Everything was going great. They were becoming strong together, loving together, their bond growing deeper with each passing day. So much so that they even began sensing each other's emotions. And those emotions—pure, untainted love—made Lily fall for Leo more and more, until the other side of her persona faded away completely.

She was certain now. Certain that Leo loved her just as deeply as she loved him. There was no longer any need for her to constantly watch over him. Added to that was the fact that Leo had grown strong enough to handle the entire city on his own. She was carefree, happy, wholly devoted to him—

Until the goat-horn demon nearly killed him right in front of her.

The sight of his heart being pierced was horrifying. Worse still was the realization that she hadn't been able to save him—hadn't even been able to throw herself in the path of the attack. The helplessness gnawed at her relentlessly. Her heart twisted in inexplicable agony as the same thoughts replayed over and over in her mind.

I was right there… and I was still too weak.

If I had been stronger, this would never have happened.

They dared to touch him.

So I'll erase everything that threatens him.

Just then, she felt Leo's presence within the city—closing in on her at a rapid pace.

She shot to her feet, hands trembling only for a moment as she carefully packed the box away. After securing it, she rushed outside without hesitation.

The moment she stepped out, they came face to face.

Leo's eyes lit up with pure happiness as he closed the distance and pulled her into a tight embrace. Lily immediately returned the hug, tightening her arms around his chest as they shared the warmth of the moment.

But something was wrong.

She felt his weight sag unnaturally against her.

"Leo, what happened—!" she gasped, trying to pull back, only for him to lose balance completely and collapse forward, his face falling against her big, soft chest.

He had fallen asleep.

The exhaustion of the past month had finally caught up to him.

A warm smile bloomed on Lily's face as she steadied him, gently supporting his weight as she carried him back inside the inn. At the same time, Miho hurried down the stairs, having seen Lily rush out earlier.

"Miho," Lily said calmly but firmly, "could you book us a new room with a large double bed? Leo is exhausted… and I want to take care of him."

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A/N: Sorry for the long recap session. But I think this was necessary from Lily's POV.

Merry Christmas.

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