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Whatever the case, things had turned out this way, and Lin Ge couldn't afford to regret it now.

Since he'd already taken them out, he might as well think of them as part of the river of history and forget about them as soon as possible.

Besides, if he kept letting them run wild, things might actually get a lot more troublesome.

Now he'd lost all the rusty gears that kept Bota City running. For the sake of the territory's stable development—and so he could enjoy a lazy, easygoing pretty-boy life down the road—he'd need to make sure that development stayed sustainable.

Even if Lin Ge didn't want to, he'd have to help as soon as possible and find a way to fill the gap they'd left behind.

So Lin Ge decided to get up early for the first time in ages and see what Alice had in mind.

But… he blinked awake, still groggy. So white, so round, so big… The sight nearly blinded him.

And then he saw Rosetti, her head resting on his chest, her bare, rosy shoulders exposed, her silky hair spilling across him…

First, he needed a moment to process this. He'd gone to sleep alone last night, hadn't he…?

He hadn't said anything about going to her bed, had he?

And this still looked like his room…

Uneasily, he lifted the covers over himself, ignoring the so-white, so-big, so-round… Yeah, good. His pants were already gone… So this was what they meant by waking up the morning after. It was really…

“…My ass!”

He snapped fully awake.

Lin Ge hurried to get up, to push her away, but… he couldn't move. So white, so round, so big—who could get up with all that pressing down on them?

Sure, he was always all over Rosetti, hugging and cuddling her without a second thought. But if they'd actually done those things, he was probably the one who'd panic the most…

And since he had no memory of anything like that, he had no idea what expression he was supposed to make…

“You're so noisy. What time is it that you're making all that racket?”

Just as Lin Ge was panicking, with no idea how to recover the memories of the first time he'd supposedly lost…

Rosetti woke up…

Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she stretched her graceful waist and slowly sat up, the thin sheet draped over her.

Like the most dazzling fairy, hidden away in winter and just waking from her long winter's dream, her platinum hair shimmered in the morning light from the window.

After a bit of effort, Rosetti finally opened her eyes all the way and met Lin Ge's twitching gaze.

“G-good morning…”

“Mm. Morning.”

After that simple greeting, Rosetti didn't seem surprised at all.

Wait… could it really be that last night…?

N-no, no way. Forgetting everything on your first time… Something like that, something like that…

“Honey, you don't look too good. Are you still feeling unwell?”

She leaned closer, lifted her bangs, and pressed her slightly damp forehead against Lin Ge's to check his temperature.

“You seem fine. Could it still be an internal injury…? Tell me if anything hurts. This is my first time using this constitution to heal someone, so I'm not sure it'll work… At least your external injuries seem to be gone…”

As she spoke, Rosetti wrapped the sheet around herself and leaned over to check Lin Ge's back.

Her slender jade-like fingers glided over his skin, and Lin Ge instantly went weak all over.

S-so good~~

“Are you sure you're okay… honey?”

She turned back to face him, meeting his gaze with worried eyes that didn't look the least bit insincere.

And she was calling him honey so sweetly and affectionately. It felt so damn good…

Wait a second?!

What… had she just called me?

“You…”

“W-what is it?” Under Lin Ge's gaze, Rosetti's cheeks turned pink. She lifted a hand and shyly scratched at her cheek. “Is there something on my face?”

“Nothing. It's just… about us, you and me, you know… doing it…”

“Doing it?!”

Rosetti tilted her head, looking dazed.

She stared at Lin Ge for a while, then lowered her head and looked herself over.

And then…

“You pervert! What are you thinking?! I was only treating you! My Extreme-Cold Constitution can heal internal injuries, and I was worried you might have one, so I treated you. How could you—how could you…”

Rosetti puffed out her cheeks in a huff, then hurriedly pulled the sheet tight around herself, leaving only her fair shoulders and a pair of cute, rosy little toes exposed.

It looked like they'd only slept together in the sense of cuddling up side by side.

There'd been no blackout, and he hadn't lost his memories of his first time.

That should've been something to celebrate, so why did Lin Ge feel like crying for no reason?

Still, what was with her calling him “honey”…?

“W-what's with that look? We're married. Isn't it only natural for me to call you honey?”

Blushing shyly, she tugged the sheet up to cover half her cherry-pink lips and her rosy cheeks.

Her soft, rosy toes curled inward, making her look so alluring, so delicate and inviting.

How could she be this cute?! Was this really the same cold girl who was always calling him “stinky man” this and “stinky man” that?

No more words—Lin Ge was ready to charge!

“Then there's no problem if we do it right now, is there?”

With a grin, Lin Ge leaned over, reached out, and pulled Rosetti's delicate body into his arms, holding her tight.

He leaned close to her ear and gently blew on her glistening earlobe. Rosetti's body went limp at once.

Other than her face turning even redder, she didn't resist at all.

Lin Ge's heart was practically itching. After all these years since he'd crossed over, it looked like today he'd finally get a taste!

He didn't think twice. She'd practically given him permission, so what was he waiting for?!

Lin Ge eagerly pinned Rosetti to the bed, ready to take things further and get into some more strenuous exercise.

But…

“No! Not yet!”

Rosetti threw up both arms, pushing Lin Ge away and holding him back. She refused.

Huh?! At a time like this, why stop?

Was she just shy? If so, he needed to be a little more assertive. After all, no matter when you started, once you kept things going for a while, you'd end up enjoying yourself.

That was common knowledge. It applied to both men and women.

Though he'd never actually tried it himself…

So, should he be a little rough here?

“Hey, you're only at the second stage of battle aura right now, aren't you?”

“Y-yeah, that's right.”

Lin Ge nodded. Why was she asking about this at a time like this?

His gaze was full of that question.

“Then it really can't happen!”

Hearing Lin Ge confirm it, Rosetti became even more resolute.

“Wait, what does the second stage of battle aura have to do with anything?”

Well, technically, it wasn't really that, either.

“My Extreme-Cold Constitution… Unless you have at least the seventh stage of battle aura or level seven magic, if we were to force it, the cold would eat away at your body until it collapsed. So…”

Rosetti turned her face away awkwardly and explained with an apologetic look.

“So you can't… until you've trained to the seventh stage!”

“I…”

At that explanation, Lin Ge's mouth twitched.

So this was his own laziness coming back to bite him?! No way! Heavens, why would you do this to me?!

That day, for the first time, Lin Ge considered laying everything on the table… for more than two whole seconds…