The body's reaction reminded the person, letting his internal biological clock, probably past midnight, release the sleep state.

Someone is staring at me!

Wang Xiaole's senses were quite sharp.

The gaze of others was enough to take several seconds for him to go from deep sleep to complete alertness in an instant.

With one arm propped up, the figure in pajamas deftly turned half a circle on the bed;

As soon as his eyes opened, Wang Xiaole's feet touched the floor, his spine standing straight up.

Despite making such a drastic movement, there was no new sound in the room;

Like an inaudible breeze creeping in, whether standing up or moving forward, Wang Xiaole was as silent as a ghost.

When he swayed his shoulders from side to side, he paid close attention to the breathing behind him;

After listening for a few seconds and finding no change, he concluded that the girls were still asleep, making his steps even lighter.

Even though it was midnight and there was no light inside the room, the direction of the figure was still clear, as if able to see clearly in the darkness all around.

Wang Xiaole approached the window but had no intention of touching it;

Because even if he didn’t, the outside wind could still blow in.

He vaguely remembered that no one had opened the window before going to bed;

Yet, the cold temperature touching his skin was undeniably real.

Excluding the possibility of shoddy construction in the palace causing drafts, Wang Xiaole could only come to one conclusion:

And that conclusion related to what he was about to say next:

(softly) "I hope next time you come, you can do so in a slightly more ordinary manner."

He reached out his hand.

Naturally, his palm had not moved far before it was obstructed by an obstacle in front of him.

The obstacle was not a glass window, as it emitted warmth that could only be likened to a body part, specifically a warm hand.

"I also hope that Xiaole will let me know before moving next time; it's not easy to find you here!"

Thud!

The hand reacted, lowered, and wrapped around Wang Xiaole's right palm, as if to keep it captive.

Under the moonlight in the night, casting down from above, the person in front of Wang Xiaole was illuminated with a faint glow.

In contrast, the person's upper body was seamlessly integrated with the darkness, exuding a mysterious beauty that seemed to attract and consume people.

"I am not your concern; it's not my duty to inform you about personal matters."

Following the forceful hand, Wang Xiaole leaped down from the window edge meant for a person to pass through.

Next came the sound of his toes landing on the grass;

Guided by the person, Wang Xiaole temporarily left the room and arrived at the ** below the window, adjacent to a garden filled with various flowers.

The shining moonlight overhead allowed the person's face to be seen clearly;

Without needing to look intentionally, Wang Xiaole could casually call out the other person's name:

"Charley, have you done what I asked you to do?"

The clouds dispersed, making the moonlight appear even brighter.

Following that, Charley's extremely enchanting cheeks, under the caress of her slender jade fingers, tilted slightly as she sat across from Wang Xiaole.

Two days ago, to be precise, Wang Xiaole, out of caution towards the Cardinal in red, had entrusted Charley to gather information near the church.

Initially, it was Charley who had voluntarily taken on this task;

Due to his trust in her abilities, Wang Xiaole had some expectations regarding the outcome of Charley's mission.

"Did you gather any useful information from the church?"

Faced with the consecutive inquiries, Charley maintained her composure and demeanor, calmly responding,

"I did, although the information obtained today, at least for now, may not be considered very useful."

This reply seemed a bit perplexing, but Wang Xiaole decided not to pursue further questioning, choosing instead to accept the explanation for now.

Accepting it he did, but deep down, he still felt a tinge of disappointment;

After all, the slight anticipation from before had now led to a significant letdown.

"I came out to see Charley mainly to ask you about this matter. Since there's no gain, I'll head back now..."

While he said so, Wang Xiaole stood still in place, not moving in any direction.

"Why isn't Xiaole leaving?"

Charley asked with a playful smile.

"I really wish I could leave, but you probably won't let me go that easily."

Wang Xiaole saw through the young woman in front of him very well.

Her eyes, showing no sign of drowsiness, seemed as if they wanted to delve deep into Charley's core, both inside and out.

"Exactly! I've managed to sneak into the palace for a visit, and going back empty-handed would definitely keep me up at night."

"In that case, let me offer Charley some gains: while you still have the patience, let's chat a bit!"

Taking advantage of the opportunity at hand, Wang Xiaole intended to understand Charley more.

The reasons were not significant; he just believed:

Getting to know this young lady he was dealing with more wouldn't hurt him in any way.

Wang Xiaole didn't like being steered by the other party in conversation, so he first raised the question on his mind:

"Charley, it seems like you already knew me the first time we met. Have we met before?"

"We have."

"But I have no recollection of you. My memory wouldn't lie to me, right?"

"Xiaole says he hasn't met me, and that's a fact; I say I've met you a long time ago, and that's also a fact."

"Be clearer, don't speak in such ambiguous terms, I don't like it."

At this point, Charley's expression seemed quite pleased, as if she was enjoying the other's reaction.

Of course, even in enjoyment, there needs to be a limit.

Charley always kept a grasp on the situation, not revealing the mystery right from the start;

Likewise, she didn't drag it out endlessly, making Wang Xiaole truly impatient.

After building up the other's curiosity, her gaze took on a nostalgic touch, and with a tone of reminiscence, she slowly continued:

"Xiaole, do you know about reincarnation?"

"I do! Every living creature on this continent, when their life reaches its end, inevitably has to enter into the cycle of reincarnation."

"It's easy to explain, precisely: the Xiaole I met wasn't really you, but your previous reincarnation!"

Even with Charley's playful expression, there was no hint of jest in her demeanor, making one involuntarily affirm the seriousness of her current attitude.

"Reincarnation..."

Wang Xiaole chewed on these two words, contemplated for a while, but still couldn't taste anything.

He felt numb, there was simply no way around it, the reason being the same old story.

However, tonight was a bit different. On a whim, Wang Xiaole, for the first time in front of someone else, revealed his origins:

"Charley, I don't want to shock you, but to be honest: I wasn't born on this continent, I came from another world."

Having said his piece, Wang Xiaole didn't expect Charley to believe him, at most, he hoped she wouldn't think of him as a lunatic.

"From another world? No wonder! There was a time when I just couldn't find Xiaole anywhere!"

Charley first lowered her head, muttered to herself for a while, then suddenly seemed to have an epiphany and let out a rather loud shout.

The reason for not being puzzled was that Charley already knew:

During the cycle of reincarnation, a very small number of souls have a certain possibility of going to other worlds.

Quite a few are privy to this secret, like the Harpy who is still alive today;

and someone else, the Holy Maiden who has hidden her thoughts until now...

Looking at Charley with a gaze as if seeing a rare animal for the first time, Wang Xiaole's eyes took on a playful look, half-jokingly asking Charley:

"Do you actually accept this statement? Really? A normal person's reaction should be to think I'm a lunatic."

"Is Xiaole really a lunatic?"

The counter-question left Wang Xiaole feeling suddenly choked up.

"I myself – would never think that."

"Well then? If Xiaole thinks you're perfectly normal, I share the same opinion."

Articulate – that was the new impression Wang Xiaole had of Charley at that moment.

Among all the people he knew, he found Charley to be the most eloquent;

it was nearly impossible for anyone to gain the upper hand in a war of words with her.

However, he didn't necessarily have to surpass her in eloquence.

Calming down, Wang Xiaole realized:

It feels pretty good to have someone believe in you. Why not continue talking to her like this?

Using Charley's trust as an opportunity, Wang Xiaole further gathered his spirits and engaged in more exchanges with her.

Which country they were from, what kind of family they came from, the days spent in school…

Except for the matter of having a sister, Wang Xiaole almost exhausted all topics he could share in conversation with Charley.

Rarely, he found himself chatting very happily with someone who was initially guarded.

If it weren't for the moonlight shining down from above, a change which would happen a while later, he would have nearly immersed himself in mundane topics.

The one who started the conversation ended up being the one to bring it to a close.

As time grew later, the surrounding chill pierced deeper into his body.

By now, Wang Xiaole was starting to feel a bit parched, so he decided that in the next moment, he would ask one final question:

"Charley, that man in white whom you dismissed the first time we met, what is your relationship with him?"

The main purpose of the second topic was to interrupt the first one and serve as transitional content. Wang Xiaole didn't expect to receive a particularly special answer anytime soon.

But Charley seemed determined to surprise him tonight and, after a few seconds, said nonchalantly:

"So, you mean that walking trash can? He is my supposed fiance."

The swaying flowers and grass in the wind came to a standstill; the fluid moonlight felt suddenly fixed. Those within the peculiar scene, who had previously felt unburdened in their bodies, now froze in an instant.

"A supposed fiance?"

Unlike the one murmuring these words in disbelief, Charley appeared casual in both expression and reaction.

"Don't get me wrong, he is who he is, but you, Xiaole, are the only one I care about!"

Even after making such a statement, Charley's lips remained slightly upturned, like a cunning fox facing the person before him with delight.