Chapter 161: Sharing A Bed

At the time, Cassian had assumed Seraphina was simply caught in the planetary fallout. He had never imagined she possessed abilities capable of altering perception in high-tier beings, let alone interacting with reality through [Psions] rather than mana.

Now, the doubt was impossible to ignore.

If she was truly this powerful, why hadn’t she intervened?

Even if she couldn’t defeat a Tier VII Sovereign Lord in direct combat, escaping with Ruby should have been well within her capabilities.

Her powers might not have been suited for planetary warfare, but fleeing the sector was a different story entirely.

Unless there was a critical piece of the puzzle he was missing.

Cassian’s expression turned dead serious.

He had spent days drowning in guilt, blaming his own weakness for failing to protect his family.

He had accepted their deaths as the tragic, unavoidable outcome of his inability to stand against a Sovereign Lord.

But what if the circumstances surrounding their deaths were far more complex than he had believed?

What if his mother had a specific reason for remaining behind?

Or perhaps her abilities possessed severe limitations she had yet to disclose.

He couldn’t reach a definitive answer without asking her directly.

Driven by the thought, Cassian pushed himself off the bed and walked toward the door.

He opened it quietly, intending to cross the hall to find her.

Then, he stopped.

Across the dimly lit corridor, Seraphina was kneeling gracefully before the household altar, her long red-and-white hair cascading down her back.

A delicate arrangement of celestial ornaments surrounded the shrine, illuminated by the soft, warm glow of a sacred lamp.

Her hands were clasped tightly together, her eyes closed in deep, quiet prayer.

Cassian stood in the doorway for a long moment.

”…”

He slowly, silently pulled the door shut.

‘I’ll ask her another time.’

There was no point in disturbing her prayer, and he certainly wasn’t eager to trigger another lecture on the virtues of patience and respect.

Besides, they were no longer bound to the tragic timeline he remembered.

He had been granted a second chance, and this time, he would forge a different outcome.

Whatever secrets shrouded his mother’s origins or their former deaths, he would unravel them in due time.

For now, his priority remained the future.

And frankly, he wasn’t mentally prepared for a second sermon tonight.

….

Cassian returned to his bed and leaned against the headboard, preparing to call it a night.

He had a great deal to manage the following day, and although he could function effortlessly with minimal rest, there was no reason to neglect a simple night’s sleep.

He closed his eyes, letting his mind drift.

Then came a soft knock at the door.

Cassian opened his eyes and instinctively activated [Soul Gaze]. Recognizing the familiar aura waiting on the other side, he relaxed.

”Come in.”

The door opened, revealing Nyxara.

Her light purple hair fell over her shoulders, its darker tips resting against the red satin pajamas Seraphina had lent her.

She had spent the last hour helping clear the dining table and assisting Ruby with her bedtime routine. Only now had she finally found a moment to approach her Lord.

She closed the door behind her, then paused in place.

”My Lord…” Her voice was unusually quiet. “I have nowhere to sleep.”

Cassian blinked.

He glanced around his bedroom, as though expecting to discover a spare bed that had somehow escaped his notice.

‘Right. The apartment only has three bedrooms.’

One belonged to him, another to Seraphina, and the last to Ruby. There were no guest rooms, and the living room sofa hardly seemed like an appropriate accommodation for a high-ranking Undead Champion.

Of course, this would have been a genuine issue if Nyxara were a living human.

But she was an Undead Champion. She didn’t require sleep, food, or any of the basic physical comforts living beings relied on.

She could stand motionless in a corner for days on end without experiencing the slightest discomfort.

Which meant that, technically, she didn’t need a bed at all.

Cassian looked at her again.

Nyxara stood quietly near the doorway, her violet eyes locked onto him. She hadn’t suggested an alternative, nor had she offered to take the couch.

Instead, she had walked directly into his room and presented him with a problem whose implicit solution was suspiciously obvious.

‘Is she doing this on purpose?’

The thought amused him.

He had intended to sleep early, but those plans could be delayed. Besides, he had no objections to spending a little extra time with his Champion.

Cassian shifted to one side of the bed and tapped the empty mattress beside him.

”You can sleep here.”

Nyxara froze completely.

For a long moment, she simply stared at him, as though convinced her ears were playing tricks on her.

”My Lord?”

”You heard me.” Cassian patted the mattress again, his face a picture of calm innocence. “Unless you’d prefer to stand guard by the door all night.”

A delicate shade of pink gradually bloomed across her pale cheeks.

”I… that’s not what I meant.”

”Then what did you mean?”

Nyxara opened her mouth to answer.

Nothing came out.

Cassian watched her struggle to form a coherent sentence, finding it increasingly difficult to keep a straight face.

This was the same terrifying warrior who could face cosmic monsters without flinching and swing her scythe with enough precision to make veteran warlords turn pale.

Yet a simple invitation to share a bed had left her completely defenseless.

‘How endearing.’

”My Lord, don’t take my initial request seriously after all I am an undead,” she managed softly. “I don’t actually require sleep.”

”I’m well aware.”

”Then why—”

”Don’t tell me you’re backing out now?” He tilted his head, his blue eyes meeting hers with an amused glint. “You came in here telling me you had nowhere to sleep, despite knowing you’re an undead.”

Nyxara stared at him in utter silence.

Somehow, his completely logical explanation made her flustered state ten times worse.

She could hardly accuse him of being improper when he was merely offering hospitality.

Nor could she pretend the offer was unwelcome, not when the prospect of lying beside him was making her heart race wildly.

After a brief, fierce internal struggle, she took a small, hesitant step forward.

”…If you insist, my Lord.”

Cassian’s smile widened.