Chapter 319: Warm morning in chilling winter

The trees had shed their leaves, the plants no longer produced flower buds, and the nocturnal insects had fallen silent as winter slowly approached its peak. In the chilling atmosphere of the night, the warmth Vlad and Seraphina found in each other’s embrace was like a hot spring in the middle of an icy mountain. Perhaps because the room had grown colder after the window had been left open for too long, the couple found themselves even more comfortable in each other’s arms.

Seraphina’s hands continued patting Vlad’s head until his breathing became completely steady. Soon, the gentle caresses of her hands ceased as she, too, drifted into sleep.

Exhausted after a long day of demanding practicals, both of them slept so deeply that they didn’t move an inch throughout the night.

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Vlad’s eyes slowly opened as the soft chirping of morning birds reached his ears. All he could see was a layer of brown fabric, his face pressed against something incredibly soft.

The couple was still in the same position they had fallen asleep in. Lying on their sides, Seraphina had one leg resting between his while her other leg was draped over his thighs, her knees resting against them. Both her hands were still wrapped around his head, which remained nestled against her chest.

Vlad slipped one hand around her waist and placed the other on her back, pulling her even closer as he buried his face against her soft curves.

"Ang..." A soft, sleepy moan escaped Seraphina’s lips. "I haven’t given you permission to move your hands," she whispered, her morning voice even gentler than usual.

Vlad didn’t answer. Instead, he simply tightened his arms around her in retaliation, pulling her so close that not even a sliver of air could pass between them. He had obeyed her earlier instructions, keeping his hands still even while they kissed. But now, he really wanted to hold her in his arms.

"Dummy... I told you before as well. You can’t hug a woman so tightly," Seraphina whimpered, running her fingers through his raven hair in a gentle, massaging motion. "Our chests are sensitive."

Vlad loosened his embrace and slowly lifted his head until his face was level with Seraphina’s.

The soft morning light filtering through the thin curtains bathed her features in a delicate glow, making her appear even more enchanting in Vlad’s eyes. A few unruly strands of crimson hair framed her face, while her sleepy, pink-sapphire eyes gazed at him. Her slightly parted lips, naturally tinged with a faint shade of red, only added to her charm.

Every little detail seemed to captivate him, leaving Vlad momentarily breathless as his draconic heart beat faster in his chest.

"Good morning," Vlad whispered, leaning closer to kiss her.

He was stopped midway by her finger pressing against his lips.

"Good morning, cutie," Seraphina murmured. "How are your injuries? Does it hurt anywhere?"

"Yes," Vlad nodded, causing Seraphina’s eyes to immediately open fully, the remnants of sleepiness vanishing from them.

"Where? Did I press against your injuries while sleeping? Does it hurt a lot?" she blurted out, worry evident in her voice.

Vlad grabbed her hand and guided it to his chest. "It hurts here because you stopped me from kissing you."

A light bonk landed on Vlad’s head as Seraphina furrowed her brows. "You scared me for no reason," she muttered, giving him a narrowed look.

Her gaze softened the very next second as she looked at the enchanting man in her arms. The warmth in his crimson eyes and the faint sulk on his face, which not everyone could notice, made a gasp escape her lips.

’D-Did I just fall even harder for this dummy?’ Seraphina wondered inwardly, swallowing hard.

"I just woke up. My breath smells," Seraphina stated, explaining why she had stopped him.

"I don’t mind," Vlad replied, leaning forward again, but she covered her lips with her hand.

"But I do," came her muffled reply from behind her hand.

Vlad didn’t stop this time. His lips gently met her warm forehead in a tender kiss. "Thank you for staying the night."

A blush spread across Seraphina’s face, her cheeks turning a deep crimson.

"Aaaa! You are so annoying!" she blurted out, pulling the blanket over her face.

Taking a few seconds to calm her racing heart, Seraphina slowly slipped her head out from beneath the blanket until only her eyes were visible.

"What’s your plan for today?" she asked.

"Nothing much. Since my next practical is tomorrow, I’m thinking of lifting some weights at the gym and checking how much I’ve improved after reaching the third star," Vlad explained his plans for the day.

"Absolutely not! No training until your arms have completely healed," Seraphina ordered. Knowing Vlad, he would undoubtedly push himself too hard during his workout and risk reopening his wounds. What he actually needed was a proper rest for a few days.

Vlad raised one hand from her waist and glanced at his bandages. He could feel that his wounds had already closed. His injuries had always healed unnaturally fast, even before his Awakening Ritual. A scratch he received at night would be gone by the following day. The countless times he had broken his bones while collecting wood in the forest or training with his sword had also required only two or three days to heal.

After evolving into an A-Rank, his body’s natural healing ability had improved even further. Although his wounds weren’t particularly deep this time, they had been inflicted by Ice of Tempest Grade. Any other awakener of his rank would require at least a month to recover from such injuries, yet he had almost completely recovered. At this rate, he would make a full recovery by evening.

"I’ll only work out once my wounds have healed," Vlad assured Seraphina, agreeing to her order.

Satisfied with his response, she pulled her face out from under the blanket.

"Vlad... since you don’t have any plans today..." Seraphina murmured shyly. "Could I stay with you in your room for the entire day?"

She was going to enter the Mage Tower in a week. Once she had learned the Five-Ring Spells, she would have to return home and prepare for her breakthrough to the Blood Monarch Stage.

Spending time with Vlad like this would become increasingly difficult in the coming days. So, she wanted to stay with him while she still could.

"Of course." Vlad’s answer brought a bright smile to her face.

"I shall freshen up," she said, pushing the blanket aside with her legs. "Order some sandwiches for breakfast for me."

"Okay," Vlad nodded, lifting his head from her arm and moving back.

A few seconds passed, but Seraphina was still lying in her spot on the bed.

"What happened?" Vlad asked, noticing the strained expression on her face.

"Vlad..." she whimpered, her eyes turning teary. "You elephant. I can’t feel my arm."