CH 67.2

“Wow, Leticia is here!”

“Leticia! Long time no see!”

The children were excited to see me after a long time and greeted me.

“Hello, Angel, Lavigne.”

I found a familiar face among the children and raised my hand. The two of them came closer.

“Leticia, let’s explore together later.”

“But Leticia is going to look with me, right?”

Angel and Lavigne were already deciding on their partners.

‘I can go with both of you.’

I told them that we could explore together. Eventually, we held hands from both sides and went to see the exhibition.

“Lavigne, do you have something to say?”

“How do you know my older brother?”

“Huh?”

I perked up at the sudden question.

“Who is your older brother?”

“Prince Cedric!”

“Prince Cedric?”

The girls’ eyes suddenly twinkled.

“Why, why?”

“Every time Cedric comes to our school for an exchange program, he asks about Leticia’s well-being. He even asks if I’m close with her.”

“Oh my, really!”

The children’s eyes were full of envy. What is this atmosphere?

“We just happened to cross paths once or twice…”

Is it because they are competing for the true top position?

‘Am I the only one conscious of that side?’

That person also wants to be number one, right?

“I guess we just don’t know each other well enough?”

Lavigne blinked and asked.

“Cedric is busy, so I don’t get to see him often… He’s not interested in other girls. But with Leticia, there’s nothing I can do. Men’s hearts are complicated.”

“Uh-huh?”

I furrowed my brows.

“More importantly, why are you all so interested in Prince Cedric’s affairs?”

“He’s handsome.”

Angel said firmly.

“It’s easy for us to meet rich or powerful men, but it’s hard to meet men who are handsome and our age!”

“On top of that, his appearance and status are…”

The children’s words sounded plausible.

‘Is that so?’

Cedric’s looks were comparable to Jade’s, or even sometimes beyond that… No, wait. What does that have to do with me?

“You know, Leticia, no matter what happens between us, we’ll always be friends for life. You saved my life, remember?”

Lavigne whispered like a secret. Is this like ‘You saved my life, so I’ll give you a gift whether you want it or not’?

“Hey, Leticia, can I talk to you too?”

“Have you talked to Saintess Marianne?”

“What does Jade like?”

As other kids rushed forward like water, I couldn’t keep up with them. Then Madam Pauline clapped her hands.

“Okay, girls. Follow me carefully.”

“Yes.”

The kids replied excitedly.

“Since the fair hasn’t officially opened yet, there are still many construction sites around. We came here before the opening to show our students the process of preparing for the fair.”

“Yes!”

The kids chirped happily, enjoying the hands-on learning experience.

“Since you will be hosting many events and taking care of the territory directly in the future, watching the fair today will be a great help.”

‘This school has surprisingly good education.’

It’s natural to learn more from the preparation process than from the results.

“Well then, let’s organize the groups first.”

The kids naturally divided themselves into groups. There weren’t many attendees, even if they were all school students.

“At this time of year, there are also many kids sent from their own territories.”

When I wondered why there were so many absentees, Angel answered.

“Then Angel, Leticia, and Lavigne will come this way with me.”

Madam Pauline personally took us to the exhibition. Two other girls that I had only talked to also joined our group.

“Let’s go see the Crystal Fountain first. It’s the most famous and magnificent piece in this exhibition.”

“Yes!”

The children were excited and responded loudly. 

“I’ll explain the fair first. It’s a place where we exhibit various art pieces and artifacts to showcase the prosperity and culture of our kingdom… We exhibit not only art pieces but also industrial and cultural products.”

As we listened to Madam Pauline’s explanation, we gathered in front of the Crystal Fountain.

“Wow, that’s the Crystal Fountain!”

“It’s so beautiful!”

The kids were amazed and awed, and I was no different.

‘Wow, such a big fountain. It’s so transparent like crystal!’

The lower part of the fountain was made of flesh-colored marble. On top of it, a goddess and a male deity were holding the crystal tower with their hands. The smooth and flesh-colored appearance of the gods was remarkable.

‘It feels like the sculptures are alive. The patterns on the lower part are so beautiful too.’

The sound of flowing water was refreshing as it trickled down. The ceiling was made of glass, so sunlight poured onto the fountain, and the clear water splashed in the air, mixed with the crystals.

It was like watching a disappearing gem.

‘You didn’t mean to buy me this, did you, Colen?’ 

Well, he might have said that. Let’s make it a collection, he said.

“If you get lost, let’s meet up in front of this crystal fountain. Then we can see modern art exhibits later on…”

That’s when it happened. A blurry figure passed by between the water streams.

‘Huh?’

Who was that person?

At first, I thought it was an illusion.

The person was wearing a costume that covered their entire body. They had brown skin, sandy-colored eyes, and red hair. It was a sight I had seen in my dreams, but I could never forget it.

‘A boy named… Kien…’

Is this a dream too? I walked towards the boy named Kien, as if possessed.