As wayward thoughts flickered through Kael's mind, Amelia broke the silence.
"Did you know…?" Her voice softened unexpectedly.
"Hmm?" Kael kept his eyes half-closed, savoring her fingers' rhythmic pressure against his temples. The Flamecrest Isle sky stretched above them – a pollution-free azure deeper than Earth's oceans.
Amelia leaned closer, her floral-steel scent overwhelming his senses. When he opened his eyes, her gaze held him captive – starlit irises framed by dark lashes, lips slightly parted.
"Today marks Flamecrest's annual climate equilibrium," she murmured. "The year's most harmonious alignment of elements."
Sunlight bathed them in drowsy warmth, the riverside reeds whispering secrets to the breeze. Yet Kael barely registered nature's poetry, hypnotized by Amelia's proximity. Her ivory neck curved into collarbones that framed the soft swell beneath her knight's tunic—
"Such perfect weather…" Kael's throat tightened. "Shouldn't we… mark the occasion?"
Amelia tilted her head. "How—?"
His arm snaked around her waist. She stiffened momentarily before meeting his playful stare.
"This time I actually bathed," he whispered against her ear.
Amelia's cheeks burned crimson, her glare lacking conviction. Though no lecher, Kael found resistance impossible with her pressed against him – a knight's discipline yielding to mortal warmth.
Her lips hovered inches away, rosepetal-soft. Driven by instincts his Earthly self had neglected, Kael closed the distance.
The kiss unfolded clumsily – all nose bumps and nervous breaths. Yet Amelia's fingers curled into his robes, her sigh blending with the rustling reeds. For a gaming recluse turned accidental hero, this uncharted territory felt terrifyingly, wonderfully real.
Amelia mirrored his inexperience – all clumsy innocence. Her lashes trembled against flushed cheeks, lips parting in quiet surrender. Sunlight gilded the soft contours of her face, revealing a beauty capable of toppling kingdoms.
Their kiss deepened tentatively, Kael savoring the sweetness of her mouth. When they finally parted, he traced the curve of her ear with his lips, eliciting a shiver.
"Kael…" Amelia pressed a hand to his chest, breath uneven. "Not here."
The protest held no conviction, her eyes glazed yet retaining a knight's residual discipline. The riverside's exposed serenity clashed violently with the intimacy they skirted.
Reluctantly withdrawing, Kael cradled her close. "Amelia."
"Hmm?"
"When you saved me during the Millennium Frostspark hunt…" His gaze traced the hollow of her throat.
"What of it?"
"In my homeland," he began, adopting mock solemnity, "there's an ancient custom. If a man cannot repay his lifesaving debt to a woman…" A rogueish grin broke through. "He must pledge himself to her."
Amelia arched an eyebrow, recognizing the playful fabrication. Yet she nestled into his embrace without protest, exhaustion from weeks of battles finally overwhelming her defenses.
"Watch over me," she murmured, drifting into sleep.
Kael studied her childlike repose – a warrior's tension melted into trust. Carrying her back to his quarters, he laid her atop the bedroll. Her steady breathing soon lulled him into rare, dreamless slumber beside her.
The arena's shadows could wait. For now, sunlight and stolen peace reigned.
The three-day reprieve before the quarterfinals saw Kael and Amelia's bond deepen alongside their skills. Far from indulging in newfound affection, they channeled it into relentless sparring – a crucible forging both combat prowess and trust. Their mock battles raged across training grounds, composite magic clashing against knightly aura until dusk.
Exhausted after another grueling session, they collapsed onto the bed fully clothed, sleep claiming them instantly.
Bzzzt. Bzzzt.
Kael stirred groggily as vibrations pulsed from his Voice-Projection Crystal. The enchanted stone glowed faintly – a private transmission.
"Can't even nap in peace…" he grumbled, activating the crystal.
"Senior Kael!" Ivy's voice burst forth, breathless with urgency. The girl had morphed from casual admirer to die-hard fanatic after his victory over Jack, mobilizing supporters across Flamecrest Academy.
"What now, Ivy?"
"Nankur Academy's delegation is humiliating us! They challenged our mages to 'friendly exchanges' – Jaxon and Korgoth already lost! Please, you have to come!"
Kael sighed. Even legends needed rest. Yet duty – and pride – called.
Nankur Academy? Kael recalled the smug spectators during his duel with Cruy – their emblematic azure robes unmistakable.
"Here to 'exchange insights' with our Magic Academy?" He snorted. These "exchanges" always devolved into thinly veiled dominance displays. Though Flamecrest's mages had shone in the tournament, most students remained outclassed against dedicated challengers.
"Yes! Their Simon defeated even Korgoth!" Ivy's panic crackled through the crystal.
"Kael, we need you here. Dylan's unavailable." Instructor Evelyn's sultry tone cut in. "This isn't a request."
"Understood. Location?" After receiving coordinates, Kael ended the transmission, frostfire flickering in his eyes.
Amelia sat up, hair tousled from sleep. "Trouble?"
"Nankur's probing our defenses. Time to remind them why Flamecrest leads the rankings."
"I'll come." She strapped on her greaves, knightly instincts overriding fatigue.
They arrived at the sparring pavilion to find a crowd divided. Nankur's delegation – six mages in azure battle-robes – stood arrogantly amidst Flamecrest's fallen students. Simon, their apparent leader, twirled a staff crowned with stormcloud quartz.
"Flamecrest's famed Magic Academy?" He sneered at Korgoth's unconscious form. "More like a nursery for—"
A frostfire meteor cratered the ground before him.
"Apologies for the delay." Kael stepped through dispersing smoke, Amelia a shadow at his flank. "Shall we exchange insights properly now?"