Who understands? The aloof female ruler always flirts without even realizing it.

Shen Yan was stunned for half a second by 001's use of the term "husband worm," and then he remembered that his application to register as partners with Kalandel had been approved, and she was now his nominal queen. There was nothing wrong with 001 calling him that, but it just felt strange.

The house was warm and cozy. He took off his coat and draped it over his forearm, then walked over and asked, "Still awake so late? Didn't I see a wheelchair? You can get out of bed so quickly?"

Just as Shen Yan walked to within a meter of the other woman, the smile on the female insect's face suddenly froze.

His gentle expression suddenly tightened, and Karandel's relaxed shoulders straightened again. His icy blue eyes, which had finally regained their warmth, instantly turned cold, even gaining a sharp, scrutinizing edge.

He frowned slightly, his fingertips unconsciously pressing against his temples.

A very faint scent of female insect pheromones drifted into his field of vision.

The breath was very light and fleeting, yet he still managed to capture it precisely.

A female insect? Is she back so late because she has a date?

The moment the thought crossed his mind, Karandal felt a lump in his throat, and the frustration he had suppressed while waiting surged back up.

He turned his face away, no longer looking at Shen Yan, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the inside of the glass, his tone clearly impatient: "It's nothing."

Male insects really are all driven by their lower bodies; the fact that they can tolerate the scent left on them, even with the mental power of induction, means they'll probably bring the insect into their homes soon.

Shen Yan, who had only recently become a bug, was completely bewildered when she saw his suddenly cold profile. He had been fine just moments before, and she had no idea what she had done to offend him.

He didn't ask any further questions, but instead handed the box he was carrying forward: "I have something for you."

The velvet on the surface of the suitcase gleamed with a delicate sheen under the warm light, and the light silver embroidery on the edges was faintly visible.

Karandal glanced at it, showing no interest. He neither reached out to take it nor looked at it further, simply asking, "What is this?"

Seeing that he didn't take it, Shen Yan hooked her fingertips on the suitcase buckle and gently pried it open. With a "click," she opened the lid and handed it to Kalander. The light shone into the suitcase, revealing several medals neatly embedded in the velvet grooves, with even the corners tightly wrapped.

Her pale eyelashes trembled suddenly, her knuckles curled unconsciously, and the moment her gaze swept over him, her breath caught as if it had been cut off.

Those honors that Samuel had roughly torn off his collar, and which he had deliberately thrown into the trash can in front of him because he knew they were of great significance, had actually returned to his hands.

The surroundings seemed to fall silent. A surge of heat mixed with a stinging pain welled up in his chest, making his eyes feel tight.

He still remembers the crisp sound of the metal sheet hitting the wall of the trash can, and how he gritted his teeth to keep his tears from falling.

The male's voice seemed to come through a layer of mist, yet it also seemed to explode in my ear: "I saw a GG at an auction a few days ago, and thinking of returning it to its rightful owner, I bought it."

Karandal's Adam's apple bobbed, as if he wanted to say something, but his throat seemed blocked and he couldn't make a sound. His fingertips hovered over the opening of the box, hesitating for a long time before gently dropping them. Touching the soft velvet and the hard medal, his nose suddenly stung with tears.

"Thank you... my lord."

Karandal's voice was soft, yet it struck Shen Yan like a stone, making his heart pound and leaving him petrified on the spot.

This "Master" was even more unbearable for him than 001's earlier "Husband Worm," causing his eyes to widen involuntarily. He had thought that getting a kind word from Kalandel tonight would be a rare treat, so why was he being addressed like this?

Realizing what had happened, Shen Yan quickly waved his hand, his voice trembling slightly, "Don't, don't call me that. It was just a small favor. You don't need to call me...call me..." just to thank me.

He scratched the back of his neck, unable to utter those two words. He simply couldn't handle the situation and could only awkwardly change the subject.

"Keep the medal; it was originally yours."

After a pause, he remembered the important matter and added, "Don't go to sleep yet. We need to do another mental energy channeling session tonight to consolidate the effects."

After saying this, he didn't dare look at Karandal's expression, clutched the coat he had just taken off, turned around and walked towards his room, his steps even faster than when he came.

……

After washing up, Shen Yan went straight to Kalandel's room. As soon as he entered, his eyes were drawn to the female insect on the bed.

The other person had changed into a loose, light apricot-colored bathrobe. The collar was softly drooping, revealing a section of neatly shaped neck and chest. The hem of the robe reached to the knees, revealing clean lines on the calves, with even the ankles showing a gentle curve.

He sat on the edge of the bed, his bare feet on the soft carpet. His usually taut shoulders relaxed a bit, and his hands, hanging by his sides, gently rested on the sheets. Even his fingertips seemed less wary than before. He looked as if he had been softened by warm water, and his distance from others had lessened.

His Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily, and when he looked away, he couldn't help but glance back.

To be honest, Karandal is perfect in every way, from head to toe, to my aesthetic sensibilities. Even the gentle sway of his pajama sleeves exudes an indescribable allure.

The female insect, unaware of the jumbled thoughts in his mind, looked up at him. Unlike usual, she wasn't wary; instead, she reached out her hand, her fingertips lightly touching the sheets, with a hint of initiative: "Come here."

Shen Yan responded and quickly walked over to climb onto the bed. As soon as he sat down, he saw Kalandel move closer to him, his shoulder almost touching his arm.

He steadied himself, and a golden halo appeared at his fingertips as he slowly floated toward Kalandall.

Despite having prior experience in channeling energy, the two spiritual forces still involuntarily groaned the moment they collided in mid-air.

The sense of connection was even stronger than before. The moment their spiritual energies, which had already established a link, met, it was like a stream flowing into a river without any obstruction. The warm and gentle force drilled into each other's bodies along the spiritual connection, even causing a slight tingling sensation in their nerves.

Karandel's eyelashes trembled. As the one passively receiving comfort, his feelings were particularly strong, even causing him to feel weak for a moment. He unconsciously leaned closer to Shen Yan, his forehead gently resting on the other's shoulder, his voice slightly muffled:

"That's strange...it didn't seem this strong yesterday."

Shen Yan swallowed hard, not daring to look down at the female insect leaning on his shoulder. He simply steadied himself and softened his mental focus.

"Bear with it, it'll be over soon."

Even so, he was still on edge. Karandel's mental energy, like the insect itself, carried a cool and refreshing aura. When it clung to him, even his heartbeat was half a beat faster than usual. This uncontrollable harmony made even his fingertips feel hot.