Chapter 324: Establishing Relationships



Time passed, and as morning gave way to evening, the imperial capital remained as lively as

ever.

A vast and bustling city, filled with endless wonders-one could spend months exploring its streets and still not uncover every hidden gem within its grand architecture.

From extravagant markets brimming with exotic wares to lavish theaters showcasing breathtaking performances, the capital offered an endless array of entertainment and indulgence.

And yet, despite the city’s countless attractions, two of its most stunning inhabitants had chosen to remain seated in a small yet elegant café, locked in an unexpected battle of endurance.

Rose and Snow sat across from each other, their gazes flickering between one another and the towering desserts before them-two gigantic parfaits, adorned with layers of fruit, whipped cream, and an absurd amount of sweetness.

They each took a bite, their expressions subtly tensing as the overwhelming chill of the frozen treat spread through their mouths and down their throats.

A slight shiver ran down Snow’s spine, while Rose’s fingers twitched as she tightened her grip on her spoon.

A bead of sweat formed on Snow’s temple, though she quickly masked it with an air of nonchalance. “Giving up?” she asked, tilting her head with an almost smug smile.

“Huh?” Rose scoffed, her golden eyes narrowing. “I’d like to ask you that-your face is turning paler than ever.”

Neither of them had planned for this to escalate into a full-blown competition.

Yet somehow, somewhere between the first few bites, their casual outing had evolved into an unspoken duel—a test of willpower, of pride, of sheer stubbornness.

And now, having come this far, there was no backing down.

Rose jabbed her spoon into the parfait with renewed determination. Snow, not one to be outdone, mirrored her movement.

The café staff watched in silent amusement, whispering among themselves about the two ethereal beauties waging war against their desserts.

A few other customers stole glances, some chuckling at the absurdity of the situation.

But Rose and Snow paid them no mind.

This wasn’t about logic.

It was about victory.

‘For how long is she going to last?’

Snow wondered, suppressing the growing nausea in her stomach.

‘I’m an ice mage myself, but even I’m having trouble keeping up…’

The sheer amount of frozen desserts they had consumed since this morning was absurd-any normal person would have tapped out long ago.

Yet Rose, with her golden eyes gleaming in quiet determination, remained completely unfazed.

If anything, she seemed more composed as time went on, her posture elegant, her spoon gliding smoothly through yet another spoonful of parfait.

Snow narrowed her eyes.

‘Is she cheating somehow?’

It didn’t make sense. Rose should be just as bloated and sickly as she was by now.

The overwhelming sweetness, combined with the ridiculous quantity they had consumed, should have made both of them surrender.

And yet, there she was-calm, collected, still eating

Meanwhile, Rose subtly studied Snow from across the table, ensuring that her ever-stoic poker face remained intact.

‘She should break soon enough…’

Both of them were well aware that what they were doing was childish.

Stupid, even. But there was no turning back-not after the bet they had made.

“Whoever wins gets to have Riley for an entire day.”

“Deal!”

It had been decided in a reckless moment of competitive pride, but neither could bring themselves to take it back.

Logically, they knew how ridiculous it was. It wasn’t as if they could simply claim Riley’s time without his say in the matter.

But logic had no place in the hearts of young maidens vying for an unspoken position in his life.

If there was even one way to get a step ahead-one fleeting day to establish their presence in his heart-then it was something worth securing.

Even if it meant waging war with absurd amounts of sugar and ice.

They both knew the true purpose of this supposed “date.” It was meant to be a way for them

to understand each other better-something Riley himself had requested.

And yet, neither could help but view it as something more.

A battle.

A quiet war waged between two young maidens, each prying for a place in Riley’s heart. Establishing dominance, no matter how subtle, was essential.

Neither of them could afford to back down.

But that didn’t mean they weren’t trying to genuinely understand each other, they actually tried to talk it out from the start….

Establishing rules to follow and establishing one’s position in Riley’s life though in one way or another their conversations always lead to unexpected verbal conflict.

The fact was, they weren’t complete strangers.

Far from it.

They had worked together in the student council from time to time, and as classmates, they had shared more than a few conversations-albeit brief and impersonal.

Rose and Snow had never been close, but there was no outright animosity between them

either.

Well… at least not until Riley came into the picture.

For Rose, Riley was her only source of light-the one person who had illuminated her world when she had been drowning in the shadows of her monotonous world.

The mere thought of Snow taking that light away for herself was something she could not

allow.

For Snow, she had long accepted that Riley was bound to attract a harem in the end.

That much was inevitable. But just because she accepted it didn’t mean she would yield her

place.

She had no intention of relinquishing the position of first wife to anyone else.

And if the woman sitting across from her had any ideas about taking that role, then this

needed to be settled-right here, right now.

But as she took a bite of her already half eaten parfait….

-Grumble~~

Snow’s stomach gave up.

….

I had just returned from the massive dungeon raids with Flamme, my body slightly aching

from the relentless battles we had fought and constant use of my skills.

Yet, the sight that greeted me upon my return was nothing short of surprising.

‘Had my plan worked or not?’

“What were you two doing…?” I asked, my gaze shifting between Rose and Snow.

Rose looked at me with a hint of triumph in her eyes, but it was clear that she wasn’t completely alright. Her expression, though victorious, was slightly strained.

And when I glanced behind her, Snow was in a similar state-her normally pristine composure cracked ever so slightly.

But instead of answering me, Snow simply eyed Rose with a sharp look of irritation. Her blue eyes shimmered, and for a brief moment, frost flickered around her figure as if she was ready to say something-only for her to silently suppress it, exhaling in resignation.

“Snow-“

Night had already fallen, and I had been expecting to at least have dinner with her. But before

I could even ask, she cut me off.

“Take good care of her for now, Riley.”

“Huh?”

“Bye then.”

With one final glance, she left.

There was something in her eyes—a silent message.

But I didn’t get it.

Had I done something wrong again?

Before I could process any of it-

Rustle!

A sudden warmth pressed against my right side.

I looked down, only to see Rose clinging tightly to me.

At some point, she had stealthily snuck to my side, entwining her arm with mine in a firm yet

almost possessive manner.

Her golden eyes gleamed as she whispered, her voice soft but undeniably firm-

“Starting today until this exact moment in time tomorrow… you’re mine, Riley.”

“Huh?”

…

Rose and I walked side by side along the grand halls of the imperial castle, our hands intertwined, fingers gently interlocking as we took slow, unhurried steps together.

The moonlight streamed through the arched windows, casting a soft, ethereal glow upon us, illuminating the polished marble floors beneath our feet.

As we walked, Rose spoke, recounting the events of the day in her usual calm and composed

manner.

Her voice carried a hint of amusement, though I could tell she was still trying to piece together everything that had transpired.

Honestly, the way she explained it all was so absurdly predictable that I couldn’t even be

surprised. If I had to guess how their day together would have gone, this was exactly the

outcome I would have expected.

I sighed internally.

Right now, I was starving.

But eating could come later.

Rose had already admitted she was too full to join me for a meal, yet she still insisted on

eating with me.

Since taking a walk from the castle toward the city would take some time, I figured it was a

good opportunity for her to let her overstuffed stomach settle.

“So you and Snow made a bet?” I finally asked, glancing at her.

“Yes,” Rose admitted without hesitation.

“With my time being part of it…?” She hesitated, then softly replied, “…Yes.”

I stared at her for a moment before letting out a small sigh.

These two… they really just decide everything on their own, huh?

I wasn’t even mad-just mildly exasperated. I’ve been spoiling them a bit too much…

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