For Romantic Superpowers - Chapter 40 - Goddess Of Spring Festival (7)
#40. Goddess Of Spring Festival (7)
Suddenly, a figure burst into the center of the stage. He was familiar to Lia.
“Big brother!”
Amidst the chaos, Perth did not let go of her. Charlie’s expression hardened as he watched Perth embrace his sister. No, it became increasingly grim. Awkwardly behind him, Rufus followed up. He apologized to those around, pulling Charlie away.
“Sorry, sorry. Please continue.”
“Lia, how could you cuddle up to such a man… ugh!”
Rufus covered Charlie’s mouth. Though Charlie protested, he quieted under the scrutiny of onlookers. Perth also began to lose strength under the intense stares.
“Lady Lia, please hold on tightly. It seems like I might collapse.”
“Yes, yes!”
Lia tightly held onto Perth. His clothes were soaked with sweat. Winning or losing was no longer the issue. It was simply a matter of pride. The sudden intrusion of Charlie flustered not only Perth but also the man provoking him, who continued to try lifting his falling lover.
“There was a moment of confusion, but let’s continue the game. Please sit down and stand up!”
Now the host, seeming to regain composure, began to fulfill the role. Sitting down and standing up in this weakened state was akin to torture. His arms and thighs felt like they were burning. To keep from losing his mind, Perth focused as best as he could on the pain.
“You’re giving up?”
The man next to him taunted again. But he, too, seemed visibly exhausted. Perth didn’t respond. Or rather, he couldn’t respond at all. Rufus, looking up from below the stage, whistled upon seeing Perth.
“He’s quite tenacious, isn’t he?”
However, Charlie still looked displeased.
“Impudent brat. Where does he get off touching someone else’s sister…!”
Moreover, he didn’t like that they were participating in a couple’s game. Declaring themselves a couple in front of so many people was out of the question without his consent. The man beside him wasn’t interested in a fair fight. Ignoring various filthy remarks coming from the side, Perth whispered to Lia.
“Don’t listen to any of them.”
“Please don’t mind. How can I help Mr. Perth through this…”
She wiped away his flowing sweat. She was nearly in tears. Seeing her on the verge of crying, Perth thought he might give up.
“Though it’s a bit late, why did you want to win?”
“They said they’d give festival souvenirs as prizes. I thought it would be nice to split them. And since it’s a rare festival outing with you, wouldn’t it make a memorable moment…?”
Lia seemed unaware, but Perth knew what the prize was. It was a flower-shaped piece of jewelry. Initially, when he first saw it, he wondered who would want such a thing. However, being not particularly materialistic himself, his opinion didn’t carry weight. It had been decided based on others’ opinions. Even now, he still thought the jewelry was essentially useless. But if she wanted it? That changed the story.
“We must win.”
Perth exerted strength in the hand holding onto her thigh. As her skirt slightly slid down, his fingers touched Lia’s bare skin. Both noticed, but they couldn’t move at that moment. Perth gripped tighter to prevent the skirt from slipping further.
“That brat, where does he think he’s putting his hands!”
Seeing this, Charlie tried to rush onto the stage again. Rufus firmly held him back, his expression uncomfortable.
“Oh, the game seems to be at a stalemate. Let’s take a moment to cheer for the struggling lovers here!”
Cheer? Both Perth and Lia were bewildered by the sudden remark. However, the opposing couple was unfazed.
“Cheer up, darling!”
Amidst cutesy encouragement from the woman, unabashed kissing ensued. Grabbing the man’s face, they began passionately kissing, to the cheers and jealous remarks of the entire square. The faces of the two watching turned pale. Such support was unthinkable!
“Oh, what fantastic support! Now, how about our cutie glasses team?”
As the two stood frozen, boos erupted around them. But they couldn’t hear who was saying what; they just faced each other. The already abundant sweat was now flowing freely.
It was impossible. Why did they have to compete like this? Lia, uncertain of what to do, closed her eyes tightly. Their faces flushed bright red again. Somehow, the touching skin felt like it was burning.
“I concede.”
Finally, Perth gently laid her down on the ground. Lia was surprised but inwardly relieved. If they had gone any further, it felt like her heart would burst.
“I’m sorry. I conceded on my own.”
“No, it’s okay. Are you alright? You must have been through a lot.”
Lia pulled up her sleeves and wiped Perth’s face.
“Your clothes are dirty.”
She wanted to say more but couldn’t bring herself to touch him with her bare hands. They looked embarrassed in each other’s presence, appearing to others as nothing more than a shameless couple.
“Too bad! The first-place couple will receive a jewel box bestowed directly from the royal palace. And the second-place couple will receive festival souvenirs as participation prizes.”
“Huh?”
The final product was not what Perth knew. The one who could change the details was Prince Alfonse alone. Before a bewildered Lia, the festival souvenir she desired arrived. It was two brooches shaped like flowers.
“Mr. Perth, look! The second-place prize was a commemorative item!”
“I suppose so. We should consider ourselves lucky…”
For the first time, Perth felt thankful for Prince Alfonse’s arbitrary actions. He imagined the prince carelessly changing the items on the documents.
Lia pinned the brooch to his lapel. Perth stared down at the brooch, captivated by complex emotions. A flower-shaped brooch—never did he imagine he’d wear such a thing.
“Please put this on me too.”
Lia held out the other one, pointing to her chest. Perth felt awkward, unable to reach out due to the difficulty of touching such a delicate area.
“Can we talk when this is over?”
Suddenly, Lia’s two older brothers approached them. They enclosed them from both sides as if to prevent them from escaping. Charlie glared fiercely at Perth.
“I told you I didn’t want to see you again.”
Contrary to the bright smile Lia had given Perth, her expression turned cold. Charlie and Rufus, sensing that she was still upset, were taken aback.
“You’re still not over it?”
It was an interrogative tone that seemed ready to pounce. Pressured by their sister’s demeanor, the two brothers tried to Perthade Lia, but it had the opposite effect. Ultimately, Perth had to salvage the atmosphere.
“Shall we move somewhere else for now?”
* * *
Perth meeting Charlie Penelope and Rufus Penelope wasn’t the first time, but it was the first time they were having a personal conversation. The two resembled Lia in appearance but differed greatly in personality and demeanor.
“Let’s start with ordering drinks.”
The common trait among the Penelope siblings was their emotional nature. Perth, who was naturally fair—more accurately, bordering on aloof—acted as a mediator. Charlie was displeased even with that. However, he knew that showing animosity towards Perth would anger Lia.
The four sat at a table prepared for the festival. Despite already being noticeable, Perth, Rufus, and Charlie felt the eyes around them. Lia, already uncomfortable, felt even worse as they attracted attention.
“Would you like to order?”
“Two coffees and two cocoas, please.”
Soon, the cocoas were neatly placed in front of Rufus and Lia, while the coffees were placed in front of Charlie and Perth. As Perth added sugar to his coffee, Charlie made a disdainful expression.
“Don’t men just drink it straight?”
He muttered audibly, but Perth ignored him and added up to four sugars.
“Sweetness helps brain function.”
“If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better to just drink cocoa?”
Rufus exclaimed, watching the sugar dissolve. Charlie felt similarly.
“What business is it of yours what Mr. Perth drinks?”
Lia raised her sharp voice. At this, the two fell silent, coughing awkwardly as they drank their beverages.
“What one drinks and how one drinks it is a personal choice. By the way, how did you manage to find Lady Lia?”
“Is it strange for us, her older brothers, to seek out our younger sister?”
Charlie didn’t like Perth, from his appearance resembling a parasite to his cold tone. Naturally, he wasn’t pleased to see such a person with his younger sister. Moreover, Perth inserting himself between them irked Charlie further.
“We weren’t looking for her when we were in the palace. We came to see her during the festival. Surely, it’s difficult for you to take leave as well.”
Perth quickly understood that Charlie was trying to provoke him. However, he wasn’t about to pander to him just to make a good impression. He adjusted his glasses, a sign that the situation was far from enjoyable.
Lia, who had been watching from the side, also sensed his mood. She was uncomfortable herself. It felt like cold water had been poured over what had otherwise been a pleasant time with Perth. She hoped Charlie and Rufus wouldn’t ruin the good memories.
“If you have no business here, wouldn’t it be best to go on your way, older brothers?”
“Lia, what’s this about…”
“Brother, stop complaining for now. Have you forgotten why we came?”
Rufus became nervous, fearing another fight might break out at any moment. Given their already strained relationship, letting their guard down could escalate into a major conflict. Charlie sighed heavily, leaning back against the chair with his arms crossed. He wanted to cross his legs too, but the sight of Perth annoyed him.
He was just a Baron’s son. In terms of status, he could easily be ignored. However, he happened to be the chief aide to the First Prince with a clear line of succession. Acknowledged for his abilities, he had a reputation within the palace. It wasn’t easy to act disrespectfully towards him.
Furthermore, his abilities were shrouded in mystery. Apart from a few top figures in the royal family and the department overseeing abilities, most in the palace were unaware of his true capabilities. The more secretive one’s abilities, the higher the probability of suspicious talents. Charlie didn’t trust him in many ways.
“I wouldn’t have known if Kevin hadn’t told me. I had no idea you were seeing someone else….”
“What are you talking about? Kevin?”