Third-person Pov

The dry autumn wind brushed against Seraphina’s cheeks as she stood nervously beside Electra, looking left and right like a thief trying to avoid getting caught.

She couldn’t believe she had actually done it—she had snuck out of Elysium. The entire walk to this spot outside the school grounds felt surreal, as though she were dreaming. Surely, this wasn’t her.

The quiet, rule-abiding girl who had spent her life trying to stay invisible wouldn’t have risked her place at one of the most prestigious schools in the seven kingdoms to sneak out with someone like Electra, who unlike her, was protected.

But it wasn’t a dream. She was here, her heart racing at the possibility of getting caught, while Electra stood a few feet away with her arms crossed, looking annoyingly unbothered.

Seraphina took a deep breath, her nerves getting the better of her. “Electra,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, we could still go back. It’s not too late to pretend this never happened.”

Electra turned her head toward her, a light frown forming on her face. “You realize how funny you sound right now, don’t you?” she replied, her tone laced with amusement. “Relax, Sera. This isn’t my first time sneaking out. You’re safe with me, I promise.”

“That’s not exactly reassuring, Electra!” Seraphina shot back, her anxiety peaking. “If the school finds out—”

“They won’t,” Electra interrupted with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I’ve done this more times than I can count, and guess what? I’m still here. Trust me, no one’s going to know unless you start yelling it from the rooftops.”

Seraphina bit her lip, still unconvinced. She glanced around nervously at their surroundings, a secluded area just beyond the school’s outer wall. For a brief moment, she thought about running back, but the thought of trying to run from Electra—especially after she had practically dragged her out—felt even more terrifying than staying.

With a resigned sigh, she asked, “So, where exactly are we going?”

Electra shrugged, her expression casual. “Haven’t decided yet.”

Seraphina blinked. “You dragged me out here, and you don’t even know where we’re going?”

Electra smirked, clearly enjoying Seraphina’s frustration. “Usually, I sneak out at night for parties and stuff, but you’d probably have a heart attack if I took you to one of those.”

Seraphina opened her mouth to protest, but Electra held up a hand to stop her. “So, I’m trying to think of a good spot to start introducing you to the real Elmeria,” she continued. “You’ve been cooped up in that school since you got here, and it’s about time you see what my kingdom is actually like.”

“The real Elmeria?” Seraphina echoed, her curiosity momentarily overriding her fear. “What does that even mean?”

Electra gave her a knowing smile. “You’ll see.”

Without further explanation, Electra started walking down the dirt path, motioning for Seraphina to follow. Against her better judgment, Seraphina trailed after her, her nerves buzzing with every step.

They walked for what felt like ages before Electra finally stopped in front of a narrow, cobblestone street lined with colorful market stalls.

The street was bustling with life, vendors calling out to potential customers while children darted between the stalls, laughing and playing. The air was filled with the aroma of spices, freshly baked bread, and roasted meat, along with the noise of the crowd.

Seraphina’s eyes widened as she took in the scene. It was a stark contrast to the quiet, orderly life she had grown accustomed to within the walls of Elysium. Here, everything felt alive, vibrant, and chaotic—everything she wasn’t used to.

“This,” Electra said, gesturing grandly toward the market, “is the real Elmeria. Not my style, but I’m sure you’ll like it.”

Seraphina hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. “This is… a lot,” she admitted, her voice barely audible over the noise.

Electra chuckled. “Relax. No one here cares who you are. They’re too busy trying to sell you something or cheat you out of your money.”

“Again, that’s… not very reassuring, Electra,” Seraphina muttered, earning another laugh from Electra.

Electra stepped into the crowd, turning back to motion Seraphina forward. “Come on, kid. You’ll love it.”

With no choice but to follow, Seraphina reluctantly stepped into the throng of people. She stayed close to Electra, her wide eyes darting nervously between the vendors and the passersby.

Every now and then, someone would bump into her, and she’d mutter a quick apology, even though no one seemed to notice.

Electra, on the other hand, moved through the crowd with ease, her confidence radiating as she stopped occasionally to inspect a stall or exchange a few words with a vendor. Watching her, Seraphina couldn’t help but feel envious.

Electra looked like she belonged here, like she could walk into any space and instantly own it.

“Try this,” Electra said suddenly, pulling Seraphina out of her thoughts. She handed her a small, golden pastry she had just bought from a nearby stall.

Seraphina stared at the pastry suspiciously. “What is it?”

“It’s good. Just eat it,” Electra replied, rolling her eyes.

Reluctantly, Seraphina took a bite, and her eyes widened as the sweet, flaky pastry melted in her mouth. “This is amazing,” she admitted, earning a satisfied grin from Electra.

“See? I told you,” Electra said. “There’s more to my kingdom than Elysium’s suffocating walls. You just have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone, and since I’m more considerate than I get credit for, I’m letting you start easy. Trust me, Elmeria’s market is only a tip of the iceberg.”

Without waiting for a response from Seraphina, Electra would continue to walk, and Sera could only watch as Electra casually strolled through the crowded stalls. It was almost unfair how unaffected Electra seemed by the chaos around them while she felt as though the market was swallowing her whole.

Finally, unable to contain her exhaustion, Seraphina blurted out, “Tell me the truth, Electra, are you planning to show me every single place in Elmeria all in one day? Because, honestly, strolling this market is already taking up half my energy.”

Electra stopped abruptly, turning to face her with a raised eyebrow. “Charge up, little dove,” she replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “We still have a few more places to hit, and I’m not about to let you tap out now.”

Seraphina let out a dramatic sigh, running a hand through her hair. “Why are we even doing this?” she muttered to herself, though loud enough for Electra to hear.

A thought suddenly crossed her mind, one that made her stomach churn with a mix of curiosity and dread. She glanced at Electra suspiciously, trying to read the smug expression on her face.

Unable to hold back, she asked, “What exactly am I supposed to classify this outing as? Because, last I checked, we’re not friends, and, honestly, I’m supposed to hate your guts after everything you’ve said and done to me.”

Electra stopped walking again, this time turning fully to face Seraphina. Her piercing eyes seemed to light up with amusement, and a small smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. She folded her arms, tilting her head as if Seraphina had just said the most intriguing thing in the world.

“Do you really hate me though? Are you sure you hate me?” Electra asked, her voice calm but at the same time challenging.

BSeraphina blinked, caught off guard by the directness of the question. “Yes,” she blurted out before she could stop herself. “I do hate you. You’ve threatened me, bullied my friends, and… and…”

Her words faltered as she realized she was starting to list everything Electra had done to frustrate her, which only seemed to amuse Electra more.

Electra chuckled softly, shaking her head as if she were entertained by Seraphina’s attempt to sound serious. “Well,” she said, stepping closer to Seraphina, her smirk growing wider. “Whether you hate me or not, and whether you like it or not, this is a date, Seraphina. We’re on a date.”

Seraphina’s mind froze, her thoughts grinding to a halt as the word “date” echoed in her mind. She stared at Electra, her cheeks heating up against her will. “A… a date?” she stammered, taking a step back. “You can’t just call this a date. I didn’t agree to that.”

Electra shrugged nonchalantly. “You don’t have to agree. I decided, so it’s a date,” she said, winking at her.

Seraphina’s heart raced as she scrambled to find a response, but nothing coherent came to her. The word “date” lingered in her mind, stirring feelings she wasn’t ready to confront.

Electra, as usual, was one step ahead, her confidence making it impossible to figure out if she was being serious or just teasing.

“Come on,” Electra said, turning back to the path in front of them. “We’ve got more to see, or are you too scared to be on a date with me?”

Seraphina clenched her fists, trying to steady her breath. “I’m not scared,” she muttered, though the shakiness in her voice betrayed her.

Electra threw her a glance over her shoulder, her smirk still firmly in place. “Good,” she said. “Then try to keep up.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep