Strolling hand in hand along the lively streets, with their faces concealed with half masks that were a customary part of the festival attire were Evan and Eliza.
They would have normally attracted attention to themselves due to the fact that they were pretty famous, and were objectively good-looking, but the masks granted them the anonymity needed to experience the city's festivities without all that fuss.
They blended in with the revellers, excitement evident in their eyes as they moved from stall to stall, taking part in almost every single delicacy and watching every event they could.
"That's your eighth snack today. If you eat so much you would be too full to eat anymore by lunchtime."
"Don't worry, snacks and normal food have separate stomachs."
Eliza replied as she tossed the bite-sized round golden-brown combination of honey and tiny dried berries.
"Hmm…it's a bit too crispy for my liking. Here, have some."
The girl took one of the small round snacks and held it up to Evan's lips to feed him. Seeing this, Evan only sighed internally and let her do as she pleased.
'Normal Liz would be too shy to do this in public.'
He refrained from sharing his thoughts as he observed the girl enthusiastically move to another stall and select two items that resembled cotton candy.
Unlike usual, there were no ambient spirits crowding about them like the little critters would have normally liked to do to the two who possessed the Loved by Nature title.
And not even his trio of contracted spirits were present.
After getting fed with a couple of other strange snacks he had never seen before, Evan finally managed to get Eliza to put down the food for a while and focus on other parts of the festival.
They watched little 5-minute plays, laughed, and simply enjoyed each other's company as If they were just another pair of ordinary teenagers, immersing themselves fully in the moment.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm golden glow over the city, Evan and Eliza found themselves caught up in the swirl of a dance that had spontaneously erupted in the city square.
They joined hands and became a part of the exuberant crowd, their laughter ringing out as they moved to the rhythm of the music.
It did prevent Evan from taking as many pictures of and with Eliza as he wanted though.
The night deepened, and the city's streets transformed into a mesmerising spectacle of lights. Lanterns and enchanting displays adorned every corner, casting a glow that lent an almost magical quality to the atmosphere.
The couple meandered through the illuminated streets, pausing at various stalls to sample treats and engage in the playful games set up for the occasion.
As midnight drew closer, the two found themselves in a quieter corner of the city, gazing up at the starlit sky through the branches of a tree.
The festive sounds of the city echoed in the distance, providing a soothing backdrop to their hushed conversation. This update is available on novel★fire.net
A conversation that a certain being tried to interfere with but was promptly caught and dealt with before he could.
[The goddess 'Artemisia' uses 'Ultimate Skill: Ā̸̬̭̝͘b̷̢̭͎͊̎̍ͅy̸̢̝͔̙̜̭͝ṣ̸͚̜̆̋͒̑s̵̲̏͋͗͑̓ǎ̶̳̗͝l̷̪̙̤͈̼̈́͐̋̾ ̷̺͖̱̪̳̮̋́̇V̸͈͊͑̏̌̕ö̴̠́̒̋͠i̸̧̖̼͙̾̒d̸̫̟͓͗̑̈́' on a 'Certain Entity'.]
[The goddess 'Artemisia' seals a 'Certain Entity' in a dimension of darkness.]
|The System's connection to the 'Eternal of Time and Destruction' has been severed. |
Evan was momentarily dumbfounded when he saw the three notifications, but only shook his head before dismissing them and diverting his full attention to his girlfriend.
"I would wish every day would be but that'd be jinxing things."
"…I don't think that's gonna be a good idea."
The two's conversation went through multiple random topics like that, and eventually, they fell into a comfortable silence.
Sometimes, it's nice to escape the grandeur and attention, don't you think?"
"I have to agree with you on this one."
The boy replied to her question as he combed his fingers through her hair, twirling the golden locks around his index finger.
Eliza's eyes closed as she hummed along with the distant tunes coming from the city square while swinging her legs in the air.
Suddenly, the scent of strawberries wafted across the air, reminding her of one of the strawberry treats they had earlier in the day.
"Hmm? Evan, you still have-!"
She turned towards Evan to ask him for one of the sugared pastries, only for the boy to suddenly lean in and capture her lips with his, effectively shutting her up.
At the same time, she felt a small round puff slide over to her tongue, one which she reflexively swallowed while her eyes remained locked with Evan's.
With his hands in motion, he took off her mask, discarding it on the ground, and continued the kiss with increased intensity.
At that moment, time seemed to slow as their kiss deepened, enveloping them in a world of their own.
The sweet taste of the sugared pastry mingled with the warmth of their connection, creating a sensation that was both electrifying and comforting, while the bustling sounds of the festival faded into the background, leaving only the soft exchange of breaths and the gentle caress of their lips.
Evan's fingers lightly brushed against Eliza's cheek as he held her face, his touch sending shivers down her spine.
Eventually, they broke apart, their lips parting with a gentle separation and leaving a thin almost invisible trail of moisture bridging the gap.
Their breaths intertwined as they gazed into each other's eyes, a mixture of surprise, excitement and affection evident in their expressions.
"Do I need a reason?"
Hearing Evan's answer to the question she asked absentmindedly, Eliza shook her head silently, a gesture that made the boy chuckle slightly.
"It's almost midnight, let's go."
Evan jumped down to the ground after saying that, holding out his arms for Eliza who then jumped into them.
But just when she thought he was going to set her down on the ground for her to walk on her own, the boy shifted his grip to carry her like a princess and then began strolling back to their hotel in a relaxed manner
He did save her the embarrassment by putting her mask back on but the knowing smile the receptionist gave her the next morning made her feel embarrassed all over again.