Mina's gentle voice pierced the peace of Kai's bedroom as she pushed open the inner door. "Kai, are you alright?" Her concern was palpable as she stepped inside.

Reoul, who had been keeping a watchful eye on Kai, responded, "He's sleeping, master," his gaze shifting between Mina and Kai's peaceful slumber.

Mina's eyes widened, and her heart skipped a beat. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead as she pointed to Reoul's neck and gasped, "Your choker?" The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. "I'm so sorry!" She felt an overwhelming sense of guilt, knowing that if Reoul had strayed too far, his head would have exploded. 

Reoul's tone was flat, devoid of emotion, "I thought I'd die too, but it seems I didn't." His nonchalance was betrayed by a casual shrug.

"You should have told me!" Mina's distress was accident on her face as her voice rose as she clutched his hands, her eyes filled with genuine concern.

"I didn't think it was that big of a deal," Reoul replied with a self-conscious scratch of his head.

Mina sighed deeply, her eyes softening as she said, "Well, I'm just relieved you're okay," a sincere smile tugging at her lips, a smile that left Reoul feeling a bit weird. 

"Also, thank you for looking after him," Mina added with an appreciative smile, before picking up the bags of food she had brought and making her way over to Kai.

'This strange woman. Why is she so ignorant and kind?' He stared at his palm, lost in thought.

As Mina approached Kai's bedside, she placed the bags of food on the side table and carefully arranged them before she climbed onto the bed. Leaning in close, she whispered into Kai's ear with a seductive tone, "Kai."

Kai stirred from his slumber, his voice husky as he asked, "You're back?" His arms instinctively wrapped around her waist, drawing her closer. Her body pressed against his, and his lips brushed against hers in a sweet, tender kiss.

Mina, breaking the kiss, asked, "Are you feeling better now?"

"Fortunately, yes. I just need a good day's rest," Kai replied with a warm smile, and Mina breathed a sigh of relief.

"You'd better be in top shape before the trial," Mina teased, giving his shoulder a playful nudge.

Kai, who was perceptive, noticed the anxiety lurking in Mina's eyes. "Is something on your mind?" he inquired.

Mina hesitated for a moment, her voice trembling with nervousness as she finally blurted out, "Let's say I had changed suddenly in personality... would you still be my boyfriend?"

Kai replied, "No matter what, I'll always be by your side." He nestled his face into her plum bosom. 

"Thank you," Mina said warmly, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace.

After breaking the hug, Mina began to feed Kai some of the pastries she had brought and Kai ate happily. 

Mina's voice carried a hint of excitement as she served Kai a forkful of pancakes, her words catching him by surprise. "Also, there's an old friend I wanted you to meet."

Kai, his eyes filled with curiosity, leaned in a bit and inquired, "An old friend?"

With a bashful flush on her cheeks, Mina explained, "Yes, we practically grew up together, and I'm eager to introduce my new boyfriend to him. But if you can't get up, that's perfectly fine."

Determination lit up in Kai's eyes as he declared, "I can get up." He effortlessly rose from his seated position, earning a radiant smile from Mina.

Mina handed him a bag of pastries, her excitement palpable. "Then, have some of these on the way downstairs!"

With a smile, she called to Reoul, "Reoul, let's go," she also handed him some pastries and they left the room, making their way downstairs together.

Upon reaching the living room, Mina introduced her friends to Kai, her smile warm and welcoming. "Kai, meet my friends."

Kai confidently stepped forward, extending his hand, and said, "It's nice to meet you both. I'm Kai Cheowang."

Hyun and Ben, both stood to greet Kai. Hyun was the first to shake his hand. "I'm Hyun Bing Ning."

Ben followed suit, introducing himself with a friendly grin. "And I'm Ben Stractfult."

Reoul, offered a polite bow. "I'm Reoul."

As they settled into their seats, a subtle yet unmistakable air of awkwardness descended upon the group.

Mina, seemingly eager to break the silence, turned to Kai and shared, "Also, Kai, I'm starting to regain my lost memories."

Kai's face lit up with delight as he responded, "That's great!" He affectionately patted her head.

Mina, unable to contain her surprise, exclaimed, "You knew all along!"

With a playful glint in his eye, Kai replied, "From the very beginning, yes. I mean, does it sound normal for a young man to trust a complete stranger he encountered in the forest?"

Mina looked at him in realization, her eyes welling up with tears. "No," she replied with a pout.

Kai, did not want Mina to cry so he reassured her, "Don't cry. I wasn't entirely certain at first, but something made me recognized you." He leaned in and planted a sweet peck on her cheek, causing Hyun and Ben to cast envious glances in his direction. Unfazed, Kai responded with a confident smirk.

Intrigued, Mina probed further, "So, where exactly did we first meet?"

Kai, patted her head gently and replied, "You'll remember in due time."

Kai turned his attention to Hyun with a glare as she asked calmly. "And you, Hyun, how do you know Mina?"

Hyun, unfazed, offered little detail. "She should tell you," he replied with a shrug, leaving Kai and Mina to exchange inquisitive glances.

 "Well, you see, Hyung used to come to visit me in the brothel. But the thing is, we were really good friends who'd spend hours talking about novels," she explained, as if discussing her favorite book over coffee.

However, as she contemplated the return of her lost memories, a perplexing question lingered. Her brow furrowed in thought as she muttered, "But now that my memories are resurfacing, it implies that I wasn't a brothel worker. So, what on earth was I doing there?" She scoured her mind for answers, but the pieces of the puzzle remained stubbornly mysterious.

Kai's pouting expression took Mina by surprise, prompting her to inquire, "Kai, why are you pouting?"

Kai replied, "It's nothing," But there was a hint of hurt in his eyes.

Ben said. "Let me get straight to the point, Mina. I don't like him," he declared, his gaze fixed on Kai.

Mina, a hint of annoyance in her voice, asked, "And why is that?"

Ben, arms crossed, shot back, "Why do you like him? I won't approve of a loveless relationship."

As if lost in thought, Mina muttered softly, "Why do I love him?" Her gaze shifted, locking onto Kai's eyes.

Kai, his curiosity piqued, contemplated, 'I'm also curious about what she thinks about me,' as he gazed at her.

Mina broke the silence with a beautiful smile. "I love Kai because he's so adorable and kind. He knows how to make me laugh, and he's been a great help throughout our journey here," she said with a cheerful smile that captured the hearts of those around her in the inn. 

Ben couldn't help but murmur in mild jealousy, "You're lucky."

Kai, with a modest chuckle, acknowledged his good fortune, saying, "I guess I am."

Mina, however, couldn't help but feel a touch of embarrassment. She mumbled, hiding her face in her palms, "I feel so embarrassed."

But Ben felt compelled to share some advice. "As much as I'd like to be happy for you, senior sister, you know that if you have sex with him again, it might kill him, right?" With a snap of his fingers, he conjured a small, invisible dome around them, which blocked their voices from being heard outside. 

Mina, bewildered, gasped in confusion, "Huh?"

Ben decided to offer an explanation. "The way your body is, it's like a vampire's kiss. It drains a man's vitality. Having sex with him alone is like signing his death warrant, especially for a mere Early Star Realm 4 practitioner. I'm quite surprised he hasn't shriveled up yet." His words caused both Kai and Mina to blush intensely..

Kai declared confidently, "I can handle it."

However, Ben still warned, "Your treasures won't always save you, you know. And if Mina isn't satisfied, you could be risking your life if she ever goes berserk during the act."

Mina's eyes widened in horror as she processed Ben's words. 

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Hyun couldn't resist a playful comment, "So, are you suggesting she should have multiple partners?"

Ben, with a nod, confirmed, "That's the only solution I can think of."

Mina, understandably flustered by this unusual conversation, expressed her confusion. "This is a really strange decision. I don't know what to think of it."