For Romantic Superpowers - Chapter 35 - Goddess Of Spring Festival (2)
#35. Goddess Of Spring Festival (2)
“What?”
A startled sound escaped Lia at the unexpected question. Confused, she didn’t know what to say and only rolled her eyes in bewilderment. Kevin, unaware of why she was flustered, just awkwardly waited for a response. Lately, Lia had been so busy that she had almost forgotten that Kevin liked her. Suddenly confronted with it, it was difficult to control her expression. Besides, the last day of the Goddess of Spring Festival was already a day she had promised to spend with Perth.
“Because it’s a festival you’ve prepared yourself and you want to see it? I can guide you well since I see it every year.”
Kevin subtly hinted that she should choose him. But unfortunately, she wasn’t deliberating between Kevin and Perth. She was pondering how to decline.
“Well, Mr. Kevin, I appreciate the offer, but…”
“Why? Do you have a prior commitment?”
Sensing her reluctance to reject, Kevin took the initiative. He pretended to be okay, but he couldn’t hide his disappointment, which he also unknowingly mirrored.
“Yes…”
He should have stopped there. He should have just said, ‘Oh, you have a prior commitment?’ and turned to head to the greenhouse. But inexplicably, a probing question came out of Kevin’s mouth.
“With whom?”
As expected, she hesitated to answer. His relationship with Perth was already strained. Bringing up Perth’s name here would only hurt Kevin more. But seeing her difficulty in answering, Kevin became more certain.
“Is it that aide?”
Now he didn’t even use the title ‘Mr. Perth’. Despite his efforts not to, he couldn’t hide his rapidly sinking mood. Seeing Kevin’s reaction, Lia didn’t know what to do.
“Yes… it’s that aide.”
He was getting on his nerves. Why was he meddling so much between him and Lia? Especially when he had introduced the two of them!
“I’m sorry…”
Lia apologized without even knowing why she was apologizing. Seeing Kevin’s deteriorating mood in front of her, she felt somehow compelled to apologize.
“Is that guy in his right mind? Does he even remember I’m supposed to be your second choice? He introduced me himself?”
Lia knew too. Perth’s introduced match was Kevin, and she was supposed to spend time with him. But she couldn’t cancel the appointment now.
“We’re just going to the festival as friends.”
Damn that ‘friends’! How long could they keep calling each other just friends? Holding back the urge to scream right away, Kevin clenched his fists. His nails were digging into his skin, drawing blood. Thanks to that pain, he managed to not lash out at Lia and instead asked calmly.
“And you?”
“What?”
“What about you? Are you just friends too?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Do you really just think of him as a friend?”
How many times was this? Was there a reason why he and Perth couldn’t be friends? Angrily, Lia spoke to Kevin as if scolding him.
“We are friends! I feel comfortable and peaceful around Mr. Perth. So I want to go to the festival with him!”
The expression on her face, as she spoke, might have been unclear to her, but each word Lia uttered felt like a dagger piercing Kevin’s heart.
“I asked for a chance from you too…”
It was a whispered sentence, but Lia heard it loud and clear. Feeling his pain as if it were her own, Lia also felt hurt.
“Mr. Kevin…”
Kevin bowed his head deeply. Not knowing what to say, Lia just stood there quietly.
“I’ll go back there again.”
It was Kevin who turned away first. He didn’t want to hear apologies or anything from her now. He knew she would feel uncomfortable. But he couldn’t contain his mounting anger. It wasn’t anger towards her but towards Perth Versier. If he kept interfering like this…
“Let’s try this.”
* * *
Kevin was just the same as usual the next day, despite Lia’s worries that things would become awkward. Even when Lia tried to approach and apologize, he deliberately pretended as if nothing had happened and avoided her.
“Throw this away.”
“There are too many!”
“If you have time to talk, you have time to throw.”
He even played more pranks intentionally. Because of this, Lia couldn’t say anything.
“Only three days left until the festival! Let’s hang in there a little longer!”
His loud voice echoed through the greenhouse. Despite this, he remained a reliable superior. She decided to focus on work without any other thoughts. She was too busy to think about anything else. She and Perth had managed to squeeze in a few dinners during her busy schedule. But just before the festival, she got the message that he couldn’t make it, and neither could she. After sending each other cheerful messages, Lia stretched her back and ran into the greenhouse.
The day before the festival, they had to wake up early. The entire palace buzzed with preparations for the Eve festival. As soon as the sun set, the actual festival began. There had been a splendid fireworks display during the eve festival night thanks to the abilities of fire-related adepts, but nobody, including Lia and other palace staff, could properly enjoy it. Everyone just wished for this festival—or procession—to end quickly.
“I said I won’t do it!”
“You should. It’s useless to resist now.”
“Do you think you can lift your head with such a shabby decoration?”
“If it’s your duty, you must do it. Rights come with obligations.”
Before the procession, there was a scene of Perth and Alfonse directly fighting. Until the very last moment, Alfonse refused to decorate himself with flowers. Even in front of everyone, including Lia, and the greenhouse staff who prepared the flowers, and the palace maids, he didn’t budge.
“Think about it. Don’t you think I shine brighter and more splendidly just with my appearance alone? This should be enough; decorations are unnecessary!”
“Of course, but if decorated with flowers, you would be even more beautiful.”
“I said I don’t want it.”
Both were stubborn. Perth appeared like the protector of a naive child. But it was familiar to him. He didn’t even show the expressions he usually did when talking about Alfonse. It was a perfect poker face.
Already burdened with overseeing the entire festival, he was undoubtedly busy. Perhaps he was coerced to come out just to handle the prince’s entourage. As he contemplated deeply, he whispered something to Alfonse’s ear.
Upon hearing it, Alfonse himself volunteered to decorate. His cheeks were flushed. It seemed like Lia already knew what was said, even without hearing it.
“Long live the King!”
“Long live the Queen!”
“Long live the Crown Prince!”
“It’s said that the Crown Prince himself prepared this festival?”
“That’s right! He’s truly the legitimate heir to the throne.”
Though Perth, as the Chief Aide, had done all the preparation, all the credit went to the Crown Prince, Alfonse. It was common for the efforts of subordinates to be attributed to superiors.
Despite the absurd praise from the citizens, Perth stood by Alfonse without a single change in expression. The flower at the end of his crimson hair was a blue daisy, chosen by Lia. She recommended it as a subtle flower that wouldn’t attract much attention.
As a member of the palace, Lia also followed the procession after adorning herself with simple flower decorations. She chose daisies as well since she was allowed to decorate with her favorite flowers. May, after much deliberation, chose Casablanca lilies. Seeing the gorgeous yet beautiful flowers, was truly a choice befitting her.
Kevin was a golden columbine. When he first chose that flower, Lia teased him, laughing. But the more she saw it, the more she felt that the yellow and modest flower suited him.
Walking with the royal family in the procession felt different. At first, Lia worried that something might happen, but people cheered them throughout the route.
“How do you feel?”
Kevin, walking beside her, asked, bowing his head.
“I’m not the protagonist here.”
She replied, glancing at the crowd of Prince Alfonse ahead. He seemed tireless, waving and smiling all day. Decorated with flowers of various colors, he truly deserved the title of flower prince.
“Still, try to smile. It’s a festival after all.”
“I don’t want to hear that from you, Mr. Kevin.”
Throughout the procession, air adepts continuously blew flower petals on both sides. Flowers danced down from the sky like a swirling dance. Lia had only thought about how tiring it was, but seeing this made her think that the festival wasn’t so bad after all.
* * *
Walking all day was exhausting enough. Moreover, trying not to show tension made her body ache all over. On the first day, their lodgings were at the nearby mansion of Duke Ferdinand. Members of the royal family and high-ranking individuals stayed in the main mansion, while the rest were to sleep in temporary tents set up in the annex or gardens. Lia, too, would sleep in a tent.
“I wonder if a noble lady like her can sleep in such a tent.”
The people sleeping in the same tent as Lia were mostly greenhouse staff, but they were mostly unfamiliar faces to her. She couldn’t help but overhear them whispering among themselves about her.
Of course, she couldn’t blame them for having some resentment. She was a special hire, and she often did noticeable things. There were even people like Kevin who openly disliked her, which was expected. However, she wasn’t the quiet noble lady who would just sit still and listen to such talk.
“Do you know what happens when you insult a noble lady like this?”
She muttered to herself, but the atmosphere inside the tent turned sour. After tidying up her bedding, Lia decided to step outside for the time being. It seemed unlikely that they would confront her once they were asleep inside the tent.
“Well, subtly tormenting is scarier after all. Making a noble lady leave the tent like this.”
Outside, Kevin, perhaps having heard their conversation, once again teased Lia about her temperament.
“And you’re one to talk, Mr. Kevin. You were the first to dislike me just because I’m a noble lady.”
“That’s…”
As if she didn’t want to hear anymore, Lia walked towards the forest behind the mansion. She wanted to be in a place without anyone for a while. Despite her bold attitude, she couldn’t help feeling depressed.
“Why are you following?”
“It’s my whim.”
Kevin followed her. Despite her stubbornness, she cautiously avoided damaging the surrounding plants. It was typical of her.
“Don’t go too deep. This isn’t your mansion.”
“I know.”
Lia, lost in thought, stopped at Kevin’s words and looked around. She spotted a nearby boulder and plopped down on it. Kevin leaned against a nearby tree, folding his arms. Moonlight filtered through the tall trees. The dark forest was a bit eerie, but with the moonlight and Kevin’s presence, it felt alright.
“Why the sullen expression?”