Chapter 481: First date 2

“Wow… this place sure is huge,” Alice mumbled, eyes wide with quiet awe as she turned her head from side to side, trying to take it all in.

Colorful banners fluttered above the cobblestone streets, and the scent of baked sweets and freshly grilled skewers drifted through the air.

Shopkeepers called out cheerful welcomes, and children ran across the wide paths with balloons in hand.

Even for quite a large city, this street was something else entirely.

“I half expected it to be grand, considering the Grand Duke’s personality,”

Snow said, adjusting the scarf around her neck. Her deep blue eyes calmly scanned the surroundings.

“But I might’ve underestimated him. The architectural consistency, the paved roads, the density of commerce—it’s on a whole other scale. It’s clear the people here are well cared for… though that might also insinuate some political bias in the way this street was developed compared to the rest of the city.”

Her words weren’t laced with judgment—just curiosity and thoughtful observation.

Rose nodded as she took in the bustling atmosphere. “It’s more lively than the areas we passed through earlier. There’s more foot traffic here than anywhere I’ve seen so far.”

She glanced at a nearby street performer juggling five fiery orbs midair while a small crowd clapped.

“Feels like a festival, but it’s just a regular day.”

The entire district had a warmth to it—clean, vibrant, and well-kept. It was clear that the people thrived here.

Liyana placed her hands on her hips, puffing her chest a little with pride, but trying to stay modest—emphasis on trying.

“Hehe~ I appreciate the compliments, sisters,” she said with a giggle. “But really, Papa just got a little carried away while developing this area, especially when he decided to name it after me.”

She smiled with a hint of nostalgia, waving to a few merchants who enthusiastically greeted her as they passed.

“Yes, there were quite a few political issues at first,” she admitted, brushing her hair over her shoulder. “Some of the city council didn’t take it well—especially with how clearly biased the funding was compared to other districts. But… well, when it comes to my father, direct influence tends to settle things. And since commerce had always gravitated toward this area anyway, he simply used that momentum.”

She spun once, lightly skipping backward to face them all with a grin.

“Now it’s considered the heart of the city’s economy. Papa calls it my dowry district~”

A small collective “Ohhh~” escaped from the three girls simultaneously.

Even though large patches of snow still blanketed the streets, the chilled air didn’t seem to hinder the vibrance of Liyana Street at all.

The people moved about with practiced ease, unfazed by the biting cold.

Shopkeepers were busy setting up their displays beneath awnings laced with frost, while couriers darted through narrow alleys delivering goods with urgency in their step.

Guards patrolled in pairs, nodding at familiar faces, and a few merchants stood outside their doors shouting out seasonal discounts.

Riley’s gaze wandered across the animated scenery.

Despite the winter’s firm grip, there was an undeniable warmth in the air—a pulse of life that beat in sync with the laughter of children, the clinking of coins, and the sizzle of food being grilled at a nearby stall.

His eyes paused on a frozen fountain near the plaza.

Its waters, now still and glazed in thick ice, had turned into a quiet resting place for couples.

Two sat bundled up on the edge, leaning into each other with flushed cheeks and quiet smiles.

Riley exhaled softly, letting the chilly air brush past his lips. There was something oddly nostalgic about this street.

He had memories here.

Memories of being dragged around by Liyana during their early days—her sudden whims and unpredictable moods, her bright smile as she clung to him with no warning, and her laughter when she found something that caught her fancy.

Back then, he had been… quieter. Awkward, even. Just going with the flow.

’Now that I think about it… maybe things between us would’ve been different if I had just been a bit more expressive back then,’ he thought idly.

But the moment the memory of that day surfaced—the one where Liyana, for reasons he still barely understood, consumed someone alive in a frenzy of emotion and mana—Riley inwardly flinched.

Right… no, maybe things played out the only way they could have back then.

He wasn’t strong enough then.

Not physically, not mentally.

And Liyana… Liyana was still a mystery even now, but at the time, she had been like a storm wrapped in silk.

Beautiful and dangerous.

The memories that lingered in this place weren’t bad, but they weren’t exactly peaceful either.

Still, he shook his head and pushed those thoughts aside.

They didn’t matter now.

Right now, what mattered most was something else entirely.

He glanced to his side—Snow and Alice were quietly talking about a display of enchanted jewelry at a nearby stand.

Just ahead, Rose studied the architecture with a thoughtful expression, while Liyana pointed out a small café with childlike excitement.

This wasn’t just a date. It was a chance.

A chance for these girls—each to slowly start getting much closer to each other.

’If I can help that happen, even a little, then maybe… this weird, chaotic dynamic between us might start to make some sense.’

A genuine love and care for one another…

It was something Riley truly hoped Liyana would come to develop—not just for him, but for each of the girls beside him.

He turned to look at her.

There she was—beaming as always, her silvery curls bouncing with every step, her eyes gleaming with excitement—but even now, after everything they had shared, Riley couldn’t fully see through her.

There were parts of Liyana he still didn’t understand.

Emotions she hid too well, intentions that seemed clear but weren’t.

And that, more than anything, was what he hoped would change in the future.

Still… even if something went wrong one day, even if the threads between them ever frayed or broke—he swore he won’t abandon her in the slightest……

Quietly he decided to ignore those unpleasant possibilities for now. There was no point in worrying about shadows that hadn’t appeared yet.

For now, having fun was the best medicine.

“So,” Snow broke the brief silence with a soft voice, “where should we go first?”

At her question, Riley snapped back to the moment and smiled. “Let’s get something to eat first,” he said, then turned to the large building a few streets away. “There’s a popular snack shop in that building over there… though I always wondered why it’s built with so many giant windows.”

“That huge boxy one?” Alice asked, squinting at it.

“Yes,” Riley nodded.

“Hehe~ Sister Snow,” Liyana chimed in, stepping closer with a cheeky grin, “that building was actually one of Darling’s little projects~ I believe it’s called a mall, right Darling? It’s basically a huge place that gathers a bunch of different shops, vendors, and brands into one large structure. It made shopping so much more convenient for the people around here.”

“A mall…” Snow repeated the word thoughtfully, eyes fixed on the sleek structure. Her gaze softened with intrigue. “The concept is rather efficient. The Imperial Capital could benefit from such developments… Now that I think about it, I truly dislike traveling by carriage just to visit different shops scattered across the districts. It’s always a hassle.”

“Same here,” Rose agreed. “It feels like half the effort is wasted just on travel. Having it all in one place… it’s smart.”

Riley smiled faintly to himself.

The truth was, he had only suggested the mall concept to the Grand Duke on a whim—born purely out of his selfish desire to make his life easier.

After all, getting dragged around from one shop to another by Liyana every time she wanted to spend a day out had been a painful routine in the past.

So, he thought, why not consolidate everything in one place?

It had been a passing suggestion, something he never expected to become reality… let alone bloom into such a grand structure.

And yet, now here it stood—a thriving centerpiece of Liyana Street, filled with people and commerce, probably the only mall of its kind on the entire continent.

He could only assume that the Grand Duke’s personal affection for his daughter had something to do with it. A mall for Liyana.

Well, whatever the reason, it worked.

Not to mention—it was a concept Riley had brought with him from his previous life, so seeing it come to life here… gave him a strange, quiet satisfaction.

Stepping forward, he gently pulled the girls a little closer to him with both hands, his movements uncharacteristically bold.

The sudden assertiveness caught them off guard.

Snow blinked. Rose stiffened. Alice’s cheeks instantly turned red. Liyana looked up with a surprised pout before giggling softly.

“Now then,” Riley said, his voice calm and composed, “shall we go?”

They all nodded, still flustered by his rare initiative, and so began the start of their very first official date together.

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