Chapter 9

The purple moonlight shone on Silvast City, where people enjoyed the festival, including Ziel and Princess Aishia.

"Ziel, look! There are many unique foods that I have never seen before!" Princess Aishia pointed at the food stall while smiling like a child. She kept swinging Ziel's hand, which was currently linked to her.

"Ziel, look! There are a lot of games. Let's go over there and try to play." Princess Aishia pulled Ziel like a little girl. Princess Aishia, who usually acted mature, looked like a girl befitting her age that night. Ziel could only follow where Princess Aishia wanted to go.

"Look at that, Ziel! It's a goldfish fishing game! According to history, it's a game brought by a hero summoned from another world hundreds of years ago. Let's give it a try!" Princess Aishia invites Ziel to play the game with enthusiasm. No one in that place thought Ziel was weird for wearing a mask because many other people also wore it at the festival.

"Okay." Ziel followed what Princess Aishia wanted.

In front of the stall, Princess Aishia was impatient and wanted to try playing the game immediately.

"Two people, please!" Princess Aishia said to the stall owner. He is a bearded uncle in his 40s.

"Oya Oya...young lady, did you enjoy the festival with your lover?" The uncle smiled teasingly at Princess Aishia.

Princess Aishia's face turned red after hearing what the uncle said. She was confused and panicked, not knowing how to answer.

"This is your fishing net. If you can catch five fish, you will get this goldfish doll as a gift." The uncle pointed to the grand prize in the form of a large goldfish doll on display at the top.

"I will get it!" Princess Aishia received the fishing net excitedly. Ziel couldn't help but shake his head at Princess Aishia's childish attitude.

The fishing net given to Princess Aishia by the uncle is a small fishing gear whose frame is made of wood, and the net is made of paper.

Princess Aishia tried to catch the goldfish closest to her. When she tried to catch the fish, the net was torn, and the fish ran away. Then Princess Aishia asked the uncle for a new fishing net. She was aiming for a big goldfish this time, and she caught it. Unfortunately, the net was torn again, and the goldfish fell into the pond, splashing water on Princess Aishia. The black robe that Princess Aishia was wearing got wet from the splash.

"Kyaa!... My cloak got wet!" Princess Aishia shouted in a cute voice.

"You're too eager to catch fish. Take off your cloak and put on this robe of mine. If you keep wearing it when you go around the festival, you'll get cold and sick." Ziel gave his cloak to Princess Aishia.

"Yes. You and I don't have a spell to dry clothes anyway. I can still try three more times to catch the goldfish. This time I will make it!" Princess Aishia timidly accepted the robe given by Ziel. She looked for a quiet place near the stall and changed her robes. Then she came back and tried to catch the goldfish again.

"You still want to try it?" Ziel didn't know what to say to Princess Aishia's stubbornness.

"Of course! Because I want the doll!" Princess Aishia said excitedly while pointing at the big golden fish doll.

"Alright, I'll teach you how to catch that fish." Ziel intends to teach Princess Aishia to catch the fish. Otherwise, they will linger until Princess Aishia can catch one fish. He gently held Princess Aishia's hand without her consent. But strangely, Princess Aishia was not angry.

Because they were so close, Princess Aishia could feel the warmth of Ziel's body and hear his breath. Princess Aishia felt her heart racing and heat all over her body. Ziel didn't notice Princess Aishia's strange behavior. He just focused on trying to catch the nearest goldfish. He quickly netted and moved the goldfish into a small container.

"You have to catch that fish like that. Do you understand, Aishia?" Ziel showed Princess Aishia how to catch the goldfish.

"Yes." Princess Aishia just nodded with her face red as a tomato.

"Please give me the net." Ziel asked the uncle for a fishing net without paying attention to Princess Aishia's condition.

After receiving the net, Ziel immediately netted the nearest goldfish. In a short time, he could catch five fish in his small container.

"I've got five fish. As you promised, quickly give me the doll." Ziel handed the small container of five goldfish to the uncle and asked for the reward.

"Alright...haaah... I would go bankrupt if everyone were like you." The uncle just sighed profoundly and reluctantly gave the doll.

Everyone around the stall looked at Ziel in awe because he could catch the five goldfish so quickly. They also glanced at Princess Aishia. Even though she was wearing a robe, it didn't completely cover her beauty.

"This is for you, Aishia." Ziel gave the doll to Princess Aishia.

"This is for me? Didn't you get it?" Princess Aishia couldn't believe Ziel would give the doll to her.

"Didn't you say you wanted it? Besides, I couldn't possibly keep a doll. If you don't like it, you can give it to Princess Elise or throw it away. But please keep this a secret." Ziel made an excuse for Princess Aishia to accept the doll.

"No. I'll keep this! I won't give it to Elise." Princess Aishia hugged the doll tightly. She seemed afraid that Ziel would take the doll back.

"Alright, let's go somewhere else. How about we try the food at this festival?" Ziel invites Princess Aishia to eat.

"Okay." Princess Aishia just nodded like a little girl when Ziel held her hand.

They went around all the food stalls and tried them one by one until it was time for the fireworks display. Ziel and Princess Aishia sat in a park where not many people gathered and had a great view to see the fireworks.

"It will feel romantic if you can see this beautiful sight together with the person you love." Princess Aishia muttered under her breath.

"The one you love, maybe I'll never have it again." Ziel answered in a barely audible voice.

Princess Aishia trembled slightly after hearing Ziel's answer. She didn't understand what those words meant, and Princess Aishia couldn't feel any emotion from those words.

"Let's go back to the castle. It's late at night. I don't want the people in the castle to panic because you disappeared from your room, Aishia." Ziel invites Princess Aishia to return to the castle because he doesn't want a commotion if Siesta or Princess Elise finds out that Princess Aishia is not in her room.

"Yes." Princess Aishia nodded in agreement.

Ziel and Princess Aishia walked side by side back towards the castle under the light of the fireworks.

***

After they arrived at the castle, Ziel said goodbye to Princess Aishia and chose another way not to be seen by the guards or maids. But before Ziel left, Princess Aishia called out to him.

"Ziel..." Princess Aishia said quietly.

"Yes, Princess?" Ziel looked directly at Princess Aishia's face.

"See you tonight." Princess Aishia said shyly and ran towards her room. Ziel was silent and didn't respond. He just looked indifferently at Princess Aishia, who had disappeared from his sight.

"Unfortunately, I can't feel anything for anyone right now." Ziel muttered, then he walked down the corridor towards his room.

***

After arriving at her room, Princess Aishia immediately buried herself on the bed. She rolled around while hugging the doll that Ziel had given her as a gift. She held her chest, which was still pounding fiercely until now.

"You seem to have had a great time, Princess." Suddenly a girl's angry voice came from the corner of Princess Aishia's room. Since the room was dark, Princess Aishia didn't notice until the girl spoke.

"Siesta...How long have you been there!?" Princess Aishia was surprised to see Siesta already in her room.

"Since you came and rolled around with that doll you brought with you." Siesta answered Princess Aishia honestly.

"What!?... Why didn't you say anything when I came in!!" Princess Aishia hid her face with a doll.

This kind of action is scarce for Princess Aishia. Even Siesta was astonished to see it. Because as long as she had accompanied Princess Aishia, she had never seen her like this. Right now, Princess Aishia looks adorable. Siesta couldn't help but smile gently at her.

"You look happy tonight. Has something good happened?" Siesta asked curiously.

"Yes. Something that makes the world look more colorful!" Princess Aisyah smiled like a blooming flower. Even Siesta was captivated by that smile.