Northern Territory, Skywater City.
The streets paved with bluestone were clean and level, lined with neatly arranged buildings and exquisitely intricate carved window lattices.
The entire city bustled with prosperity, tinged with the cool austerity unique to the Northern Territory.
At the center of the main street stood an elegant, upscale dessert shop.
Its floor-to-ceiling glass windows were bright and spotless, clearly reflecting the leisurely figures inside.
At a window seat.
The Ice Empress sat upright at the table, a delicate little cake before her.
She wore a jade-green jacket and skirt. Her skin was fair and fine, and her exceptional beauty and bearing drew frequent sidelong glances without her even trying.
A cup of warm coffee sat before Lin Mo, faint steam rising from its understated porcelain cup. He explained to the Ice Empress the things they had seen earlier and the basic rules of the human world.
Zi Ling sat beside the Ice Empress, chattering away as she added her own explanations.
Lin Mo's Mirror Flower, Water Moon domain enveloped the area, distorting the perceptions of those around them so they naturally could not hear the conversation.
Even the Ice Empress's appearance that outsiders saw had been toned down by Lin Mo.
Otherwise, if she showed her true beauty, it would have caused far more than a few sidelong glances.
Lin Mo knew when to stop and did not belabor the subject.
They had plenty of time. She could adjust slowly.
When the Ice Empress saw him fall silent, she tasted her sugary cake and quietly looked up at the stream of people passing outside. Her eyes held the novelty of seeing the bustling mortal world for the first time, along with a little discomfort.
Zi Ling told her to relax. She would get used to it in