Academic gathering with a lich

William was flabbergasted.

What a wonderful experience it was, to be confessed to by the person he liked.

An impulse surged like a tide from the soles of his feet to his mind, swirling in his eyes. Right now, William really wanted to hug the smiling Fannila and share his joy with her.

He was about to do just that, rising from his seat with an expectant Fannila watching, he extended his hand to touch her shoulder.

Bang, the wardrobe door flung open completely.

"Fantastic! Little Fannila, you finally mustered the courage to say it!" A figure wearing a weird greenish-metallic bone mask and covered with a moss-like garment squeezed out of the wardrobe.

Heinz curled his tall body in the wardrobe’s compartment, a palm stretching forward, as if to grab the person who had emerged from the wardrobe, yet ultimately he did not.

With a hand on his face, Heinz sighed softly.

"Respected Irason, this isn’t the time for us to show up."

William looked at the moving skeleton before him and put his hand in front of Fannila to protect her, "Liches..."

His gaze landed on Heinz, who, like a turtle, had enclosed himself in his own wardrobe, an odd expression on his face.

"Mr. Heinz?"

Heinz managed a stiff smile on his face, "Long time no see, William." How awkward, being seen in such a sorry state by his junior.

"Irason is one of our Dream Elf elders, not a bad person, relax, William."

Assured by Heinz’s promise and the nodding from Irason, like a pecking chicken, William put away his magic wand.

Irason shuffled forward and hugged Fannila, laughing with the same joy as her.

"Can you accept the existence of an ancestral Lich?" Living and dead sharing joy, that was hard to imagine, even knowing that Lyle was a Necromancer, William couldn’t picture such a scene.

Heinz was happy the topic had shifted elsewhere.

"Of course, she is dead, but also our family. Among your humans, isn’t there also a Dragon Priest?"

"Dragon Priest?"

"Those who once served the dragons, led their people to greatness, now reduced to mere remnants."

William’s eyes softened, he scratched his head, and looked awkwardly at the two women laughing and playing.

"I apologize for hiding this from you, Mr. Heinz. I like Fannila."

"Affection is the instinct of living beings; there’s nothing to be ashamed of. On the contrary, you’ve saved me from a headache. I occasionally worry about Fannila’s future; she snuck out from her homeland and befriended some scoundrels. At least she likes you, and you, Mr. William, you are a suitable partner for Fannila."

Heinz stiffly expressed his approval of his niece’s boyfriend.

"However, Mr. William, you’ll have to work hard to stay alive now." Heinz picked up his lantern and presented it in front of William. Inside the firelight, two small figures were embracing and dancing. One disappeared shortly after, and the other stopped dancing and knelt in place sobbing. "The Elf Race has a very long lifespan, which makes other species hesitate. I do not wish for Fannila to taste loneliness through her long life after you die, for Elves are loyal beings. We hold grudges and treasure our relationships. William, you must become strong, magic can prolong your life. Otherwise, I will dig out your bones from your grave and turn them into Liches." Heinz’s eyes turned cold, and although it was just a warning, William always felt like he wanted to take action right there and then. Probably this is what it feels like when a father loses his precious child.

"I will, Mr. Heinz, I will cherish every moment with Fannila."

"Moreover, Succubi also live exceedingly long lives, so William, you need to put in double the effort."

"?" Succubus, looking into Heinz’s icy eyes, William felt a chill crawl up his spine. He trembled his lips and managed to squeeze out a few words stiffly.

"Mr. Heinz, did I hear something wrong?"

Heinz narrowed his eyes slightly, the gleam at the corner of his eyes like a blade, tearing William’s slender hope to shreds.

"If you heard wrong, let me clarify word by word. Succubus Anna, your colleague, the other person in your heart, Mr. William, your gall is larger than I imagined."

"Since we could let Fannila see everything about you in the Bloody Rose, naturally we could also see the other person you care about. Mr. William, do you have anything else you need to explain?"

William felt his blood coagulate, becoming infinitely small in front of Heinz, the sweat on his body stealing away like ice and snow.

A pair of soft arms pulled William into a warm embrace, with Fannila’s fragrant scent pressed close against William’s nose.

"Don’t make it sound so scary, Uncle Heinz," Fannila said, stroking William’s stiff palm and complaining to Heinz with dissatisfaction.

With Fannila’s consolation, William was like a dying man returning to life. He looked at Fannila’s smooth face, his eyes dodging.

"You know about Anna’s matter as well, Fannila?"

Fannila took out an egg-shaped leaf and wiped the sweat from William’s forehead. "Of course, I know because Anna looks at you with eyes and an expression that are all too familiar to me, like I’m looking in a mirror. But you, you blockhead, haven’t noticed at all."

"Aren’t you angry?"

"Angry? To say I’m not angry would be impossible," Fannila’s smile faded slightly as her fingers caressed William’s cheek, "but as an observer of everything that you’ve experienced, even if it’s bittersweet, it’s hard not to cheer for Anna. The conflicts between you, your love-hate squabbles, and the affections they contain are like the ripening Moonlight Fruits. Being in love with William must be a wonderful thing; if it were me..."

"If possible, I would also like to see Anna happy."

Is this... approval?

"But aren’t Elves a monogamous race?"

"Yes, generally, Elves only like one person," Fannila’s fingers gently slid over William’s palm, "but Elves also like harmony, and I don’t want to see you and Anna unhappy. Besides, humans aren’t strictly monogamous, right? Many nobles among the Arcanists have multiple spouses."

"William will definitely surpass them in the future, so it doesn’t make sense that he can only choose one partner. Or is it that William doesn’t like Anna. William, you can like two people at the same time, right?"

Looking at Fannila’s uncertain eyes, William hugged her tightly.

"Thank you, Fannila."

Fannila’s body softened in William’s embrace, leaning against his chest as if she couldn’t support herself.

"This isn’t indulging you, you know. It’s just that I like Anna too. And you can’t lessen your affection for me; you have to double your commitment! Otherwise, I’ll run away with Anna!"

William held Fannila tighter, as if he wanted to meld her into his own body.

"I will, Fannila. I will love both of you twice as much. I won’t give you the chance to run away."

Fannila’s palm caressed William’s head, her bright lips whispering at his ear.

"Go bring Anna back, William. This time, you have to confess with determination."

"...I will, Fannila."

"Anna hasn’t left the City of Wandering, and she’s currently in trouble. Irason is the most powerful Diviner I’ve ever met, she’ll tell you Anna’s location. Go after what you want, William."

Fannila released her arms and, after planting a light kiss on William’s cheek, she walked up the stairs.

William inquired Irason about Anna’s location and then quickly left Heinz’s cottage.

Heinz paced to the second floor, to the memory of the little girl playing her harp in the shadows of the window’s tree. He saw the glow on her face, rippling with the melodious sound of the harp.

"You’ve never been one to yield, Fannila. I remember when you were little, how you cried to me for so long when your sister asked you to share the fruits with your friends..."

The dancing fingers on the harp strings stopped.

"Mother was right, just like now. I know it’s the right thing," Fannila looked up at her uncle, tears falling like jewels, "but why does doing the right thing still hurt so much... Uncle?"

Just like in the past, Heinz stroked her head, a glimmer shimmering in his somber eyes.

"Our little girl has grown up into a mature beauty. Your parents, Doludo and Falanel, will bless you, Fannila, our Dream Elf."

Fannila, like when she was a child, nestled into Heinz’s shoulder, pouting, "Hardly, they’ve completely ignored me. I’ve been over here for so long, and they haven’t bothered with me."

"That’s because I correspond with them every day, and their pet monkey has come over to my side. Of course, I have to write observation reports," Heinz successfully turned Fannila’s tears into laughter.

"Moreover, I’ll soon have new good news to tell them."

"Their precious is in love."