The room materialized around them like an unfortunate spell. Red Moonlight filtered softly through the windows, casting a gentle glow across the cluttered space. Not that it was needed, both of them could see perfectly well in darkness.
They were alone. Xio had mentioned earlier she'd be out on a mission tonight, which should have been a relief.
But instead of comfort, dread clamped down on Fors like an iron collar.
Because her apartment… was an absolute disaster.
A battlefield of chaotic leftover of her dating preparation and chronic procrastination.
Empty bottles of liquors lined the shelves like forgotten trophies. Cigarette butts overflowed from an ashtray beside a stack of crumpled manuscript pages. Half-written notes, notebooks, and ink-stained quills were strewn haphazardly across every surface. Piles of clothes, remnants of her last-minute outfit crisis, some clean, most not, sprawled across the floor like defeated soldiers. A questionable-looking sandwich sat in a plate under her writing desk, possibly older than some countries.
It was utterly devoid of dignity, let alone femininity.
Klein stood perfectly still, his eyes silently taking in the apocalyptic decor.
"…"
The silence hit harder than Leodero's divine smiting.
Fors, on the other hand, was dying inside.
If embarrassment could kill, she would have perished instantly and been buried under her crumpled dress.
She could barely breathe, let alone look at him.
Maybe if I close my eyes and wish hard enough, I'll wake up in a different timeline.
But reality, as always, was cruel. There was no power, not even the dreaded Circle of Inevitability, or the blessing of the Wheel of Fortune Angel, could spare her from this catastrophic fate in this very moment.
Her face went from pale to crimson in a single breath. She jerked upright, eyes wide with panic.
Oh no. Oh no! No, no, no!
Why didn't I clean up?!
I came back from my mission and got so caught up in the stupid date I didn't even think!
Lord! Please save me…!
Wait, no! My Lord is literally standing right next to me!!
Fors let out a strangled, awkward laugh, half-choked, half-hysterical, as she scrambled to salvage her rapidly collapsing sanity.
"Ahaha…ha... Were you surprised? I swear it's not always like this! I've just been really busy lately and, um, things got a little out of hand and…"
Her words faltered as tears of humiliation began to prick at the corners of her eyes.
Overwhelmed, Klein said nothing. He took a slow, casual step back, only to freeze mid-motion as something snagged under his shoe.
He glanced down.
Then, ever the curious Lord of the Mysteries, he lifted it into the air with a thought and picked it up.
It was…
A black lace panty.
The moment his fingers closed around it, Fors shrieked.
SHRIEKED.
The kind of scream that could disrupt rituals, kill Aurora Order's listeners on the spot, and possibly even drowned the most unhinged ravings Bethel Abraham could ever muster.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
She moved faster than light.
In a blur of motion, she snatched the offending undergarment from his hand with reflexes faster than those of any high-sequence Beyonder from the Marauder pathway.
BOOM!
A burst of starlight erupted from every corner of the room. The floor, the shelves, even the suspicious sandwich, gone!
Fors had unleashed a full spatial cleansing technique, banishing every last trace of the mess from her room, possibly to the edge of cosmos. She didn't care. That was Future Fors's problem now.
The room now gleamed. No, sparkled, as if it had just been personally blessed by the Evernight Goddess Herself, erasing all the traces of corruption into Her Concealed realm.
Fors whirled to face Mr. Fool, chest heaving, hair dishevelled, one hair accessory missing, but her expression… was proud.
"There! Clean. Normal. Human. Home!"
Fors declared with bated breath, her words spilling out one after another, like they were coming from all four of Miss Messenger's heads.
A moment of silence followed as Klein stared at her, processing the absurdity before him.
Then, finally… he reacted.
He facepalmed with a visible shudder, his whole frame tensing like he'd just suffered psychic damage.
Fors blinked, utterly dumbfounded, as she watched the mighty Mr. Fool let out a loud, unrestrained guffaw.
"HAHA… HAHAHA…"
With one hand still covering his face, he looked up as uncontrollable laughter spilled from him, loud, unfiltered, resounded through the room like some deranged clown. All dignity, all mystique of The Fool… gone.
Fors stood frozen, jaw slack, her face burning red from ear to ear.
"M-Mr. Fool?" Fors stammered.
Her embarrassment was obvious, but beyond that, she was completely baffled. She had never seen him laugh like this, so loud, so unrestrained, so… unhinged.
After a while, Klein's laughter finally subsided, tapering into quiet chuckles. His composure returned, mostly, but the amused curve of his lips lingered stubbornly.
"Ah… my apologies," he said between fading laughs. "It's just… I haven't been this entertained in ages." He let out a small, helpless chuckle. "It seems I failed to resist my clown's urges."
Next to him, Fors stood frozen, her eyes cast downward. Her shoulders trembled as she bit her lip hard, trying to hold back tears.
This is bad... Klein thought, expression sobering as he glanced at her. If this continues, Miss Magician might actually lose control.
He sighed softly, guilt threading through his amusement.
Who told her to be so hilarious…
She's more talented at clowning than I ever was… I… I really can't...
Shaking his head lightly, he straightened his posture and cleared his throat with practiced calm.
Calm down… I'm a gentleman….
Drawing on the calm composure honed during his time as Dwayne Dantes, Klein turned to face Fors.
"Miss Magician," he said gently, his tone smooth and grounding.
Fors blinked and looked up, her eyes rimmed with emotion, like someone dragged out of a dream and not entirely grateful for it.
Klein met her gaze and smiled reassuringly. "As I thought… being around you is good for my mental health."
"Are you mocking me?" The words came out unbidden and bitter.
But Klein just smiled a little wider, as though reading her doubts, and walked over to the now sparkling-clean bed. With no hesitation, he sat down.
Fors's eyes widened.
Why are you sitting there?! Why are you not just disappearing into the fog and letting me rot in peace?!
Panic welled up again. She could already feel her ears burning.
"Don't look so devastated," Klein said, beckoning her with a casual wave. "Come here."
Fors, too overwhelmed to argue, trudged forward, only to promptly sit on the floor.
Klein raised an eyebrow. "Why are you down there?"
"I can't possibly sit next to you!" She burst out. "No, I mean, it's not right! This place isn't even befitting of you in the first place! And you're not supposed to witness any of this!"
She groaned, burying her face in her hands, her voice muffled and desperate.
"Why did you even come here with me?!"
Klein held his breath and facepalmed again, trying very hard not to laugh the second time. He glanced down at her with the amused patience of someone coaxing a particularly dramatic cat out from under a table.
"Miss Magician…"
"No!" Fors cut in, shaking her head wildly. "You must be disgusted! Just say it and get it over with! Laugh if you want!"
Klein didn't respond immediately. He simply looked at her, calm and patient. There was the faintest trace of affection behind his smile.
Then… Rustling.
Fors blinked. She heard the sound of fabric shifting.
Cautiously, she peeked through her fingers, and promptly froze.
Mr. Fool had started taking off his outer wear.
Her mind blanked.
She bolted upright, voice high and panicked. "W-What are you doing?!"
He looked at her innocently, one eyebrow quirked. What? I'm only removing my coat. Why the surprise?
Then realization dawned on his face, and he chuckled inwardly. Ah. I see… Well, she's finally distracted from her spiral of doom.
Without warning, he reached out, gently grabbed her arm, and pulled her toward him.
She stumbled and fell against him, bracing herself instinctively as she landed in his arms.
"There," he murmured, holding her close as he gazed at her. "You're finally looking at me."
Fors gasped, stunned into stillness. It took her some severe loading time to comprehend the position they were in.
"I, I… what… you…?" she stammered, every thought in her head collapsing into static.
Klein smiled softly, then pulling her closer to an embrace, raising a hand and gently stroked her hair, his touch was light and comforting, as if soothing a frightened bird.
"Have you calmed down?" Klein whispered softly after a long moment.
Fors remained frozen in his arms, unable to speak. Her face was burning so hot that the nickname Blazing Fors might actually suit her.
She bit her lower lip, still struggling to process everything, but her shoulders slowly began to relax. Just a little…
"I'm not disgusted by you, Fors…"
She blinked.
Fors.
He had never called her that before, not as Mr. Fool, not as Gehrman Sparrow, not even in their most casual Tarot Club banter. Somehow, hearing her name in his voice struck a chord deep within her chest.
But still… she wasn't ready to let her guard down completely.
"…Lies," she mumbled between sulks, her voice muffled and small.
Klein chuckled. "It's true," he said gently.
He leaned back slightly, just enough to look at her face, still flushed, still doubtful.
"Then let me tell you a secret," he added, his smile light but sincere.
Fors frowned up at him. "A secret?"
He nodded, and before she could react, he gently lifted her and settled her on his lap. The movement was smooth, easy, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Fors, however, nearly had a heart attack.
"M-Mr. Fool?!"
But he only stared at her calmly, unbothered.
"To tell you the truth," he said with a slightly sheepish smile, "I'm not as experienced with women as the way you write me in your books. In fact, I've never dated anyone before."
Fors stared at him, shocked still.
Her mouth dropped open.
"…No way," she whispered, full of disbelief.
Klein chuckled softly at her reaction. "Why is that so hard to believe?" he asked, clearly amused. "In this world, I've been too busy surviving, trying to return home, and now… facing threats that never end. Even in my previous life…" He gave a light shrug. "I was a complete workaholic."
Or more like I was forced to be one…. he thought grimly.
"All I ever did was study, then work... and work some more."
Fors blinked. Her brain couldn't form a proper remark. She opened her mouth to retort, then closed it. What could she say? Same?
After a beat, her voice returned. "Why…? Why are you telling me this?"
Klein's expression softened, the smile fading into something quieter.
"Because you showed me your real self today," he said gently. "So, I figured… it's only fair I let you know mine."
His words struck her like a soft wave, quiet but deep.
Fors felt something flutter in her chest, something light and bright and terrifying.
Did I… Did I just hit a jackpot?
Is he seriously interested in me?
Even after seeing THAT?
She dared not say it aloud, but the thought drummed loudly in her mind.
She was still speechless when Klein continued.
"Now that you know the truth…" he asked, his voice lower now, almost hesitant, "…are you disappointed in me?"
Fors's eyes widened. Her head snapped up, and she shook it really fast.
"N-no! Of course not!"
Klein smiled, slow and warm.
"Good," he said simply. "Neither am I… with you."
He narrowed his gaze at her and spoke softly. "Maybe I needed someone like you… flawed, loud, and painfully honest, to remember who I really am beneath all this."
Fors stared at him in disbelief. Her heart inexplicably skipped.
For a moment, she couldn't breathe, not from panic, but from the aching tenderness in his voice. The weight of his words settled in her chest, heavy and warm.
So this is what it feels like… to be courted.
Amazing… is this also the power of a Great Existence?
Unaware of her mental gymnastics, Klein was carefully studying her reaction. Seeing her frozen state and blank eyes, his lips curled in amusement.
His gaze drifted to her lips… briefly, before returning back to her blank expression.
Noticing her prolonged silence, Klein tilted his head slightly and asked, "What are you thinking?"
To his surprise, Fors looked up at him, eyes wide and starstruck.
"Do you have any idea how quotable your words are? Even what you just said… it's perfect for chapter twelve! It's the emotional turning point I've been struggling to write!"
The corner of Klein's mouth twitched.
"If you were a Provoker," he said dryly, his voice taking on a subtly menacing edge, "you'd have digested your potion right there."
Wha?
Fors blinked, clearly startled. "I-I didn't mean it like that! I mean, it was a compli…"
Before she could finish, Klein pulled her in.
No warning. No hesitation.
He silenced her with a kiss.
Fors froze, her breath caught.
The kiss started firm, tense… then melted into something softer, steady… unexpectedly gentle.
For a moment, time itself seemed to slow.
Fors's eyes widened, breath catching as her world tipped sideways once again, this time in a much quieter, deeper way.
When he finally pulled back, his smile had returned, gentle, just a little smug.
"No quoting that one in your manuscript," he murmured with a hint of warning.
Fors blinked, still dazed, her cheeks burning.
"…No promises," she whispered back, shamelessly.
Then, as if gathering newfound courage, and maybe craving just a little more… Fors clutched the front of his shirt and leaned in to kiss him.
Klein's eyes widened in surprise.
Her kiss was clumsy, a little stiff, almost tentative, so adorably awkward it nearly made him want to laugh again. But instead of teasing her, he simply wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer.
Closing his eyes, Klein deepened the kiss.
This time, the moment lingered, warmer, steadier, and far more certain.
Fors's thoughts blurred, melting into the warmth of his lips. Their tongues tangled in a battle for dominance. Before she even realized it, she was lying on the bed, with Klein gently settling atop her.
His expression was calm, serene… framed by a soft, almost tender smile.
Fors's heart pounding loudly. A sudden nervousness overcame her, as if the spring she had long waited for had finally arrived.
She gulped, eyelids fluttering shut.
Damn it…! She screamed internally. If I'd known it would turn out like this, I would've worn that stupid lacey underwear after all!
Oblivious to her mental conflict, Klein let out a soft smile. He reached out and gently ran his fingers through her tousled hair, his touch light and reassuring.
Why is she so… stiff?
He couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.
Cute…
Klein blinked.
…Huh?
Did I just think that?
He returned his focus to her.
"Relax," he murmured, voice low and warm. "There's no need to be so nervous."
You'll make me nervous too, he thought wryly, unable to stop himself from lampooning in silence.
But when she remained tense beneath him, Klein paused, a moment of doubt coloring his expression.
Does this count as authority abuse? Maybe she doesn't really want this....
He pulled back just enough to give her space, then gently patted her head, his tone quiet and reassuring.
"You must be exhausted. I've already overworked you enough up until now."
Shifting his weight, he moved to sit beside her at the edge of the bed, his movements slow and deliberate.
"I should let you rest now," he added, not quite looking at her.
Fors's eyes flew open, stunned by his sudden retreat. She shot upright and grabbed his arm without thinking, clearly startling him.
"NO! I'm not tired! I… I mean, um, Xio! Xio said she won't be coming home tonight, so…"
She stumbled over her words, face flushed scarlet. "So… if you don't mind, would you stay? Just for the night?"
Klein blinked, taken aback by her request. He studied her face for a long moment, gaze quiet and unreadable.
Then, in a more serious tone, he asked, "Are you certain?"
Fors nodded hurriedly, though her nervousness hadn't faded. She swallowed hard and said, more firmly this time, "Yes. But... only if you promise to be… um, gentle..."
Klein's eyes widened.
A slow smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Alright."
He leaned forward and gently pushed her back down onto the bed.
Their eyes met in a locking gaze.
"Don't regret it later," he murmured, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.
And with that, he closed the space between them once more, kissing her deeply.
This time, there were no more hesitations. No more interruptions.
Their intentions were crystal clear.
And sleep?
Neither of them needs it.
To be Continued.