Chapter 169: Dinner together

A few minutes later, Chloe arrived in front of the Main Building. Her figure was draped in cream-colored sweatpants and a black, skin-fitted top, her lavender hair tied in her usual high ponytail.

From the sweat still covering her face despite the freezing cold, Vlad could tell how much she had been pushing herself. Her breathing was slightly heavier than usual, and a faint flush covered her cheeks from the intensity of her training.

The moment she arrived before him, Vlad took off his coat and placed it around her shoulders.

"Silly girl, cover yourself or you will catch a cold," he said as he closed the coat’s buttons. Vlad’s long coat almost reached her ankles, her arms covered beneath its long sleeves.

"It’s too big," she murmured, her expression neutral.

"Well, the academy uniforms are connected to our physique," Vlad replied, rubbing the back of his head. "The coat also grew when my height increased."

He looked gently into her pale lavender eyes with absent pupils as he continued, "Do you not like it? You look cute to me."

"It’s fine," she murmured, her eyes lowering. "It smells like chocolates, just like you."

Of course, she said the last words so quietly that Vlad couldn’t hear them.

"I won’t stop you from training, Chloe," Vlad said, moving closer to her and gently placing his hand on her head. "But don’t push yourself too hard."

"Unh," Chloe nodded.

The duo went to the cafeteria, where they packed their high-protein food. The quiet cafeteria was nearly empty at this hour, the faint clatter of dishes echoing through the otherwise peaceful hall. While they were on the way back, Vlad called Noah, requesting him to leave the room for the night.

He surprisingly agreed without much pleading. Perhaps it was because he understood how dangerous the S-Rank quests were, and this might as well be the last chance Vlad had to bid a proper farewell to his friends.

Once they reached outside the building, Vlad pulled Chloe closer by her waist and hurled himself into the air. They entered the room through the window. The warden of their building being a drunkard made it all the easier for Vlad to sneak Chloe in.

He had already told Noah beforehand to keep the window of the room open.

"It’s better than I thought," Chloe said as she scanned the room. It was clean, with most of the things placed neatly in their places. "Stinky White is more clean than I thought."

"Haha, he is changing," Vlad chuckled. Compared to the first day, there was certainly growth in Noah’s hygiene.

While Vlad was spreading the dishes on his study table, Chloe said, her gaze turning toward the bathroom, "I’m sweaty from training. I need to bathe."

She had only taken a step when Vlad stopped her. "Wait a moment."

Although Noah was improving, Vlad was still worried that he might have his undergarments placed all over the place in the bathroom. He definitely did not want Chloe’s eyes to be tainted by such a disgusting sight.

He checked the bathroom first. Thankfully, it was clean.

"Go ahead," he said to Chloe with a faint smile.

She extended her hands toward Vlad and asked, her expression even, "Gimme clothes."

"That’s my wardrobe," Vlad pointed at his wardrobe beside his bed, placed parallel to the wall. "Take anything you like. There is a clean towel inside as well."

Chloe nodded. She grabbed a grey hoodie, a pair of sweatpants, and a towel and went inside the bathroom.

A few minutes later, she came out only in the hoodie, which reached just a few inches above her knees. Her damp hair was tied in the towel, with a few loose strands clinging to her cheeks.

"Vlad," she called him, her knees touching awkwardly. "Your lower is too loose for me. No one will come in the room, right?"

"You can relax," Vlad replied, moving toward her. "We are the only ones here."

His words made her release a sigh of relief, the awkwardness vanishing. Vlad was the only one there, so she didn’t bother showing a little bit of her skin.

He untied the towel and began ruffling it over her head to dry her hair.

"Coming out in cold air without drying your sweaty skin and now washing your hair at night. Are you trying to catch a cold on purpose?" He nagged, although his tone remained soft.

Once her hair was somewhat dried, he guided her toward the study table, where he had already placed the dishes and two chairs. Every dish on the table was Chloe’s favourite.

"Oh, I’m starving." Vlad took a sniff of the warm food as he sat beside Chloe on the chair. The warm moonlight from the closed window and the soft light of the candles cast dancing shadows across their faces. "Let’s dig in."

Strangely, Chloe didn’t pick up her spoon, looking silently at Vlad, who had just filled his spoon and was about to take his first bite.

"Why aren’t you eating, Chloe?" he asked, his spoon stopping before his lips.

Chloe opened her mouth in response, her eyes never leaving his face.

"You want me to feed you?" Vlad raised an eyebrow, to which Chloe blinked.

He just released a low chuckle before moving his spoon into her mouth. "Back at home, you always used to take the first bite from my food, then from Mother and Father’s before touching your own food. Do you still remember it?"

Once Chloe had munched and swallowed the spoonful of food, she replied with a nod,

"I do. I also remember you deliberately leaving your food, saying you are full so I could eat more."

Vlad’s head moved forward as he decided to use his right to remain silent, feeling a bit embarrassed. Now that Chloe had taken her first bite from Vlad’s spoon, she was about to dig in.

"It’s your turn to feed me now," Vlad declared, looking warmly at Chloe with his crimson eyes.