CHAPTER 212: UNDER THE STARS

The city stretched endlessly beneath them, a sea of light spilling out into the horizon, the sky above littered with stars that shimmered faintly through the glass dome. The rooftop of the hotel was quiet, almost sacred in its stillness, as though the world itself had paused to witness this night.

Nero sat back in his chair, the taste of wine still lingering on his tongue, but his attention was wholly fixed on Khione. She had turned slightly, gazing out into the distance, her profile illuminated by both the city lights below and the soft glow of candles flickering at their table. Her expression was calm, as always—icy, untouchable—but there was something different in her eyes tonight. They were softer, warmer, as if a layer of frost had finally begun to thaw.

She didn’t notice his stare at first. Or maybe she did and simply chose not to acknowledge it. Her white hair, tied back in a ponytail, spilled across her shoulder, catching the light like spun silver. Her summer dress, simple yet elegant, swayed lightly as the rooftop breeze brushed past. Everything about her screamed distance and composure, and yet Nero could see the faintest tremor in her lashes as she blinked, as though part of her was fighting something within.

He felt his chest tighten. The silence between them wasn’t awkward. It was heavy, charged, alive. And it guided him—no plan, no thought, only instinct.

"Khione..." he whispered, her name escaping his lips more like a breath than a word.

She turned her head slightly, her ice-blue eyes meeting his. The moment they locked, the air seemed to still even further, as if the city, the stars, and even time itself had held their breath.

Nero leaned forward. Slowly, cautiously, as though afraid she might push him away. His hand reached across the small distance of the table, brushing against hers, fingers grazing hers lightly. Her body stiffened at the touch, but she didn’t pull back.

His face drew closer. Close enough that he could feel the faint chill of her breath against his lips.

Khione’s eyes widened, shock breaking through her usual composure. For a heartbeat, she looked ready to recoil, ready to freeze him with a glare or with ice itself. But then—something shifted. Her lips parted ever so slightly, and the tiniest hint of color flushed her pale cheeks.

The Ice Queen, caught off guard.

And Nero didn’t stop.

He closed the distance, his lips pressing against hers. Gently at first, testing, almost hesitant—as if he feared she might still pull away.

But she didn’t.

Her breath caught, her hands curled slightly, and for a moment she froze entirely... then, almost reluctantly, she gave in. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she leaned into him, answering his kiss with a soft, trembling one of her own.

It was nothing like Nero expected. Not cold, not distant—but warm. Tender. A fragile warmth buried beneath endless layers of ice, one he was sure very few, if any, had ever been allowed to touch.

The kiss lingered. Time stretched endlessly around them. The sounds of the city vanished, the flickering lights below blurred into nothing, and only the stars above remained to witness the scene.

When at last they parted, her lips glistened faintly under the starlight. Her breath was uneven, though she quickly tried to steady it. Her lashes lowered, and she refused to meet his gaze immediately, as if embarrassed by her own reaction.

Nero, however, simply smiled faintly, his voice low and teasing but laced with something far gentler.

"So... even the Ice Queen can melt."

Khione’s eyes flicked up, narrowing ever so slightly, though her flushed cheeks betrayed her. "Don’t... get ahead of yourself," she muttered, her tone quiet but sharp enough to cover her fluster.

He chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair, but his gaze never left her face. He had kissed her, and she hadn’t pushed him away. In fact, she had kissed him back. That alone was victory enough.

The rooftop remained silent again, but it was a different silence now—not distant, not cold, but shared, intimate, filled with the quiet heartbeat of something new, something fragile, something both of them had felt but neither had dared to voice until now.

Above them, the stars burned brighter, as though blessing the moment. Below, the city stretched endlessly, its lights alive with warmth and possibility.

Their relationship had progressed slowly, yet with undeniable certainty. Each shared moment, each wordless glance, carried weight that neither of them could ignore. For Khione, this was uncharted territory—it was the very first time she had experienced anything like this with a man. When Nero had first asked her out, she had only agreed with the intent to observe, to measure him, to see for herself if he was worth her attention. But now... something inside her had shifted.

That calm, rational voice in her mind—the one that had always kept her detached and controlled—was silenced by something deeper, warmer, whispering insistently: Now... now is the time.

She wanted to walk beside him, not just as a fellow fighter or comrade, but as a woman. With Nero, she wanted to learn things she had never allowed herself to dream of—the joy of being normal, of simply enjoying life... and perhaps, the joy of being a woman.

Her fingers curled slightly as she recalled their earlier kiss. The memory alone sent shivers down her spine, goosebumps rising along her pale skin. She had never known something as simple as lips brushing against lips could carry such intensity, such heat, such vulnerability. That one fleeting moment had left a mark, lingering in her body like fire beneath her veins. And now... she found herself yearning to try again.

But this time—she would not wait for him.

Khione turned to face Nero. Her ice-blue eyes, usually sharp and unyielding, softened. Before he could read her intent, before he could prepare himself, she leaned forward, closing the distance between them in a bold, deliberate motion.

Her lips pressed against his.

Nero froze for a moment, caught completely off guard. His crimson eyes widened, surprise flashing across his face. For once, the ever-confident knight seemed stunned into stillness.

But Khione didn’t falter. She deepened the kiss, her hand rising almost instinctively to rest against his chest. It wasn’t a timid touch—it was firm, claiming, full of quiet resolve. The cold queen, the untouchable beauty, was the one leading this time.

Heat flared instantly. What had begun as a test, an impulse, quickly became something more. The kiss grew fierce, filled with passion neither could contain. Her breath mingled with his, her body trembling not from fear but from exhilaration. She had never done this before, never allowed herself to, yet now it felt natural—as if she had been waiting for him all along.

Nero, recovering from his shock, responded in kind. His hand slipped behind her back, pulling her closer, and the pressure between them intensified. The world around them faded once again—the glittering stars above, the city lights below, the elegant rooftop—all dissolved into nothing but the fire and frost colliding in their kiss.

When they finally parted, their breaths came unsteady, their eyes locked, their foreheads nearly touching.

For once, Khione’s lips curved into the faintest smile—not cold, not mocking, but tender, vulnerable, almost shy despite her boldness.

Nero looked at her, still stunned, still trying to process what had just happened. And then he laughed softly, shaking his head as though defeated.

"You really are dangerous," he murmured.

Khione tilted her head slightly, her voice low, her breath brushing his lips.

"Then don’t hold back... keep up with me."

The night stretched above them, infinite and jeweled with stars. The rooftop’s glass floor reflected both the constellations and the faint city lights below, so it felt as if they were floating between two skies—one above, one beneath. Time seemed suspended in that space, caught between silence and the echo of their racing hearts.

Khione lingered close, her breath mingling with Nero’s, the coolness of her aura clashing with the lingering warmth of his. The kiss they had just shared had not been simple curiosity—it had awakened something that refused to be suppressed. Her body still trembled faintly, her lips tingled with the memory of his, and the icy queen who had always moved with discipline now felt her control slipping in ways she didn’t hate.

Nero, too, was caught in that moment. He went many things, faced death and monsters without flinching, but here... with her so close, so daring, he found himself almost unsteady. Her boldness had shaken him, made him feel alive in a way no clash of swords ever had.

Guided by instinct, by the pull he could no longer deny, he lifted a hand and brushed his fingers against her cheek. Her skin was soft, cool like porcelain kissed by winter air. Khione’s lashes fluttered, but she didn’t shy away. If anything, she leaned into his touch.