"Wait, what's going on here?"
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After settling the other dragons on the nearby hills, Timothy returned to Sky Sanctuary with just Azura by his side.
But sure enough, something was off today. Sky Sanctuary looked... strange.
Normally, no matter the season—spring, summer, fall, or winter—or even during any holiday, the peak of the mountain always stayed the same. It never changed.
Especially when it came to Valentine's Day, a holiday that had once been outright banned. Sky Sanctuary would never show any signs of celebration for something like that.
But now, things were completely different.
Many of the usually simple and elegant houses on the mountain had been decorated, making them look almost like candy houses. Lanterns were hung up everywhere, and even though it wasn't nighttime yet, the bright lights made the place feel like a magical wonderland.
The little touches of decoration added a warmth to the usually cold and serene Sky Sanctuary, giving it a more lively, festive atmosphere.
But this scene was definitely not what you'd expect from Sky Sanctuary.
And that wasn't all. Every now and then, female disciples walked by, no longer wearing their usual white robes. Instead, they were dressed in beautiful floral dresses, with their hair adorned with delicate ornaments.
It wasn't just because it was Valentine's Day, a day that had always been a bit of a sensitive topic. Even on a regular day, no one would dare to dress like this.
"What the heck is going on?"
Timothy, confused, stopped one of the female disciples passing by.
"Do you know what's been happening around Sky Sanctuary lately?" he asked, pointing at the extravagant decorations around them.
"Timothy!" The disciple's eyes lit up when she saw him, and she seemed a little excited as she quickly answered, "Timothy, you probably don't know this, but the reason people are daring to do this is because the Goddess suddenly allowed us to celebrate Valentine's Day this year."
"She allowed Valentine's Day?" Timothy was a bit taken aback.
The disciple nodded. "Yeah, yesterday the Goddess issued a decree, saying that love is also a kind of test. Even though Sky Sanctuary has always forbidden romantic relationships, she's decided to lift the ban on Valentine's Day for now. The Goddess said we could have this one chance. Whether or not we can celebrate Valentine's Day in the future depends on how this year's celebration goes."
"The Goddess actually said that?" Timothy was surprised.
But it made sense. The Goddess had been wanting to clarify her stance on love for a while now. The problem was that the influence of The Uselessness of Spiritual Partners had been so widespread among practitioners that even if Sylvia wanted to explain herself now, it was almost impossible.
Still, Timothy hadn't expected that Goddess Sylvia would finally take this step.
"We're not entirely sure if the Goddess really meant it," the disciple admitted, looking a little hesitant. "But we're just following her decree. We can only hope that this Valentine's Day might change her mind a little."
She seemed a bit nervous. After all, everyone knew the strict rules of Sky Sanctuary. Even though the Goddess herself had given the order, it was hard for them to fully believe it.
But this was an opportunity—a rare one, at that.
And it wasn't just for themselves. To all the disciples of Sky Sanctuary, the Goddess was a perfect, almost unreachable figure. They couldn't bear to see her remain alone forever.
If they could, none of them would hesitate to try and change Goddess Sylvia's mind.
"I hope it's true," the disciple said softly, lowering her head. But there was a determined glint in her eyes. "Even if there's the slightest chance that we could influence how the Goddess views love, we're willing to take the risk, even if it means being punished."
Timothy couldn't help but smile.
It seemed the disciples of Sky Sanctuary were even more devoted to Sylvia than he had imagined.
"Don't worry, leave it to me," Timothy said, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Goddess Sylvia is such a great and perfect being. How could I stand by and watch her remain alone?"
"Timothy!" The disciple's eyes sparkled with excitement and gratitude.
"Exactly, Timothy! You have to show the Goddess that love can be something pure and beautiful. In fact, why don't you and I start a sweet romance to prove it to her?"
Just then, a voice called out from the distance, full of excitement. Sёarch* The nôvelFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
A figure came rushing over.
Her light pink dress fluttered in the wind, and every step she took seemed filled with excitement.
"Timothy! I'm back again!"
Yvenna's voice rang out as she approached, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Tomorrow's Valentine's Day! Don't you want to start a sweet romance with me? That way, you won't have to just watch everyone else flaunting their love."
She grinned mischievously. "And who knows, Timothy, our sweet love might even inspire the Goddess! If we manage to keep Valentine's Day around, we'll go down in history together!"
Yvenna practically skipped toward Timothy, arms wide open, ready to throw herself at him.
"Wow, Timothy, you're so bold! I didn't expect you and Yvenna to be so... close," one of the nearby disciples muttered, blushing as she watched Yvenna pucker her lips, aiming for a kiss as she lunged at Timothy.
"Mwah, mwah, mwah—"
Whoosh!
Smack!
Before Yvenna could land her kiss, Timothy swiftly threw a punch, sending her flying through the air like a kite caught in a gust of wind.
But Yvenna, undeterred, quickly scrambled back to her feet. Instead of backing off, she looked even more excited.
"Wow, Timothy! I didn't think it was possible, but your punches have gotten even stronger since the last time I saw you. That was amazing! Come on, Timothy, just accept my love already!"
She giggled, her eyes gleaming with determination. "If Goddess Sylvia sees how sweet our love is, maybe she'll change her mind about banning romance. She might even get interested in love herself!"
Yvenna's laughter echoed as she playfully chased after Timothy. "Timothy, don't run away! Am I really that scary? It's just one little kiss! It's not like you'll lose a piece of yourself."
She winked. "Besides, I know you've secretly had a crush on me for ages!"
Boom!
This time, Timothy had no choice but to use the power of Ocean's Gate, sending Yvenna soaring through the air in a graceful arc, flying over several buildings in the distance.
He wasn't too worried about her, though. He'd long since realized that Yvenna's defenses were maxed out. Despite her delicate appearance, her face was practically indestructible, like a wall of steel. Nothing could break through.
Even as she flew through the sky, Yvenna's voice echoed from afar, her infatuation undiminished.
"Hehe, Timothy, that punch just proves how much you like me! You don't have to pretend anymore. I'll be back soon!"
"…"
Timothy let out a long, exasperated sigh.
"That girl Yvenna… I swear, she must've eaten the fruit of narcissism when she was a kid."