Chapter 106: Take Off Your Shirt

The lights in the dorm room switched on and illuminated the vast living space of the living room.

"Do you want to drink something?"

Valerian walked into his room with Seraphine following closely behind. When she walked into the dorm, she was surprised by the scale of everything inside.

She ranked third in the ranking tournament, so she enjoyed the advantages and luxury that came with the rank. But even for her, Valerian’s room was beyond what she could have expected.

"Tea, if you have it."

Valerian made his way into the kitchen of the dorm room, while Seraphine walked to the couch and sat down on the soft mattress.

While Valerian was gone, she looked around the living room and panicked slightly.

’Why did I say that so weirdly! It sounded like I want something more than just to talk!’

She recalled the weird expression Valerian gave her when she asked to go to his room, and the faint, almost invisible blush that was on his face.

On the outside, she calmly sat on the soft sofa with her hands in her lap, but inside, she was freaking out.

’And why did he react that way? Does he want something more to happen?’

The moment during the dance on her birthday was still clear in her head—the soft kiss, the way their bodies drew closer when they danced.

But these thoughts were washed away by the burning curiosity she felt for the reason she wanted to talk to him privately.

Valerian’s body.

The weird feeling he first gave off when she saw him after the block phase, the overwhelming physical display that was far beyond the S- rank without even augmenting himself with mana.

And then the moment where Arthur hit him with the lightning fist that created a hole in his chest. When Seraphine saw the starry void that was inside Valerian’s chest, she felt an overwhelming need to jump into the fighting grounds and examine his body right there on the spot.

But she held herself back and even managed to get through the day without jumping on him to find out what happened to him.

Now, she just couldn’t contain herself and wanted answers.

Valerian walked back into the living room with a tray holding two cups filled with tea.

"I’m not really knowledgeable about tea, so I just used what I had on me."

He placed down the tray and put one of the cups in front of Seraphine and the other in front of himself, before sitting down on the couch that was across from her.

As he made himself comfortable, he heard ruffling across from him, and by the time he looked up, Seraphine was standing right in front of him.

"Wha—"

She leaned down and placed her hands on the backboard of the couch, pinning Valerian between them and cutting off any escape route.

’What is happening?’

He looked into her eyes. Her beautiful magenta-crimson eyes glowed with an obsessive light as she looked down on Valerian.

"Se... ra?"

He was surprised by the soft sound of his own voice, but the situation was just too sudden, and he had no idea what was happening.

"Val."

Her normally soft voice sounded firm, as if she wouldn’t accept a no.

"Take off your shirt."

"What?"

Valerian looked at her for a good second, not understanding what was going on, and Seraphine noticed his hesitation but didn’t say anything else.

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

’What is up with her?’

He never expected Seraphine to be so... assertive, maybe even dominant.

When she saw that he wasn’t moving, she decided not to wait any longer and just do it herself.

She moved her hands quickly and unbuttoned his shirt.

"Wait, Sera."

Valerian grabbed her wrist with his hand, stopping her from doing anything further. The iron grip on her wrist seemed to bring some sense of reality back to her as she looked down at the position they were in.

After a moment of silence and stillness, her face became bright red, and she practically jumped back.

"I- I’m sorry."

She moved backward until she reached the couch she had sat on previously. Valerian looked at her now completely red face.

"What was that? What were you trying to do, Sera?"

"I- I... I’m so- sorry."

Her voice turned quiet, a complete contrast to the assertive and dominant persona she had displayed just a second ago.

"It’s just... your body changed, and I wanted to... examine it."

As she spoke, the images of her past actions came back to her, and she realized just how weird she must have come off just now.

Valerian looked at her as she tried to make herself as small as possible, trying to disappear into the couch cushions.

’I knew she had an obsession with magic, but that she would lose herself like that...’

He exhaled deeply and leaned back on the couch.

"It’s okay. I know you didn’t mean any harm."

She looked back up at him, her face still as red as a ripe tomato.

"So you’re not mad?"

"No, I’m not."

Her shoulders dropped as some of the nervousness disappeared.

"I know this comes off weird now after what happened..."

"But can I please examine your body?"

While she was still incredibly embarrassed by what had just happened, she still wanted to get the answers she so desperately craved, and she wouldn’t back down just because she felt slightly embarrassed.

Valerian’s purple eyes locked on hers, and he saw the clear glint of her obsession shining through.

"How about we make a game out of it?"

Seraphine’s elf ears pricked up at the sudden proposition.

"What kind of game?"

"If you manage to find out everything about my body on your own, you will get a reward. You can’t ask me any questions, and you have to do it on your own."

"What kind of reward are we talking about?"

While she had the poise and pride of royalty, she also liked to gamble a lot. Back at the castle, she had lost more coins than she wanted to admit to the servants when playing card games. Some would say that she had an addiction, but those people would be wrong!

While such a game wasn’t exactly like the thrilling, wonderful, adrenaline-pumping beauty of gambling, it was still a game.

"I won’t tell you. But trust me, it’s a good one."

"Is there a time limit?"

Valerian thought for a second before a grin appeared on his face.

"You have one month to complete it. If you don’t find out everything about my body, you will grant me a favor, and you can’t say no no matter what it is."

She looked at him with a suspicious expression, but she wanted her answers, and the reward had to be pretty good too.

Determined to win this game, a fire of resolve burned in her chest.

"I agree!"

"Then good luck, Sera."

Valerian began to stand up from his seat when he heard her voice again.

"Val, strip."