Chapter 105: Grand Festival 7
Chills ran down my spine.
As the two girls locked eyes, the air around us grew noticeably colder. It wouldn’t have surprised me if Snow was passively using her frost aura skill.
Snow stood with her hands behind her back, her gaze emotionless but powerful. It was as if her very presence commanded silence, a silent warning etched in the air.
Although she wasn’t looking directly at me, the message was clear: do not speak unless spoken to.
Alice, on the other hand, maintained a bright smile, but the pressure emanating from her was just as intense. The cheerful façade couldn’t mask the underlying tension.
“So, Junior, do you like me~?” Alice repeated, her words now sharper and louder, cutting through the thick atmosphere like a knife.
I glanced down at my plate, noticing frost subtly forming around my pasta.
Snow’s presence was almost tangible, her silent death glare urging me to choose my words carefully.
Even without direct eye contact, I could feel her daring me to respond, as if the very fabric of our relationship depended on my answer.
The oppressive silence pressed in on me from both sides.
Alice’s question hung in the air, demanding a response, while Snow’s silent command dared me to tread carefully.
My heart raced, caught between the icy tension of Snow’s unspoken expectations and the sharp curiosity in Alice’s voice.
‘But Alice!’
This felt like an entire déjà vu with Seo from last time.
Why was Alice even asking such a question right in front of Snow?
Was she trying to rile her up or something?
She wasn’t even being ambiguous; she was straightforwardly asking me with that bright smile and the pink blush across her cheeks.
Her expressions were openly lovely right now, almost as if she were secretly flirting with me.
All the while, she completely ignored Snow’s presence, who was just right next to me.
Of course, I didn’t hate being flirted with by my favorite heroine like this, but now wasn’t exactly the right time for that. Snow’s presence felt like a death sentence right now.
I hadn’t even done anything yet, but I felt like I was at fault here for some reason. The pressure from both sides was almost unbearable.
On one side, Alice’s innocent yet daring inquiry, and on the other, Snow’s icy and imposing silence.
“Alice,” I began, trying to find the right words to diffuse the tension. “This isn’t really the best time or place for that kind of question.”
Alice’s eyes widened slightly, a hint of hurt crossing her face before she quickly masked it with her usual cheerful demeanor.
“Oh, is that so?” she replied, her tone still light but with an edge that hadn’t been there before.
I glanced at Snow, who remained silent, her gaze now fixed on me. The frost around my pasta seemed to thicken, as if mirroring the chill that ran down my spine.
I like Alice, that much was a fact.
After all, how could I not? She was my favorite heroine, the one I spent the most time with, immersing myself in her story and character.
But asking me if I liked her or not could lead to a number of conclusions.
Sure, I might like her as a heroine, but now, as a person, that notion of likeness was becoming something entirely different.
Ever since we’d gotten a bit closer to each other due to my constant visits to the council, I’d come to realize there was more to her character than the air-headed genius I knew her as in the game. She was kind, thoughtful, and surprisingly perceptive.
She had layers of complexity that I hadn’t fully appreciated before.
Her quirks and idiosyncrasies, the way she laughed at the simplest jokes, and the passion she showed for the things she loved—all of these traits made her more real, more human, and, dare I say, more lovable.
She was a truly genuine person at heart, and she was a really great friend to have, especially if you’re feeling stressed.
The bright smile she always gave you seemed to recharge your energy just by looking at it, and her fun, bubbly voice had a way of helping you relax.
‘Is that the reason why Dorothy insists Alice officially join the council?’ I wondered.
Whatever the reason, it was clear that Alice was a wonderful friend, and I absolutely liked her for that. She was my favorite, and I liked her.
But it was very different from the like and love I felt for her in the game.
I liked Alice, but in a friendly manner.
That was the general feeling I had for her right now.
How could I translate that to her without implying other meanings?
Alice then chuckled to herself, covering her mouth as if finding my sudden silence amusing.
“Hm~ I thought your feelings for me were clear, but I guess that wasn’t the case?”
“No, I actually like you, Senior—” I began, but she cut me off.
“R-Really? It’s kind of embarrassing if you openly say it like that, Junior~ It was just a joke, you know?” She blushed, her usual confidence faltering for a moment.
“In a friendly manner, of course,” I clarified, feeling a bit exasperated. She was the one who asked in the first place; why was she acting all embarrassed now?
“Really now~? You’re really cute, you know, Junior,” Alice teased, giggling. “There’s nothing wrong with being a bit more honest, you know? After all, I hold a special place in your heart, right?”
I fell silent, unsure how to respond. ‘How does she know that?’ Was I too obvious?
“A special place in your heart is a bit—” I started, but Alice’s expression changed, her eyes slightly watery as she stared at me.
“Then I don’t?” she said in a sadder tone, her voice trembling slightly.
“No…”
“Hehehe, there it is then. I’m special to you~” she said, her playful demeanor returning.
This girl… she was surprisingly aggressive right now.
Is making fun of me that amusing to her?
I couldn’t help but feel a mix of frustration and endearment at her antics.
She was pushing me out of my comfort zone, but at the same time, it was clear she valued our relationship deeply by not getting too deep into it.
Alice leaned back in her chair, her gaze shifting towards Snow.
“Are you done?” Snow’s voice cut through the air, her tone neutral.
“Oh, Princess Snow, you were here?” Alice feigned surprise, her hand delicately covering her lips with a sly smile. “Care to join us?”
Snow didn’t reply to her, choosing instead to ignore Alice as she turned her attention directly to me, her left hand lightly resting on my shoulder.
It was a simple touch, but it sent a chill through my entire body, freezing me in place once more…
‘I don’t think she realize her frost mana is leaking right now’
“Riley, can I have a moment of your time?” Snow’s voice softened, her cold expression giving way to warmth and gentleness, a stark contrast to the way she was touching me.
“Hey, Junior hasn’t finished his lunch yet, you know?” Alice interjected, trying to lighten the mood.
Snow glanced at the pasta I was eating and smirked faintly. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but an important matter has arisen, something he can’t ignore right now. Don’t worry, I’ll compensate you with another meal, Riley.”
“Hey, even if you’re a princess, bothering someone is very rude, you know?” Alice retorted, crossing her arms.
“I believe ignoring someone is even more rude… especially ignoring royalty and the customs that stand by it,” Snow replied calmly, her posture dignified.
“This is the academy. Royal customs can’t be forced here,” Alice argued.
“But a simple greeting isn’t a custom, no?” Snow countered, her tone firm yet composed.
Seeing that these two were on the verge of sparking unnecessary trouble, I intervened.
I reached out and gently touched Snow’s hand that was on my shoulder, signaling for her to release her hold.
She seemed surprised by my sudden firmness, her expression turning apologetic as she noticed the frost creeping onto my shoulder.
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to…” Snow began, her voice filled with regret.
“No, it’s fine…” I reassured her, brushing off the frost gently. I didn’t want to escalate the situation any further.
Already, the attention we were drawing with two academy beauties and myself was more than enough.
If Snow were to suddenly bow down before me, it would undoubtedly ignite a new wave of rumors. I sighed inwardly, just thinking about it.
“Is something wrong, Snow?” I asked, concern evident in my voice. She had come all this way for me, and the matter requiring my attention must have been significant—perhaps council work or something equally pressing.
Snow appeared dissatisfied with my casual dismissal of her earlier apology. She bit her lip slightly, then sighed softly as she leaned closer, her voice a whisper in my ear.
“It’s matters regarding the Heavens family… It would be best if we could talk about it somewhere quieter” she murmured.
Hearing the familiar family name sent another chill down my spine.
‘Matters with the Heavens family? Why is that name suddenly popping up here? Did something change in the main scenario again?’ I wondered, feeling a sense of unease.
Setting down the fork I had been holding onto, I glanced at Alice apologetically and stood up.
“I’m sorry, Alice, but it seems important matters need to be attended to.”
“Eh, but Junior, you…” Alice started, clearly taken aback by my abrupt departure.
“Lead the way, Snow,” I said firmly, trying to muster confidence despite the uncertainty gnawing at me.
Snow nodded; her expression unreadable but reassuring. “Thank you for understanding, Riley. This won’t take long.”
With that, we left the cafeteria, leaving behind Alice, who seemed slightly shocked at being left behind so abruptly.
I could sense her concern and curiosity lingering behind me, but right now, my focus was on whatever awaited me in the matters regarding the Heavens family.
‘I’m sorry Alice but anything that has to do with the Heavens family is a matter I just can’t ignore’
I just hope this isn’t going to bring down my favorability points on her.
…..
“Hm~ they just left you, huh?” Cheshire remarked casually.
“Ugh~” Alice grumbled in frustration, pressing her hands against her face. “Why did you make me say all of those things, Cheshire?”
“But it did help you out, right?” Cheshire countered, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“I don’t know about that… You’re just making me act like a total idiot in front of him,” Alice replied, exasperated.
She scratched her head, her face turning bright red as she recalled all the times she had let Cheshire take control whenever Riley was around.
Remembering her bold actions and open questions to him made her feel intensely embarrassed.
Hadn’t she essentially expressed her interest in him through her actions?
Cheshire chuckled softly. “Come on, Alice. You’ve got to admit, it’s been fun seeing you all happy like that.”
Alice sighed heavily, her embarrassment mixing with a hint of resignation. “I suppose… but I didn’t think it through. What if he thinks I’m just playing around?”
Cheshire shrugged nonchalantly. “You’ll never know unless you talk to him about it. Maybe he appreciates your honesty more than you think.”
“I don’t know about that. Maybe I just seem like a total klutz of a senior to him…” Alice sighed, feeling self-conscious. “Maybe letting you posses me was the wrong choice?”
“Oh, come on, Alice, pull yourself together. If I hadn’t intervened, no progress would have happened between the two of you,” Cheshire teased, his tone playful yet knowing.
“Sticking and acting all weird around him isn’t going to make us closer, and I’m not exactly trying to get close to him,” Alice retorted, crossing her arms defensively.
“Even if you say that, you know I can read your heart even if I don’t take control over your body, right?”
“Hehe~ You enjoyed every inch and corner of his body when I hugged him last time, didn’t you?” Cheshire continued teasing, a smirk playing on his face.
“T-that was just a one-time thing,” Alice stuttered, her cheeks flushing pink.
“Sure~” Cheshire’s eyes twinkled mischievously.
Alice narrowed her eyes at her familiar. She knew Cheshire could be a bit of a tease, but lately, he had been unusually direct.
She sighed, knowing deep down that everything he said was true. If it weren’t for him, she wouldn’t be as close to Riley as she was now.
After all, she had been too embarrassed to even face him properly whenever he was in the council.
Cheshire’s playful meddling had certainly pushed their relationship forward, whether she liked to admit it or not.
“But master, are you just going to let this be? Your man was taken, you know~” Cheshire prodded, his tone playful yet probing.
“It’s fine,” Alice replied calmly. “You saw the spark in his emotions, right?”
“Hm~ I guess we can let him be for now… To think a young man like him can exude that type of emotion… I wonder if he has someone he really hates?” Cheshire mused aloud.
Alice nodded in agreement with Cheshire’s observation.
It had been the first time she had seen Riley’s heart that was so full of pink sparks get completely covered by absolute darkness….
She wondered what Snow could have possibly said to provoke such a strong reaction from him.
Despite spending a considerable amount of time together, she couldn’t quite piece together the puzzle.
“The more I get to know him, the less I feel like I understand him,” Alice admitted, her brow furrowing in thought.
‘It’s clear that he likes me that much was evident just based on the color of his heart…. but his actions contradicts, all of it’
“Is he really even my fated one?” this was a question she just couldn’t get a proper answer to, even after all this time.
“That’s why I keep telling you, you should just go for it and kiss him intensely when you get the chance tsk~tsk~tsk~”
“You saw how his usual emotionless gaze cracks when you get all physical, right? Trust me, he’ll be yours in no time, if you do so,” Cheshire suggested, his voice filled with mischievous confidence.
“K-kiss him? Are you crazy?” Alice stammered, blushing furiously.
“Probably?” Cheshire chuckled, his proud cat-like face beaming.
Unable to resist, Alice couldn’t help but launch a playful falcon punch at Cheshire, who merely laughed into the empty air, thoroughly enjoying his role in stirring up Alice’s emotions and teasing her relentlessly.
