Question: How does one become a champion?

The conventional approach: Work hard and master the skills.

The hero's approach: Grab the trophy and run.

"Servia, I think I might have misheard. Did you just say we're already engaged?" Xu Xi asked, bewildered.

He felt as though the endless night stretched before him.

Sleep had not yet claimed him, $2nd already, he was lost in a hazy dream.

"Of course, Lord Sorcerer."

Servia offered a gentle reminder: "Have you forgotten? In the last cycle, you already accepted my proposal."

"Whether in wealth or poverty."

"Whether in health or sickness."

"You promised to stay by my side in the days to come, and—"

The hero set down her cup and showed Xu Xi the ring on her left ring finger, her gaze clear and earnest. "At the time, you didn’t stop me from adjusting its position. Wasn’t that your silent agreement?"

Xu Xi was left speechless.

Servia continued, "Lord Sorcerer, please don’t worry. My father and mother are very kind."

"They just want to express their gratitude to you."

"Once we arrive in Clawphire, we’ll simply share a meal…"

The girl’s eyes flickered with restrained excitement as she laid out the arrangements for meeting her parents.

Meticulous.

Orderly.

It was clear she had prepared extensively for this very conversation tonight.

Moonlight streamed like silk through the tranquil night.

Tiny stars dotted the vast galaxy.

As one girl after another visited, time slipped unnoticed into the depths of the night.

The crackle of firecrackers grew sparse, and the howling wind and snow gradually subsided, leaving only a lone moon hanging in the vast sky.

Amidst this serenity, $2u Xi listened patiently to the hero’s plans.

Only when she finished did he gently ruffle Servia’s hair, his touch warm and tender.

"Servia."

"I’m here, Lord Sorcerer."

"Are you truly certain? I mean… you won’t regret this, will you?"

Xu Xi sought one final confirmation.

The hero answered swiftly—

so swiftly that it required no thought, as if the answer had long been settled in her heart.

"Of course, Lord Sorcerer."

Once the storm had passed, the warmth-preserving runes etched into the courtyard activated, melting the snow on the windows and allowing moonlight to spill into the room.

Pale moonlight mingled with the amber glow of lamplight, $2asting Servia’s emerald eyes into sharp relief.

"I want to be the one who protects you for a lifetime… to be your… [wife]."

"This isn’t an impulsive whim."

"Nor is it a hollow lie."

"In this cold, dark world, it was you who gave me the courage to move forward, to wield my sword and press on."

"You lit the way, banished the shadows, silenced the thunder…"

Servia lowered her gaze, $2taring at her unblemished hands, a serene smile gracing her lips.

"Lord Sorcerer, I’m grateful to you… and I love you."

"You rescued me when I was lost."

"You made me a true hero."

"You ensured I would never be alone again."

"But I’m not as noble as you believe. Because I… am selfish. Greedy."

The girl suddenly lifted her head, $2er eyes blazing with determination as she whispered:

"I’m not satisfied. Not at all. I don’t want to just be your hero."

"I want to love you."

"I want to marry you."

"I want to live as your wife, forever!"

Her fingertips pressed against her chest.

With a heart full of tension, Servia poured out every word in her soul—so fervent that her breath grew ragged, $2er body trembling faintly.

"I see…"

"I understand, Servia."

The night was silent.

But Servia’s voice brimmed with strength.

Nervous yet brave, courageous yet hesitant—as if she had reverted to her skeletal form, unable to meet Xu Xi’s gaze.

Yet to Xu Xi, this Servia was the most "heroic" of all.

Moonlight bathed the window, the floor, the girl’s face.

A face so bold, $2et so fragile in its yearning for security.

Xu Xi reached out, pinching Servia’s cheek lightly between his thumb and forefinger.

"That feeling… I’ve received it loud and clear."

"!!!"

The hero’s eyes sparkled.

Her earlier anxiety melted away, replaced by radiant joy.

"Really, Lord Sorcerer? Then let’s go to Clawphire right now!"

"W-Wouldn’t that be too rushed?"

"Not at all!" Servia tugged at Xu Xi’s arm, ready to whisk him away. "These things are best done without delay."

In that fleeting moment, $2u Xi sensed it—

Three restless auras in the corner of the room, on the verge of tearing through the fabric of space.

"Wait, Servia—"

Xu Xi moved to stop her, hoping to avert an unpleasant scene—be it three against one or four against one—but then, a new disruption erupted.

"I object to this!"

The voice arrived before its owner.

A cold, commanding tone swept in like a tidal wave, freezing the very flow of time.

And then, a formidable figure pushed open the door.

Moonlight caressed her face, $2er skin luminous as jade.

Standing at the threshold, she barred the hero’s path without a word.

Silence fell over the room.

Xu Xi was stunned. Servia frowned. The three hidden presences stilled.

Only Xu Moli remained unshaken.