~Chapter 64~
Ruby was surprised by Ivan’s innocent smile. It was the first time she had seen him smile like that. It seemed like he was relaxing, and without realizing it, he had made such an expression. It left a strong impression on Ruby, like a wild animal finally trusting her.
While Ruby was still processing his smile, the surprised host spoke to Ivan.
“Your skills are impressive.”
In response, Ivan stopped spinning the plates, perfectly halting them without breaking a single one. The host seemed surprised by this.
“I’ve never tried it before, but it’s fun,” Ivan said casually.
“Spinning plates is difficult even for experts. This is truly amazing. As promised, we’ll give you a gift,” the host said, signaling to one of the circus performers to bring a small box.
“What is this?” Ivan asked, shaking the box gently. It made a clinking sound, suggesting there was something small inside.
“Open it,” the host said.
Ivan untied the ribbon and opened the box. Inside was something familiar to him. The host introduced it to the crowd.
“This is a precious necklace made from raw gemstones, a rare specialty of Cardonia Territory! It’s crafted by skilled artisans, making it extremely valuable.”
The crowd murmured at the value of the necklace. Ivan stepped down from the stage holding it.
“Is there anyone else who wants to try spinning the plates?” the host asked.
“I do, I do!” people eagerly volunteered.
However, most of the participants failed to spin the plates.
“Oh, what a shame,” the host said, as the sound of breaking plates echoed through the venue.
“Instead of the main prize, we’ll give out consolation prizes,” the host announced.
The consolation prizes were small decorations, also made in Cardonia. Though not as valuable as the gemstone necklace, everyone seemed happy with their gifts.
During all this, Ivan quietly called Ruby, who had been watching the event.
“Was this part of your plan too?”
“Yes, it’s a festival to promote Cardonia’s artistic district, right? I made sure that everywhere you go, you encounter artisans’ creations,” Ruby said, winking at him.
Ivan, momentarily distracted by her wink, looked down at the necklace. It might have been too cheap for someone like him to wear.
Ruby seemed to think the necklace wasn’t something Ivan would like.
“If it’s not useful, would you give it to me?” Ruby asked, intending to collect it herself.
“No,” Ivan replied, shaking his head.
“I want to wear this necklace myself,” Ivan said, holding it out to Ruby.
“I don’t know how to put it on,” he admitted.
“I’ll put it on for you,” Ruby said, taking the necklace from the box and moving closer to Ivan. She undid the clasp and got closer to his face.
Ivan closed his eyes as the fragrance of flowers from Ruby filled his senses, and Ruby too noticed his unfamiliar scent. They were so close for the first time, and both of them felt nervous.
“There, all done.”
It took a little longer than expected, with Ruby struggling to put the necklace on due to her nervousness.
As she stepped back, their eyes met for a brief moment. Ivan’s gaze was shaken, and Ruby couldn’t understand why. He was the first to look away.
“How does it look?” Ivan asked, as Ruby gave him a thumbs-up.
“It looks great,” Ruby said with a smile.
“What does that mean?” Ivan asked, confused.
Ruby quickly realized her gesture was something she used in her previous life and regretted it. It might have seemed strange.
Meanwhile, Barker, who had failed the plate spinning, returned with a consolation prize: a small brooch.
“This isn’t easy. I don’t know how you did it, Your Highness,” Barker said.
“Balance is key,” Ivan said nonchalantly, but Barker looked troubled.
“I thought I had good balance too…” Barker muttered.
After the performance, the group left the venue, still feeling the excitement of the event.
“Where are we going next?” Sennis asked, her enthusiasm still high.
“Shall we head to the main event? The highlight of the festival?” Ruby suggested.
“Yes!” Sennis eagerly agreed.
Barker, who didn’t know the destination, asked Ruby, “Where are we going?”
“We came to Cardonia for a reason, and we’re heading there now,” Ruby said, raising a finger as if to signal that it was a secret.
As they walked, Ruby led them toward a large white building that seemed to stand out among the others. It wasn’t just one large building but several smaller ones, all uniquely designed with arches and curves. It looked like a work of art.
“Wow, these buildings are amazing,” Sennis said, amazed since such buildings weren’t common in the capital.
“These are the buildings in the artistic district of Cardonia,” Barker said, recognizing the location.
“Yes, this is the place I wanted to show you all. The reason for the festival, and this will become Cardonia’s main tourist attraction,” Ruby explained.
They reached the top of the hill, where many people had gathered to admire the view.
“What can we do here?” Ivan asked.
“There are many things you can do. You can buy jewelry on display, or you can try making your own jewelry,” Ruby explained.
“Make our own jewelry?” Sennis exclaimed, excited.
“Yes, you can create something unique for yourself,” Ruby said.
“I want to try that!” Sennis said eagerly.
Ivan, on the other hand, didn’t seem as interested. Ruby continued, “There are also various foods from all over Cardonia that you can try—foods that are hard to find in the royal palace.”
“You have foods that are rare in the palace?” Ivan asked, not knowing much about the outside world.
Ruby led them to a restaurant area where the best eateries from all over Cardonia were set up.
“These are some of the best restaurants from all over Cardonia. You can choose whatever you like,” Ruby said, smiling.
“Restaurants from all over Cardonia?” Ivan asked, surprised.
“I wanted to make sure everyone could experience Cardonia’s food culture. Even those who aren’t interested in jewelry can come for the food,” Ruby said.
“Did you convince them all to come?” Ivan asked.
“Yes, I personally visited each one and selected the cleanest, most interesting places,” Ruby replied, her attention to detail impressing Ivan.
“That’s amazing. You thought of everything,” Barker said, admiring Ruby’s efforts.
Ivan, now realizing how much Ruby had worked for this, was impressed. “You really wanted to make this place a wonderful home for people, didn’t you?”
Barker and Sennis realized that Ruby hadn’t invited them just to have fun, but to genuinely show them the land she had nurtured with care. That was why she had invited so many nobles and organized the festival.
“It’s an honor to be invited to such a place, Ruby,” Barker said.
“I hope you enjoy your time here,” Ruby replied.
“Of course! But first, let’s eat. What should we try first?” Sennis asked.
“What do you like?” Ruby asked, ready to guide them.
As they walked along with Ruby leading the way, Barker couldn’t help but admire her. “Ruby is truly amazing.”
“She’s no ordinary person,” Barker added.
“She’s a very attractive young lady, isn’t she?” Barker said, glancing at Ivan.
