Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Kiss
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Nyx’s skin was fair, and her neck was slender and delicate. Kian had once gently wrapped around it and brushed against it in his beast form during his loss–of–control episode.
Even though those memories had long since blurred into a hazy dream, Kian could still close his eyes and vividly picture how that necklace would look draped around Nyx’s neck.
The necklace cost him 4,000 StarCoins. The price of the necklace was four months’s worth of Kian’s living expenses, but he paid it without hesitation. After that, he nervously sent a message to Nyx.
Kian: [I bought you a gift. It’ll be at your place by tomorrow at the latest.]
The gift was missing a proper gift box, so Kian decided to personally carve and polish one to show his sincerity.
Back at his dorm, his roommates were all gone. In the era, most students attended day classes, while only the military academy students stayed in dorms. Kian shared a room with three others, and he rarely ever went home.
He hadn’t gone back for years, but his mother still found ways to make his life miserable. She’d show up at his dorm to demand money, or worse, beat and humiliate him for no reason at all. But now, his mother would never cause trouble again.
A few days ago, after Kian had just returned to his human form, he heard that his mother had reported him to the Female Protection Association.
It was no surprise, but thanks to multiple witnesses speaking up for him, the Supervision Office had supported the claim that Kian was not in the wrong. The Female Protection Association eventually decided not to press charges.
That loss of control nearly cost both Kian’s mother and her favorite son their lives, but somehow, Kian didn’t end up in prison or even facing a lawsuit. His mother was furious with the outcome, but now, she was too afraid to lay a hand on Kian again.
That lesson had left them both scarred. The fear of the venomous snake’s fangs would haunt them for life–an ordeal they were powerless to overcome.
Kian washed out the transparent thermal box that had held the sandwiches and placed it carefully on the top shelf of his cabinet, right next to that yellow shirt.
He couldn’t help but run his fingers over the shirt, tempted to pull it down and hug it close. But he quickly withdrew his hand, forcing himself to suppress the overwhelming urge. His eyes lingered on the shirt as it sat peacefully in its high place.
A guy like him, covered in dirt and grime, couldn’t and shouldn’t contaminate something so pure. Even just thinking about it felt sinful.
Kian spent a sleepless night. Meanwhile, Nyx slept soundly.
After finishing her live stream and settling a few things, Nyx’s insomnia vanished that night. She slept all the way until late morning.
When she woke up, she found two gifts waiting for her. For a moment, she was confused about which one came from Felix and which one from Kian.
The little gift boxes were both exquisitely wrapped, each looking handmade.
Nyx carefully opened the first box, and inside was a necklace. The chain was soft yet strong, made from a–material she couldn’t quite place.
09:34 e, 11 Feb Kiss
Chapter 26
It was delicate, but it wouldn’t snap easily. She held it up to her neck, and the small blue iris flower dangled perfectly between her collarbones, its shimmer catching the light.
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The second box contained a pair of fluffy hair clips. She took them out and was surprised to find they were designed as little bunny ears.
Nyx was a bit stunned to look at the clips. Though the bunny ear shape looked better than she expected when placed in her hair–cute, not childish–she still felt a bit embarrassed.
These clips clearly didn’t match the mature, dignified vibe of someone like Felix, so Nyx assumed they must’ve been from Kian. After all, he was a young male; it made sense that he’d enjoy something like that. The iris necklace, however, seemed more like Felix’s style.
Nyx didn’t know she’d gotten the whole thing wrong.
She thanked both of them with a message and carefully stored both gifts back in their boxes to preserve them with special
care.
In addition to the two gifts, Nyx also received an invitation letter that gave off a faint, pleasant fragrance. It felt heavy and substantial in her hands, giving off a very vintage vibe.
On the letter was a distinct white tiger totem, which Nyx immediately recognized as the royal family’s totem.
She muttered to herself, ‘It is… an invitation to a royal ball?‘
Nyx quickly looked it up on StarNet and confirmed it was real. The ball was set to take place a month later at the royal estate on Central Planet.
Officially, it was to choose a new royal consort, but in reality, it was a giant matchmaking event.
The male guests invited were all top–tier young elites, mostly from noble families, while the female guests were all A–level mental power holders. And, naturally, everyone invited was unmarried.
Nyx showed the invitation to Zayne, asking for confirmation. As it turned out, both Zayne and Theon–outstanding unmarried males–had also received invitations.
Nyx was stunned. “But I haven’t even awakened my mental power yet.”
‘If all the invited females are A–level, how on earth have I received an invitation?‘ wondered Nyx.
Zayne responded in a deep voice, “The royal family has a keen sense for these things.”
The video of Nyx soothing the black mamba had spread across StarNet, and while ordinary people might not have noticed, it was clear the royal family had realized something beneath the surface.
The crown prince, an SS–level male, was said to be in a precarious state and was on the verge of losing control.
Since Nyx was a female with potential for S–level mental power, it was no surprise the royal family had their eye on her. She had no choice but to attend the ball.
Nyx felt uneasy, and she asked, “What kind of person is the crown prince? Is he a good guy?”
Zayne nodded and answered, “He’s a competent heir, so… yeah, I’d say he’s a good guy.”
Back when Zayne was at the Imperial Military Academy, he’d met the crown prince a few times.
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Chapter 26
Kiss
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The prince was two years above him, and Zayne remembered him as almost perfect in every way–skilled in both literature and battles with a remarkable presence. He was polite, calm, yet authoritative, totally a true leader.
Compared to him, the other royal princes seemed to have their flaws. Some were brooding, others stiff and lifeless, and many were mired in scandalous rumors.
Zayne realized that it was why the royal family had noticed Nyx. If there was even the slightest chance of saving the crown prince from losing control and becoming a wild beast, the royals couldn’t afford to ignore it.
Despite Zayne’s serious tone, Nyx felt somewhat relieved. She thought, “If he’s a good guy, I don’t mind helping him with mental soothing.”
After all, her method of soothing wasn’t like other females’s. She could just play the doctor role and heal them without any emotional strings attached.
She figured the crown prince must have met all kinds of stunning females by now, and he definitely wouldn’t care about someone like her.
She wasn’t the type to be a heartbreaker. She couldn’t even handle Theon and Zayne, let alone imagine the chaos if she added another love interest to the mix. The very thought of it gave her a headache.
“Meanwhile, at the royal palace, the atmosphere was tense.
The king was fuming with rage, while the queen was weeping, her face covered in her hands.”
Just as the invitations for the royal consort selection ball were sent out, disaster struck–the crown prince had gone missing!
The guards on duty were immediately killed, and all available personnel were dispatched to search for the prince. The entire palace was turned upside down, but the crown prince was nowhere to be found.
The problem, however, was that this had to be kept under wraps. The crown prince’s Loss of Control Index had already been dangerously close to critical levels.
Now, it was highly likely that he had already lost control and shifted into his beast form. If this got out to the public, it would cause an uproar.
The crown prince’s beast form was a white tiger, a creature of immense power and aggression. If he had escaped into the wild, away from the palace, it could mean a catastrophe.
