Sero’s joke did not amuse Her Highness the Princess.
On the contrary, the restlessness inside her only grew stronger.
Elena felt as if she had heard Shiya’s voice just now.
She furrowed her brows, wanting to carefully examine the delicate ankles beneath those straight black-stockinged legs.
Elena had carefully observed and even touched Shiya’s tiny, soft, pink toes while the girl was asleep.
If she could just push those annoying little feet aside, she was confident she could recognize Shiya by her toes alone.
But just as the Princess was about to move, a series of ambiguous slapping sounds came from the bushes.
Crisp and continuous, dozens of slaps in a row.
Elena’s face flushed immediately.
She muttered, “Shameless,” then signaled Karlen to leave with her.
Hidden in the bushes, seeing the two finally leave, Leonora let out a long sigh of relief.
Shiya covered her reddened palm, pouting angrily at the young lady.
“Don’t just glare at me.”
Leonora raised an eyebrow, her tone carrying a rare hint of delight.
“It’s only been a day, and your Elena sister is already on a date with another man. Doesn’t that bother you?”
Shiya was taken aback at first, then her heart stirred.
She grabbed Leonora’s hand.
“Then come with me to take a look.”
She wanted to use this opportunity to make the young lady fully recognize Karlen’s truly despicable nature.
Leonora’s expression suddenly darkened.
Her long fingers, with distinct joints and sharp bones, reversed the grip and clasped Shiya’s soft palm.
Perhaps because the strength of the woman’s fingertips surprised the girl, Shiya let out a soft hiss and her face flushed slightly.
“Young lady, that hurts…”
Leonora had no mind to be gentle with the graceful girl.
She let out a cold laugh.
“Fine, then I’ll take you to see Elena’s true face.”
It wasn’t until the two trailed Karlen and Elena to a high-end couple’s restaurant that they both fell silent for a moment.
“Um…”
Shiya pointed to a sign beside the restaurant that read “Couples Only.”
She scratched the ends of her snow-white hair, tilting her head.
“Should we wait outside?”
Leonora’s gaze wandered as she slowly nodded.
“Yes, there’s no rush.”
But the waitress standing outside had already noticed the two girls clinging together.
She approached with an ambiguous smile.
“Ladies, our store is currently holding an event: find the most loving couple, and the winners will receive a pair of wedding diamond rings.”
Leonora immediately raised her chin in disdain.
“Freebies like that are usually poor quality, aren’t they?”
“What if they cause trouble at our wedding?”
Shiya, however, shook her arm discontentedly.
“Maybe it’s different this time, Leonora. This could save us a lot of money on buying rings.”
Pfft.
The waitress finally couldn’t hold back and laughed behind her hand.
She reached out, pulled the two together again, and guided them into the couple’s restaurant.
“Alright, ladies, please enjoy a leisurely meal with your other half.”
Elena leaned back against her chair, staring at the poster on the wall that read “Loving Couple Can Win a Pair of Diamond Rings,” momentarily lost in thought.
If she had casually brought Shiya here to eat, would others have mistaken them for the most loving couple?
Earlier, she had felt that the girl on the other side of the fountain, weaving cheerful melodies with a hoarse, damaged voice, was Shiya.
From childhood to adulthood, Elena had memorized every sound the girl made, every breath between words.
Her breathing inexplicably tightened.
That was why she had abandoned Karlen, who was supposed to be her pretend boyfriend today, to find that familiar girl.
Beside her, Karlen noticed the Princess’s distracted state.
He deliberately coughed twice and nudged her arm.
Elena snapped back to reality.
To cover her embarrassment, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and gave a slight nod to the young countess, who was extremely skilled in political maneuvering.
“Your Highness Elena, Minister Kangstan is asking you something.”
Karlen immediately straightened his tie in a very serious manner and reached out to take Elena’s hand.
Elena lightly raised her hand and introduced Karlen to the countess.
“He’s my boyfriend.”
But the Princess subtly evaded his touch.
The countess keenly caught this scene.
She smiled appropriately, not exposing the disharmony between the two on the spot.
“The exchange you proposed, I can agree to. Also, to avoid any misunderstanding, regarding the rumors spreading in the Imperial Capital these past few days…”
“Your Highness Elena is indeed straightforward. Although the Second Princess has also extended an olive branch to me, a long-term allied partner is more reliable.”
Having said that, she raised her glass of red wine and took a light sip.
As the glass filled with crimson liquid lowered, the countess’s gaze turned razor-sharp.
“Then, how does Your Highness Elena plan to deal with the source of the rumors—that… Miss Shiya?”
Elena’s body tensed almost imperceptibly.
For a moment, her reply came out dry, completely devoid of the sharp aura she had displayed as an Imperial Princess earlier.
“That… Minister Kangstan need not worry. I will make proper arrangements.”
But the countess wouldn’t let go.
She elegantly propped her chin on her hand, staring straight at Elena.
“How about Your Highness hand over Miss Shiya to me? My younger sister happens to be interested in her.”
“Interestingly enough, they’ve been competing for the title of top songstress at the academy since they were young.”
“And did you know? Ever since my sister learned that her former rival, who always overshadowed her, had lost her voice, she’s been constantly looking for ways to treat vocal cords.”
Elena took a deep breath, her heart filled with irritation.
She couldn’t understand it.
First the god of Flower God Village, now the younger sister of a countess.
One after another, why was everyone after Shiya?
But what Elena didn’t know was that not far away, two girls—
One with white hair, one with maple-red hair—
Were secretly eavesdropping on their conversation.
Afraid of being discovered, Shiya and Leonora had chosen a seat far away.
Using a partition as cover, Shiya leaned sideways, suspended in midair, barely catching fragments of the conversation.
“They seem to be talking about some transaction. That noblewoman seems to be asking for someone for her sister.”
“Next, are we going to see the younger sister chasing after someone?”
As she spoke, even her own gossipy curiosity was piqued.
Shiya reported in a tiny voice to the young lady beside her.
Leonora raised an eyebrow, looking at the excited, focused Shiya hanging on every word of gossip.
Her own curiosity was also aroused.
“Who would be so lucky as to catch the eye of that great noble’s younger sister?”
She leaned sideways, resting on Shiya, her maple-red hair falling and mingling with the snow-white locks.
Shiya didn’t mind.
She let the young lady press her cheek against hers, even using her hand to support Leonora’s waist.
Until the sound of a camera shutter clicked, and a flash of white light went off.
Only then did the two realize something was wrong.
The photographer, who was an employee of the restaurant, seemed completely unaware of Shiya and Leonora’s death glares.
He pulled out the photo from the magic camera, held it up, and shouted to everyone in the restaurant:
“I declare, the most loving couple has appeared—it’s these two young ladies!”
The entire venue fell silent for a moment.
Even Elena’s gaze, along with everyone else’s, turned toward them.
Cold sweat broke out on Shiya’s back.
She quickly pushed Leonora under the table.
But before she could hide herself as well, Elena’s footsteps approached.
Her tall figure cast a shadow that completely enveloped Shiya.
“Shiya, why are you here?”
Under the table, Leonora was a bit irritated.
In her view, there was no need to hide when dating the girl.
But just as she was about to stand up, Shiya lightly raised her long leg and firmly pressed down on her shoulder.
The young lady subconsciously looked up and suddenly caught a glimpse of a blue-and-white lace trim.
She nearly choked, desperately covering her mouth as a drop of blood slowly trickled from her nose.
Completely unaware that she had left herself wide open, Miss Shiya’s mind raced, thinking of how to deal with Elena.
Right, should she bring out the long-dormant master-level yandere acting?
No sooner thought than done.
While using her legs to suppress the young lady under the table, she used her free hands to tightly grip Elena’s palms, holding them against her chest.
“Sister Elena, it’s because I love you so much that I couldn’t help but follow you all the way~”