Chapter 487: Surprise and Goodbyes Interlude.

Rose and Liyana… of all people, I never imagined them getting along, let alone getting this close in just a few more days spending time with each other.

One was sharp, disciplined, and refined.

The other was… Liyana.

Yet somehow, they found common ground.

Somewhere along the line, the chaos became harmony. Strange, but oddly fitting.

It made my chest feel a little warm and worried, in a way I couldn’t quite explain.

“Good morning, Liyana. Did you have something planned here?” Alice asked, eyeing the space curiously.

“Fufu~ was it that obvious, my dear sisters?” Liyana replied, smiling with a tilt of her head.

“Well, considering how much you stressed out last night, there’s only one conclusion we could come to,” Snow said, folding her arms. “And I doubt you’d skip your goodbyes with us for no reason.”

“Ehehe~ you caught me,” Liyana said, holding her hands up in mock surrender. “I did want to surprise you all more naturally yesterday… but considering how close we’ve gotten, slipping away without anyone noticing was a bit harder than I expected.”

She grinned as she waved her hand toward the far side of the room.

“Anyway, come, come~ I’ve got a little surprise for each of you, sisters~”

With a gentle tug, she pulled all of us toward a nearby corner of the lounge where several thick, colorfully wrapped boxes were stacked neatly.

They weren’t just randomly packed either—each box was tinted in hues that seemed carefully chosen to match the girls’ colors and personalities.

Pale pink for Alice, deep gold for Rose, snowy white for Snow, and a soft blue one for me.

It made things pretty obvious which was meant for who.

“Hehe~ please, take one each,” Liyana said, her tone playful but proud. “They’re gifts. Something I prepared to help you once we’re back at the academy.”

Naturally, I reached out to grab one myself—only to get my hand smacked lightly by Liyana with a pout.

“That one’s for sister Reina, darling!”

“But there aren’t any left for me,” I said, blinking. I glanced at the stack again. She was right.

“Yours is a bit special~ It’s coming up later, so just wait patiently, okay?” she said with a wink.

“…Is that so?”

“Yes~ yes~”

She turned back to the girls. “Ah, but don’t open yours just yet, sisters. I want you to wait until we’re all back at the academy. It’ll be more fun that way, trust me~”

The girls glanced at each other but nodded at her words, each holding onto their own box.

I squinted a little. Honestly, something about Liyana’s behavior lately made me a bit suspicious… not in a bad way, just… cautious. Her smile was a little too smug. Her eyes sparkled a little too much.

Just to be sure, I scanned the boxes briefly with a light pulse of mana.

Nothing dangerous. No enchantments or traps. Nothing volatile.

Just normal, well-crafted containers.

Still… knowing Liyana, there was bound to be something odd or surprising waiting inside.

I’ll deal with it when the time comes, I guess.

“Trust me, you’ll love what’s inside~” Liyana beamed as she clasped her hands behind her back.

The girls exchanged glances before smiling in their own ways, each of them expressing their gratitude in their own unique fashion.

“I see. Hehe, thanks for the gift, Liyana~” Alice said, cradling her box like it was a precious little treasure.

“…If it’s something stupid, can I return it?” Rose muttered under her breath, though there was a tiny smile tugging at her lips.

“I-It’s nothing too expensive… right?” Reina asked nervously, gently lifting the box and shaking it a little as if she expected it to explode.

“Thank you, little sister,” Snow said gracefully, her words calm but sincere as she reached out to gently touch Liyana’s hand for a brief moment.

Different reactions, same gratitude.

Watching them like this, I could tell—no matter what they said or how they said it—they all appreciated the effort.

VOOOOMMMM!!!

The low hum of magic-infused engines echoed through the station as the sound of the floating ship reverberated against the walls.

The cold winter air rushed in, wrapping around us with its familiar chill and stealing a few visible breaths from our lips.

The ship was arriving.

“Please make way! The ship is landing!”

“Passengers, return to the waiting area! Those in the docking balcony, please wait in the assigned boarding rooms after landing!”

The voices of staff members rang out clearly across the station as the crowd stirred.

Up ahead, the massive vessel slowly descended into view—its sleek, silver frame reflecting the pale morning light.

Steamy mana hissed and vents glowed softly along its sides.

As it made contact with the docking rails, mechanical arms locked in with a satisfying hiss and click.

The eight broad doors on its sides unlatched with a clang before unfolding downward like ramps, forming staircases that touched the stone floors below.

Hundreds—no, thousands—of people were already disembarking, and a new wave of passengers, including us, began to prepare to board.

No matter how many times I see it… the size and precision of these floating ships still feel surreal.

The way they move so smoothly in the sky, barely making a sound when they land—it’s like something pulled straight out of a dream.

“Looks like this is really our goodbye for now, huh~” Liyana murmured softly beside me.

Her voice was quieter now—tinged with something more fragile than usual.

She stepped closer, her presence brushing against my side as she leaned in, her breath warm against my ear.

“Don’t get too excited with the others while I’m not around, okay, darling?” she whispered playfully, though her tone carried a hidden weight.

I glanced down at her, smiling faintly. “I’ll try not to…”

“Fufu~ you really are quite honest now…”

She laughed under her breath, but when I looked at her face again—really looked—I paused.

She was staring at the floating ship, her eyes fixed ahead… but there was something unreadable in her expression.

No sly grin, no teasing smirk, no joking flick of the eyes.

Just silence. Quiet. Thoughtful.

I couldn’t tell what was going through her mind right now.

And for some reason… that made me uneasy.

But before I could say anything else, the boarding call echoed again—and it was time to move.

…..

Since this was already the second or maybe even third batch of returning students, most of the academy-bound passengers had likely already arrived earlier.

As a result, the ship was… oddly lacking the usual crowd of familiar academy students.

No playful chatter, no flurry of school uniforms swaying down the aisles.

Instead, it was full of—well—adults.

And not just regular adults either.

They were serious-looking, well-dressed, likely upper-class citizens or association delegates.

Most of them turned their heads slightly as we passed by, eyes filled with mild interest, quiet surprise… and curiosity.

It was honestly kind of weird.

I mean, sure, we stood out—me and five beautiful girls walking together probably looked like the start of some noble drama—but still… these people were full-grown adults.

Was staring really necessary?

At least they had the decency to keep a respectful distance and didn’t approach us.

Still, I could feel the weight of their eyes on our backs.

“Come on now, big bro…!”

Reina called out, snapping me out of my thoughts.

She was already halfway up the ship’s extended staircase, waving at me excitedly.

“Yeah…” I replied with a faint smile.

The rest of the girls followed after her, chuckling softly among themselves—most likely at how

Reina was still the most energetic among all of us.

Just before stepping aboard, I paused and turned around one last time.

Liyana was standing a few feet away, her silver-white hair lightly dancing with the breeze, her hands neatly clasped in front of her skirt.

She wasn’t smiling widely like usual—just a small, sincere smile that felt oddly heavy for some reason.

“Goodbye for now, Liyana…” I said softly.

She nodded. “Yes… just for now though, darling.” Her voice was as playful as ever. “You’ll soon see this beautiful self of mine in that lovely uniform of yours~ Doesn’t the thought of me in the academy uniform excite you?”

“…Maybe,” I muttered, looking away as I scratched the side of my cheek.

Honestly, it was complicated.

Seeing her in that uniform—joining our daily routine—meant more than just some teasing visuals.

It marked the beginning of something deeper.

It meant Liyana stepping into the reality of our school life… and into the unpredictable future waiting for me, for us.

One I couldn’t fully control.

And I wasn’t sure how ready I was for that.

“Aww~ why can’t you be honest with me now?” she pouted dramatically, but then leaned in with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Maybe we can even do some very good things in the library or classroom once I join, you know~?”

“What good things exactly?”

Liyana exhaled with a light sigh, though her smile never faded. “Darling, you really are a hassle sometimes…” she murmured, her voice lowering just a little. Then, her eyes flickered upward as her lips curved into something softer. “Though I guess that’s what makes you even cuter~”

To be honest, I knew exactly what Liyana meant earlier—her vague, honey-laced insinuations, the playful tone she always carried when saying things that could mean a dozen different things.

I just chose not to entertain it this time. It was easier that way.

When it came to Liyana, there were always multiple layers to every word she said.

Teasing? Probably. Serious? Maybe. Dangerous? Most definitely.

I stared at her for a few more seconds as she stared right back, an almost silent resonance drifting in the air between us.

Whether she felt it too, or whether she was simply basking in her usual mischief, I couldn’t tell.

I never could.

Still… I smiled faintly.

“I’ll be going now, then—” I started, turning on my heel… but then I paused.

“Oh right, my surprise gift,” I added, blinking. “You said you’d give me one, didn’t you?”

I glanced around curiously, looking for a servant carrying a box or anything that might resemble a parting present. But there was nothing.

The platform was still busy, the crowd still moving in the periphery, and none of Liyana’s usual attendants seemed to have brought anything with them.

She just smiled in that way only she could—knowing, smug, and dangerously sweet.

“Fufu~ I told you, didn’t I? Your surprise gift is a bit special, darling,” she said, her voice lilting gently, like she was letting me in on a secret she’d been dying to share.

“Patience is a virtue, you know~”

I narrowed my eyes slightly. “Wait. So you do have it with you?”

“Well, I was actually planning to send it via letter,” she admitted, pressing a finger to her lips as though debating something. “But… if you really want it now, I can give it to you early. Are you sure you want to take it now?”

I paused.

Something about her tone sounded suspicious.

Sweet, yes.

But suspicious…

Knowing Liyana… this surprise gift of hers probably wasn’t something I could just tuck into my pocket.

A bracelet? A ring laced with monitoring magic? A contract of some sort? All very possible. All very Liyana.

Still, curiosity won out.

And besides, the girls were already waiting for me near the ship’s boarding gate, shooting glances in my direction as I held up a finger to signal, just one more second.

“…Alright,” I said. “Let’s get this over with.”

She giggled softly, her eyes sparkling with a quiet excitement.

Then she coughed gently into her hand, as if clearing her throat before a dramatic announcement.

“You see, darling…” she said, leaning closer. “Your surprise gift is something you’ll meet in a few months~”

My eyes narrowed. “What does that mean?”

She leaned even closer, practically whispering into my ear—soft and slow, yet impossibly loud to my senses.

“I’m pregnant~”

….

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The world stopped.

It felt like everything just—stopped.

The noise around us, the cold winter breeze, the distant laughter of the girls ahead.

The boarding staff’s announcements.

Even the ship’s engine, which had been humming steadily, seemed to fall into dead silence.

The sounds vanished.

Her voice, somehow, echoed louder than it should have in my ears.

Clear. Crisp. Undeniable.

I stared at her blankly, my mind white-noise static.

No thoughts, just echoes of “I’m pregnant” ringing repeatedly like an alarm that refused to shut off.

She was still smiling.

Smiling like she hadn’t just dropped a reality-altering revelation into my lap.

And then, without giving me a moment to process, she gently nudged me forward—right onto the ship’s stairs.

“See you soon, okay… papa~?” she added with a wink, her tone playfully sweet, as she gently touched her belly.

VOOOOOMMMM!!!

The ship’s departure horn blasted through the station like a thunderclap, snapping me back to reality.

The ground shook slightly beneath my feet as the staircases began to fold up and the ship doors hissed shut.

Huh….?

My brain refused to process what it heard.

…..

“Lady Liyana…”

A quiet, respectful voice called from behind her.

The sound pulled Liyana from her thoughts, her attention slowly shifting as she turned around with composed grace.

Her whitecloak fluttered lightly in the cold wind as her glowing red eyes landed on the source of the voice.

It was one of her personal maids, Lillian—a small, petite girl with pale skin and black hair tied into a neat bun.

Liyana raised an eyebrow in slight curiosity, though her smile never left her face. “What is it, Lillian?”

The maid gave a quick curtsy, then lifted her gaze, her voice still low and formal. “The Grand Duke is waiting, my lady. He has asked for your presence.”

Liyana blinked, then let out a light hum, her tone almost amused. “Papa, hm~? That’s rather quick of him…”

She glanced back one last time toward the now-departing floating ship, its silhouette slowly shrinking into the distant sky. Her eyes followed it quietly, her thoughts lingering somewhere beyond the clouds where her ’darling’ now sat, frozen in shock from her parting gift.

A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.

“Tell Papa I’ll be there shortly,” she said softly, waving her hand slightly in dismissal.

“Yes, Lady Liyana.” Lillian bowed once more and quickly turned away to relay the message.

Left alone at the edge of the docking platform,

The wind swept past her, lifting her hair just slightly, her red pupils narrowed and shifted—slitted like a dragon’s, glowing faintly.

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