The All-Race Academy's annual celebration was approaching, and as tradition dictated, each clan had to prepare a performance. This year, the fox clan had chosen an illusion dance—and naturally, the lead dancer was none other than Fox Lian.
The moment the news broke, the entire academy buzzed with excitement.
"Emma! This is it!" Gu Liang rushed over, eyes sparkling. "The illusion dance needs drifting spirit-fluff effects. I can use dragon clan magic to help! That way I'll get to work closely with Lord Fox Lian!"
Emma looked at her friend's glowing face and couldn't bring herself to dampen her enthusiasm. So she braced herself and agreed to help plan how Gu Liang could "naturally" join the stage crew.
The day before the celebration, Gu Liang dragged Emma to check the final stage setup. As they neared the backstage area, a small commotion caught their attention. Fox Lian stood surrounded by several dance partners, seemingly facing a problem.
"Lord Fox Lian, the spare pompom's tie just snapped! There's no time to fix it!" a flustered fox clan girl exclaimed, holding up a snow-white pompom—the very same kind Fox Lian always wore at his waist.
Fox Lian frowned slightly. The performance was tomorrow, and the pompom was a key prop in the choreography.
Gu Liang's eyes lit up. She nudged Emma with her elbow and whispered, "This is your moment! You're the best with your hands—go help!"
Emma: "!!!"
She stared at the fluffy, forlorn pompom being held out to her, feeling her blood run cold. She couldn't handle live foxes—but a broken, motionless pompom? Technically, that fell within her "safe research zone." Still, to touch something so intimately tied to Fox Lian, and under the scrutiny of his piercing violet gaze…
"Emma?" Fox Lian turned to her, his tone laced with just the right amount of helplessness and request. "I've heard you're quite skilled with delicate work. Would you mind…?"
His words were like a spell. Every eye turned to Emma. Gu Liang looked at her with hopeful encouragement.
No escape.
Emma took a deep breath. It's just an object. Just an object. She forced her expression into a calm, helpful smile—albeit a stiff one—and reached out to take the pompom.
The moment her fingers brushed the soft fluff, a familiar, comforting sensation spread through her. No fear. Good. She steadied herself, doing her best to ignore the faint, cool scent of Fox Lian and the overwhelming presence of his fluffy features so close by.
She pulled out a spool of spiritual thread from her sleeve (a habit she'd developed for emergency "sample repairs"), lowered her head, and began stitching the broken tie with focused precision. Her fingers moved deftly, as if crafting a delicate magical artifact.
Fox Lian stood beside her, slightly leaning in to watch. He could see her long lashes trembling, the curve of her nose, and the way her lips pressed together in concentration, tinged with a soft pink. His gaze drifted to the small, fur-trimmed earrings she wore today, and a glimmer of amusement flickered in his eyes.
The room was quiet, save for the faint sound of thread sliding through fluff. Emma could feel his gaze on her like a physical weight, making her scalp prickle. She focused harder on her task.
Soon, the tie was mended—firm and nearly invisible. Emma exhaled silently and handed the pompom back. "It's done."
"Thank you." Fox Lian accepted it, his fingers brushing against hers. The cool touch made Emma flinch, as if burned.
Fox Lian acted as if he hadn't noticed. He held the pompom up to the light, inspecting it. "Your craftsmanship is excellent, Emma. I can barely see the repair."
His praise drew admiring glances from the nearby fox clan girls. Gu Liang beamed with pride.
Emma's cheeks flushed. She mumbled a response, eager to escape. "Just a small favor. As long as you're satisfied, Lord Fox Lian. We… won't disturb your rehearsal." She grabbed Gu Liang and made a swift retreat.
Fox Lian watched her almost-fleeing figure, gently rubbing the restored pompom between his fingers. It still held a trace of her warmth… and a faint, elegant scent. His lips curved into a pleased smile.
It seemed his divine classmate wasn't just interested in his accessories anymore. Even touching them… no longer seemed off-limits.
Meanwhile, Emma didn't calm down until they were far from the stage. She lifted her hand, staring at the spot where Fox Lian's fingers had brushed hers. It still held a faint, cool sensation—fox-like, unmistakably his.
Strangely, she didn't feel the fear or revulsion she'd expected.
Instead… it felt like touching a piece of cool, high-grade jade.
The realization unsettled her. Was her tolerance for that fox's "accessories"—and perhaps even his person—increasing a little too quickly?