Archive of Our Own

The Kingdom of Kharis had been ruled by a long line of Star Kings and Star Queens since its founding. Each prince or princess was imbibed with the light of a star upon conception, and when marrying shared that radiance with their spouse. When the next heir to the throne was ready to take the crown, both monarchs would return to the sky for an eternal welcome at the Celestial Court.

Twelve years ago, Queen Amandalyn had given birth to a beautiful baby boy named Leopold. The young prince had eyes of silver starlight like his mother, and hair of golden wheat fields like his father. On the night of his birthday celebration, he stood at the head of the procession to send off his parents as they bid farewell to the kingdom in front of a spectacular fireworks show. The queen promised her son that they would be the first to greet him after he joined the Celestial Court, but Leopold only felt that that day would be very far off.

For he had been born on the longest day in the coldest month, and the light of the star that coursed through his veins was from the furthest one in the sky, white and bright and cold. He grew up to be a very capable king, but oh! He was all alone. Of course, the surrounding kingdoms sent their princes and princesses to grace his court, yet none of them caught the young king's eye. They were neither as kind and lovely as his starborn mother, or as wise and witty as his star-blessed father—only short-lived mortals who pined after his looks, power, or promise of shared immortality. Occasionally he met a possible match or two, and courted them for a time—but the sparks never lasted long enough to burn into a flame as steady as his doting parents.

At least time was on his side, if one was only patient. His father only met his mother after 200 years. As a young king of 88, Leopold was prepared to wait. And yet the more time passed, the cooler and stiller his heart grew. He was already a quiet and serious soul, whose starlight glimmered steadily where his mother's would have dazzled in bursts. His subjects called him the Guiding Light of Kharis, for his radiance would spill past the castle roofs every evening to illuminate the capital better than any moon, helping faraway wanderers find their way.

On the night of his 100th birthday, there was another grand celebration from the subjects in his honor. And yet multiple times, his advisor had to approach his table to mutter reminders underneath his breath: "Your Majesty, please don't forget to smile."

Afterwards, Leopold went to see the court physician, who informed him that the radiance of that furthest star in the sky was slowly molding his heart to its core: cold and distant. Its shine was so pure, so strong, that it would be better divided in two—in other words, the king should find a partner soon to share the burden of the star within him. And thus for the next few years, royal balls were proclaimed and invitations given—not only to nobility, but ladies and gentlemen of eligible age to see if they could match the king.

But to stand beside a star was no small feat. The courtiers were protected by magicks and ancient vows—they who swore to serve the court and nation could meet with the king unhurt. Leopold's splendor simply blinded the rest, and a few would-be matches fainted away before the king even rose from his seat at the head of the ballroom.

"It cannot be helped," the physician muttered after the latest rounds of swooning. "His Majesty is simply too strong."

"Is there no way to cloak His Majesty's light?" the advisor fretted.

"Suppose he forms a bond with one of the royal knights—just until he finds his fated half?" the chancellor suggested.

"Don't be foolish," the court magician admonished, "A star sovereign's bond is one and true. Trying to bypass it with clever tricks like these will only tarnish the radiance of His Majesty, to say nothing of his star's blessing upon Kharis."

The court was at a standstill. Meanwhile on one starry night, Leopold opened the windows of his bedroom and looked up at the skies. There above the dotted multitudes, he knew, dwelled his Star Queen mother and Star King father. For the first time in his life, he closed his eyes and made a wish.

⁂

The next day, a storm unlike anything the kingdom had ever seen buffeted the castle and capital city. At first it was just wind, then the rumblings of thunder. Then lightning struck, bringing with it screaming sheets of rain that quickly froze into sleet, which then mixed with bits of ice to become hail. Fortunately, the actual pieces weren't very big. They hardly dented some roofs, and just left bruises on the people and livestock unlucky enough to be outdoors that day. The aftermath left a shimmering sheet of ice in the streets when the clouds parted way. People compared it to glass, or crystals. Someone said it was as if the very stars had fallen from the sky, and a writer who heard that used the quote for a very successful book of poetry later on.

It might have been an ominous sign—but as Kharis was thriving and the borders at peace, nobody thought much of it. More than a few tried to take the hail in the streets home as a souvenir, though it melted away quickly in their palms.

Back in the castle, King Leopold had held court as usual throughout the storm, then followed up with any repair sessions needed after the hail stopped. When he finally stopped to rest in his quarters, he had a chance to open the balcony doors and inspect the surroundings outside. Unexpectedly, he found a surprise.

The ice that peppered the roofs and grounds was indeed spectacular, but more arresting was the unconscious figure lying on his balcony floor. The victim was dressed in pale-green robes of a material that Leopold had never seen before, with long, flowing dark hair cascading down their back. Immediately, the king moved to turn them over, only to see a lovely mouth, a pair of thin strong brows, and thick, dark lashes on a smooth, fair face. The figure swallowed in their sleep, revealing a bobbing Adam's apple, and it was then that the king realized he was actually looking at a very beautiful man.

His heart gave a jolt in surprise; in response, heat rushed to his cheeks and for the first time in his life, he flushed.

Both the knights and physician were summoned, though the court magician tagged along when he heard the description of the mysterious man. As someone who played double-duty as the astrologer of the palace, he was certain there was a connection between the storm and this stranger.

The advisor and chancellor were more pragmatic, citing a freak accident or a would-be assassin foiled by the weather. Meanwhile, the knights asked if they should move the man to a cell and were told to give him a guest room right in the palace—albeit with guards. All the while Leopold listened, issued orders, and paced—back and forth in his room, curious as to the origins of their unknown visitor. A corner of his thoughts even dared to hope. After all, the wish he'd made that night was to find a partner before the star within him burned his human heart away.

At last a young assistant of the physician knocked to announce himself the next day, and declared that the dark-haired man had woken up. With the assistance of the court magician, he was ready to talk—for the man hailed from a foreign place and didn't speak their language.

Sitting on a chair near the side of the bed, Leopold gazed up attentively as the other introduced himself. He had light brown eyes—a color the king had never found extraordinary, but now looked exceptionally bright and clear with the light from the bedroom window. The man caught his gaze and returned a cheerful smile despite his pale, dry lips.

"My name is Luo Xin," he explained. "Recently, I experienced a bout of deviation during my cultivation tribulation and fell through the fabric of the Three Realms, ending up in your world instead."

Leopold blinked and glanced at the court magician, who furrowed his brows before fiddling with the threads of magic he'd woven around the room. "It's working fine, Your Majesty."

"You will perhaps excuse me, sir," the court's chief linguist spoke up next. "But those are words in our tongue we've never heard being used in these combinations before."

"Yes, well…" Luo Xin's eyes darted around the lavish four-poster bed, wide-mantle fireplace, and pretty wallpaper and carpeting before being drawn, inexorably, towards the king again. "This is all new to me too. But if you've the time, I can try to explain things slowly."

⁂

Once upon a time, there was mystical land called Huaxia where different cultivation sects thrived. To "cultivate" was to keep perfecting oneself until reaching a perfect state of being—guided in part by one's Way, or core belief in the universe. Successful cultivators reached a state of enlightenment that granted them infinite wisdom and immortality—or at least, that was how things were supposed to go.

"I thought that last strike of tribulation lightning was going to be the end of me," Luo Xin admitted as he enjoyed dinner in bed. "So I figured I'd at least face it head-on and go out with dignity. Who knew my sword would deflect the strike successfully? I witnessed myself the lightning bolt rend through the sky itself, and the wind from that opening sucked me right through. The next thing I knew, I woke up here."

"That is unusual," Leopold agreed. He was cutting delicately into his steak, having decided to keep the other company for his meal.

"And jarring," Luo Xin sighed. "Fortunately, my meridians survived intact. I think I might've even improved in cultivation after that ordeal."

"Is there anything else we can do to help you recover?" Leopold asked.

Luo Xin looked at him in surprise, then smiled. "Meditation and rest will do me more good than anything else. Though—a place rich with qi would be best. May I ask how you amassed so much yourself?"

"Qi?" Leopold frowned. "I don't think that word translated."

"Oh, it's like"—Luo Xin paused to crinkle his brows, trying to find a good explanation—"the energy of the universe. You're brimming with it, so much that you glow. It's stronger than any elixir spring I've seen."

Leopold examined his hands—he didn't feel anything special. "Would a star to you be considered part of this 'universe'?"

When Luo Xin nodded, the king rested a hand against his chest. "Then it is likely because I am a Star King."

"What's that?" the cultivator perked up with interest. "It sounds like a level of cultivator."

Leopold set his fork down. It was now his turn to explain.

"…then in other words, you've been harboring the power of a star since you were born?" Luo Xin exclaimed when he was finished.

"Yes."

"That's incredible," the cultivator almost knocked over his juice in excitement before catching it just in time. "Then, your lordship—starship?"

"Your Majesty," the court magician coughed lightly from the side.

"That's right, you're a king as well," Luo Xin said with sparkling eyes. "Would you like to be my dual-cultivation partner?"

⁂

"Absolutely not!" the advisor and chancellor exclaimed simultaneously after Luo Xin was done explaining that.

"You may not know this, being a outlander," the chancellor began.

"But it's imperative for the health of the nation that our Star King only shares his light with his fated half, to say nothing of ensuring a heir for the next generation," the advisor continued.

"Oh, is he engaged?" Luo Xin asked politely.

"No," Leopold clarified. "And don't worry about children—rituals through stardust makes leaving heirs between two partners easy."

"But it's still unheard of!" the chancellor pointed out. "You're an outlander, you're bound to go home at some point—"

"I can spare the time," Luo Xin said. "Since I'm alive, my jade slip is still intact. My master will know I'm well and assume I've gone off on a cultivation journey. No one will worry at home." He looked at Leopold with a smile. "Do you need me to rule the country with you?"

"What impudence!" gasped the chancellor.

"What gall!" cried the advisor.

"What guts," the court magician whispered to the linguist, who was nodding and staring with wide eyes.

Leopold remained unruffled as he added, "That will be part of your duties if you accept your position as part of the monarchy."

"He's too young, Your Majesty," the advisor advised advisedly. "Judging by his looks, he's no more than someone just out of his teens."

"That's because I've cultivated well enough to retain my youth," Luo Xin protested lightly. "I'm 218 this year."

A beat of silence followed. Then the room erupted into protests again.

"He's too old, Your Majesty!" exclaimed the chancellor.

"How could a youthful face be so deceptive?" wheezed the advisor.

"Maybe I should try this cultivation thing too," the court magician muttered to the linguist, who murmured back, "I don't think it'll make much of a difference for you now."

Leopold took a serene sip of tea before he added diplomatically, "My mother was 183 years older than my father when they first met."

Even Luo Xin looked towards him this time, surprised. "How old are you?"

Leopold met his gaze squarely. "I am 110 this year."

Luo Xin's lips quirked into a grin. "If this was my sect, you'd be calling me senior brother."

As expected, his reply sent the old courtiers into another tizzy fit for "attempted lèse-majesté." But at the end of it Leopold held up a hand for silence, and declared, "Being partners with me naturally involves ruling the nation. The fact that he's willing to accept this responsibility is commendable."

"But Your Majesty," the chancellor tried.

"Besides, have you not noticed? We've been speaking the entire time, but this man remains unaffected by my radiance despite suffering recent injuries." Leopold gestured to Luo Xin, who was now happily tackling his chocolate pudding. "It means he at least has the strength to bear my light."

The courtiers exchanged glances. That much was true. In fact, Leopold had been prepared to leave the room entirely if Luo Xin showed signs of fainting away in his presence, but since nothing had happened, the whole conversation had gone on unimpeded.

⁂

In the end, Leopold and his retainers (well, it was mostly just his retainers) came up with an ultimatum: the Star King would allow Luo Xin to bask in his radiance in exchange for completing three tasks for the kingdom. If everything went well, Leopold would consider a permanent star bond through dual-cultivation. If things didn't work out, at least Luo Xin would have recovered somewhat while helping Kharis at the same time.

“You don’t have to accept,” Leopold added. “There’s a mountain peak in Kharis higher than any other—the closest point on earth to the Celestial Court. You might be able to find the qi you seek there.”

“It’s fine,” Luo Xin replied with a laugh. “I’ve been in closed-door cultivation for 50 years, so it’s nice to talk to people again. Besides,” he added with a wink, “I want to show those retainers of yours a thing or two.”

“What kind of things?” Leopold asked, and glanced at the crystal ring on Luo Xin’s middle finger. It was a translation item the court magician had enchanted for him so it’d be easier to communicate. Thanks to being powered by the light of the star, all Luo Xin had to do was stay by Leopold’s side to ensure it absorbed enough star essence to remain functional.

“It’s a saying,” Luo Xin explained. “It means I want to show them that I’m capable of exceeding their expectations.”

“You’re under no obligation to prove anyone anything,” Leopold reminded him.

Luo Xin gave him a gratified look. “I know. But if I’m going to win you over as a dual-cultivation partner, I want my victory to be beyond a doubt—even to my naysayers.”

The frankness of the other was almost too much; Leopold felt heat flood his face again as he stared at Luo Xin and nodded. “Mm. Then I also wish you every success.”

The three tasks had been designed by the courtiers to be difficult—firstly to encourage the outlander's failure, then to gauge his strength. A powerful ally would be welcome, but a potential obstacle needed precautions and preparation. For that reason, the court magician, chancellor, and the physician all accompanied their king to oversee the completion of the duties.

Their first mission was in the Crescent Ravine, the home of the Moonscale dragons. They were creatures who venerated the moon and spread its light across the lands, but in recent months hardly any had flown at night, leaving the skies dark and dim except where the Star King reigned. As it was impractical to expect Leopold to light up every corner of his kingdom, this sort of thing couldn't continue indefinitely. Yet inquiries by the best physicians and magicians in the land had failed to yield any answers. Thus, the Council of Hard-Won Merit (as the group of courtiers now named themselves) asked Luo Xin to find a solution to the problem.

After leading him to the cliff overlooking the dragons' den, they left him alone to survey the place. Unexpectedly, Luo Xin turned to them a few minutes later and asked, "Where are the dragons?"

The court magician and Leopold exchanged looks; together they also headed to the cliff's edge and peered down, where the Moonscale dragons were taking their midday nap, their silvery-white scales gleaming beautifully in the sun.

"There are 26 known dragons in this particular den, the ones with the most report of trouble," the court magician began, "Of which six are currently asleep below us."

"Six?" Luo Xin craned his neck to check again. "Wait, you mean those white winged lizards?"

Now it was the chancellor's turn to speak up, aghast. "I thought you said you've dealt with dragons before!" he exclaimed, "But you can't even recognize one in the wild?"

Luo Xin pointed at the creatures below them. "Why do your dragons have wings?"

"How else would they fly?" the court magician reasoned.

"You don't need wings to fly."

"What nonsense are you spewing?" the chancellor huffed.

"What do the dragons in your world look like, Luo Xin?" Leopold asked instead.

Luo Xin found a stick and sketched them a doodle in the dirt. The men crowded around the picture curiously. It resembled a long, serpentine creature with short, stubby legs, a lizard-like face, and fish-like scales on its body. A pair of whiskers stretched out of its nose, while deer-like antlers grew from its forehead. One of its claws clutched a large, round ball.

"They don't all hold pearls," Luo Xin added, "but some do. It's a symbol of their wisdom."

"Why pearls?" the chancellor asked, confused. "I thought your dragons ruled the skies."

"I forgot," Luo Xin admitted after a beat. "Some dragon emperors do have palaces at the bottom of the sea."

"Now you're just weaving more tales!"

"It's only fantastical because you haven't seen one for yourself," Luo Xin argued back.

"Enough, enough," the court magician pulled back the chancellor before he could start a new argument. "You're an official of state—show some restraint." To Luo Xin he nodded and said, "Well, now you've seen our dragons. Can you still solve the problem?"

Luo Xin scratched his chin thoughtfully before nodding. "Let me talk to them first."

"Talk to them? Why, I—" the chancellor's words were cut off by a gasp as the cultivator abruptly opened his dimensional storage bag, pulled out a sword, and tossed it into the air. It floated by itself, and Luo Xin hopped on the flat of the blade a few seconds later before flying in a straight dive into the dragon den.

"Luo Xin!" Leopold exclaimed in alarm. He rushed forward himself before two of his knights caught him in time.

"Be careful, Your Majesty!" one reminded him.

"They outnumber him," Leopold frowned. He turned to the court magician. "What if he gets injured again?"

"Don't worry, Your Majesty, I've enchanted the physician's concotions with my strongest spells," the court magician soothed back. "If anything happens, we'll make sure to keep our new friend breathing in one piece."

Then came a series of terrifying roars. The humans and Star King all peeked down to see that the dragons had woken up. Blitzing from creature to creature was a sharp, green streak of light that Leopold instantly realized was Luo Xin flying between them in his pale green robes.

"I thought he was going to speak to them," the chancellor exclaimed, horrified. "Why is he beating them up?!"

The court magician took out his magic-enhanced monocle and peered through it thoughtfully. "Perhaps it's the custom of cultivators to introduce oneself with a friendly spar? We did see him leave on a sword."

King Leopold, who didn't need a monocle to see perfectly well, added in a matter-of-fact tone, "He's winning."

"He's not going to kill them, is he?" The chancellor was alarmed. "We're here to resolve a problem, not start an interspecies war!"

There was a loud whump as the first dragon collapsed, thoroughly thrashed. Eventually, five more crashes followed suit before Luo Xin was left standing alone in the middle of the bodies, arms folded in thought.

"What is he up to now…" the court magician squinted.

No sooner had he spoken than did the cultivator hop onto his sword and suddenly went soaring through the ravine valley, away from the scene of his crimes!

"He's running away!" the chancellor exclaimed.

"No, I don't think so," Leopold shook his head. As far-fetched as Luo Xin sounded at times, he had an internal logic for his words and deeds. "Let's wait until he returns."

A few minutes later, they heard a distant boom.

⁂

"I knocked down part of the valley," Luo Xin explained. He had returned covered in a fine layer of dust, but otherwise looked quite chipper.

"The same valley that makes up these dragons' home?" the chancellor asked, and paled when Luo Xin nodded yes. "Oh, my chest…"

First picking a fight, then destroying their habitat…this didn't bode well at all!

"Your Moonscale dragons are yin-aspected creatures who can't stand the sun, yet by living in a valley to avoid it, they're stuck in a pool of stagnant qi," Luo Xin explained briskly. "The airflow isn't good, so I reshaped a bit of the surrounding areas to fix that. But they should really find a better location higher up—like a cliffside cave."

"What's yin?" Leopold asked curiously.

"That didn't translate either?" Luo Xin arched a brow. "Oh, well…think of it as negative energy. I don't mean that it's 'bad,' just that it's the opposite of warmth and light. Most life need a mixture of yin and yang—er, that's the positive energy—to survive in balance."

"So are the dragons suffering from excess yin?" the court magician guessed.

Luo Xin nodded. "That's right. They're listless and slow to react, and couldn't coordinate well enough to fend off my strikes."

"It sounds like nonsense," the chancellor muttered under his breath.

"Meanwhile, in the cases of excess yang," the cultivator added, "You get things like fiery tempers and irritability."

"What—" the chancellor didn't get to finish, because he heard a surprising sound in exchange: Leopold had actually given a tiny snort. It was small but unmistakable—had His Majesty just laughed? It had been some time since the Star King expressed any excess emotions.

Luo Xin's own grin widened briefly before he continued. "So after resetting their systems and adjusting the feng shui—er, energy balance—of the valley, they should be doing much better. I'll go beat up the other twenty who weren't lounging around today to help them too."

"Wait! Will the dragons understand your intentions?" the chancellor asked. After all, the first reaction of anyone to a stranger who entered your house and beat you up would be hostility.

"They'll feel better when I'm done with them," Luo Xin said cheerfully.

"So he does talk with his fists…" the chancellor muttered.

"Will the translation ring work with dragons, too?" Leopold asked. "Then Luo Xin could explain it to them directly."

"Ah! Yes, it certainly should," the court magician chimed in. "If the materials needed to make it were more common, we could use them instead of relying on intricate arrays all the time."

"It might be an avenue worth exploring," Leopold agreed. "The aquiline silver used for the base is a major import from the south, however. The costs of bringing that in aren't profitable enough to support the venture."

"Would Your Majesty be interested in a potential trade agreement?" the chancellor chimed in next. "I have it on good sources that their farmers there are interested in our specific strain of snow peas…"

Luo Xin watched the trio in front of him suddenly engage in commerce discussion out of the blue. He had started cultivation when young and had limited dealings with non-cultivarors or politics. Is this the kind of thing a king deals with? Managing details between people and things? Admitedly, that wasn't his strong suit. He was better at seeking out problems and dealing with them directly.

"Luo Xin," Leopold called. He looked up, having missed the conversation in the meantime.

"Huh?"

"Can we work something out together for the dragons?" Leopold asked. "There's a few questions I'd like to ask them."

"Your Majesty, the trial is still ongoing," the chancellor reminded him. "We've yet to see evidence that the outsider's actually resolved the Moonscale dragons' condition."

"That's why we need to get a clear picture of the situation," Leopold replied. "This is an issue that affects the kingdom, after all. If Luo Xin's insights help us resolve that, then all the better."

"Then we can only give him partial credit," the chancellor said firmly.

Leopold creased his brows, but Luo Xin stepped in. "That's fine. Give me another challenge to make up for it—nothing wrong with helping out a future dual cultivation partner, after all."

"You—!" the chancellor huffed.

Whoosh, whoosh…

The intervention on Leopold's lips died away at the sound. He and the other three men looked back, only to see a white-winged dragon crest the top of the cliff to stare at them.

⁂

"Full credit," the chancellor sighed when everything was over.

Luo Xin thanked him and (if grudgingly) accepted his first pass.

It turned out that the Moonscale dragons had unfortunately lost one of their young a few months ago, and had buried the young dragon's body here in this valley. Due to mourning, they'd gradually lost track of time and forgot their duty to illuminate the moon in evenings. Then the yin accumulated by that emotion, combined with the unfavorable conditions of the valley and the natural negative energy exuded by a corpse, kept them there like a living mausoleum.

"Moonscale dragons are creatures keenly attuned to their surroundings," the court magician remarked. "We should've looked into their living arrangements, but we only focused on the dragons themselves."

"It was a gradual process at any rate," the court physician replied. "too subtle for us or the dragons to notice. At least it's resolved now." He looked up cheerfully at the skies, where a sizable number of the Moonscale flock were circling the capital in slow, wide arcs as thanks beneath a fresh, glittering full moon.

Such creatures were best viewed at night, when the moonlight sparkled off their shimmery silver-white scales. After escaping the Council of Hard-Won Merit, Luo Xin hopped on his sword and flew to an upper balcony, where Leopold was admiring the dragons above alone. He landed beside him with wave and a declaration, looking satisfied. "They're happy now."

"What does it feel like, to fly like that?" Leopold turned towards him.

Luo Xin turned to him in surprise. "You've never flown before?"

Leopold shook his head. "As the Star King, I'm bound to earth until the day I ascend to the Celestial Court."

"I see," Luo Xin paused. "I almost assumed, since you were a star, that you'd float in the air like one too."

"Not while I still have my duties here…"

"Do you want to try?"

A hand was held out to him. Looking up, Leopold saw Luo Xin's encouraging smile.

"I can take us both on my sword. Don't worry—you won't fall off."

Leopold's eyes flickered uncertainly.

"Are you wary of heights?" Luo Xin tried.

"No."

"Will it hurt you?"

"No."

"Are we breaking any rules or laws?"

"…No."

"Then come," Luo Xin said again. "Well, I understand if it's because you can't trust me yet…"

A hand grasped his firmly.

"…since I'm an outsider and all," Luo Xin finished as his smile brightened at the contact.

"I do trust you," Leopold said simply. A faint hint of color dusted his cheeks, though it could just be from the cold.

Luo Xin stepped back onto his sword and pulled Leopold up to join him. "That's good, then."

"But don't let the chancellor or court magician see. They'd disapprove while you were still on trial," Leopold said. He thought he'd have more trouble standing on the blade, but something seem to adhere to his feet and keep him firmly in place. Luo Xin's hand steadied the rest.

The cultivator laughed at him now and replied, "All right, we'll keep out of their sights."

Standing side-by-side on the blade, the two ascended gently into the air before Luo Xin took them airborne. Leopold couldn't decide which to focus on first: the cold wind currently whipping through his hair, or the warm hand holding him fast. He turned towards Luo Xin at the perfect moment to see his head framed by the moon behind him like a halo.

Noticing his gaze, Luo Xin turned towards him too. "What are you smiling about?" he asked curiously.

"I'm smiling?" Leopold asked in surprise. He touched his lips.

"It looks like one to me," Luo Xin grinned back. "Having fun?"

Leopold's eyes flickered back to him again. "I saw something nice."

Luo Xin followed his gaze to look behind him. Coincidentally, the flight of dragons were circling back from their trip around the castle behind them. "Want to get closer?" he asked.

The next second, their sword sailed up and straight into the middle of the group, which naturally made room for the two figures on their swords. Up close, the brilliance of the Moonscale dragons were dazzling, their scales twinkling around them like jewels as they flapped their wings. They also served as shiny camouflage against any curious eyes from down below.

"What do you think?" Luo Xin laughed as they flew along.

Leopold was still staring at him. He didn't know whether he was smiling at this moment, but his heart was fluttering. "It's beautiful," he breathed.

⁂

Luo Xin's second task took place under the sea. Years ago, the first Star Queen had pushed back the impressive naval force of an invading nation with her armies, but had to sacrifice the royal vessel in the process. This ship was not only a symbol of Kharis, but also contained untold chests of gold claimed from earlier spoils within its decks. Luo Xin's mission was to track down the location of the missing ship and—if he was capable—come back with a coin from its treasure trove as proof.

However, the seas were far from steady on the day they set out. The morning had been humid, skies tinged with fluffy, gray-white clouds. The court magician estimated that storms would move in by that afternoon, and so suggested they wait ashore while Luo Xin flew off to search the seas on his sword. But the chancellor noted that it would be fairer to witness Luo Xin's actions in person. Then they'd tried to convince Leopold to wait for them instead, but the Star King reasoned that he should be present at the proceedings too.

In the end, a small but swift vessel led them into the seas, guided by a thread of qi that Luo Xin had attached from his sword to take them the right way. The cultivator was using another one of his tools today—a hexagonal compass engraved with strange symbols, which helped to point the way.

"I really don't understand how he's managing all this without mana," the court magician observed while studying the thread of qi. Although it wasn't perceptible to his eye, he could sense the string of energy humming in the air.

"Perhaps qi is their equivalent of mana," the physician suggested.

The chancellor folded his arms. "As long as it gets results…"

After reaching the right section of sea, Luo Xin stopped flying and turned back to the ship. "It should be below here!" he called with a wave.

"How do you know?" the court magician called back.

"My divinations say so!"

"His divinations, he says," the chancellor muttered to himself, "What could he divine from the date the ship sank, or the type of cargo it carried?"

Leopold said nothing. Instead, he moved to the side of the ship, and watched as Luo Xin severed his thread of qi before diving beneath the waves on his sword. In the meantime, the sailors set anchor while one approached him solo.

"Your Majesty," he said—it was the captain. "Tis a fine day for fish. You don't mind if we—?"

"Go ahead," Leopold replied. His eyes were still fixated on the water. Although Luo Xin had said he'd be fine breathing in the ocean, he'd feel better about things once the cultivator came up.

⁂

By the time the sailors stocked up on fish and prepared to cook lunch, Luo Xin still hadn't emerged. It took the court magician considerable persuasion to get Leopold to sit down and rest, but then—

SPLASH!

A figure burst from the sea. Everyone on board turned to see the familiar black-haired man in robes burst from the depths, his eyes aglow as he floated in the air. Leopold's heart leapt to his throat; the next second he'd approached the edge of the ship to look up.

"How was it?" he asked, quietly.

The glowing eyes looked his way before Luo Xin's face split into a smile. "The royal vessel was exactly where I thought it'd be."

"Then—"

"I need you to get back to shore," the cultivator went on. "And grab carts—wagons, whatever you need."

"What for?" the court magician asked.

Luo Xin grinned. "I'm bringing the whole ship back with me." He reached into his sleeve before finding something to toss on board. Leopold naturally caught it and looked—it was an old coin still gleaming gold, etched with the symbol of the first Star Queen.

Next to him, the chancellor sucked in a breath. "So it's real!"

Leopold remained calm as he looked up. "How are you planning to get that ship back?"

"There's a storm on the horizon," Luo Xin replied. "I'll use its waves to propel it back to shore after I lift it from the sea bed."

"That ship must be over a thousand years old by now," the physician observed. "Won't it break apart as soon as you move it?"

"Well, that's why I'm planning to secure it together with qi," Luo Xin admitted.

The physician was bewildered. "But how is that feasible—"

"Luo Xin," Leopold interrupted. "Do you want to break for lunch?" He had noticed a slight wrinkle in the other's brow—not something he'd seen before. It might have been fatigue.

"Actually, I have less need for food now that I've recovered," Luo Xin sheepishly scratched his head. "If I cultivate well enough, I can get my energy in other ways."

"Come eat," Leopold coaxed. "You have time before the storm, right? It's a local dish of our country, I'd like you to try it."

In the end, Luo Xin was persuaded on deck. He was moved to a table to dry off in the sun, where a sailor offered him a drink. Meanwhile, Leopold turned and made a straight beeline for the grill they'd set up on deck to cook the fish.

"Your Majesty, what are you doing?" the chancellor asked in surprise.

"Making lunch," Leopold replied while rolling up his sleeves.

Startled, the chancellor said, "There's no need for that. We have cooks and sailors."

"My mother made this for my father once," Leopold said. "Trials aside, shouldn't we also test our compatibility? I'd like to do the same things my parents did."

The chancellor paused and backed down; this seemed to make sense? Behind him, Luo Xin listened with amusement from the table. "Can I watch?"

"Only from a distance. It's been a while, so my skills are rusty."

"Hmm, all right." Although Luo Xin remained seated, he wasn't idle. He opened his palm to gather a wisp of qi, then had it fly over as a mote to hover above Leopold's head. There the ball of energy conveniently formed itself into an eye to study the Star King's movements.

Leopold gave the eye a look. In response, it blinked back innocently.

"I am watching from a distance," Luo Xin added from his seat.

Cheeky, Leopold thought, and reach out to poke the floating eye with a finger, causing it to spin in place. But he let it be and turned towards the nearest person next, which happened to be the chancellor.

"Chancellor, please get me a fish."

"Yes, Your—hm?" The chancellor's jaw went slack before he recovered. "Oh, yes! I'll call—I'll fetch a sailor to do it right away, Your Majesty."

⁂

Because time was tight, Leopold quickly filleted, prepared, and grilled one fish before presenting it on a plate to Luo Xin. The cultivator himself was acclimatizing to fork and knife again—chopsticks are much easier, he mused as he carefully cut through the white, tender flesh and brought a morsel to his lips.

"How does it taste?" Leopold asked after the other had swallowed. Because this was intended to be a short trip, the sailors hadn't brought many spices. He had to make do with a simplified version of his original recipe. "If it's no good, don't force yourself to eat it."

"No, it's fine." Luo Xin picked up a second bite and chewed throughout it enthusiastically. "Because you made it personally, each bite is full of your qi. I've never had such an energizing meal."

Leopold was first gratified, then oddly disappointed. "Is that it?" he asked.

Luo Xin's eyes twinkled at him from across the plate. "Is there anything else to it?" he asked.

The blatant deflection made the king give up. "No, nothing…"

"The flavors are also unique and rich, and the fish is very fresh," Luo Xin went on with a laugh. "Moreover, I can tell it was made with care in every bite. So thank you, Your Majesty, for cooking such a delicious meal."

Leopold gave Luo Xin a look of surprise, stopping the other's laughter in place. He stared at the pretty golden-haired royal with eyes like the lining of rain-tinged clouds, and realized Leopold had taken his previous statement seriously.

"I mean it," Luo Xin added softly. "Nobody's ever made something just for me before."

Having grown up as an orphan, he was accepted into his sect as a child, and the food there was always served to everyone in a single dining hall.

Hearing this, Leopold visibly exhaled. "Then eat your fill," he said. "If you're really going to try something as outrageous as hauling a ship up from the sea, you need to have enough stamina."

"Your Majesty, don't forget to eat as well," Luo Xin reminded him. "You only cooked for me."

"I will later."

"Then at least try some of your own dish," Luo Xin still offered, picking up another forkful of fish and holding it out. Before any of Leopold's aides could intervene in this wild breach of etiquette, the king leaned forward and took the bite into his mouth.

The flavors were what he expected, but he didn't taste any of the purported qi that Luo Xin was raving about. "This is enough," he added. "I'll get more with the rest."

Nearby, the court magician quickly placed a hand over the chancellor's lips before he could sputter too loud.

⁂

A Few Hours Later.

Back on shore, rain pelted down in torrential waves. Standing at the second floor window of a seaside inn, Leopold peered into the storm with creased brows. Luo Xin had yet to show up.

"Your Majesty," one of the knights came in to report. "The horse-drawn wagons we've summoned have stopped a couple towns back, on account of the storm. Once it passes, they'll try moving here again, but the roads won't be easy by then."

Leopold nodded to acknowledge the message. "Are the drivers and horses sheltered from the rain?"

"Yes. Fortunately, there was enough room in some stables to house the animals."

"At this rate," the chancellor muttered, "even if that outlander raises the ship, we won't spot any sign of him coming to shore. The storm's made things too dark, Your Majesty."

Leopold processed that fact before turning towards the chancellor. "He's already passed the trial this time too, correct?"

"Ah?" The chancellor stopped to think. "Why yes, yes I believe he has—we didn't require him to do much more than bring back proof and location of the treasure."

"Good." With that in mind, Leopold unlatched the windows and started to climb outside to the balcony. Alarmed, the chancellor quickly grabbed him by the arm.

"Your Majesty, what are you doing?"

Leopold shook him off. "You said it was too dark. I'll give him a beacon to find his way to shore."

"What? But it's raining outside, Your Majesty!" the chancellor exclaimed. "You'll get wet!"

"Luo Xin's likely soaked too," Leopold pointed out.

"That's his choice!" the chancellor huffed. "Why don't we get the magician to illuminate something to take your place, Your Majesty?"

"Nobody in Kharis has a brighter radiance than the Star King," Leopold replied.

"Then at least something for the rain!" the chancellor insisted. "Don't inconvenience yourself needlessly, Your Majesty."

In the end, the court magician was hastily dragged in to set up an enchanted space around the king that would repel all rain. Despite this, the temperatures outside were cool, and a fierce wind howled through the air. Dressed in a cloak but still standing tall, Leopold braved the rest of the elements before drawing his inherent star nature to the surface.

Within seconds, a cold, white light emanated from his body to illuminate the building and streets below, until nearly all of the tiny seaside town they'd retreated to was flooded with light. Meanwhile, the court magician fiddled around until he managed another spell—this time, one that lit a ring of fire around Leopold to keep him warm.

The end result was that when a drenched and soggy Luo Xin finally made it towards harbor while riding atop the storm-battered mast of the royal vessel, the first thing he saw was an almost blinding light coming from the western end of the town. He instinctively guided the ship there—fortunately, it was mostly beaches—and ran it aground of the sand before hopping on his sword to fly straight to the source.

"Your Majesty!" Luo Xin exclaimed when he'd drawn closer to the inn. "What are you doing outside?"

Looking up, Leopold immediately spotted the other. "You made it back."

"It wasn't difficult. I just had to attach qi threads to a thousand different places—wah, you even started a fire?" Luo Xin babbled as he landed on the balcony a safe distance from the ring of flames. "How long did you wait?"

"How are you not freezing?" Leopold countered back. He withdrew his starlight somewhat, leaving only their immediate surroundings aglow. "You look wet to the bone."

"I circulated my meridians for heat—but I couldn't spare any more than that." Luo Xin shivered, then warmed his hands by the flames. "Let me borrow this a bit."

"Come inside," Leopold simply grabbed one of his hands. "We can dry you off and get you changed."

The skin contact between them was intense—at least for Luo Xin. He jolted at the sudden heat that coursed through him and thought, Of course. Leopold radiating light was akin to channeling qi to the surface of his skin. His tired body drank it up before he instinctively pulled the other towards him in a hug across the fire. How warm…

"What's wrong?" Leopold asked in concern. Despite being held against the other's chest, he didn't panic, choosing instead to pat the other's back and shoulders in reassurance. "Should we call for the physician?"

"No, I was just surprised," Luo Xin said. A bit sheepish, he let go of Leopold a second later. "Your qi is spilling out of you right now, so I got a little greedy. Sorry."

Leopold blinked at him, then raised his palm. With some focus, a perfect mote of blinding light appeared to hover in his hand. "You mean this?"

Luo Xin stared at it as if transfixed. "Yes. It's so potent…"

"Here." Leopold offered it to him without hesitation. Before Luo Xin could even refuse, the light glimmered and flew to his chest, where it quickly absorbed into his body. The sensation spread welcome warmth to his rain-soaked limbs, and he shivered before giving the other a gratified smile.

"Thank you," Luo Xin smiled. "Now I'm warm inside and out."

Leopold's expression habitually softened around him again. "Of course."

⁂

The rain continued for the rest of the day until evening. To save them some trouble, the court magician cast illusion magic on the ship to hide it from view until they were ready—which ended up being late morning the next day, with the group gathered on a still-damp beach.

There, Luo Xin levitated chest after chest out of the ship's depths, each filled with varying amounts of jewels, coins, and silk. Of course, the fabric was long beyond repair, but the precious gems and stones survived much better. As for the ship itself—

"I'd like permission to keep this," Luo Xin explained. "It's made from an unusually qi-dense wood. I think it'll be useful to have it around until I figure out what to do with it."

"It's a bit big to transport back…" Leopold mused, even as the court magician's eyes twinkled.

"Are you going to make it sail on the clouds?" he asked.

Luo Xin chortled, "There's no need for that." He turned to Leopold next. "Your Majesty, may I?"

When Leopold nodded his approval, Luo Xin unclipped a bag from his waist, opened it up, and tossed it at the ship. Five seconds later, the contraption shrank to fit inside before the bag closed up and flew back to Luo Xin's side.

"What was that?" the court magician exclaimed.

"You mean you don't have spatial storage pouches?"

"What even—no, never mind, I can guess the theory. But wait—why didn't you simply use this on the sunken ship?"

Luo Xin shook his head. "Underwater, it would've tried to swallow the sea. Above the waves, I wanted to test the quality of the wood after being waterlogged for so long. Besides, it fits better after we've emptied it out of chests."

The court magician continued asking questions, intrigued by other applications of the pouch. While the chancellor exulted over the new addition to the royal coffers and the physician brought the king and Luo Xin medicinal soups to warm them up, the daytime sun twinkled on the waves, a happy witness to the spectacle.

⁂

"Without a doubt, you've helped us greatly, Luo Xin," a member of the Council of Hard-Won Merit addressed the cultivator back at the palace. "First by dealing with a threat to the kingdom, then by recovering a valuable piece of heritage. Kharis is grateful for your contributions."

They were all in a special hall for the occasion. Leopold sat as usual in a chair on a raised dais at the head of the room, with the Council members flanking him on both sides around a half-circle. In the middle of it all was Luo Xin, standing there with a relaxed posture.

"You've proven not only your wisdom, but your strength," the Council member went on, "to full satisfaction. For that reason, we acknowledge your ability. However, it cannot be denied that those same skills make you a fearsome foe."

Leopold, who had been idly drumming the armrests of his chair, looked up sharply at that statement. By his side, the court magician leaned in and murmured, "Stay calm, Your Majesty."

"Therefore, for the third task we ask that you give us not only your promise not to harm the kingdom, but a vital key to your weakness," the Council member went on. "Should you successfully bond with His Majesty, it will be the final guarantee that you mean us no harm."

Leopold abruptly slapped his armrest. "Preposterous."

"Your Majesty…"

"Are we to undermine the sacrifices of time and energy by an honored guest with suspicions towards his character?" Leopold whirled towards the speaker, his Minister of Finance. "After seeing our treasury filled, has your greed now extended beyond the borders of a safe onto state affairs?"

"Heavens, Your Majesty!" the minister exclaimed, "That isn't my intention at all."

"Do be sensible, Your Majesty," the chancellor chimed in to defend him. "Of course we wish Kharis all the best, but that means to err on the side of caution. It is for your sake as well."

A Star King, once he found his beloved, was bound to them for as long as the stars shone in the sky.

"Time is the one thing neither of us lack," Leopold replied. "There's no need to subject Luo Xin to such blatant restrictions—"

"Your Majesty, I have an alternative proposal," Luo Xin spoke up. Everyone paused to look at him, and he grinned back, seemingly unaffected.

"Why don't I tell my weakness to just His Majesty?" he suggested. "If he's to be my dual cultivation partner, he'll naturally need to know."

The Council paused to consider this; in the meantime, Leopold didn't wait and simply stood up from his seat. "That's an acceptable compromise. It'll avoid involving others unncessarily in our personal matters." Amidst the titters of the Council, he walked down the dais and reached out to grasp the cultivator's wrist. "Luo Xin, let's go."

The court magician deftly stopped the chancellor before he could charge out of the room after the couple. He looked back, anxious. "They're going to get away!"

"Oh, stop it. We have guards all over the grounds, embedded protective spells, and His Majesty's star blessing besides. What are you worried about?" the court magician tutted back. "Besides, isn't this the ending we've all wanted? Have you seen His Majesty as animated as he's been in the past few weeks?"

Their ever-reliable and stoic monarch was actually getting worked up and agitated over someone else. On the one hand, it was startling—but also extremely promising. As one of the oldest members of Leopold's court, the court magician had thought it long time their sovereign finally found a suitable pair. In his eyes, Luo Xin was a fine candidate—and his brand of "magic" so fascinating to behold. Truth be told, he wanted him to stay so he could learn more about the mysteries of cultivation.

Next to the court magician, the royal physician stepped up with his hands in his sleeves. "This kind of stimulation is good for His Majesty's health," he chimed in. "Kharis has been a peaceful kingdom for hundreds of years. A shock like this will be invigorating."

"Whatever the case, I do hope one of you will find a chance to explain all this to His Majesty later." At last the Minister of Finance joined them, mopping fretfully at his forehead with a handkerchief. "I know you all appointed me to be the speaker for the third challenge, but even as a way to gauge His Majesty's interest in the outlander, it was too much excitement for me."

"Naturally, because we didn't want to leave you out!" the court magician clapped the minister happily on the back. "Now you understand the stress we suffered while traveling with His Majesty, hahah!"

The Minister of Finance shot him a dirty look. "For the next quarter, we're cutting funds for the magic tower."

"What? Why?!"

"As a fellow courtier working under pressure, you smile too much. It makes me think you're not taking your duties seriously!"

"Really now, aren't I just lightening the mood?"

"A lightened budget will fit you well, then."

"Minister! Have mercy…"

⁂

"You don't need to tell me anything."

Elsewhere in a different part of the castle—specifically, one of the many empty parlors on this level—Leopold was standing in front of Luo Xin, a serious expression on his face. Granted, Leopold's usual expressions were all serious, but the keen focus in his eyes called for Luo Xin to pay closer attention this time.

The Star King was upset.

"I don't need to know your weaknesses," Leopold added again. "I'll ask the Council to rescind their request, and issue a more respectable challenge—"

"It's all right," Luo Xin cut in brightly. "I'm not that frail."

Leopold frowned. "It doesn't fit the spirit of the challenge. Compared to the other tasks, this is only a boldfaced attempt to pry into your personal affairs."

"Does Your Majesty not want to learn about me?" Luo Xin asked.

Leopold blinked. As he processed that question, the cultivator before him leaned forward, resting his palm against the door behind them. Conveniently enough, the move caged the golden-haired man as well.

"Dual-cultivation requires trust on both sides," Luo Xin went on. "I'd like to show Your Majesty that I trust you with myself, just as you trusted yourself to me when we went swordflying."

"We can take it by degrees," Leopold replied slowly. "I want to know about you as a person, too—not just through information that can be used against you." He rested a hand on Luo Xin's shoulder and squeezed. "At the very least, aren't you still recovering? Between fighting dragons and sailing sunken ships, you've hardly had a moment's rest. Tell me when you've regained all your strength."

Luo Xin's smile wavered a bit. He began to realize that despite his decades of closed-door cultivation, here was a soul even more comfortable with solitude than himself. At the rate things were going, he even wondered if it'd take another 200 years for the Star King to act on any feelings. While both of them could spare the time, he was also a touch impatient.

But he hadn't survived as a cultivator just by sitting in caves for decades. Before Luo Xin of the cultivation sect, he was also a clever human in his own right.

"Well, Your Majesty," Luo Xin said, his other hand going to clasp the wrist of the one resting on his shoulder, "There is a way to recover my strength faster."

"Tell me," Leopold said immediately.

You're the Star King, so you're imbibed with the power of the star within you," Luo Xin went on cheerfully. "If you kissed me, you could transfer that energy directly—"

"All right," Leopold agreed, and pulled Luo Xin close.

"Yes—what?" Luo Xin opened his mouth—just in time to feel Leopold's lips against his own. His heart pounded in his chest as the Star King kissed him without a second thought, eyes widen and frozen in shock.

Leopold's own silver pupils fluttered open as he murmured against his mouth. "Aren't you going to take what I give you?"

Luo Xin had never been hesitant about it before—whether it was accepting his orb of light at the seaside village, or merely absorbing what he could through stray touches and gestures. And Leopold was more than willing to give—to share this brilliant yet merciless light between them both. Of course, he was also waiting for a response. If Luo Xin resisted, he'd pull away. But if he accepted things as they were, then…

Light brown irises flickered back in exchange, their owner going through a whirlwind of emotions. "I think you've found me a new weakness," Luo Xin murmured, sounding slightly abashed. But he leaned in closer, eyes hooded as fresh color stole upon his cheeks. "Are you aware? You're incredibly alluring like this, Your Majesty."

"You were alluring from the first moment I saw you," Leopold countered back.

Luo Xin gaped at him. "…are you doing this on purpose, or were you like this all along?"

Leopold crinkled his brows at him. "Like what?"

"Hah…" Luo Xin laughed weakly. That brand of obliviousness is lethal. "I'm not going to survive this, am I?"

"What do you mean?" Leopold grew alarmed. Was the cultivator actually weaker than he looked? But he'd seemed so lively when they talked. "Do you feel unwell?"

And then Luo Xin crushed his lips with a kiss in earnest, silencing all his thoughts.

⁂

A curious phenomonen descended upon the capital city that day. The Star King, well-known for his radiance in the evenings, released so much starlight that the royal castle exterior glittered as if transformed into a million diamonds.

This wasn't an unheard of event. In the past, when the previous Star Queen found her match, the castle had gone through a similar transformation at sunset, dazzling all those who laid eyes on it. So many centuries had passed with the castle under star sovereign rule that its very composition had changed, taking on elements of the star-blessed rulers it housed. One could plausibly claim that basking daily in their radiance made the building all but part-star itself.

And so, a saying was passed down between the generations of courtiers: if the castle ever started to glitter, their nation's continued happiness and future heir weren't far away. Only a genuine connection—born from love, loyalty, or other such noble emotions—could ever coax the starlight from the star sovereign's body, and illuminate the castle in the process it took to bless his or her partner.

Drawn by the commotion of eyewitnesses outside, the Council of Hard-Won Merit had gathered in one of the side gardens to admire the view with mixed emotions. The court magician was thrilled—this meant a higher chance of Luo Xin staying with them! The chancellor was predictably more pessimistic, arguing how their king was inexperienced in the ways of love, and must have been charmed beyond belief by this strange new outlander. That spurred the Minister of Finance to calculate potential damages from a potential breakup and carefully note that their newly acquired treasure might be enough to offset most losses. The physician, on the other hand, started asking everyone's opinions on love potions.

"Enough!" the court magician finally said after the discussions had reached a fever pitch. "It isn't like our Star King was born yesterday. He might be inexperienced, but he's still got a good head on his shoulders."

"How good is that head after falling head over heels?" the chancellor muttered under his breath.

"Star Kings and Queens are skilled in choosing their partners," the court magician huffed back. "We should trust in His Majesty's instincts."

"If we did, would we have held those trials in the first place?" the chancellor countered, but the physician chimed in next.

"It was His Majesty's trial for Luo Xin as well. Even if the looks are compatible, one must also consider tastes and personality…"

"From what I've seen, His Majesty's favored that man since day one," the chancellor huffed.

"Then perhap it's love at first sight!" the physician suggested.

"It's no such thing." At the familiar voice, the Council members turned with a jolt to see Leopold walking towards them from the side, holding hands with Luo Xin. The usually outgoing cultivator was hanging behind the king today, face carefully turned away from sight.

"Your Majesty," the physician began, but Leopold held up a hand for silence.

"The requirements of the third trial are complete," he said instead. "I have ascertained one of Luo Xin's weaknesses to both our satisfaction."

"What might that weakness be, Your Majesty?" the court magician asked curiously. Was it a fundamental shortcoming of qi, or a disadvantage in cultivation methods? he wondered.

"As it involves sensitive matters related to the nation's future star sovereign, I cannot give explicit details," Leopold responded. "but rest assured that it is a very exploitable vulnerability."

"That…" the chancellor trailed off as the king's gaze fell upon him.

"Shall we now finallyend these trials?" Leopold asked. "The former Queen mother, she who now reigns in the skies, has ever imparted me the importance of knowing my partner. I would like to start on that intimately once Luo Xin's formally dealth with his tasks to the kingdom."

Something had changed in the time it took for Leopold to drag Luo Xin away and then pull him back again. The court magician's eyes darted between all parties before finally resting on a glimpse of Luo Xin's lips. Hm, did the bottom one look more swollen than usual?

Ah, so it's like that.

"Chancellor!" he called out before that man could get in his usual protest. "After all, the king's authority is supreme. Let's count this as a win and pass the man already, for Kharis's sake."

The chancellor immediately spun to face him. "Procedurally, it can't be just your word—"

"I also agree!" the physician chimed in a little breathlessly. "It's been a marvel watching Luo Xin work wonders through the first two trials. If His Majesty says he's passed, who's to say we should disagree?" His eyes were sparkling as he too, stared in the direction of Luo Xin's face.

"A council is supposed to act on majority vote," the chancellor huffed.

"Well, they can get mine as well," the Minister of Finance chimed in. "I trust His Majesty judgement as I always have for the tenure of my post—that will make us three to your one, correct?"

"You all…" Looking at their united front, the chancellor couldn't help but give up for the moment. He turned and bowed low to Leopold, resigned to the flow of events. "Very well, Your Majesty. We shall finish the formalities by this afternoon."

"Good," Leopold was satisfied.

The council of courtiers hurried off after that, and Luo Xin finally found the chance to imbibe his fingers with qi to heal the swollen state of his much-kissed lips. "I didn't expect to run into them here," he muttered.

"Neither did I, but it ended well," Leopold replied brightly. He turned to see Luo Xin rubbing his lips. "Are you all right?"

Luo Xin finished healing and gave Leopold a considering look. "For someone with no experience, you're a strong kisser."

Leopold accepted the words at face value. "It must be the strength of my convictions."

"Not love at first sight?"

"I don't believe in such a thing," Leopold shook his head. His expression was gentle, his silvery eyes aglow. "Pleasing looks capture attention, but it's the person behind them that holds it afterwards."

Luo Xin grinned. "Then, how long have I caught yours?"

Leopold looked thoughtful. "From the day I set eyes on you, I haven't been able to look away."

⁂

The crowning of the new Star Monarch of Kharis, partner to their beloved king, took place formally in the fall beneath a full harvest moon. It was a peaceful affair with plenty of food and drink, and the celebrations lasted until evening, when a full host of Moonscale dragons and their newly hatched young circled around the couple on the castle roof admiring the skies.

"There's something I want to show you," Luo Xin said in the crisp evening air. Dressed in royal Kharisan robes and crown, he looked like a living star himself, glittering in the moonlight. "A surprise—though I'll need you too, to make it work."

"You've been surprising me every day you've been here," Leopold replied. He too, was dressed in royal finery—but with a twist: a sword that resembled Luo Xin's rested at his hip, forged into form by the blacksmith with instructions from his new partner.

After all, cultivation was still present in a dual-cultivator relationship. Swordsmanship was a straightforward way to entwine their qi, and Leopold was a very quick learner.

"What kind of surprise is it this time?" the king asked, eyes affectionate.

"Remember that day at sea all those months ago?" Luo Xin took out a familiar pouch with a smile. "I said I wanted to do something with the ship. But before that—I thought it'd be nice to ride it one last time."

"We're a whiles away from the ocean," Leopold pointed out, but Luo Xin laughed back.

"No, we're in the perfect spot. Here—come help me." He leaned in next to cup Leopold's face, and the king naturally bent to meet him. Their faces met in a long, deep kiss until both of their forms were glowing; the energy then condensed into the tips of Luo Xin's fingers and slipped their way into his spatial storage pouch.

A little while later, Luo Xin took Leopold's hand in his fingers, and shook the opening of his bag into the air with the other. A moment later, the splendid ancient vessel of Kharis royalty manifested in the air, shining and adrift. The faint sheen of silver light rippling across its body echoed the signatures of Luo Xin's qi and Leopold's own starlight energy.

"What do you say for a sail on the sea of stars?" Luo Xin asked with sparkling eyes. "I don't know if this'll take us to the Celestial Court—but we can pass by the mountain you told me about once upon a time. I'd like to pay respects to mother and father-in-law from as close as I can get."

Leopold felt heat blossom in his chest as he squeezed the hand back. "Yes. I'd like that too."

A century of waiting had finally culminated to this day. Like the rest of his life, it wasn't particularly incredible or shocking—Leopold had lived too long and seen too much of the world for that. But it was pleasant and warm, a moment just for him.

And, granted wish or not, a person just for him too, to be with for the rest of his days.

⁂

a little extra.

As the Star King and his monarch stepped onto the ship from their balcony, it slowly peeled itself away from the castle to sail over the grounds. Seeing this, the Moonscale dragons moved to form ranks, flanking the vessel on left and right. The sight was so eye-catching that naturally people below caught on as well, and watched with wondering eyes as the royal ship slipped off into the horizon.

By the banquet table in the gardens, the court magician happily toasted the departing couple before taking a long sip of wine. He nudged the chancellor beside him with an elbow. "You're not going to accuse the outlander of stealing our majesty away?"

"He is our second star monarch now," the chancellor huffed back. "On the evening of his honeymoon, I'm inclined to give him more leeway."

"I'm glad it all ended well," the physician chimed in as he joined them a moment later. Unlike the others, he was drinking juice—his preferred refreshment for health. "Shall we toast? To the happy future of Kharis."

"But we're still missing one member of our previous little Council," the court magician pointed out. "Where is our dear Minister of Finance?"

"Oh, he's been tied up with budget planning for months. You know him, he won't rest until he gets all his numbers straigh—"

BOOM.

The group looked up collectively as lightning streaked across the skies. The chancellor instantly grew alarmed. "A thunderstorm? This quickly?"

But the court magician was more excited. "Don't tell me—it's the same thing again?"

"Court magician, your mana shields!" the physician exclaimed. When Luo Xin had crossed into their dimension, the whole capital city had been besieged by hail. It was an unnecessary reminder, in any case—the dome of magic had already been implanted into the castle grounds, and they shimmered into life as the familiar balls of ice began raining from the skies.

"What about His Majesty's ship?!" the chancellor exclaimed next, but the court magician only shook his head.

"It's all right. It's only the sky above this castle, see?" He pointed up, and the others looked to see a small, self-contained fissue gaping above them. Beyond it was a different shade of darkness, littered with stars of its own.

"Do tell me in what world does a crack in the sky looks 'all right' to you?" the chancellor huffed after staring at it closer.

The next second, a bright light emerged from the opening before a huge, serpentine form fell from the air and smashed into the mana shields, making it shudder before the creature slid down to the garden grass. Something popped free from its claw and bounced across the lawn before rolling to a stop just beyond the shield perimeters. The court magician and the rest rushed over to look. The creature on the lawn was impressively long and covered in scales, while the object resting beoynd the shields was a large, luminous ball that almost resembled a—

"Pearl?" the chancellor said weakly. "Is that—do we have a dragon on our hands?"

"Luo Xin's dragons…" the court magician trailed off. "So they were real after all."

"No, but—what are we going to do with one?!"

"Well, we can send it back—" the court magician stopped as the skies crackled again. Looking up, he saw that the fissure that had appeared in the air was quickly resealing itself again. Seconds later, it disappeared, and Kharis's ordinary night sky returned as usual.

"Dear me," the physician breathed.

All of them turned towards the unconscious form of the dragon in the gardens. A moment later, its whiskered nose twitched, and one bright, beautiful golden eye opened to look at them all.