Chapter 60: Sovereign of Love and Light

The cool marble felt soothing under my feet as I walked to the balcony. I paused, letting the gentle breeze from the open space play with my hair. From this vantage point, the sprawling academy lay before me, its ivy-covered walls gleaming softly in the dappled sunlight. In the distance, the figures of nobles moved about. They had taken up residence in what should have been the student dormitories.

"Does the king reside here?" I inquired, my voice barely more than a whisper.

"Yes," Dea replied, her tone hushed with reverence. "He and the Queen occupy the rooms above on the Prince and Princess suites."

I caught a glimpse of Yan Xiao out of the corner of my eye. She was sprawled on a neighboring lounge chair on a balcony, her skin basking in the sun's glow, bare to the world. "What's Yan Xiao doing?"

"Sunbathing," Dea responded with a light chuckle.