This was something that was not very widely known, at least on the continent that he was currently on.

Names were very crucial things to any sentient being. They were connected to the foundations of ones existence, to their soul.

Thus, they, especially to beings that possessed special souls, held power.

It was why despite long knowing the name of that ancient nether demoness, Qianye had never once uttered it in Celosia’s presence.

Even if there might have been the potential for it to get her to hear him out. After all, just as much as that possibility existed, the way that she had received him told him that she could have easily turned it against him in her efforts to kill him.

And similarly to that, it was why despite her already remarkable nature, the elven woman before him was not at the best that she should be without a name.

Then, most importantly, and why he watched her grow so flustered at him asking for permission to name her, was that it created a life-long connection between the one named and the one granting the name.

However, to form that connection, properly naming another, especially depending on how special their soul might be, influence from the soul of the one granting the name was necessary.

And that degree of demanded influence grew exponentially with how special the recipients soul was.

That was why, having already been in such close contact with his soul, even with how his roused hers, the elven woman still asked him:

"Are you sure you want to try do this? I don’t mind not having a name... for a few more years while your soul heals"

He only smiled a little at that.

"I will be fine, don’t worry yourself so much."

For a few moments she only maintained her attention on his eyes, and then she nodded. Then, Qianye watched as her delicate expression, blushing expression reduced itself gradually into a serious one.

"I will warn you, I will not accept a name I do not like."

He only laughed faintly and he said, "Of course. Why would I want it otherwise?" He shook his head a little, continuing, "I would rather be disappointed that I had gotten it wrong than misled into thinking that I had gotten it right."

Qianye watched her nod and smile in acknowledgement and then he began:

"The name I have in mind is inspired by the myths of a goddess from my past life." he muttered and her eyes widened slightly, hearing mention that so mysterious and special past life of his. "She is a goddess of madness and nightmares, and loosely associated with magic—something that you could consider the equivalent of what we can do."

Qianye’s eyes glanced up somewhat at the moon, while her eyes remained on his countenance and she drew in a deeper breath.

"When you stepped in to save my soul, I don’t know what you did, but I saw a black sun with golden light surrounding it," he smiled to himself faintly, saying, "And this goddess had a body that was half-darkness and half-light."

And then, he glanced down at her to meet her attentive eyes, "Like that black-golden hair of yours and those eyes, the contrast in how cold or considerate you can be, and how between the two of us, we are of races that should hate each other and yet here we are, swimming in each other’s arms arguing on how to make sure we stay together..."

Qianye very conveniently did go on to mention the fact that she had been born because Zeus cucked Hades, deceiving Persephone into messing his bed.

Ultimately, the only thing that mattered was that he liked the way the name sounded.

His hand caressed her face and he finally said, "Melinoë is the name I’d like to give you."

Qianye had gone quite only for a few moments, and in there, she found herself shameful. Abruptly, a burst of air, born from her, shook the lake.

Waves rippled upwards and the light from coming from Melinoë’s back exploded backwards into ethereal strands, as if thousands upon thousands of roots growing outward.

Qianye’s eyes shone a much brighter purple as they grew wider and the marking over his forehead flashed a deep mix of red, purple and white colours.

At the same time, the rings within her eyes shone, and they rippled, increasing from three to four then a fifth one, all luminous and pulsing in a brighter gold.

Qianye’s eyes had widened as those thousands of strands from her back wrapped thoroughly around the two of them, encasing them in a luminous cocoon. From within it, he could feel how the both of them began to sink deep into the lake.

His heart sank for a moment, and his head glanced around the cocoon rapidly.

Then he felt her adjust, holding herself tighter to him, "It’s okay," She murmured as her forehead pressed against his, and the water that her cocoon had taken with them sloshed between their bodies, "It’s just... something that happens when elves express their elation with something, and how... our deepest connections are formed."

Qianye gave a slightly nervous, though curious laugh, "I’m being held hostage for giving you a name that you like?"

’Just how much more is there about your race I don’t know about?!’

The book itself, as a consequence of the fact that the character born to represent that culture—the novel version of Melinoë—was not for a very long time expressing of herself.

How could readers learn about her when she was so aloof? It would just be poor character work if it had been forced against what her character demanded she behave in line with.

Although, even with that being said, looking at how she was with him, Qianye could only perhaps categorise it as either an author skill issue, or a Chu Xuan skill issue, and he was leaning towards the latter.

And thus, Qianye found himself humming in interest at the pleasant, soft and low giggle that she graced him with before she muttered: