After my meeting with the lords, I felt drained and eagerly left the room, along with Aria, Leona, and Brenna, while the lords headed over to their boardroom up on the seventh floor of the administration building to discuss their plan with the ministers of the kingdom. Of course, I was relieved to also find out that the special unit squad had returned from their disaster beast investigations only this morning. The result was that the monsters had not risen from their centuries-old slumber due to the suddenly release of my pure qi, thank God! Which meant that the kingdom was safe and the red protective shields still erected around the city and palace could be disarmed, and civilians lives and businesses could proceed as normal.
Back at our quarters, I eagerly collapsed on the sofa once we got into the sitting room, a big sigh of relief escaping my lips as I did so.
Brenna came to sit beside me, her arms wrapped around me. She said, "I still can't get my head wrapped around the idea that you're from another world, Alfie."
I chuckled. "Well, I am. I'm an earthling, you know."
Sitting across the room on the other sofa, Leona said, "Your world looks beautiful, Alfie, with all that ocean."
I noticed once again that she sounded both awed and sad at the same time. Curiously, I asked, "Don't you have an ocean here, too?"
Beside Leona, Aria shook her head. "We used to have them, but after the Great Apocalypse... three-fourths of our world was annihilated two thousand years ago. Along with it were hundreds and thousands of lives and our oceans, with some very precious sea creature species and, of course, most of the lands and half of the wildlife. Luckily, we still have some left due to preservation. Most kingdoms have their own aquarium farm where they preserve sea creatures. We have one, too, in the northern territories of the land. That's where all our seafood comes from."
I felt my throat tighten at hearing of such a massive disaster. I couldn't help myself and asked, "How?"
Brenna said, "Qi overtaxation. It was bound to happen one day because some were too greedy. Qi must come from somewhere, in the form of the cycle of life, and at the time, we took more than we gave in return. The realm's qi core became unstable and collapsed, disconnecting many of the qi veins across the land. Then, during the peak of the Great Apocalypse, parts of the core exploded and..."
The girl couldn't go any further, as her voice broke.
My thoughts were still on that particular topic after Aria, Leona, and Brenna left the quarters to resume their much-neglected duties at their respective jobs—Aria at the Mage Academy, Leona at the Military Clinic, and Brenna at the Magic Research Department.
It was nearly evening, and I was about to head over to the kitchen to prepare the girls' dinner when Felix contacted me via the WIFI qi network.
"Hello, little elf," he said in greeting.
I grinned in pleasant surprise at hearing his voice. Oddly enough, I didn't mind him calling me little elf.
I replied, "Hello, my lord," just to tease him.
"Felix." He corrected.
I chuckled. "Yes, Felix?"
"I'm inviting you for dinner, darling. How does that sound?"
Dinner? I said, "It sounds good, Felix. Is it with everyone else? As in all the lords and the girls as well?"
"No," he said. "Not everyone else."
Then does that mean it's just him and me?
I asked, "Is this a date, Felix?"
He said, "Yes, it's a date, darling. Be ready by six. I'll pick you up then."
I teased. "Not with your winged lion Ernie, I hope?"
Suddenly, he burst out laughing as if he couldn't help himself. "It won't be with Ernie. Not on our first date."
"I see," I said. "Then I'll get dinner ready for the girls before six."
"There's no need. I've already contacted Aria and told her about our plan. They'll be going out to a restaurant for dinner. All you need to do is spend your time dressing up and making sure you look delicious enough for me to sample."
I snorted. "I think I'm already looking nice as I am, Felix." I looked down at myself, my hands touching the tulle skirt.
He laughed as if he found my retort funny. Once he managed to stop, he said, "Well, then see you at six."
I nodded my head. "See you then."
Once our qi disconnected, I collapsed back onto the sofa, my face flushing hot.
This would be my first date with Felix, I thought in awe, and unsurprisingly enough, I looked forward to it in excitement.
* * *
At exactly six that evening, Felix knocked on the door. The moment I opened it, he greeted me with a dashing grin as he scooped me into his iron-like arms and proceed to plant his lips against mine.
His kiss was hot and passionate, and I found myself wrapping my arms around his shoulders, basking in the pleasure of his tenderness. When he finally terminated our kiss and moved back, he said, "I desperately needed that."
I dug my fingers into his crimson hair as I said, "But it's not even morning."
"Doesn't matter," he said bluntly. "I desire a taste of your nectar, my lovely, and I will have it."
"Wow, don't you sound all mighty, Felix?" I teased.
He said, "How about we get going?"
I nodded.
As we were walking along the garden of the east wing—his arm wrapped intimately about my waist—I asked, "Where are we going?"
"That's a secret," he said, his mauve eyes twinkling.
A secret, eh? Well, I'd find out soon enough, I supposed.
Indeed, it didn't take long for that secret to be revealed, because I noted that we were heading toward his quarters in the north wing of the palace.
After entering the building, he led me into a lift, where a moment later, we arrived on the seventh floor. Again, I didn't realize that there was a seventh floor in this building because from outside, one could only see six. Unless, of course, this floor was hidden from view due to a high-tier protective barrier, like the central administrative building.
I said, "I didn't know there was a seventh floor here."
"It's protected. Here, only those with authorization can enter."
"I see," I said.
After stepping out of the lift, Felix then guided me toward a door at the end of the hallway. Of course, I didn't miss the fact that everything here was very grand, with marble floor and wall columns, chandeliers, paintings, and other lavish décor, which shouldn't surprise me because this was the private quarters of the seven lords, the rulers of Acaedien, after all.
Upon opening those grand double doors, I noticed that inside was a sitting room. Is this Felix's personal quarters?
"Come this way," Felix said, directing me toward another set of double doors that were currently left open on the other side.
Passing through, I found myself on the balcony. Here, there was a great view of the palace and garden, as well as the city beyond with glittering dots of lights shimmering against the backdrop of the setting sun.
Wow! I sighed in wonder at the beauty of the scenery of Acaedien City. I said, "This is beautiful."
"It is, isn't it?"
I jumped at the unexpected voice coming my way and shifted my gaze from the scenery to my left side. There, I saw Lord Geoffrey, who had spoken a moment ago, as well as Caleb.
Lord Geoffrey, alluringly gorgeous in white, was sitting in a chair behind the dining table, which was beautifully set with a bouquet of flowers as well as lit candles, along with mountains of mouthwatering food. Caleb, on the other hand, was standing there watching me, gracefully leaning his body against the rail of the balcony.
I felt flustered for a moment, surprised. The fact that I didn't expect to see them there, or be present at all, was obviously showing on my face.
I moistened my lips as I curtsied. "My lords," I said, a little bit confused. Am I supposed to be on a date with three men, then? Instead of just Felix?
Felix, who was beside me and still had his arm wrapped around my waist, said, "Didn't I tell you you're on a date with me, Caleb, and Geoffrey?"
I felt heat rise on my cheeks and stammered, "No, you didn't, Felix."
Caleb said, "How very like you, Felix."
All in black, the sinfully handsome Caleb came forward and gently whisked me away from Felix's arm.
"Come on. I'm starving. Let's eat."