CHAPTER 238: ONE-NIGHT FLOWER (1)

He wanted to clear up the rumor as soon as possible but with Miki nowhere to be found, it wouldn’t be easy.

Did he think he already had enough evidence? No way. A true gossip like Miki would never be satisfied with just that! Gara grew increasingly restless.

Still, he had to go to the clock tower. As he walked, his eyes kept darting around, scanning every corner.

By the time he climbed the stairs and the base of the tower disappeared from sight, he exhaled a long, heavy sigh.

"What should I do?" he muttered, guilt gnawing at him again.

"What’s troubling you, Gara?"

Langga’s voice came from one of the dark corners, making Gara flinch. He quickly shook his head. There was no way he’d admit he was worried about the rumor surrounding Langga himself.

"We’ve been training in this tower for weeks," Langga said, stepping forward. "How about we change the scenery a little?"

Gara lifted his gaze to meet the young professor’s face. Langga was nothing like the other, older professors.

He was young, his features almost too perfect so much that he could’ve passed for one of the students, maybe even younger than some.

But his charisma was on an entirely different level, sharp and commanding in a way that rivaled even the most respected faculty members.

Because of the guilt gnawing at him, Gara didn’t think twice before agreeing.

He turned toward the staircase, ready to descend when suddenly, his body suddenly floated upward along with a small platform that he hadn’t realized was beneath his feet.

"W–what the—?!" he yelped, voice cracking.

"Relax," Langga said calmly. "I won’t let you fall."

Using his telekinesis, Langga controlled the floating platform beneath them, steady and smooth about half a meter off the ground.

"Wait, Professor! This is kinda terrifying," Gara admitted.

He trusted Langga’s telekinesis, but not his own ability to stay balanced on such a small platform.

Seeing the anxious look on Gara’s delicate face, Langga stepped closer and gently took his hand.

"I’ll hold onto you," he said softly.

Gara’s heart skipped and then started hammering uncontrollably. He couldn’t tell if it was from fear of falling... or from the sudden touch.

Slowly, the two of them drifted out of the clock tower, gliding through the night sky above the academy.

The air was cold, but not enough to make him shiver. Gara’s real fear was the wind. What if it hit him too hard and sent him tumbling down?

But Langga’s firm grip eased that worry, even if just a little.

"So, have you and the father of your first children made up yet?"

A familiar robotic female voice echoed suddenly in Gara’s mind.

He almost had a heart attack.

Goddess! You barely show up, and when you do, it’s to scare me to death?! he cursed inwardly, pressing a hand against his chest.

"Are you cold?" Langga asked, breaking through his panic. Gara blinked, realizing the professor had been watching him closely.

He shook his head quickly, but Langga didn’t look convinced. The professor’s robe, the hem of which was trimmed with gold, slipped free and floated toward Gara, wrapping gently around his shoulders.

"Professor, I’m fine—"

"I just want to make sure you’re not uncomfortable," Langga cut him off firmly, leaving no room for refusal.

Focused on keeping his balance, Gara didn’t dare move. The robe wrapped snugly around him, its warmth seeping through.

Langga’s scent filled the air— clean and familiar.

Without realizing it, Gara felt his heartbeat slow, his nerves soothed by that scent alone.

"You should probably find a different children’s father. The triplets already inherited the best traits he had," Freya’s voice chimed in again, her tone casual— too casual for how much it irritated Gara.

Don’t talk nonsense! Gara snapped inwardly. Langga is just my professor. Sure, I’ve forgiven him, and I’m not holding any grudges anymore. But that doesn’t mean I’ll ever let him meet the triplets, let alone make him the father of my child again!

"That’s good to hear," Freya replied, unfazed. "But there’s no harm in letting him know he has children."

Don’t give me advice, Goddess. I’ve already planned the future for my kids and Langga isn’t part of it, Gara huffed.

Freya’s voice faded, leaving only silence in his mind.

When Gara finally turned his attention back to his surroundings, his eyes widened in wonder.

Below them stretched a vast meadow of colorful flowers, glowing faintly under the moonlight. Even in the dark of night, the field looked breathtaking, bathed in a silvery hue that made it feel almost otherworldly.

"Where are we, Professor?" Gara asked, watching as the floating platform beneath his feet began to descend.

"In the forest behind the academy," Langga replied.

When the platform touched the ground, Langga still didn’t release Gara’s hand. He gently guided the young man down before finally letting go.

"Am I even allowed to enter the back forest?" Gara asked, his gaze flickering between Langga’s handsome face and the flowers swaying before him.

"You are, as long as you’re with me. Some future classes will bring you here too."

"I see... so I can’t come here alone," Gara murmured.

"Why? If you’d like, I can bring you here again."

"Really?" Gara turned to him, eyes wide and bright like a child asking for a treat.

Without thinking, Langga’s hand lifted and brushed gently over Gara’s head. The soft black hair beneath his fingers stirred a strange, familiar warmth between them.

They both caught themselves at the same time, stepping back awkwardly.

"I’ll bring you here every week," Langga said quietly, looking away.

"Thank you, Professor." Gara also averted his gaze, suddenly flustered for no reason he could name.

After a short silence, Langga cleared his throat and began explaining the purpose of their visit.

"This flower field was originally a garden maintained by students from the Herbalist Class," he said. "They organized every type of flower into neat plots. But one day, a different kind of flower appeared among them— a bloom called the One-Night Flower. Just like its name, it only blossoms at night. When the sun rises, its petals close, and the flower dies."

Gara listened closely, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

...