A faintly smug smile curved across Saint Tianluan's breathtaking face.
Few people in the world had ever seen her true appearance, and of those who had, every single one—man or woman—had fallen under her spell, even if only for an instant. She didn't flaunt her looks, but she understood their power.
So, when she removed her mask before the mortal king, she fully expected Gavin Ward to stare in awe like the rest—to lose control for even a heartbeat.
In her mind, she even wondered what such a proud, stoic man would look like if his composure broke—his sharp eyes softened by infatuation. The thought made her lips curve in amusement.
But Gavin merely glanced up, muttered a disinterested "Oh," and went straight back to reading his reports.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Tianluan froze. Her confident smile faltered.
She blinked once, twice, her heart tripping over itself.
He wasn't… impressed?
Her eyes widened. Then, indignation bloomed.
"Are you not surprised?" she demanded, stepping closer, eyes narrowing as she stared at him across the desk.
Gavin didn't even look up. "Surprised? Not really. But I am wondering—if you can talk properly, why do you insist on speaking in that broken, breathy way? It's distracting."
Tianluan blinked again. She ignored the question entirely, whispering to herself, "Strange… why didn't it work?"
For as long as she could remember—eight centuries of life—her very voice carried a magical allure. Her tone and beauty wove together into an irresistible spell.
Every word, every breath could twist the hearts of those who heard it. Her charm was instinctive, not learned—it simply was.
Because of this, she normally wore her golden faceless mask at all times. Without it, people—especially men—would lose control just by hearing her speak or seeing her face. Even her fellow Star Saints had begged her to cover up during meetings.
And to avoid accidentally ensnaring others, she deliberately broke her sentences, fragmenting her words into those teasing, lilting tones. It wasn't an affectation; it was self-defense.
Yet now—her legendary charm had failed.
The realization left her completely stunned. The only person in a thousand years unmoved by her power stood before her calmly turning pages, as if she were nothing more than another diplomat.
"Why… why doesn't it work?" she murmured, dazed, her brow furrowing in confusion.
Across the desk, Gavin studied her expressionless. Watching a Star Saint muttering to herself like a lost child was both surreal and slightly concerning. His eyebrow twitched.
Great, he thought. Have I just discovered that the continent's most powerful female mage is actually an idiot?
The idea made him uneasy. He didn't want to be responsible if this woman suddenly had a mental breakdown.
He looked at her with genuine pity.
A shame, he mused. So beautiful, so powerful… and so stupid.
Tianluan suddenly noticed his gaze. Their eyes met.
Her voice lowered. "What kind of look is that?"
Gavin coughed and looked away. "Nothing."
But before he could take another breath, the Saint moved.
She stepped forward with sudden speed, reached out, and grabbed his hand.
Gavin froze. For a man accustomed to commanding armies and facing monsters, this might have been the first time he was completely caught off guard.
Her fingers were slender, soft, warm like carved white jade, and they wrapped tightly around his palm. She began to rub his hand slowly, a fascinated look lighting her face.
"So this… is what it feels like to shake hands with a man," she whispered.
Gavin's mind went blank. "...What?"
She seemed to ignore him entirely, lost in the sensation. Her expression was one of pure wonder.
Eight hundred years.
Saint Tianluan had never known the touch of a man. Born into nobility, raised by her mother after her father's death, she had been protected—isolated—from the world. Her charm was too dangerous; even casual contact could enslave others.
For eight centuries, she had lived without the simple warmth of a handshake.
Now, as she held Gavin's hand, her heart fluttered in a way she had never felt before.
"It's warm…" she murmured, smiling faintly. "So this is what it's like."
Her thumb traced the back of his hand, savoring the moment.
Gavin panicked.
Dear gods, he thought, she's not just foolish—she's a complete hooligan!
He tried to pull back, but her grip was surprisingly strong. The most powerful mage in the world was… holding his hand like a fascinated schoolgirl.
Tianluan finally noticed the awkward stare he was giving her. Her cheeks flushed instantly, and she snatched her hand away as if burned.
Then, turning her back, she covered her face with both palms. "It's so hot…" she mumbled into her hands. "Why is my face so hot?"
Her first blush in eight hundred years.
She could feel her heartbeat pounding wildly in her chest. Her breathing came fast and shallow. Every sensation was new, thrilling, terrifying.
So this… this is what it feels like to blush?
To have your heart race?
She pressed her hand against her chest, trying to calm herself.
Gavin, watching her, finally relaxed. Ah. So that's what this is—she's just socially starved, he realized, half amused, half sympathetic. Eight centuries without affection… she must be lonely.
His expression softened. "I see. You weren't being strange on purpose," he said quietly.
When she finally turned back to face him, her lips trembled, her eyes bright with emotion. She caught sight of his mouth—and her cheeks grew even redder.
Gavin blinked. "What now?"
She didn't answer. Her mind was spinning.
Heart racing, face hot, hands trembling…
Is this what love feels like?
The thought made her chest tighten.
Could it be love at first sight?
She had read of it only in mortal novels, seen it whispered in the streets of kingdoms she had flown over but never touched.
How ridiculous, she thought—and yet, her heart only beat faster.
A line from a story she'd once read flashed through her mind:
"If you hesitate, you might regret it for the rest of your life."
Her hands clenched at her sides.
No hesitation, then.
Before Gavin could react, Tianluan stepped forward and kissed him.
Her soft red lips pressed against his with sudden boldness.
Eight hundred years of restraint, of isolation, of curiosity and loneliness—all burst free in that single moment.
Gavin's eyes went wide.
He froze completely, his brain short-circuiting as every possible reaction collided at once. The Star Saint—an immortal mage of divine beauty—was kissing him out of nowhere.
She stayed there for a heartbeat too long, her eyes fluttering closed, trembling slightly.
Then she stepped back, dazed, her fingertips brushing her own lips as if she couldn't believe what she'd done.
The silence stretched.
Gavin stared at her in shock.
This woman wasn't just eccentric—she was insane!
He raised a hand helplessly, half ready to scold her, half to make sure this wasn't some illusion spell. "You—You just—did you really—?"
She looked at him dreamily. "My first kiss… after eight hundred years…"
Gavin groaned aloud, pressing a hand over his face.
Unbelievable. The most powerful mage in the Central Empire is not only clueless but a complete female hooligan.
He sat back in his chair, staring at her as if trying to re-evaluate reality itself.
Tianluan, meanwhile, looked utterly content, her face glowing with a shy but victorious smile.
Somewhere deep down, though, a tiny thought whispered in her mind:
He didn't push me away.
Her heart fluttered again.
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