For Romantic Superpowers - Chapter 39 - Goddess Of Spring Festival (6)

#39. Goddess Of Spring Festival (6)

 

“What did you say…?”

 

It was a phrase he had never spoken before in his life. Perth looked visibly flustered. Despite self-identifying as ‘cute,’ Lia’s expression remained unchanged. What was the prize, he wondered, and what was she so eager to get? He couldn’t understand her at all. To begin with, to solve the problem, he had to utter that nickname himself, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. He even suspected that this might be a stratagem to humiliate him.

 

“And I will call you ‘Glasses.'”

 

After saying that, the nickname she called seemed oddly realistic and like a nickname. Just as he was about to protest, the host came by again.

 

“What nicknames do Lady Lia and Mr. Perth use for each other?”

 

“I call Perth ‘Glasses.'”

 

Lia smiled sweetly again, playing the part of a lover. The key was delicately lifting Perth’s glasses with her finger. Where on earth did she learn such a technique? Perth, now suspicious, narrowed his eyes.

 

“And what do you call Lady Lia, Mr. Perth?”

 

In truth, he wanted to say a different nickname at this moment. However, Perth, at this moment, was not as quick-witted or imaginative as he thought. Moreover, he felt a slight pressure on his elbow from the side.

 

“Cut… tie.”

 

“Pardon? What did you say? I couldn’t hear you.”

 

The host seemed to want to kill Perth twice. It was intentional. He shouted, driven by malice.

 

“I call her ‘Cutie!!'”

 

At that, everyone in the square burst into laughter. Funny? What’s so funny about it? He was so embarrassed! Looking resentfully at Lia, she simply smiled as if to say, ‘Well done.’ Even though she was smiling just as he wanted her to, he wasn’t particularly pleased. He wanted to correct that nickname right away. But the game had already begun.

 

“Here’s the first question. To start the Goddess of Spring Festival, I’ve prepared a flower-related question. What is the national flower of Psychedelia?”

 

“Glasses!”

 

“Yes, the answer is?”

 

“It’s Statice! In the myth of Psychedelia, it’s said that the Spring Goddess exerted all her strength to melt the frost and turn herself into a flower. Statice is a flower that primarily blooms in May, hence why the Goddess of Spring Festival coincides with the blooming season of Statice! It thrives better in cold climates, particularly in the frigid outskirts of Psychedelia!”

 

Lia confidently added further explanation. Her determination to answer the question was impressive. Perth, seeing her fiery gaze, unknowingly distanced himself from her.

 

“Ah, yes. That’s correct. You even said what I was going to say. Haha.”

 

The host awkwardly chuckled and awarded Lia’s team a point.

 

“Please leave the plant-related questions to me.”

 

Lia whispered confidently in Perth’s ear, wearing a self-assured smile. It was reassuring. But even though he knew the answer to the question, he couldn’t bring himself to say it. All because of the burdensome nickname.

 

“The second question is: Who is the most famous handsome man in Psychedelia?”

 

Upon hearing it, Perth knew the answer immediately. He had suspected it ever since Alfonse had visited the local festival preparations. A string of wrong answers followed. Lia couldn’t even guess who it might be.

 

“All the names of famous handsome actors seem to have come up, but who could the correct answer be?”

 

Her expression was serious. She didn’t know why she was so determined to get it right, but she seemed determined to win. Among them, there seemed to be only one Perthon who could get the answer right. Reluctantly, Perth raised his hand.

 

“Oh! The gentleman who has been sitting quietly has finally raised his hand. But to answer correctly, you must shout a nickname.”

 

“Cut… tie.”

 

“Pardon? What did you say?”

 

The host was excessively cruel. Next year, he vowed that he would make sure this host wouldn’t be able to proceed with the festival. Planning to use his influence, Perth shouted again.

 

“Cutie!”

 

“Yes! What’s the answer?”

 

“It’s His Highness Alfonse, the First Prince of Psychedelia!”

 

At that moment, the square fell silent. It was an unexpected answer for everyone. That was understandable, as the faces of royalty were not easily seen by the citizens. They said they would see them once a year in the parade, but the distance was too far to get a good look. Therefore, the rumor that Alfonse was handsome had spread only by word of mouth.

 

“That’s correct! You did well on a difficult question!”

 

Even though they heard it was the correct answer, the participants were in an uproar. But because he was royalty, no one dared to challenge it. Perth, even though he got it right, blushed with embarrassment at himself. Not only did he shout out a strange nickname, but he even referred to him as handsome. There was no end to the embarrassment.

 

“Wow! How did you know the answer? That’s amazing!”

 

Fortunately, Lia didn’t seem surprised or uncomfortable. She just extended both hands to Perth, excited that he had gotten the answer right.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Let’s shake hands.”

 

Not sure of the meaning behind it, he tentatively shook her hand. It seemed like her own ritual for wishing for victory. Once he got over the embarrassment, it became easier. Perth answered correctly in various fields like history and economics. Lia was confident when it came to plants. Luckily, since it was a festival related to flowers, there were many plant-related questions.

 

“The winners of the first game are Cutie and Glasses couple!”

 

Even when embarrassing nicknames were called out at the end, they didn’t mind. Lia and Perth shared the joy of victory. They had monopolized the score so much that they attracted the attention of other couples, but it didn’t matter.

 

The second game was a test of strength rather than intellect. The one who was more confident in their physical strength would carry their lover while standing up from a seated position. It was simple but required tremendous stamina.

 

“Would you like to go, Lady Lia?”

 

Perth made a brief mistake by asking the wrong question and earned Lia’s glare. 

 

“Mr. Perth would be stronger and taller.”

 

“When you answered the question earlier, you seemed quite formidable too, judging by how you slammed the table…”

 

She would slam the table each time she got an answer right. Each time, Perth became a little more apprehensive watching objects on the table levitate. Lia’s competitive spirit was stronger than he had imagined.

 

“I hope we win this game too.”

 

Unfortunately, the outcome of this game depended entirely on the person who was carrying it. The previous game was almost won by Perth’s strength alone, and now this game rested on him again. It was she who desired victory, but the unfair reality was such that he couldn’t voice any complaints.

 

“I’ll do my best.”

 

He removed his coat and raised his arms, but he didn’t remove the white gloves. Of course, it wasn’t because he feared touching her bare skin due to her skirt, but more out of caution. Fortunately, his abilities didn’t manifest without the use of his bare hands.

 

“Oh, are you participating with gloves on? Are you sure it’s okay?”

 

The host didn’t miss this and asked.

 

“It’s fine.”

 

But Perth didn’t care at all. Lia also worried that she might slip because of the gloves, but she didn’t say anything more knowing that he seemed to avoid direct contact with people for some reason. There was a lot of muscle on his arms that she hadn’t realized he’d taken off at first. With his thin clothing, or upon closer inspection, his body’s contours were more noticeable. Embarrassed, she turned away, but he came closer.

 

“Get ready.”

 

“Excuse me.”

 

“Please lift her!”

 

At the signal from the host, Perth immediately lifted Lia by her knees and shoulders.

 

“Ahh!”

 

Instinctively, Lia hugged Perth’s neck. She tried to release herself quickly, but he stopped her.

 

“Please hold on as much as you can. Don’t move. That’s how I conserve my strength.”

 

Hearing his voice in her ear, Lia’s heart raced wildly. Now she felt somewhat more awake. This was the first time she had been so physically close to a man who wasn’t family. Lost in her competitive spirit until now, she had momentarily forgotten that they weren’t even lovers. He was merely accommodating Lia’s stubbornness. She felt sorry yet embarrassed.

 

“I-I’m sorry. Please put me down if it’s too difficult.”

 

She recalled how chaotic it was earlier. She regretted eating so much at the feast earlier. She wished she had eaten a little less, but it was already done. Avoiding eye contact with Perth, she tried to avoid awkwardness. He clenched his fists to avoid direct contact with Lia. It was more exhausting that way. She wanted to ask him to loosen his grip.

 

“Don’t worry. I’ll put you down if it’s too hard.”

 

It was said as a joke, but given Perth’s personality, it might have been a serious remark. Secretly relieved, Lia futilely hoped that her body weight would become a bit lighter.

 

“All right, it seems everyone is holding up well. Let’s move on to the next stage. From now on, we’re going to sit down and get up on cue!”

 

“Sit and stand?”

 

Sighs could be heard all around. Some couples even gave up just hearing about doing sit-ups. Perth was no exception. He vowed silently that he would ensure the person who organized this event wouldn’t be involved in festival planning next year.

 

“Ugh…”

 

He tried not to show how difficult it was, but Perth’s face gradually reddened. Furthermore, beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. Lia pulled at her clothes to wipe away his sweat.

 

“Please just let it flow. It’ll get dirty.”

 

“I’m sorry, please put me down now. I’m sorry.”

 

“Hey, parasite flower!”

 

At that moment, a muscular man nearby called out to Perth. It was obvious to everyone that he was a strong contender for winning this game. As some candidates dropped out, he seemed to be gearing up for a psychological battle. Perth had the most stable posture among them.

 

But Perth wasn’t one to succumb to such psychological tactics. Despite clearly knowing he was being called, he ignored it. The host was merely spectating, wondering if an interesting situation would arise. Perth concluded that he was indeed someone who deserved to be cut off.

 

“You look tough, but you’re weak. How about giving up now? You won’t be able to write properly when it comes down to it!”

 

Some of the audience around chuckled along with him. It was a mockery aimed at Lia and Perth.

 

“That mouth. You’d better shut it.”

 

“Are you threatening me?”

 

“Yes. In many ways. I’m going all out.”

 

In truth, he wanted to give up right then and there. With the remaining couples stumbling out, it ultimately became a showdown between the man and Perth.

 

“Please, Mr. Perth, just give up now. You might get hurt. I’m so sorry.”

 

“No, I don’t want to lose now.”

 

Now it was more of a mental battle than a physical one. Perth briefly glanced at the man’s face, etching it into his mind. The consequences of a slip of the tongue would be severe. Enduring the pain that gripped his whole body, he gritted his teeth.

 

“I’m sorry, do you mind if I extend my hand a bit to hold on, I think you might slip.”

 

“Yes, yes, go ahead.”

 

Finally, Perth sought Lia’s permission and relaxed the hand that had been clenched. Being able to grasp with his hand made it much easier to apply force. At that moment…

 

“Can’t let go of that hand, huh?”