For Romantic Superpowers - Chapter 37 - Goddess Of Spring Festival (4)

#37. Goddess Of Spring Festival (4)

 

The meeting point with Perth was at the entrance for palace staff leaving. Concerned about being late for the appointment, Lia began to run. Besides her, most of the people heading in the same direction seemed to be those meeting someone at that location.

 

“Will I be able to find him among so many people…?”

 

Since there weren’t many official holidays at the palace, there were many people continuously leaving for the streets. Everyone was dressed in their casual clothes. Even while running, Lia couldn’t help but feel her attire to see if it looked odd.

 

“Lia!”

 

In the distance, Perth’s voice called out. Though his figure wasn’t clear, she ran eagerly following his waving hand.

 

“Don’t run! You might fall!”

 

He cautioned her, but somehow, she felt the urge to increase her speed. It was because she wanted to see him quickly. But when she finally reached him, she couldn’t even lift her head to catch her breath.

 

“I told you to come slowly.”

 

He waited until Lia caught her breath. Only then did he notice her carefully arranged hair, which May had worked on. Lia worried that her running had messed it up despite May’s efforts to make it look nice.

 

As she touched her hair, Perth reached out and removed a strand that was stuck to her lips.

 

“You look particularly beautiful today.”

 

He quickly noticed that Lia had put extra effort into her appearance. Feeling embarrassed, Lia couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes and lowered her head. It was then that she realized Perth had also dressed differently in casual clothes. His neat attire suited his personality well. Just because his appearance was slightly different from usual, he somehow looked even more handsome.

 

“You look handsome today too, Mr. Perth.”

 

“You’re too kind. Shall we go?”

 

With compliments exchanged, they prepared to leave the palace.

 

Thud.

 

“Oops, sorry.”

 

Someone in a hurry bumped into Lia. After a casual apology, they quickly disappeared outside. Perth caught Lia, who was about to fall.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“I’m fine. There are just so many people.”

 

Unlike the main gate of the palace, the entrance for staff was very narrow. Today, with many staff leaving, it was natural for there to be a crowd. Perth stood Lia up straight and gently held her hand.

 

“With so many people, we might lose each other.”

 

Once their hands met, holding each other’s hands again felt natural. But even after a few times, it still made them both nervous. Though it was only on top of white gloves, his hand somehow felt warm. As they stepped out of the palace, the crowd grew denser. To avoid being swept away, they had to hold each other’s hands tighter. The streets were bustling with activity, filled with various people, including foreign tourists.

 

“Come see the magic show performed by talented individuals! Don’t miss it!”

 

“We have delicious fruits here! Come and taste!”

 

The noisy atmosphere made it hard to focus. But amidst the excitement of the crowd, Lia’s heart beat fiercely.

 

“What do you want to see first?”

 

“What? I can’t hear you!”

 

“I said, what do you want to see first?”

 

However, due to the excessive noise, they couldn’t hear each other’s voices from close range. Perth had no choice but to pull Lia’s hand firmly. As she approached, he spoke softly into her ear.

 

“I asked what you’d like to see first.”

 

Feeling his breath, Lia trembled slightly. The ear was a sensitive spot. Along with the tickling sensation, she felt a strange thrill.

 

“Um, um… should we start with something to eat?”

 

“Alright. I know a good restaurant. Let’s go there.”

 

As he continued to speak into her ear, goosebumps ran from her fingertips to her toes. It occurred to her again, but he had a nice voice too. It was only natural for her heart to beat faster as someone with no immunity. Did he know her feelings, or was he unaware? He continued to be kind.

 

Whenever someone seemed about to bump into her, he pulled her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He seemed to have disliked physical contact with people according to her memory, but he reached out to her so effortlessly. Confused, Lia forgot about sightseeing.

 

“Here we are.”

 

So when Perth suddenly stopped, she almost reflexively headed towards the adjacent shop. The place Perth recommended was a fancy-looking establishment with decorations she had never seen before.

 

“Um. I can’t read the sign. What does it say?”

 

“It’s in a foreign language. It says ‘Asura Market,’ apparently.”

 

“‘Asura Market’? What does that mean?”

 

“It seems to be derived from the name of some goddess. I don’t know why, but it means chaos.”

 

“Is it a goddess who likes fights?”

 

“Maybe?”

 

Instead of a door, the shop had a curtain. Stepping in first, Perth entered the shop. There was a faint sound as the shop’s interior became partially visible. It seemed to be quite popular, as it was packed with customers.

 

“There are a lot of customers.”

 

Stepping aside while Perth was still inside, Lia also entered the shop, bowing her head instead of thanking him. The warm food inside emitted a comforting heat. A boy who had been bustling around the shop noticed the two and approached them with a professional smile on his face.

 

“Welcome! How many of you?”

 

“Two.”

 

“Please come this way.”

 

Thanks to the waiter’s friendly demeanor, their expectations for the restaurant grew. They were led to a table in the corner. The central area was crowded, with no available seats.

 

“Here’s the menu.”

 

The menu was filled with foreign characters. Seeing Lia’s confusion, the waiter quickly handed her a menu written in Psychedelia language.

 

“Is it your first time here?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Is it your first time too, Mr. Perth?”

 

“Yes, I don’t eat out much.”

 

“I see.”

 

Naturally, she thought this was a familiar restaurant to bring her to, but first time? Lia scanned the menu. She didn’t recognize any of the dishes.

 

“What would you recommend?”

 

“We got fresh tomatoes today! I recommend dishes made with tomatoes.”

 

“Lady Lia, you don’t eat tomatoes, right?”

 

“Oh, you remembered.”

 

“Of course, I remember.”

 

She already knew he had a good memory, but thinking that he remembered something about her made her feel good again.

 

“Then, how about this egg fried rice? Most customers like it regardless of preferences.”

 

“Then, I’ll have that, please.”

 

“And also dumplings…”

 

Lia and Perth relied entirely on the waiter’s recommendations for their order. It seemed like they had ordered more than they had anticipated, but they decided to try a variety of dishes in small portions.

 

“If you’ve never been here, how did you know about this place?”

 

“Oh, one of the staff recommended it. They said it was an unusual restaurant, so why not give it a try.”

 

It was hard to imagine him having an intimate conversation with the staff. Anyway, May didn’t seem to talk much with him. Lia smiled inwardly. While waiting, he browsed through the menu. But the characters on the menu didn’t register in his eyes. He was tense, not knowing what to say. Normally, he would have remained silent rather than force himself to speak, but things were different now.

 

“Why are you like that, Mr. Perth?”

 

“What?”

 

“You seem to be staring at the menu as if you’re going to penetrate it. Is there something unpleasant written there?”

 

“No. There isn’t.”

 

He hurriedly put down the menu. Then he adjusted his glasses with a sigh. He wasn’t usually someone who lost his composure like this. But he couldn’t understand why his lips dried up so quickly when he was next to Lia.

 

“Capital is capital, after all. It’s not our place’s food, is it?”

 

“Yes. With the increasing exchange with foreign countries these days, foreigners can also open shops in the capital.”

 

“Even foreigners?”

 

“This shop was opened by a foreigner too. I don’t remember the country’s name, but it came from a distant place.”

 

“Do you know the owner of this shop?”

 

“No. I remember there was a request for permission when the shop was opened. Usually, it’s handled by the government office, but because it was a foreigner, it went up to the palace, which was unusual.”

 

As Perth spoke slowly, Lia’s face turned pale. Did he remember all the contents of the many documents that came up to the palace? Suddenly, she realized how extraordinary the person sitting in front of her was.

 

“Mr. Perth, you seem to be really talented.”

 

“Lady Lia, you’re talented too, aren’t you?”

 

“It’s not that… You seem to be really good at your job. Is that your ability, Mr. Perth?”

 

When she mentioned ‘ability,’ there was a brief tension in Perth’s hand holding the glass. He hadn’t revealed his ability to Lia yet. Few people knew about his ability. It wasn’t exactly classified, but he anticipated the reactions if he were to disclose it to them. Disgust. Fear.

 

His ability wasn’t useful in battles, but it was more powerful than any lethal weapon when it came to an individual. It was about peering into someone’s weaknesses. He had even glimpsed into Lia’s heart. If he revealed his ability, he would surely be exposed. The moment he took off his gloves and touched someone.

 

Only after peering into their hearts could he properly apologize. He felt parched. Instead of answering, Perth slowly drank his water. But he tried his best not to show it on his face. He didn’t want to be found out. He wasn’t the good person Lia thought he was.

 

“If I had such an ability, the paperwork would have been easier, wouldn’t it?”

 

He smiled slightly, lifting the corners of his lips. Was it the same smile as usual? Was it natural? While hiding his trembling heart, he glanced at Lia.

 

“Ah… Right! Oddly enough, you don’t seem to have the ability to help with document approval.”

 

Saying that, Lia listed the abilities she knew. Watching her lost in thought, Perth silently heaved a sigh of relief. He knew she wouldn’t like dishonest people. But with just a moment of cheating, her trust returned. He couldn’t stand her cold gaze, seeing through him.

 

“The menu is served!”

 

“Wow, Mr. Perth. Look, they all look delicious!”

 

Excitedly, Lia pulled Perth’s sleeve without realizing it. It was an unauthorized touch, but for some reason, he didn’t mind her touching him.

 

“Yes. Let’s try them one by one.”

 

Perth placed one of the dishes in front of her.

 

“What’s this?”

 

“Oh, that’s chopsticks. You hold them like this and use them.”

 

“Like this?”

 

“No, use your index finger like this.”

 

Lia was learning how to use chopsticks for the first time from the waiter. She was diligent even in trivial matters.

 

“You should try it too, Mr. Perth! It’s too hard.”

 

“I’m fine, thanks?”

 

Perth quickly learned how to use chopsticks. The waiter looked at him with surprised eyes.

 

“Not many people learn it at once! You’re amazing!”

 

Lia applauded quietly, although it wasn’t her job. She laughed brightly, enjoying using chopsticks for some reason.

 

“Should I pick it up for you?”

 

“No, I’ll try.”

 

Maybe someday, he could honestly confess about his ability. But for now, all he wished for was her to keep smiling.