But their day didn’t stop there.

As the hours slipped by, they wandered from place to place, strolling at an easy pace through the snowy streets.

They enjoyed the small things: the view of the snow-covered central plaza, the little trinkets sold at street stalls, the laughter of passing students bundled up in scarves and mittens.

Even though they didn’t venture too far — most of the places they visited were within the central part of the commercial district — it didn’t really matter.

The academy grounds were massive anyway, and at their slow, comfortable pace, this was as much ground as they could cover.

Little by little, as the snow gently fell and the day quietly passed, Seo started to truly understand what Riley meant earlier by “doing fun things.”

It wasn’t about going somewhere grand or doing something extravagant.

It was simply about being together — laughing, talking, walking side by side without any rush or pressure.

It was these small, ordinary moments that made everything feel so special.

Eventually the two stopped at a certain souvenir shop.

Looking around, Riley couldn’t help but notice just how bizarre some of the souvenirs were.

There were ordinary items, like postcards and scarves, but mixed right alongside them were strange trinkets — keychains shaped like magical beasts, enchanted rocks that floated an inch off the ground, even candy shaped like swords.

Some of the “gifts” didn’t even look remotely practical, and Riley had to wonder who would ever willingly buy something like a miniature singing broom.

“I guess the academy can be quite diverse…” Riley muttered under his breath, glancing around at the colorful, chaotic stalls and showcases inside.

Seo, standing beside him, nodded quietly, her red eyes flicking from item to item with a look of mild fascination.

After a few more steps, she paused in front of a particular looking stall.

There, displayed among the more eccentric goods, was a fan — delicate and beautiful, with intricate patterns of blue and gold embroidered into the fabric.

Even from a glance, Riley could tell it wasn’t just for show; the frame was reinforced, probably sturdy enough for combat. Still, the fan’s design suggested it was more ceremonial than practical.

“You like that?” Riley asked, stepping closer to her side.

Seo blinked at the fan, seeming to think it over seriously for a moment, before giving a small nod.

“Yes… my big sister likes this color,” she said softly.

Riley tilted his head. “Aren’t there a lot of these kinds of things in the Eastern Empire already?”

“Yes, but…” Seo traced the edge of the fan lightly with her finger. “The ones made in the Germonia Empire usually have magical engravings. They’re… special.”

“I see,” Riley said simply, then without hesitation, waved over a staff member.

Before Seo could even fully process what was happening, Riley had bought the fan and was handing it over to her, wrapped neatly in decorative paper.

“You didn’t really have to…” Seo said, her voice small, almost guilty.

“It’s fine,” Riley replied with an easy smile. “I told you, right? Today, everything’s on me. Anything you like — it’s yours.”

Seo looked like she wanted to argue for a moment, her brows furrowing just slightly, but in the end, she just bowed her head and murmured, “Thank you…”

“You’re welcome.

Without thinking, Riley reached out and patted her head again — a light, affectionate gesture he found himself doing more and more often with her.

Seo stood still, letting him.

Her hands clutched the fan close to her chest, like it was already something precious to her.

Riley smiled a little to himself before turning his gaze back to the stalls.

He picked up a few things here and there — a small box of sweets he thought Reina might like, a decorative pin that seemed Snow’s style, a tiny book charm for Alice — but his focus never strayed far from Seo.

She had wandered off slightly to another stall nearby, carefully picking out little souvenirs for her family.

A small knitted pouch. A pendant shaped like a winter flower. Some rare dried tea leaves.

Things that weren’t flashy, but were clearly chosen with quiet thoughtfulness.

Riley watched her silently for a moment, feeling a strange, soft warmth fill his chest.

Even in a place full of so many extravagant things, Seo’s heart was still simple and sincere.

And somehow, it made him want to spoil her even more.

On their way back, the two walked slowly through the winding streets of the academy’s main district.

The sky above them was dyed a breathtaking gold — a fiery orange hue bleeding into the gray outlines of the snowy clouds, painting a scene so vivid it almost didn’t feel real.

The snow on the ground glowed faintly under the sunset’s light, giving everything a quiet, magical sheen.

Seo found herself unconsciously slowing her steps, her eyes wide in wonder.

Riley, walking beside her, also seemed taken by the sight, a small, almost imperceptible smile forming on his lips.

“Did you have fun?” he asked, his voice soft, nearly blending into the calm evening air.

Seo turned toward him, the golden light reflected in her red eyes, and gave a small, subtle nod.

A smile — shy and fleeting — appeared on her face for just a second.

“It was really fun…”

The day was nearing its end.

The warm, lively moments they had shared were slowly giving way to the quieter, bittersweet realization that this perfect day was slipping away.

As they walked, Seo tightened her grip around Riley’s hand without even realizing it.

For the first time, she felt a deep, aching wish in her heart — a desire for the day not to end.

Even though she knew logically that they could see each other whenever they wanted, even during the short two-week vacation ahead…

Even though she knew this separation wasn’t forever…

Even so, this moment — this exact feeling of walking hand in hand with Riley, with no one else around, under a sky that looked like it belonged only to them — felt fragile. Precious.

And somehow, she knew… moments like this would become harder to find in the future.

Not with all the people that naturally gathered around Riley now.

She lowered her gaze slightly, feeling her heart beat in a way that made her chest ache.

“Seo…” Riley’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

“Nn?” she answered softly, looking up.

Riley stopped walking and turned to face her, the last rays of sunlight casting a warm glow over his figure.

His golden-blonde hair shimmered in the light, and when Seo met his eyes — clear and blue as the winter skies — she froze, feeling something heavy and intense within his gaze.

“Can you close your eyes for a bit…?” he asked, his voice gentler than ever.

Seo blinked, confused but trusting.

The way he was looking at her made her heart skip erratically, and before she could even properly think about it, her body moved on its own.

She closed her eyes, standing still, feeling the cold air brush against her cheeks… and the intense warmth of his presence right in front of her.

Her breathing grew uneven.

She tiptoed slightly toward him, instinctively, as if closing the distance between them was the most natural thing in the world.

Her lips tensed, her hands trembled just a little…

But instead of the moment her panicking heart thought might come, she felt something cool and gentle brush against her neck.

Seo’s eyes fluttered open in surprise.

“This is…” she whispered, fingers touching the small object now resting at the hollow of her throat.

It was a necklace — a delicate chain of silver, holding a tiny teardrop-shaped crystal.

The gem was a deep, brilliant red — almost identical to the color of Seo’s ruby-like eyes.

Riley gave a soft chuckle at her stunned expression.

“Hehe. It’s beautiful, right? It matches your eyes perfectly…”

Seo stared at him for a moment, her throat tightening with emotion.

“…Yes,” she finally managed to say, her voice barely more than a breath.

Riley tilted his head slightly.

“You don’t like it?” he teased lightly, though there was a hint of genuine worry behind his smile.

“No…” Seo said quickly, clutching the pendant with both hands. “I like it very much…”

Her voice was small, but filled with more emotion than she knew how to express.

The gift wasn’t grand. It wasn’t flashy.

But to her, it was perfect — just like this day, just like the boy who stood smiling in front of her.

In all honesty, Seo felt a tiny pang of disappointment deep in her chest.

A small part of her — a hopeful, naive part — had thought that maybe, just maybe, today would be the day.

Just like the scenes she had read about in the How to Make Friends book Lina had secretly slipped into her room…

The sacred event that, according to the book, would “bind a friendship forever” — a kiss.

Seo clutched the red crystal at her neck a little tighter.

It wasn’t as if she needed a kiss to prove anything.

Even without it, she knew — she was certain — that what she and Riley had was something far more special than any ordinary friendship.

More precious, more irreplaceable.

But still…

Just like Lina had advised her, Seo knew that if she wanted to cross the boundary between simple friends and something more, she had to make a move eventually.

And that first step, according to Lina — and even the book — was a kiss.

Yet now, standing in the golden afterglow of the sunset, Seo hesitated.

Because the book had also warned:

If you rush the moment, if you push too hard, the fragile bond you built could shatter — and your precious person might distance themselves from you forever.

And that… was something Seo couldn’t even bear to imagine.

Just the thought of Riley pulling away from her made her heart twist painfully inside her chest.

So, gripping her courage tightly in both hands, Seo decided to follow Lina’s second piece of advice:

If you’re too scared to kiss, then start by asking…

Seo’s steps slowed.

Her grip on Riley’s hand tightened ever so slightly.

Her heart pounded so loudly in her ears she could hardly hear herself speak.

But somehow, somehow — her voice slipped out, almost like a whisper carried by the wind.

“Riley… do you like me?” she asked, barely audible, barely breathing.

The moment the words left her lips, she immediately regretted them.

A wave of embarrassment flooded her face red.

She almost wanted to snatch her own words back and stuff them somewhere far away.

But it was too late.

Riley had stopped walking.

He turned to her — really turned — and for the first time in a long time, Seo saw a look of pure, unguarded surprise on his face.

His blue eyes widened, reflecting the fading light, and he just… stared.

The silence between them stretched.

A few seconds.

Then a few more.

Seo squeezed her eyes shut, covering her ears with her hands without even realizing it.

She didn’t want to hear the answer.

She did want to hear it.

She didn’t know anymore.

But then — even through her frantic heartbeat — she heard it.

“Of course I like you, Seo,”

Seo’s eyes flew open, wide and disbelieving.

“You… like me?” she repeated, her voice trembling.

Riley let out a small, almost amused breath — a breath that sounded more like a smile.

He reached out gently, lowering her hands from her ears.

“Wasn’t that already obvious…?” he said, his tone soft, almost teasing.

Seo stared at him, the sunset making his figure look almost unreal, almost like something from one of her dreams.

“But…” she hesitated, the words fumbling out. “Like that type of… like?”

Riley tilted his head slightly, his hand still loosely holding hers.

“The type that makes me want to give you everything I have,” he answered.

His voice wasn’t loud.

It wasn’t dramatic.

It wasn’t even desperate.

It was just simple.

Sincere.

True.

Seo felt her breath hitch, her heart stumbling over itself.

Instinctively, Seo clung to Riley’s hands, her small fingers trembling slightly as she pressed herself closer to him, hiding her burning face against his chest.

Her forehead brushed against the soft fabric of his coat, and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to disappear.

“S-Seo?” Riley blinked, startled, feeling her quiver against him.

“…I don’t look good right now…” Seo mumbled, her voice so small and muffled that Riley almost missed it.

He almost laughed — not out of mockery, but from sheer affection at how adorable she was being.

Instead, he simply smiled warmly and brought one hand up, gently patting her back.

The other hand moved up to softly run through the back of her hair, fingers combing through the silky strands with a slow, comforting rhythm.

Little by little, Seo’s tense body began to relax.

Her shivers softened, the chaotic beating of her heart slowly syncing with the steady, reassuring beat she could hear from Riley’s chest.

Even with all her innocence — with all the naivety and uncertainty she carried — a girl in love was bound to recognize the emotion blooming within her.

And Seo was no exception.

Her sister’s stories, the books she secretly read under her blankets at night, Lina’s endless and somewhat exaggerated advice — they had all taught her one simple truth:

Love was a feeling that could not be stopped.

And now, feeling the deep, thunderous thumping of her heart, Seo realized…

None of them had ever told her that love could be this overwhelming.

That it could make her knees weak, her chest ache with a sweetness almost too big for her small frame to hold.

That it could make her want to stay like this forever — pressed against him, never letting go.

No matter how fast her mana techniques could let her move, no matter how many techniques she had mastered —

Nothing had ever outrun the way her heart raced for Riley in this moment.

It was both painful and pleasurable all at once —

A dizzying, breathless kind of happiness.

“Riley…” she mumbled again, her voice hidden against his shirt, feeling the warmth of him seep into her.

“Hm?” he hummed, glancing down at the girl bundled up against him.

Seo squeezed her eyes shut tighter, gathering all the courage she had.

“I like you…” she whispered.

The world seemed to pause for a heartbeat.

The snow clouds above, the golden afterglow of the sunset, the distant sounds of the academy’s fading festivities — everything fell into a gentle, expectant hush.

And then, without hesitation, Riley’s voice answered her, warm and sure:

“I know.”

There was no teasing in his tone.

No awkwardness.

Just pure, quiet certainty — as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Hearing his words, Seo’s heart gave a little leap, something delicate and precious unfurling inside her chest.

They say like and love are different forms of feelings… but aren’t they exactly the same?

In that moment, as the last sliver of sun dipped below the horizon and the skies turned to deep violet, Seo realized something even more clearly than before —

She loved Riley.

More than she had words for.

More than any book or advice could have ever prepared her for.

And maybe, just maybe… he already knew.

….

“So how did the date go, Lady Seo?!”

The moment Seo stepped back into her dorm room, Lina — her ever-meticulous and slightly overenthusiastic personal maid — was practically on her in an instant, clinging to her like a squishy, overexcited doll.

Before Seo could even get a word out, Lina was already gracefully removing Seo’s coat with one hand while preparing her nightwear with the other, moving with such brisk efficiency it almost looked like she had sprouted extra limbs.

Of course, she wasn’t really moving at superhuman speeds — but to anyone else watching, it might as well have seemed that way.

“Come now, Lady Seo, give me at least a bit of the details!” Lina said, almost bouncing on her feet as she fussed around her. “If you tell me everything, I can guide you on any mistakes you might’ve made, and we can perfect it for next time!”

Seo let out a small breath, sitting herself down as Lina continued to flutter around her.

“Everything went well,” Seo said quietly.

“Eh?” Lina paused mid-motion, holding a comb in one hand and a soft blanket in the other. “Went well? What kind of ‘went well’ are we talking about?!” Her eyes gleamed with seriousness. “You know you’re quite… susceptible to missing the obvious sometimes, Lady Seo. That’s why we need a more detailed report! We can’t improve our ‘attack’ strategy if we don’t know where the weaknesses were! Now, what exactly went well?”

Seo blinked, tilting her head slightly, then smiled faintly.

“Everything,” she said again, her voice firmer this time. “It was really fun. Riley had fun too… It was probably the most enjoyable moment of my life.”

Lina froze, the comb slipping slightly from her fingers.

She stared at Seo — genuinely stunned — and for the first time in a while, speechless.

“I-Is that so…?” she finally managed to mumble, half in disbelief.

Seo nodded, her cheeks turning a little pink as she hugged the blanket Lina had thrown over her shoulders.

Lina looked at her young mistress carefully.

She could tell just from the light in Seo’s crimson eyes — from the quiet, heartfelt way she spoke — that every word she said was real.

There was no need for correction or strategy talk tonight.

Everything had truly gone well.

Seo was genuinely happy.

For a moment, Lina stood there, feeling both a little proud and a little lost.

Normally by now, she would be lecturing Seo about what she should have said, how she should have moved, reminding her about posture, eye contact, or all the complicated “techniques” she had carefully taught her over the years.

But tonight… there was no need.

Maybe her little Lady really had grown up a little.

Maybe, just maybe, she was starting to navigate the world of feelings and relationships by herself.

“…My lady,” Lina said after a moment, trying to hide the slight mistiness in her eyes with an exaggerated clearing of her throat. “If you say it was perfect, then that’s good enough for me.”

Seo smiled again — soft, small, but brighter than any sunlight that could have filtered into the room.

And Lina thought, for the first time in a long while, that maybe she didn’t need to worry quite as much anymore.

“I’m truly happy for you, Master,” Lina said, her hands clasped together with genuine emotion — though it didn’t take long for her curiosity to slip through. “But… what kind of progress did you make exactly?”

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“Don’t tell me it was all about holding hands again, okay—?”

Seo, who had been quietly tugging at the edge of her blanket, looked up and said, as casually as dropping a stone into a still pond:

“He told me he likes me.”

Lina froze.

“W-WHATTT???”

The words practically exploded out of her mouth, her brain coming to a full, chaotic stop as she stared at Seo in disbelief.

“You—you—he—you—!!!” she stammered, arms flailing like a windmill. “Can you at least tell me the details?! What exactly happened?! How did he say it?! What did you say back?! Did you cry?! Did he hug you?! Was there a confession scene?!”

Seo tilted her head slightly at Lina’s barrage, looking just a little mischievous as she said,

“Sure… after dinner.”

“…H-Huh?”

“Dinner first.”

Lina blinked — and then her instincts as a maid kicked in at full force.

“R-Right! Dinner! Dinner is coming right up!!”

She spun on her heel and rushed off like a little hurricane, her apron fluttering behind her as she made a beeline for the kitchen, already mentally preparing Seo’s usual meal — though tonight, she decided, it would have to be just a little bit more special.

Watching her personal maid bustle around, Seo couldn’t help but chuckle quietly.

Telling her off to the kitchen was just an excuse… she was too embarrassed to talk about what happened Afterall.

She brought her hand to her neck, gently touching the red crystal necklace that shimmered faintly under the room’s warm light.

Remembering everything that happened today — the sunset, Riley’s serious voice, the way he said he liked her —

her heart thumped again, almost painfully, but sweetly so.

She pulled something out from her coat pocket — a simple, slightly heavy envelope, sealed neatly with Riley’s handwriting on it.

Seo stared at it, her crimson eyes blinking curiously.

“Why does Riley want me to give this to the clan head…?” she muttered aloud.

It was a little strange — she hadn’t expected him to give her something so formal.

But… knowing Riley, it probably wasn’t anything dangerous or troublesome.

It never was, not when it came to her.

“They say people from the Germonia Empire greet each other formally through enveloped letters, right…?”

Nodding to herself, Seo clutched the envelope closer to her chest.

She decided she would deliver it as he asked — no matter what it was.

Because it was from Riley.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep