The Burning Blue

Chapter 1

As Lenna Burns walked towards the intersection, she sensed that something was amiss.

Despite the late hour and heavy rain, this road would usually be bustling with military patrols due to a recent violent incident. However, at that moment, it was strangely silent with not a single person in sight.

Feeling a bit uneasy, Lenna tightly held onto the large bag of items she had just obtained. With her other hand, she discreetly reached into the bag and pulled out a pistol, concealing it against her chest under the bag's cover. She quickened her pace.

The rain was pouring heavily, as if tearing a hole in the darkness of the night. Raindrops noisily hit the ground, splashing in every direction and soaking her pants. The only sound she could hear was the rain, as most houses had their lights turned off. Her footsteps on the waterlogged pavement echoed eerily in the air.

Her house was just around the corner at the upcoming intersection. The familiar streetlights emitted a dim, blurry glow in the rain. Determined to shake off the eerie and uneasy atmosphere, she increased her speed.

As she rounded the corner and prepared to reach her door, she suddenly noticed something peculiar at her feet. Reacting quickly, she drew her gun and aimed it at her feet.

She gasped sharply, her hand holding the gun trembling slightly. In the glow of the streetlight, she finally saw what was obstructing her path.

It was a man, specifically a tall man, collapsed in front of her house.Even in the dim lighting, she could make out a deep red, thick liquid mixed with the rainwater surrounding him, slowly flowing.

It was blood.

Keeping her gun raised, she cautiously approached and crouched down, attempting to determine if the man was still breathing. As she turned his head, she was pleasantly surprised upon getting a clear view of his face.

He was an incredibly handsome young man, appearing to be in his mid-twenties. Despite the absence of blood on his face, his eyebrows were strikingly beautiful and his long eyelashes hung low, wet and delicate like fragile glass butterflies. She had thought she had seen it all, but upon seeing this face, even her heart skipped a beat.

Lenna slapped herself lightly to regain composure.

The cold rain continued to drip down his short black hair, sliding over the bridge of his nose, his pale lips, and down his chin before merging with the chaotic raindrops. She cautiously probed the man's nostrils with her fingers, feeling a slight warmth.

The man was still alive.He had an unidentified wound that was still bleeding, and if left untreated, he would bleed to death by morning. However, death was a common occurrence in this small border town where multiple forces occupied. Just last week, there was a violent gunfight, causing Lenna to hide in her house, fearing for her life. The next morning, she witnessed the authorities collecting the bodies and disposing of them like trash.

If he stayed here, his body would meet the same fate in the morning, being taken away and disposed of in an unknown location.

Lenna hesitated as she looked at his face, but she wasn't easily influenced. However, something about this face seemed different.

No, she thought to herself, sticking to her rule of not getting involved. She didn't want to end up as another lifeless body. It was the only way to survive in this town.

Leaving him behind, she quickly entered her room and closed the door behind her.

Chapter 2

Once the door was shut, the lights inside the house flickered on one by one, illuminating the room in an instant. The housekeeper's robotic yet soothing voice echoed, "Welcome back, Ms. Lenna. It's been fifteen hours since you last left the house. Regardless of how busy you are at work, it's important to prioritize your rest, dear..."With the butler's rambling voice in the background, she removed her raincoat and tossed it into the chore robot's basket near the entrance. She then grabbed the large bag of items she had just collected and made her way to the couch to sit down.

Attempting to take inventory of the items, her focus was never fully present. The sound of rain outside muffled her senses, with raindrops hitting the window making a dull sound that seemed to resonate with her emotions, causing her to fidget briefly.

Struggling with her decision, she finally gave in and stood up, heading towards the door. As soon as she opened it, the housekeeper's voice came through the communicator at the door once again, "Ms. Lenna, it's already 11:45 in the middle of the night, and there's a 24% chance of an incident occurring on this road. It is not recommended for you to go out at this time of day, oh...."She approached the man who remained still, appearing even more feeble. Lenna quietly offered, "If you live around here, I can contact emergency services for you." She extended her wrist, which sported a sleek black bracelet with futuristic texture, serving as her personal device. With a flick of her wrist, a holographic screen materialized in the air. Lenna accessed the recognition page and attempted to scan his finger.

"Drip" - the bracelet indicated an error.

Unable to identify the individual, as he is not a local resident.

This complicates matters further.The city was located on the border of the country, neighboring other countries, which attracted people from different places. This created an environment where secret transactions often took place. The city government was under the control of local forces and was not functioning properly. To control the foreign population, the mayor had restricted access to limited public facilities, such as medical care, only to local residents.

If she had called for first aid, he would not have been admitted but instead would have been taken to a shelter as a stray person. However, he believed that he would bleed to death before reaching the shelter.

After a tough struggle, she wiped the rain off her face and clenched her teeth, determined not to die even if it happened right in front of her house.

Lenna discovered where he had lost blood, which was on his chest as if he had been stabbed. She used the towel she had just used to wipe the rainwater off her neck to cover the wound. She tried to pull him up from the ground by tugging on his arm, but the slippery rainy surface made it difficult. After several unsuccessful attempts, she had to crouch down and put his arm around her neck, using her own strength to lift him off the ground. With great difficulty, she managed to drag him back inside.The house door clicked shut, leaving the rain to scatter in the empty sky and on the ground.

Not far from the streetlight, the person who had been hiding behind the wall raised their hand to check the time. They then glanced at the closed door and quietly spoke into their communicator, saying, "Mission accomplished."

Lenna pulled the man inside and threw him onto the floor. She called for a medical robot to tend to his bleeding and went to the bathroom herself to shower and change clothes. Luckily, she had bought a retired medical robot some time ago, fearing that she might die without any assistance at home. Otherwise, with her limited medical knowledge, it would have been difficult to prevent his death.

She retrieved a blanket from the cabinet. By the time she finished showering, the medical robot had already scanned and diagnosed the wound. Since the family didn't have the necessary medicine for follow-up treatment, Lenna made a note to buy it the next day.

The housekeeping robot quickly dried the man's clothes and cleaned up the blood from the floor. Lenna decided to find a large men's t-shirt for him to change into, which she had purchased on sale at the grocery store. As she was about to hand over the blood-stained black shirt to the house robot for cleaning, she noticed a stamped pattern on the cuffs. The intricate design seemed to hold a deeper meaning at first glance.

She attempted to use her bracelet to identify the pattern, but the system quickly displayed a message: "The family pattern of THE GOLDNERS, the leaders of the nine noble families in the capital."Immediately below was an extensive introduction to THE GOLDNERS. She quickly skimmed through it, realizing that it was a class that someone like her could never have access to in her entire life.

It was no wonder she couldn't identify the person, so it must be a noble from the capital. But why would he be injured and near death in such a small, distant place?

She wrapped him in a blanket and used the domestic robot's lifting function to move him onto the bed.

Only then did she have the opportunity to closely examine his face, which appeared even more distinguished after washing off the filth. In the dim bedroom light, his serene features emitted a gentle and reserved aura. She could even envision the captivating beauty of his deep, dark eyes when they were open.

Truly the face of a noble. She secretly hoped that this aristocrat wouldn't bring any crises her way.

Chapter 3

Perhaps due to her previously anxious state, Lenna had an exceptionally restful sleep until the housekeeper woke her up for the third time in the morning.

"Good morning, Ms. Lenna. It's now 9:58 a.m."The weather today is sunny with temperatures ranging from 25 to 28 degrees. It's a day off, but it's important to be aware that the city's rail transportation will have a delayed operation time until ...She strolled into the bathroom, her hazel eyes still groggy from sleep, and began brushing her teeth while catching up on the news from the electronic housekeeper. She even found herself humming, feeling quite content. However, her mood quickly changed when she heard a sudden clattering noise coming from the doorway. Curiosity piqued, she turned her head to find a young man standing tall in the bathroom entrance.The man stood tall, donning the discounted t-shirt she had purchased from the supermarket. His face appeared pale, likely due to the blood loss from his injury. However, his demeanor remained extraordinary, resembling a fallen prince. With his captivating eyebrows, elegant physique, and an aura that demanded attention, it was impossible for anyone to look away. His eyes were even more stunning than she had anticipated, exuding a calm and profound gaze, comparable to the depths of the sea. Despite appearing somewhat weak, he gripped onto the door frame while silently observing her with lowered eyes.

Lenna was frozen in place, her toothbrush slipping from her hand as she suddenly recalled that she had saved someone the previous night."You are not able to control the outcome."After she spoke, she quickly noticed that there was still foam in her mouth. She hurriedly spat it out, rinsed her mouth, and wiped off the remaining water from her lips. "Are you awake?" she asked.

The man simply stared at her, then softly whispered, his voice so gentle as if he feared it would blow her away, "Lenna."

His voice was pleasant too, reminiscent of cool jade, radiating a chilly yet pure glow.She stood still, her body freezing in shock. "Do you know me?" she asked.

He gestured towards the small screen of the bathroom wall's system housekeeper. "Your name is displayed there," he replied.

"Oh." She hadn't noticed it before.

She gathered her toiletries and turned her head to face him, offering a simple explanation. "Last night, you collapsed right in front of my house. I saw that you were bleeding profusely, so I quickly saved your life with my own hands. The medical robot helped by stopping the bleeding, but you still have a slight fever from being exposed to the rain. Unfortunately, we've run out of fever-reducing medicine at home, so I'll have to go out later to buy some.""There's some porridge simmering on the stove. If you're up to it, you can wash up first and we'll have a meal together later."

She searched through the cabinets for new toiletries and placed them by the sink. "You're in better shape than I expected. Most people don't recover from such a serious injury that quickly."

Speaking softly, he replied, "I'm sorry, I'm still not very strong right now."

Lenna believed it was already a miracle for him to be able to get out of bed the next morning, so she didn't push him. "Then you should go back to bed and rest. I'll bring the porridge to you later.""Thanks." He gave a faint smile and turned, gripping the wall for support as he made his way towards the bedroom.

Lenna continued working for a bit longer before carrying the congee into the bedroom. The man was propped up on the bed, observing the dolls resting on her bed.

She placed the porridge down, feeling slightly embarrassed. She removed the doll and stored it in the cupboard, motioning towards the porridge. "Can I assist you with anything?"

Her gesture was merely a polite one, not expecting him to actually nod his head. But to her surprise, he did, forming a slight smile. "I appreciate it.""It's all good," Lenna said with a smile, feeling a sense of sophistication in the situation.

Perched on the bed, she spoon-fed him the porridge as he sipped it slowly, occasionally stealing glances at her without Lenna realizing. Lost in thought, she gazed at the crown of his head, where the sunlit window illuminated the dark strands of his hair, giving them a velvety and striking appearance.Observing him delicately consuming his porridge, Lenna had no doubt in her mind that he was of noble birth due to his elegant demeanor.

Once he finished the bowl, she offered him a paper towel for him to clean his mouth. Additionally, she handed him a communicator, informing him, "I'll be leaving shortly to fetch you some fever-reducing medicine. This particular communicator operates on a private channel and doesn't leave any trace when used, so feel free to contact your loved ones until then."

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

He glanced down and fiddled with the small object, his expression unreadable.

Lenna headed towards the door, as if recalling something, and then turned back to him. "I have a small request. Please ask your family and friends to keep the noise down. This area isn't under the control of the city government, and there are many dangers, like fish and dragons. If I were to be discovered, it would be difficult for me to handle."

By saying this politely, she was indirectly suggesting that he should ensure that his location remains a secret and not let those who harmed him realize that she had come to his aid.

The man looked at her and briefly smiled. "Ah, I understand. Thank you."

Lenna had actually questioned whether it was wise to allow a stranger into her home. While there was nothing valuable there, she couldn't shake off the feeling that her privacy had been invaded. However, whenever she looked at his face, she inexplicably felt a sense of trust.She let out a sigh, realizing that good looks actually had an advantage.

On her day off, the public rail transportation was extremely crowded, so Lenna decided to call for an airboat instead. These airboats were now automated, with the driver only needing to be alert in case of any issues. The airboat smoothly landed at her doorstep while the driver looked bored and let out yawns.

As Lenna stepped out of the airboat, her neighbor, who was watering the flowers, noticed her and asked, "Miss Burns, using the airboat today?"

"Yes," Lenna replied with a polite smile. "There were too many people on public transportation, and I had more things to buy, so I opted for the airboat."

Heattown, the small city where Lenna resided, was located in the Empire near the eastern border. The security situation there was quite chaotic.Within the city government, there are individuals who collaborate with the local authorities and purposely ignore most illegal activities that involve shady dealings. The newly elected mayor may be ambitious, but lacks the ability to effectively address the situation. Despite attempting to remove corrupt elements, both sides eventually stepped back and opted for a minimum level of superficial harmony.

However, in Lenna's neighborhood, where the government's control is less stringent due to its distance from affluent and downtown areas, all sorts of chaos still occur regularly. This causes Lenna to leave her house every day feeling anxious and fearful.

She had actually considered relocating to another city, but her application kept getting automatically rejected by the system right from the start. She spent some money to have someone investigate the reason behind these rejections, only to discover that the system rejected her because she couldn't be found in the empire's resident status database. Consequently, the other city couldn't accept her or provide her with a resident status.

In essence, Lenna was an unrecognized individual without an identity. Only certain places like Heattown would acknowledge her existence.

She lacks both family and friends.Five years ago, she was involved in a serious car accident and woke up in this house. The landlord came to visit her and explained that she had been hit by a suspect who was running away as she was leaving. Upon regaining consciousness, she realized she couldn't remember anything and sought help from various doctors. However, they found no issues with her brain and were puzzled by the cause of her memory loss. Some even speculated that she had chosen to forget and deliberately ran away.

The landlady, a kind elderly woman, comforted her while observing her weakened state. She shared that she had grown up without parents and had lived independently until now, encountering similar difficulties.

Lenna felt a tinge of sadness but managed to gather herself quickly. Perhaps due to her memory loss, she was spared the intense grief of losing loved ones.

Silently, Lenna thought, "I'm sorry, Mom and Dad. I'm doing my best to live my life, which I believe is what you would want the most."

Chapter 5

Lenna was incredibly busy with work, often leaving the house at eight or nine o'clock and returning home late at night. This meant she had no time to take care of Bruce. Luckily, he recovered quickly and within two days, he was able to get out of bed and move around on his own, which relieved Lenna of a lot of trouble.

One day, when Lenna came home, she found him sitting on the couch while a medical robot changed his bandages. He was slightly hunched over, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. The muscles in his bare upper body were well-defined and attractive. Normally, when he wore clothes, it was impossible to tell that he had such a strong physique.

"Hiss-" he suddenly took a sharp breath.

"What's wrong?" Lenna dropped her bag and approached him.

He lowered his gaze and smiled, "Nothing, the robot is just a little clumsy."

Lenna looked at his gruesome wound and took the bandages from the mechanical arm of the robot. "I'll take care of it."

After spending a few days together, Lenna realized that this young man had a good character. He was well-mannered and had a pleasant temperament, causing her minimal trouble. Despite living under the same roof as a man, there were no awkward or uncomfortable situations. Lenna was satisfied with this and couldn't help but feel a bit fond of him."Let me know if it hurts," she said as she half-kneeled on the couch and leaned down to wrap his gauze. His wound was on his chest, so she had to get closer to ensure a precise wrapping. As a result, they found themselves in an incredibly close position, their cheeks almost touching.

Her long hair cascaded down and brushed against his shoulder, causing a slight tickle. When he turned his head slightly, he caught sight of her trembling eyelashes, focused gaze, soft white cheeks, and slightly pursed lips.

Bruce stared down for a while, then looked away without making a move.

She was always diligent and focused on her work, never getting distracted, and didn't notice the sudden ambiguous atmosphere. Her attention to detail was evident as she worked delicately, afraid of causing him any pain. When she finally finished, she let out a long breath and asked, "Is that alright?"

After a long pause, Bruce softly responded with a "hmm" and added, "Thank you."I'll just go to bed early then. You can go ahead and take a shower," Lenna said as she got up and headed to the bathroom.

Bruce quickly put on his clothes and chuckled softly as he glanced over at the annoyed-looking medical droid huddled in the corner.

Since there was only one bedroom and one bed in the house, Lenna had always let Bruce have the bedroom while she made do with the sofa bed in the living room. She didn't mind though, as she could sleep well anywhere. At first, Bruce didn't say anything, but in the past couple of days, he had started asking Lenna to switch back so he could sleep on the couch.

Naturally, she didn't agree. Bruce was nearly recovered and she didn't want any more complications that could potentially lead to her being sent away sooner. Besides, she had gotten used to sleeping this way and a few more days wouldn't be a problem.

"It's my house, so it's my decision," Lenna asserted.

"Fine," Bruce replied.Bruce let out a sigh and reluctantly gave in for now.

Over the past few days, the company had acquired a major client, which resulted in a significant increase in workload. Lenna's two coworkers were unavailable, one on vacation and the other on a business trip, and their unhelpful boss refused to hire additional staff. Lenna was so overwhelmed with work that she often went home and immediately fell asleep. Strangely, she would wake up in her bed instead of on the couch where she had fallen asleep.

Innocently, Bruce explained, "You were so sleepy and confused that you ended up in bed. I had to move to the couch to give you space."

Lenna was a bit skeptical at first, but she realized that Bruce had no reason to lie and justified it as her exhaustion causing her body to instinctively seek out her bed.

Since the next day was a day off and she wanted to complete her work and get a good night's sleep at home, Lenna worked until the early hours of the morning. She stumbled home on the first train, greeted by the soft glow of the morning light and the white mist of the dawn. Exhausted, she collapsed onto the couch upon arrival.

After a while, Bruce emerged from the bedroom wearing a black robe. He glanced at the sleeping figure on the couch and let out a soft sigh.

Leaning over, he gently touched her cheek and softly called out, "Lenna."Lenna was completely unaware.

He embraced her upper body, causing her to lean against his shoulder, and wrapped his arm around her to measure her waist. Unable to resist, he held her even tighter, whispering in a low voice, "You've lost so much weight."

Raising his hand, he tenderly caressed her cheek, feeling her deep breaths and the warmth of her body. He closed his eyes, realizing that his hand was trembling.

He was grateful that this wasn't just a dream.

Bowing his head, he softly brushed his lips against her forehead, and when he saw that she was still asleep and unresponsive, he gently kissed her on the lips.

It was a restrained and gentle kiss, filled with emotions and love.

"I won't allow you to leave me again."

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