Chapter 68: Festival with Vivienne (XVI).
Kein's POV
"Bye bye!"
I was holding Vivienne into my arms as she waved her goodbye to Madam Prisha who was fanning themselves while their other hand reciprocated it by doing a little wave. "Bye, sugar~! Aw you're so cute, be safe now!"
We exited her [Magicare] shop and I wondered which place we should go next.
Vanilla was standing around outside with an empty bag, meaning the apples we bought for her were already gone. She neighs looking in our direction again and I pick up the bag from the ground to not litter.
"Jeez... we were in there for only thirty minutes. You could've saved a few for later, Vanilla." I tell her putting my hands on my waist looking at her disappointingly.
"Then again I don't think a Pegasus would care for human rules." I stored the used bag into my [Storage Ring] and just decided to clean up after. "Come on, now. Let's go explore some more- there's still a lot of people preparing for the festival we can see."
Vanilla bumps my shoulders and points her snout into a fruit stand again. This time it had mangoes in it but I'm pretty sure if I bought them she'll want to buy more later. "No, Vanilla. Wait until we get home." I pulled her leash to keep on walking.
I sighed and looked at Vivienne instead. "Is there any place you want to see next, Vivienne?"
"Food?" (Vivienne) answered without hesitation and I turned to both my Pegasus and daughter now. "For some reason I was expecting that answer of yours. Both of you are really huge gluttons."
Maybe we should get home- after all we've already done a lot. I can't exactly get into a restaurant with a Pegasus in tow, maybe I should've rented a stable this time or have taken our family carriage.
I sighed in defeat and turned to the direction of the outside gates of the city.
"Alright then if the both of you are hungry- let's get home-"
"Oh my~! Little charmer is that you!"
Wait! That voice!
"Veronica?"
I turned around to see Veronica with her adopted son Matthew that was trying to take Rose away from me when he was just a little snot nosed brat in the orphanage.
"And Matthew, I see you've grown taller." I raise my eyebrows at him judgingly and he didn't like that one bit.
"Just wait till I get taller than you." (Matthew) puffed out his little adolescent chest and I laughed. Oh please from the looks of it you're only five foot one and if I remember correctly he just turned thirteen.
"Sure sure, keep telling yourself that." I rolled my eyes at him and Vivienne looked up at me, copying my actions.
"Ohhh!" (Vivienne)
"Ah wait no- Vivienne don't do that!" I didn't even know she would repeat what I was doing!
"I see that both of you are still doing your usual arguing with each other~" (Veronica) giggles, taking Matthew by his shoulder and patting his head.
Matthew looks a little embarrassed and takes his mother's hands off of his hair.
"Mom... I'm not little anymore. I'm a teenager now and if my friends sees any of this..." (Matthew) tells the woman who didn't seem to take any offense on it but just smiled in understanding and took her hand away.
"Wow... he really is going through puberty." I muttered a little loudly, I couldn't but snicker as well because from the looks of it- little Matthew can't handle some little motherly affection.
When Matthew heard me he didn't give me much of a friendly look because he was glaring at me the next but I didn't stand down to this little twerp.
We glared at each other as sparks flew.
Bring it on.
"Little charmer~ now, now. Enough teasing my son, we haven't seen each other in a while and why not say hello to an old friend?" she walks over to me and blinks after noticing I was holding Vivienne in my arms.
"Oh my? And perhaps introduce me to this little one? What's your name~?" (Veronica) smiles gently. I noticed she was using a softer one that she would usually use towards children and I grumbled thinking her husband was a real lucky one.
Rose is cuter though.
"Oh~ Isn't that cute? Both of you look so similar to each other~" she told us and I laughed tiringly hearing the same thing over and over again.
"That's the third time today..."
"Well I'm not surprised it's not more than that, the resemblance is rather uncanny." (Veronica) reaches out to poke Vivienne's cheeks. Her index finger bounced for a bit as Veronica hummed happily. "Poke... so cute and plumpy, aren't you adorable?"
"A..." (Vivienne) for a moment turned into a beet red of color before I could feel her holding my sleeves for a moment before hiding her face into my chest a little shy.
"A... Moma..." (Vivienne) tells me a little muffled, refusing to face Veronica who frowns. She must be thinking that Vivienne hates her now but I think its the opposite!
"Don't tell me you're turning shy?" I told her and Vivienne grumbled to my chest. I look at Veronica who tilts her head in confusion not knowing the effect she has on people.
"Hmm~? Did I say or do something wrong?" (Veronica) asks innocently, with her brows furrowed in worry and I'm not sure if I could tell her that I think Vivienne has just taken a liking to her.
Now that I think about it the [Womanizer Card] might be true- it's either that or Veronica is a force not to be reckoned with. Even at her thirties she's still the same young figure from our first meeting.
But I guess now though- I'm not that into it like before. I... prefer Rose's figure.
"Cough..." I'm so going to hell for thinking of the princess like that but then again... the princess is also doing the same to me. Heck she gave me a hickey and we almost did it at the [Winshern Kingdom].
The more that I think about it, it gets my face getting beat red too.
"Little charmer I think you've gone away to another place- stuck with your thoughts now are you?" (Veronica) pats my shoulder and I went back straight to my mind.
"Ah- right. Apologies, I was thinking of something- important." I scratched the back of my head awkwardly before continuing. "Vivienne is alright, I think she just got shy towards Veronica."
"Ah~ Vivienne is your name? My... what a lovely name. My name also starts with a V." (Veronica) tells Vivienne who speaks a little who smiles and agrees that V might be the best letter ever to start your name with.
"I mean... Vanilla is also a V." I pointed at my Pegasus who was just minding its business and she looked like she didn't like the name I gave her- Honestly... I don't even remember why I gave her that name.
"Vanilla~?" (Veronica) mutters out a little curious with a mix of confusion in her voice. "Hmm... like the ingredient you use for baking?"
Umm... if you think about it, yes?
"Yes... it's something like that." I told them and Veronica looked disappointed in me.
"No offense little charmer but why in the world would you name that to something like a majestic Pegasus?" (Veronica) gave a valid point because everyone in the knight academy would mock Vanilla because of her name but- I think it's a lovely name!
Matthew laughs with his mother's words, probably agreeing with her. "Hey Pegasus! How does it feel being named after a baking ingredient? Hahaha!"
Vanilla didn't like Matthew's laugh because she walked up to me and snorted out to his face. "Brrr..." she even licks the boy in his face with her long tongue that probably feels like sandpaper.
He looked really uncomfortable as she snorted for the second time and Matthew ended up being covered in Pegasus saliva.
"Ew!!! What is this?!" (Matthew) tries removing the saliva but fails.
"Oh dear, Matthew- are you alright?" (Veronica) worriedly asked him and he shook his head. "I mean- the Pegasus licked me and I'm covered in saliva mom..."
"Sweetie, you're not injured at least. You shouldn't be insulting a Pegasus like that, they can actually understand human language you know." (Veronica) tells him.
Matthew blinks and looks at Vanilla in fear now. "O-Oh. I didn't know..."
"Yeah that's not... going to be easy to wash out. Sorry about that Matthew- perhaps listen to your mom next time." I look at him apologetically but deep inside-
HAH! THAT BRAT DESERVED IT! GOOD JOB VANILLA!
"In any case, Veronica, the trick to removing Pegasus saliva out of clothes is soaking it in some baking soda first before washing it with soap. I've been there so it's a real pain, this should make it a bit easier to wash off."
"Thank you, little charmer. My son should probably apologize to your Pegasus right?"
"I think Vanilla would like that... Though I think Matthew needs to go home first to get changed. You stink man!"
"Ugh! Shut up! I swear after I get home..."
"And I need to borrow your mom for a bit if you don't mind. Shoo."
Besides I needed to get Veronica alone to talk to her about everything that happened. For some reason I couldn't wait- I want to tell her about all the things Rose and I did!
Matthew grumbled because I know for a fact that Veronica won't reject my invitation to go out to dinner besides Vivienne is hungry and Vanilla- I'll just buy her those mangoes she was eyeing on before to settle down outside.
.-.-.-.-.
We went to the corner and into a small stand of food where I ordered plenty for us. We decided to catch up in a better manner and not by standing on the side of the road.
Vanilla was definitely following my orders after I bought those mangoes for her. I parked her out in the back so I wouldn't worry about her killing anyone who tries to steal her.
"Here is your order of potato salad, a veggie soup and some roasted mushrooms with gravy sauce." The server places down our plates and bows down a little in our direction.
"Thank you."
Usually some lines on food stalls would be long when it comes to festival season but on this particular stall everything they serve are vegetables.
Think of it as a Vegan place... and it's a little empty.
Everyone would crave for some wolf meat instead but since the server was welcoming I ought to leave a huge tip later.
I gave Vivienne her potato salad and veggie soup. I realized I didn't have a binkie so I used a handkerchief to wrap it around her neck gently so that she wouldn't get her clothes dirty.
"Nom..." (Vivienne) just ate peacefully with her potato salad and I can't blame her, it certainly looked yummy.
I talked to Veronica about how I had been these past two weeks of my mission to escort the crown princess as we ate.
Honestly, other than my father... She was one of the few people I trusted with my personal life problems. Especially about romances, I run to Veronica and tell her everything.
I told her about me and the current crown princess, Rose.
Veronica was super ecstatic to hear me and Rose getting along together once more- maybe too well that she almost fainted in her seat from fangirling.
"So little charmer, you and your little ex-girlfriend went on a rendezvous mission? You were supposed to escort Rose to her fiancé but you swooped in and took her back! How romantic~" she leaned over at the table and I chuckled nervously.
That was a little over dramatic summary of your story but yes... that's what happened.
I missed Veronica and our usual girl talk. This is nice...
"Oh yeah erm... it was... you know we almost... sort of did it but stopped."
"Oh my~ I'm taking all of this to my grave. Tell me why did the both of you stop."
"She asked me to just cuddle and I didn't want her to continue if she didn't want to."
"I have to tell you little charmer, that was a good move. If it's not the right mood then don't do it." (Veronica) stabbed a piece of lettuce and smiled in my direction. "Though I can't believe its been so many years and you both didn't do it yet."
I almost choked on my salad. It is a bit sad now that I think about it- its been a while I don't even know what I'll do if... we did it- but maybe Veronica can help?
"I mean... if we did do it do you have any tips on how I could- you know... make her feel... nice?"
I felt like a fourteen year old boy with all this talk. I was trying to be careful because Vivienne was still with us munching her food away.
I wouldn't be able to talk about this if Matthew were butting into our conversation because I know he has a huge crush on Rose.
"Oh little charmer... I have just the thing you need."