The Red Flame Festival was a rare celebration in the Demon Realm.
The streets and alleys of the Amber Corridor were adorned with crimson crystal lanterns forged in furnaces.
Their wicks burned with steady, golden flames, illuminating the entire city as if it were bathed in warm wine.
The air was thick with festive cheer.
Lord Ryan Marces had even declared that all residents of the Amber Corridor were exempt from taxes for the duration of the holiday.
However, inside the “Moonlight and Fire” alchemy shop, the atmosphere remained tense.
Xue Yin stood behind the counter, her silver hair meticulously tied back.
Her quill moved swiftly across the ledger.
While the outside world roared with excitement, she focused solely on the rows of flickering numbers.
“Xue Yin, aren’t you giving yourself a break even for the festival?”
Ailia walked slowly into the shop.
Her pale flaxen-gold hair shimmered softly in the sunlight, and the rose mark on the side of her neck pulsed with a faint glow.
She looked around the room and asked in a gentle tone, “Is Jin off asking Ryan for advice on footwork again today?”
Xue Yin stopped writing and looked up at Ailia.
“He went to the western training grounds early this morning. Close-quarters combat isn’t my specialty, so he goes to exchange pointers with Ryan whenever he has the chance.”
“Since he isn’t here, you must come out with me today, Xue Yin.”
Ailia let out a helpless sigh and stepped forward, grabbing Xue Yin’s wrist before she could object.
“No running away this time!”
Xue Yin stumbled half a step.
Knowing Ailia’s intentions, she instinctively gripped the edge of the counter, her gaze clear.
‘I don’t need this! The ledger clearly states that clothing is a non-essential expense, and I haven’t finished today’s work yet…’
“One must wear new clothes for the Red Flame Festival. Those high-collared linen shirts of yours are starting to fray at the edges. They don’t suit the reputation of ‘Moonlight and Fire’.”
Ailia’s voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable persistence.
“Xue Yin!” Seeing that Xue Yin was about to speak again, Ailia cut off her grumbling and played her trump card.
“Ryan said that the next six-month potion order for the Lord’s Manor will prioritize ‘Moonlight and Fire’.”
Xue Yin froze, her eyes widening.
‘This is an abuse of power! How can Ryan use official orders as a bargaining chip…’
“It’s called ‘using influence for personal gain’,” Ailia said righteously, tightening her grip on Xue Yin’s wrist.
“Because he knows your potions are of the highest quality, this order is an absolute bargain. Now, come on. Let yourself relax for the holiday and accompany me today.”
Ultimately, Xue Yin succumbed to the temptation of the six-month potion order and was dragged out the door by Ailia.
***
The “Flame Weaving Workshop” in the central residential zone was packed today.
The succubus shopkeeper, her purple eyes brimming with smiles, ran her fingers across a row of shimmering fabrics.
“Lady Ailia, the ‘Sacred Style’ you requested has arrived—though, with a few of Lord Ryan’s special requirements added.”
She brought out a modified nun’s habit.
The base color remained the snowy white of moonlight linen, but it featured a daring high slit at the hip, revealing a glimpse of porcelain skin.
The back was hollowed out down to the small of the back, decorated with silk embroidery of vines entwining a rose.
“This is too revealing,” Ailia said, her face flushing slightly, though her fingers couldn’t help but stroke the exquisite embroidery.
“Lord Ryan said that God loves all people, and He also loves your curves.”
The succubus chuckled meaningfully.
“He said you deserve to be seen, not just worshipped on an altar.”
Ailia bit her lip and eventually nodded.
The curtain of the fitting room fell.
A moment later, she stepped out.
Her pale flaxen-gold hair fell loosely over her shoulders.
The snow-white habit perfectly accentuated her slender waist and full curves.
As she took a step, she instinctively reached down to pull the high slit closed, but her fingers paused as they touched the cool air.
She remembered Ryan’s words—’You deserve to be seen’—and her hand slowly dropped.
Instead, she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
At the movement, the skin on her exposed back flushed a faint crimson, like a flower blooming in the morning mist—both sacred and alluring.
Xue Yin was stunned.
She couldn’t help but feel that love could truly cause such a significant change in a person.
The Ailia before her was no longer the saintly icon carrying the weight of the world, ready for martyrdom at any moment.
She was a vibrant woman who could blush, whose heart could flutter, and who would wear a sexy habit for the one she loved.
“Your turn.”
Ailia turned around, holding a silver-grey gown in her hands, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
“I picked this one. You must try it.”
Xue Yin’s instinct was to flee, but she was pinned by Ailia and the succubus on either side and forced into the fitting room.
The moment the fabric touched her skin, a refreshing coolness seeped into her pores.
It was made of Moonshadow Silk—a high-grade material as light as air that shimmered with a silver glow in response to magical fluctuations.
Xue Yin clumsily changed into the dress.
As the ribbons were tightened behind her back, her delicate collarbones and rounded shoulders were revealed.
She slowly opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror.
In that moment, her breath seemed to stop.
The person in the mirror had silver hair that cascaded down like a waterfall, blending perfectly with the silver-grey Moonshadow Silk.
The fabric was so light it felt weightless, appearing almost alive as it rippled with her breath, casting a silver glow like moonlight on water.
The cut was minimalist yet incredibly bold, exposing her slender neck and collarbones.
The high slit of the skirt was not meant for exposure, but to free her movements. Every step felt like walking on clouds.
Amidst the shifting silver light, she looked like a gurgling stream beneath the moon.
The feeling was foreign.
She was no longer the “Master” who wore bulky robes to deliberately blur her gender and features, nor was she the reserved Earth man, ‘Zhou Yao’, from the depths of her soul.
In this moment, she was Xue Yin—a work of art meticulously carved by moonlight.
A sense of shame she had never felt before surged into her heart, making her cheeks burn.
But beneath that shame lay a secret, budding sense of joy.
Especially when she imagined the expression Jin would have when he saw her like this…
‘Too high…’
Xue Yin stared at the glimpse of skin on her thigh in the mirror, her voice trembling slightly.
“It’s not too high. It’s perfect.”
Ailia tied the final ribbon from behind.
Her fingertips brushed against Xue Yin’s slightly shivering shoulder blades, her voice gentle.
“Look—silver hair and Moonshadow Silk. It’s as if the Moon Goddess tailored this dress specifically for you. And…”
She leaned into Xue Yin’s ear and whispered with a laugh, “Jin loves it most when the tips of your ears turn red, doesn’t he? This time, let him see his fill.”
Xue Yin spun around abruptly, only to meet Ailia’s smiling eyes.
A thousand words were stuck in her throat, finally turning into a weak defense. “He’s just my disciple…”
Despite her words, she ultimately bought the dress.
However, she insisted that the shopkeeper wrap it in the thickest packaging possible.
She kept her head down as she hurried back to Ryan’s manor with Ailia, as if the dress were incriminating evidence and she was terrified a passerby might catch even a glimpse of it.
***
At the training grounds on the western side of the Amber Corridor, the midday sun hung high. Waves of heat distorted the air.
Ryan Marces, dressed in athletic gear and holding a long staff, was sparring with Jin.
“Too fast, but too direct.”
Ryan’s figure flashed like a ghost as his staff lightly tapped Jin’s ribs.
“Your speed is an advantage, but a straight-line charge is just a target for a master. You must learn to be like the wind—not just fast, but formless.”
Jin panted heavily, sweat sliding down his forehead.
The black silk around his left wrist had loosened during the exchange, revealing the dormant red-gold patterns beneath.
His eyes remained stubborn as he gathered his strength to charge again.
“Again!”
The two figures blurred as they clashed, their strikes producing dull thuds.
After several rounds, Ryan left an opening.
Jin closed the distance instantly, his dagger flashing with cold light.
However, it stopped exactly 1 inch before touching Ryan’s throat.
“Not bad.”
Ryan relaxed his stance and tossed a towel to Jin.
“Your reactions are faster, and your killing intent is more restrained. Why are you still so tense during the festival?”
Jin wiped his sweat and remained silent for a moment before suddenly asking, “My Lord, if I fully undo the seal, the bloodline curse might consume my sanity. Is there a way to suppress it?”
Ryan paused, turning to look him directly in the eye.
His expression grew serious.
“There is. But the information might not be entirely accurate, and the price is high.”
He pointed toward the north, deep into the Eternal Silence Swamp.
“There is a ruin there called the ‘Weeping Bone Cathedral’. It was once a secret altar for the Fallen Angel royalty, later razed to the ground after a bloodline rampage.”
“Inside that cathedral, it is said that the ‘Heart-Binding Chain’ is buried.”
Ryan’s voice was low.
“It is a chain forged from the spinal bones of the first Fallen Angel. It requires one’s own blood as a catalyst to wrap around the heart’s vessels. It can forcibly suppress the power of a rampage. But if you fight while wearing it, every inch of your bones will burn as if they are in lava.”
Jin’s pupils shrank.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you are trustworthy.”
Ryan patted his shoulder, his gaze deep.
“Xue Yin needs someone who can stand by her side. Go get the Heart-Binding Chain—not for me, but for her. Let her know that you can not only die for her but live for her. That you can control your own power to walk a longer path with her.”
After a long silence, Jin dropped to one knee.
He pressed his right hand over his heart, his voice raspy yet firm.
“Thank you for showing me the way, My Lord.”
“Stand up.”
Ryan helped him up, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“Remember—if there is only fear in your heart, the Heart-Binding Chain will crush it. Only with true sincerity for her can you master that pain.”
Jin nodded, a faint light igniting in his dark red eyes.
This time, he was no longer living just to protect.
He was fighting for a chance at life—a chance to earn the right to stand beside her.
***
At noon, the sunlight was perfect.
At the Lord’s Manor of the Amber Corridor, Ryan and Jin had just finished their training and returned to rest.
In the distance, two figures emerged from the shadows.
Ailia’s flaxen-gold hair was loose.
Her snow-white habit outlined her graceful curves, and the rose on her collarbone shimmered.
Her eyes were slightly red, and she was beaming with smiles.
The passing servants couldn’t help but steal glances, though none dared to desecrate her sacred beauty.
Xue Yin was wrapped in a dark grey cloak, revealing only a lock of silver hair and her pale chin as she hurried along.
“Happy Red Flame Festival,” Xue Yin said softly as she reached the terrace.
“Happy Red Flame Festival.”
Ryan removed his glass monocle, the crimson eyes behind the lens swirling with unmasked admiration.
“Ailia,” his voice was deep and husky, carrying a sense of precious care.
“Today, you make me feel as if even the lights of the city have dimmed. You don’t need to be intentionally sacred, nor do you need to intentionally restrain yourself. The way you are is the most beautiful scenery in my eyes.”
Ailia’s cheeks flushed crimson, yet she held his gaze, her eyes full of love.
“Do you like it?”
“More than ten thousand stars.”
Ryan stood up, his fingers grazing her neck as he whispered, “Tonight, just be my Ailia.”
Watching this scene, Jin felt a stir in his heart.
He turned toward Xue Yin.
His gaze held a flicker of cautious expectation, and his voice was tight.
“Master, since Lord Ryan has said as much… for tonight’s festival celebration, could you wear the new clothes you bought today and accompany me?”
Xue Yin’s entire body stiffened.
Her hand, hidden beneath the cloak, tightened as her fingertips brushed the familiar Waxwood Wand at her waist.
A wave of warmth spread from her fingertips to her heart.
The soul that had been imprisoned in bulky robes for so long seemed to stir slightly in that moment.
‘Maybe it’s time to let him see the real me. Not just the lofty Master, but the living Xue Yin.’
The refusal hovered on the tip of her tongue but never came out.
She took a deep breath.
Swallowing the words of rejection, she lowered her eyes.
Her voice was soft, yet it carried an unprecedented firmness.
“Fine. Only for tonight.”
Jin’s eyes instantly lit up, and a brilliant smile spread across his face.
“Thank you, Master!”
“Alright, since we’re all here, let’s take our seats.”
Ryan smiled and made a welcoming gesture.
“Today is the Red Flame Festival. The manor has prepared a special holiday lunch. Let’s eat and talk.”
The four of them shared a smile and entered the dining room.
The long table was laden with delicacies unique to the Demon Realm.
Golden candlelight mirrored the crimson crystal lanterns outside the window.
Ailia and Ryan spoke in low voices, their eyes full of tenderness.
Jin’s eyes were filled with anticipation as he cast frequent glances toward Xue Yin.
Surrounded by the cheerful atmosphere, Xue Yin’s tense nerves slowly began to relax.
Outside, the sounds of the Red Flame Festival’s celebration came in waves.
Inside, the four of them spent the holiday together, enveloped in warmth.