Luo Lan stood up and stretched his shoulders and neck. The soreness from being beaten up by Ailiya had faded considerably.
Come to think of it, it really had been a long time since he’d strolled through the streets of Valgard. In the previous round, he’d become intimately familiar with every street in the city for the sake of various tasks, so there were rarely chances to simply wander around like an ordinary person.
Ailiya had already changed into casual clothes. Her hair was tied up in a simple ponytail with a hairband, giving her a softer, less severe look.
Once she was done getting ready, Ailiya stood on the open space before the main doors, glancing over the shopping list in her hands as she waited for Luo Lan.
Sunlight slowly trickled down the stone steps at the front of the residence. As Luo Lan stepped out the door and saw Ailiya folding the parchment and slipping it into her pocket, he suddenly felt a bit dazed.
“Mr. Luo Lan, shall we head out?”
Ailiya turned around, sunlight dancing in her hair.
The two of them walked side by side along the edge of the noble district. The stone steps of the road were smooth and polished from years of use. Ailiya walked just a half step ahead of him, and perhaps because she wasn’t wearing her maid outfit today, the moon-white dress she wore made her look just like a Miss from some small noble family.
“Is there a lot to buy today?” Luo Lan asked casually.
“Not too much,” Ailiya replied calmly. “Some consumables that need replenishing, a few spices, and the maple syrup pastries that Her Highness has been craving for a long time.”
As she spoke, the ends of her hair gently swayed with her steps.
After crossing two streets, the sunlight had grown lazy, and Ailiya finally slowed her pace.
“There’s a café on the corner,” Luo Lan pointed ahead. “Why don’t we take a break?”
Ailiya hesitated, looked down at the few remaining items on her list, then glanced at Luo Lan’s face. In the end, she nodded.
Luo Lan pulled out a chair for her and only sat down after Ailiya had taken her seat. The server brought over two steaming cups of coffee, the rich aroma chasing away a bit of the winter chill.
As they quietly enjoyed their meal, a little girl with a flower basket timidly walked over. She looked about seven or eight years old, dressed in a patched, coarse dress, her cheeks flushed red by the cold wind.
Her gaze shifted between Luo Lan and Ailiya, finally landing on Luo Lan. In a crisp voice, she said:
“Handsome sir, buy a bouquet of flowers for your beloved! This pretty lady must be your sweetheart, right? If you give her a flower, she’ll be so happy!”
For a second, the air seemed to freeze.
Ailiya’s hand holding the coffee cup trembled slightly, and then she lowered her lashes, staring into her coffee.
“We’re not actually—”
Luo Lan had just begun to explain when he saw Ailiya sigh softly and put down her cup. She reached into her purse and took out two silver coins, gently placing them in the little girl’s palm. Her voice was softer than usual.
“I’ll take all the flowers… But next time, don’t go randomly pairing people up. This gentleman and I aren’t like that.”
The little girl blinked, not seeming to fully understand, but since she got the money, she happily scampered off.
Ailiya watched her go, shook her head, and used her fingers to gently touch the petals.
Time slipped by quietly as they strolled and shopped. Unknowingly, it was already near dusk, and the setting sun painted the streets a warm orange-red.
Carrying their purchases, the two headed back toward the residence. Their shadows stretched long across the stone road, sometimes crossing, sometimes splitting apart.
Just as they turned the corner, Luo Lan’s steps suddenly halted.
A luxuriously decorated carriage stood quietly at the mouth of a nearby alley. Its ornate trimmings gleamed dimly in the twilight, and the Iris Crest on the carriage was especially distinct in the setting sun.
That was the crest of the Blanche Family.
This suddenly appearing carriage reminded him… Sainte Rite was just around the corner. Perhaps he should take this chance to observe Ophelia a little.
It was important to be cautious when probing for information, to avoid new trouble cropping up later.
Luo Lan quickly glanced at Ailiya, who was looking down and checking their purchases. He spoke up:
“Ailiya.”
“Hmm?” She looked up, the evening glow reflecting in her eyes. “What is it?”
“You take these things back first… I just remembered something urgent I have to handle.”
Ailiya’s brows furrowed slightly. She looked at the deepening sky, then at him.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be back once I’m done.” Luo Lan smiled at her. “Besides, Her Highness will probably wake up soon. Go ahead and start preparing dinner. If she goes hungry, she’ll throw a tantrum again.”
At the mention of Cloé, Ailiya hesitated, but finally nodded.
“Well… please be careful, and come back early.”
“Mm, don’t worry.”
Luo Lan smiled at her, waiting until Ailiya’s figure had disappeared at the end of the street before turning to catch up with the carriage that was about to depart.
The Blanche Family’s residence was on the other side of the noble district, much grander than the cold, lonely house of Lufinias.
The main gates were gilded, with intricate, almost ostentatious patterns engraved upon them. Even in the dusk, they radiated a kind of breathtaking elegance.
Luo Lan circled the area, then climbed over the wall into a nearby clock tower. Standing inside the dust-covered clock room, he peered down through the broken stained-glass window, able to see the Blanche Family’s courtyard clearly.
As dusk settled in, the magical lamps in the courtyard lit up one after another.
Ophelia sat in the garden’s gazebo, golden hair falling over her shoulders, the lamplight around her lending a gentle glow to her features.
She held a cup of black tea, steam curling up and blurring her delicate face.
A Steward stood respectfully beside her, quietly reporting something. Ophelia nodded now and then, that habitual gentle smile still on her lips.
Luo Lan hid behind the old window frame, silently observing the golden-haired girl.
He had seen her countless times in the previous round, but now those memories had faded to dullness. Only the image of the girl holding her tea remained—so real, it almost felt unreal.
After a while, the Steward bowed and withdrew. Ophelia was left alone in the gazebo. She lowered her eyes to her cup, and the smile on her face gradually faded, revealing an expression Luo Lan had never seen before.
At that moment, Ophelia suddenly looked up, her gaze seeming to sweep in his direction.
Luo Lan quickly pulled back, pressing his back against the wall and holding his breath. After waiting a while, he cautiously poked his head out.
The golden-haired girl was gone from the courtyard, leaving only the magical lamps burning quietly, wind stirring a few dead leaves that spun through the empty gazebo.
—No way, right?
Luo Lan pressed his lips together.
He shouldn’t have exposed any flaws, and the main story hadn’t even started yet. Surely they wouldn’t throw such a tough opponent at him right at the beginning?
His instincts told him it was better to leave for now. Luo Lan took one last look at the empty gazebo, then turned and vanished into the shadows of the staircase.
Night fell completely.
In the depths of the Lufinias estate, Cloé awoke from her afternoon nap.
The room was dim, with only faint embers flickering in the fireplace. Out of habit, she called out for Ailiya. Her voice drifted through the empty room, answered only by the faint sound of the wind outside the window.
The girl got out of bed and walked barefoot to the edge of the rug. She opened the door, and the warm light pouring in from the hallway made Cloé squint for a moment.
She slowly walked to the living room and found Yuuna sprawled inelegantly on the sofa, half-eaten cookie in hand, both legs dangling over the armrest like a big salted fish.
“Yuuna.”
“Huh, Your Highness, you’re finally awake!” Yuuna looked up at the sound, greeting her lazily, crumbs still on the corner of her mouth. “How was your nap?”
Cloé ignored the greeting and went straight to the point. “Where’s Ailiya? Have you seen her?”
“Hmm…” Yuuna lazily rolled over. “Ailiya went out to buy things. I saw her shopping list—it was pretty long, so she’ll probably be gone for a while.”
She took another bite of her cookie as she spoke.
Cloé nodded lightly, her gaze drifting around the living room before speaking again.
“And… what about Luo Lan? Have you seen him? I don’t think I’ve seen him all day.”
Her voice was flat, without any detectable emotion, but her fingers unconsciously tightened on the corner of her robe.
Yuuna finally took her eyes off the cookie and squinted at Cloé’s expression.
“Mr. Luo Lan… He went out with Ailiya. When I woke up this afternoon, I saw them leaving together.”
Cloé’s lips parted slightly.
“…Luo Lan went too?”
“Yep.” Yuuna nodded and added, “Just the two of them. They’ve been gone a long time now.”
Cloé was silent for a few seconds, then slowly released her grip on the white-knuckled corner of her robe.