Step by step, Snow’s quiet, slightly echoing footsteps resonated through the empty, dimly lit halls of Killian Hall.

The click of her polished heels against the polished marble floor was soft but steady—each step accompanied by a faint whisper of her cloak trailing behind her.

Her blue eyes drifted slowly across the darkened walls, brushing over the worn crests and banners, the elegant architecture of the academy’s top dormitory building.

She had walked this path countless times, yet night after night, it felt different—heavy, like she was moving through a memory.

As her gaze lingered on the stairwell that led to the second floor, a faint, wistful sigh escaped her lips.

So much time had passed, and yet it felt as though she were still waiting in the same place.

Due to her duties as student council president, Snow’s days were always long and endlessly exhausting.

Earlier that very afternoon, she had to read through and personally sign nearly a thousand documents—reports, disciplinary forms, dorm inspection logs, club budget petitions—each one requiring her careful attention and flawless signature.

Though she had grown used to the workload these past couple of months, it never stopped being stressful.

Still, it was nothing compared to the mountains of paperwork and ceremonial duties she had once endured back at the imperial palace.

But even with all that experience—her imperial blood, her composure, her poise—none of it mattered when her mind was constantly drifting far away from her actual responsibilities.

Toward one person.

One frustrating, missing, and very beloved person.

She missed him. More than she was willing to admit.

And if she could, she’d lock him up somewhere safe and never let him out of her sight again.

“Ellie,” she spoke softly, turning slightly to hand over a stack of thick folders to the maid walking just behind her. “Can you take these documents to my room, please?”

Ellie blinked, taking the papers with a small nod.

“Are you planning to sleep there again tonight, Your Highness?”

“Yes.”

The answer came without hesitation.

“I understand,” Ellie replied with a warm smile. “I’ll deal with the dorm master again, as usual. Don’t worry.”

“Thank you, Ellie,” Snow said with a grateful smile, her voice softening.

“Hehe, it’s nothing, Your Highness~ It’s become part of my nightly routine at this point.”

With a small wave, Snow turned and continued forward while Ellie veered off toward the girls’ dormitory area.

Snow’s footsteps carried her deeper into forbidden territory—the boys’ sector of Killian Hall.

It was technically against the academy’s rules for a girl to step foot into the male dormitories without special permission.

But Snow, being who she was, had long since figured out how to sidestep such minor complications.

She didn’t care what she had to do anymore.

She just wanted to be close to him again—even if only through the faint traces of his presence that lingered in that room.

The room he used to sleep in.

The room that still smelled faintly like him.

The room that had been empty for far too long.

“I should probably start learning Celestial Magic soon…”

Snow mumbled to herself softly as she walked, her voice barely rising above the faint click of her heels echoing against the darkened stone halls.

With Celestial Magic, she could teleport instantly, slipping past barriers and rules with the same effortless grace Rose always seemed to carry.

It was a magic rare and difficult, one that transcended space and time itself… and something she envied.

While she was undoubtedly talented in magic—her affinity with Ice Magic was one of the strongest in the empire—ice didn’t bend the world like space or time did.

It was sharp, beautiful, controlled… but not as free.

The dorms were quiet this late at night, with only the gentle flicker of enchanted lanterns lighting the way.

As she approached Riley’s room, her steps slowed.

Just like always, a little spark of hope flickered in her chest.

The irrational kind.

The one that whispered maybe—just maybe—he was already inside waiting for her.

She knew better, knew what she’d find inside, yet still that quiet hope danced just beneath her ribs, making it both painful and warm at the same time.

She let out a breath, cloudy and cold, before pushing open the door.

It creaked softly as she stepped inside.

“You’re here…”

“Good evening, Rose,” Snow greeted gently, her voice carrying the weariness of a long day but softened by a familiar warmth.

Rose barely looked up.

She sat at Riley’s desk, her golden hair tied back in a loose braid, the ends shimmering faintly under the low light.

Her golden eyes glowed as she delicately inscribed a fresh set of red runes across the surface of a small, perfectly spherical orb.

Magic circles floated faintly around her, rotating in rhythmic harmony as if responding to her thoughts.

It had become a routine.

The two of them, meeting here in Riley’s room, each clinging to the faintest trace of his warmth in their own ways.

“Any progression so far?” Snow asked as she walked toward her usual seat near the window.

Rose didn’t reply, only shook her head ever so slightly, her focus still on the orb.

The motion was small, but Snow understood its weight.

“I see… well, I hope you make some progress soon,” she murmured, settling into the chair and wrapping her arms around herself.

It was the same magical device Rose had been working on for weeks now.

A tracker—no, something more.

A beacon of sorts.

Something that could connect her to Riley, find him no matter where he had gone.

Snow’s gaze wandered, falling to the bed.

There, lying peacefully, Seo was curled up beneath the covers, clinging tightly to Riley’s largest pillow.

Her long dark lashes fluttered faintly with each soft breath, and the faintest pout curved her lips in sleep.

Her red eyes—always so vibrant and uncertain when awake—were hidden now behind quiet dreams.

For the past couple of months, the three of them have been using Riley’s room.

“She’s probably dreaming about Riley…”

Snow smiled faintly as she watched Seo sleep, curled up so gently against the bed, her arms wrapped tightly around the oversized pillow like it was someone precious.

Seo’s brows twitched slightly, her lips forming a whisper that never quite escaped.

There was a peacefulness in her expression—fragile and pure.

A peace Snow envied, because she knew exactly who Seo was dreaming about.

If only dreams could become reality… if only their hearts could shape the world.

Then maybe, just maybe, all of this pain would’ve already vanished.

Snow let out a quiet sigh, the kind that fogged the cold glass behind her.

She leaned her head back against the window sill, the chill of it grounding her, reminding her she was still here. Awake. Still waiting.

She closed her eyes—not to sleep, but to reach out, in whatever intangible way she could.

As if closing her eyes could bring her closer to him.

Riley had promised.

And Snow knew him well enough to understand he wasn’t the type to break his word.

He’d return.

That wasn’t in question.

But even so… it still hurt.

Not just the waiting—not just the days stretching endlessly without his voice, his warmth—but the deeper wound, the one that whispered that he hadn’t trusted them enough to bring them with him.

Whatever he was facing, it had been enough for him to leave without a word, without even giving them the chance to stand beside him.

Snow knew that it wasn’t out of malice or mistrust.

She knew Riley.

Whatever he had gone to face, it was probably something monstrous—something that would’ve shattered them if they were caught in its path.

And knowing him, he bore it alone because he didn’t want them to suffer.

But understanding didn’t make it hurt any less.

It felt aggravating—infuriating even—to be left behind like this.

To feel helpless.

If he thought Rose wasn’t strong enough to face it, if he believed Seo would crumble under its weight… then whatever it was must’ve been a burden too heavy for any one person.

Even someone like him.

Snow clenched her gloved hands in her lap, her eyes still shut.

They were weak.

She hated to admit it, but it was true.

Riley had grown beyond them, soared ahead into places they couldn’t reach.

And no matter how high she climbed, no matter how strong she became, the distance between them seemed to stretch wider and wider.

She didn’t know the limits of his strength, didn’t even know how far he had gone or what he had become… but the ache in her chest told her she missed him more than she could ever put into words.

‘I don’t know where you are but…’

Still…

Just a little longer.

They’d hold on.

Snow’s body swayed ever so slightly as she sat by the window, the quiet hum of the room lulling her into a dazed sense of peace.

Her breathing slowed, the weight of waiting gradually sinking into her bones.

Slowly, sleep began to creep in—soft and gentle like a warm blanket wrapping around her thoughts.

Her eyes fluttered shut, the cool glass at her back grounding her fading consciousness.

But then—

A sudden pulse.

A crackle in the mana around them.

Like lightning across a still sky.

Snow’s eyes snapped open just as an unnatural spark flared in the center of the room.

In the same instant, Seo jolted upright from the bed, her instincts kicking in as she reached for her sword without hesitation.

The room, once quiet and still, was now charged with a rising storm of mana.

Even Rose, who had barely looked up from her rune-inscribed orb for hours, immediately stood.

Her golden eyes narrowed, mana threads gently swirling around her fingertips.

In the middle of Riley’s room, the air distorted—warping like ripples in a pond struck by a single drop.

BZZZT!

A jagged red tear slashed open midair.

BZZZT!!

Another pulse, louder, harsher—this time crackling like unstable energy fighting against the edges of space itself.

VOOOOSHHHH!!!

A roaring sound exploded into the room as the dimensional rift violently expanded, painting the walls with a haunting crimson light.

Sparks flew as the portal surged and stabilized, their senses on high alert.

All three girls stood tense, eyes locked on the rift, mana circulating in defense.

And then… they felt it.

Familiar.

The signature of mana that wrapped around them like a long-forgotten scent, threading through their hearts.

It wasn’t hostile.

It was someone they knew.

Their expressions softened—not with relief just yet—but with a startled kind of disbelief.

Then, a voice drifted through the portal, casual and slightly exasperated.

“Cheshire, I told you to make the tear a bit more stabilized. It’s hard to close gaps between dimensions if you just open it with your claws like that.”

A second voice followed, playful and impish, like a cat dancing on strings.

“Well, you can’t really blame me for getting excited about my newfound authority, right~?”

The moment they heard the two voices—Snow, Rose, and Seo froze.

Eyes widened.

Their hearts stilled.

“…Alice?”

“Wait… Alice?”

“Senior Alice?!”

They said her name together—different tones but the same shock.

And then, she stepped through.

Out from the swirling red veil emerged a tall figure, wrapped in faint glimmers of mana.

Her golden eyes glimmered under her signature pink hair that danced lightly from the dimensional wind.

Her familiar black cloak and overly large witch hart fluttered behind her as Cheshire hovered beside her in his usual floating, smugly amused cat form.

Alice blinked once; expression surprised as she looked at the three girls gathered inside.

“Eh? Snow, Rose… and even junior Seo?” she muttered, scanning the room. “But I thought I teleported close to Riley’s presence…”

Her gaze moved around until she took in the surroundings fully—spotting the window, the desk, the books, the bed that had remained untouched for days.

This was clearly Riley room… albeit slightly different…

“Why are you guys—?”

Alice barely got the words out before all three girls vanished from their spots.

Fwip!

The sound of mana flickering.

An instant later, Snow, Rose, and Seo materialized directly in front of her, surrounding her like a sudden whirlwind of anxious energy.

“Where is he?”

“Where’s Riley?!”

“Riley…?”

Their voices overlapped, layered with disbelief, desperation, and a flicker of hope that was too strong to suppress.

The room that had been heavy with silence and longing only moments before now buzzed with emotion.

The mere presence of Alice was enough to stir their hearts into a frenzy.

Because if Alice was here—then so was he.

He had to be.

They could feel it in their bones.

Alice blinked, caught off-guard by the rapid proximity and emotional barrage.

She took a tiny step back, lifting both hands awkwardly in defense.

“W-Wait, Riley is just—”

But once again, she never got to finish her sentence.

Because right then, at the very edge of their awareness, a familiar pulse echoed.

A heartbeat.

A mana signature so deeply embedded in their memories that even the whisper of it made their hearts race.

Their eyes shot to the door in unison.

Click.

The handle turned.

The door creaked open.

And there—standing just as bewildered as they were breathless—was Riley.

His golden hair those familiar looking deep blue eyes, and that unmistakable glint of quiet surprise in his ever-usual apathetic gaze.

“Snow? Rose? Seo…? Even Alice is—”

He couldn’t even finish his thought.

Because before he could blink, the three girls collided into him.

Not just a hug—but a full-force, almost reckless crash of emotion and longing.

They tackled him like a storm breaking against a cliff.

“Riley…!”

Snow’s voice cracked—soft and fragile, like porcelain just on the verge of shattering—as she clung to him, burying her face into his chest.

Her fingers curled into his coat, trembling, as her eyes welled up with a storm of unshed tears.

She needed to feel him breathe—to feel the warmth of his body beneath her hands.

And he was there.

Alive. Real. Solid.

This wasn’t a dream.

It wasn’t a memory.

It was now.

“Where were you all this time?”

Rose asked, her voice quieter than usual, but firm.

She hugged his right arm, holding it tighter than she ever had before, her golden eyes filled with both frustration and relief.

“Do you have any idea how worried we were?”

Her grip didn’t loosen.

If anything, it tightened more as if she feared he might disappear again if she let go.

And then, on his left—Seo.

Silent.

But her actions spoke louder than anything she could’ve said.

She simply pressed herself against him, resting her head against his shoulder, clutching his sleeve like it was her lifeline.

Her expression was unreadable, but her trembling fingers betrayed the emotions she couldn’t say aloud.

Riley blinked, stunned, arms frozen at his sides for a heartbeat—before finally, wordlessly, he wrapped them around the three of them, drawing them closer.

His voice, low and worn, finally broke through.

“…I’m back.”

Alice, still standing by the rift, let out a small breath and smiled faintly.

The three girls held onto him, tightly, as if the very act of letting go might undo the moment entirely.

They didn’t speak.

No—more accurately, they couldn’t.

Words didn’t form, or if they tried to, they dissolved into the overwhelming storm of emotions crashing inside their chests.

This was real.

It had to be real.

And yet, everything felt like it was dipped in a dream—faint, fragile, too perfect.

It felt like a moment stolen from the pages of a long-forgotten memory, frayed and faded from waiting too long.

But it wasn’t.

It was now.

And none of them wanted it to slip away.

They buried themselves into his warmth, hearts pounding like they were trying to memorize every beat of his.

The softness of his breath, the subtle rise and fall of his chest, the familiar scent of his clothes—it was all proof. Proof that Riley was here. Safe. Alive.

Their arms tightened around him.

If time dared to move forward, then they’d hold on harder.

They needed to nourish this moment, preserve it, etch it into their very souls.

Riley stood frozen for a moment, overwhelmed by their presence—by the weight of their longing and their silence.

Then, quietly, his arms wrapped around them tighter, drawing them into him fully.

His chest ached—not from pain, but from guilt. From the realization of just how much he had put them through.

How much they waited.

How much they suffered.

“I’m sorry for being late…. I’m back now…”

There was so much he needed to say—apologies he hadn’t yet earned, explanations he hadn’t yet shared.

But right now… in this stillness, in this precious moment—they didn’t need answers.

They needed him.

And for once, he let them have that without interruption.

In his heart, the sensations flooding through him made one thing perfectly clear: he was home.

“Ahh~ how lovely. Quite the blissful sight, isn’t it? Kuku~”

Cheshire’s voice cut through the air like a needle through silk, mischief and whimsy laced in every syllable.

The cat floated lazily above the bed, a wide grin stretching across his face, curling with amusement.

“I’ll be taking my leave then. Be sure to impregnate them all properly—just like how you did my master, okay, Lord Riley~?”

Riley froze.

Alice’s eyes widened panic. “C–Cheshire!?”

But it was too late.

Like a puff of smoke, Cheshire vanished into thin air, giggling like a mischievous ghost disappearing into the wind.

Silence fell.

And then—Riley felt it.

A drop in temperature.

CRACKLE-!!!

Like frost crystallizing in the air behind him, a cold aura began to wrap around his back.

Slowly, like the first chill of winter… creeping in, threatening to freeze him on the spot.

“…Riley.”

Snow’s voice was quiet.

Too quiet.

He turned his head slightly—and was met with her glare.

Her ice-blue eyes sharpened like shards of diamond, piercing into him with the chill of a thousand winters.

“What did he mean by that?”

Her grip hadn’t weakened…. And it felt like his whole being was frozen in place.

“Riley… care to explain?”

Rose said softly, but her golden eyes had darkened—dilated with something otherworldly.

A faint golden glow bled into her irises as celestial chains began to shimmer behind her, slowly wrapping around Riley’s limbs with subtle, pressure.

The celestial chains that didn’t hurt—yet—but carried a very clear warning as it felt like something that would lock him up together with her forever.

“…Impregnate?”

Seo asked innocently, tilting her head as her grip subtly shifted.

There was no visible change in her face—just the same passive tone.

But Riley had known her long enough to sense when the air around her changed.

It had.

Drastically.

“I don’t know why, but I feel like that word… is important. So… I’ll ask too. What did he mean by that?”

Riley swallowed hard.

The air felt heavy, and not because of magic.

Three girls.

Three expressions.

Three kinds of wrath—cold, celestial, and unreadable—pressing in on him from all sides.

He forced a nervous smile, raising his hands slowly in surrender.

“Okay. Everyone… calm down. I can explain…”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep