It was the seventh night in a row that Emma was dragged out of bed at midnight by Gu Liang.
"Quick, Emma! Scouts report that His Highness Fox Lian will be training tonight at Moonwatch Cliff!" Gu Liang's eyes gleamed, her dragon tail thumping the ground with excitement. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance! Under the moonlight, His Highness will look like a banished immortal!"
Emma's eyelids drooped, her soul crying out in despair. By day she had classes and "research" on Fox Lian's accessories; by night she was hauled out for these "field investigations." All she wanted was to curl up with her harmless fluffy trinkets and sleep.
But to maintain her persona as a "like-minded fangirl companion," she forced herself to perk up, plastering on the perfect look of anticipation: "Really? Then let's go!"
At Moonwatch Cliff, the moonlight flowed like water.
Fox Lian was indeed there. He wasn't training, merely standing quietly at the cliff's edge. His silver hair cascaded like a waterfall, shimmering in the moonlight. His fox ears trembled faintly in the night breeze, his tail hung naturally behind him, fur edged with a soft silver glow. He gazed up at the full moon, his profile so flawless it seemed unreal.
Truly… like a painting. If only Emma could ignore the fluffy features that made her scalp prickle.
"Ahhh, look!" Gu Liang clutched Emma's arm, suppressing a squeal. "The way His Highness looks at the moon—so gentle, so mesmerizing!"
Emma winced in pain, forcing a dreamy expression: "Y-yes… very beautiful…" So sleepy…
"His ears moved! Did you see? Isn't it cute?" "...Saw it…" Want my pillow…
"His tail! It's glowing under the moonlight!" "Mm…" My bed…
Emma felt she was at her limit. She stifled a yawn, tears pricking her eyes. To stay awake, she began silently reciting rune incantations, cursing the fox who chose moon-gazing over sleep.
Just then, Fox Lian seemed to sense something. He turned slightly, his gaze sweeping toward the bushes where they hid.
Gu Liang froze, breath held, dragon scales practically bristling with excitement.
Emma jolted awake—they mustn't be discovered!
She instantly pulled on her most "obsessed" smile, forcing her eyes to focus on Fox Lian's new pendant at his waist (perfect, another fluffy accessory to add to her research list).
His gaze lingered on their hiding spot for a moment. In the moonlight, his violet eyes were unreadable, but Emma thought his faintly curved lips carried a hint of amusement.
He soon turned back to the moon.
Gu Liang clutched her chest, silently screaming: "He looked at us! He definitely noticed us!"
Emma: "…" Or maybe he just thought two girls crouching in the bushes at midnight looked suspicious.
Through the rest of the night, Emma barely stayed awake by pinching her thigh, accompanying the feverishly excited Gu Liang in "admiring" Fox Lian's "moonlit training" (though most of the time he was simply standing there, staring at the moon).
By the time they returned to the dorm, dawn was breaking.
Emma collapsed onto her bed, utterly drained. Staring at the pale light outside, she thought in despair: How much longer must I keep up this cursed 'admirer' persona…
Meanwhile, at Moonwatch Cliff, Fox Lian toyed with his newly changed fluffy pendant, recalling the goddess behind the bushes—eyes half-shut with exhaustion, yet still forcing an obsessed look. His lips curved in playful amusement.
His goddess classmate really did go to great lengths… just to "admire" him.