The Snow Festival was in full swing, and the academy grounds were bustling with activity.

The crisp air carried the scent of roasted chestnuts, sweet chocolate, and spices that burned your tongue.

Everywhere we looked, students were busy enjoying the festival.

Some were gathered around brightly lit stalls, laughing and chatting as they played games.

Others were huddled over steaming cups of hot cocoa, the warm drinks leaving clouds of vapor in the air.

The decorations were simple but magical—twinkling fairy lights wrapped around trees, colorful ribbons strung along the walkways, and snow sculptures carved by the art club scattered all over the campus.

“Junior?” Violet called out to me.

Her voice was soft, but there was a teasing lilt to it as she looked up at me with her purple eyes.

“Are you planning to just stand here all day and admire the scenery, or are you going to show me a good time?”

“Isn’t the man’s duty to decide the places to go on dates?” she added, blinking twice at me.

I laughed at her words.

“Where do you want to go first?” I replied with another question, not minding the annoyed look that she gave me.

“Hmm… Let’s start with something fun. I’m in the mood for a game.” She tapped her chin, pretending to think hard.

I nodded, leading her toward the row of game stalls set up along the main courtyard.

The air buzzed with excitement as students cheered each other on, trying to win prizes ranging from tiny stuffed animals to oversized, ridiculous ones.

“Alright, let’s see what we’ve got here….”

My eyes landed on a “shoot the target” game, where you had to knock down a line of bottles with a toy crossbow.

The biggest prize on display was a massive purple dragon plushie—its soft fabric practically glowing in the sunlight.

Violet noticed it at the same time I did, and I saw the tiniest flicker of interest in her eyes before she quickly hid it.

“You like that one, don’t you?” I teased, nudging her gently. “Is it because it’s purple, just like your hair color and eyes?”

“Me? Like a silly stuffed toy?” She raised an eyebrow, battling her eyelashes as her lips curled into a smirk.

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“You sure?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Very sure.”

“Alright, then I’ll win it for myself.” I grinned, stepping closer to the stall.

The student running the stall handed me the toy crossbow, explaining the rules.

“You’ve got five shots. Knock down all the bottles, and the big prize is yours. And of course, the use of mana isn’t allowed, we have a high-grade mana detector in case anything happens!”

I nodded at these words.

Thankfully, I had quite an experience with crossbows.

As an actor, I needed to use plenty of weapons, depending on the movie I was filming, so I unconsciously learned how to use them.

The bottles were lined up in two neat rows on a wooden platform, and while they didn’t look too hard to hit, I could tell the angles were tricky.

The way the light reflected off the snow made it even harder to aim.

“No pressure, Junior. Just remember, if you fail, this Big Sister will be disappointed with you,” she giggled, hiding her mouth with her hands.

I rolled my eyes at her words, focusing on the first shot…

The string of the crossbow felt taut as I pulled it back, aiming carefully.

Thwack!

The bolt hit its mark, sending the first bottle tumbling to the ground.

A small cheer erupted from the nearby students who had gathered to watch.

“One down,” I said, glancing at Violet with a small smile.

Her expression was calm as always, with the same small smile on her lips.

The second shot was trickier, but I managed to knock down another bottle.

The third and fourth went down just as smoothly, and by this point, the small crowd was fully invested.

Violet, however, stood perfectly still, her arms still crossed, though I noticed her lips twitch as if she was holding back a smile.

The final bottle was the toughest—it was smaller than the others and set slightly further back on the platform.

I closed my left eye and started adjusting my aim. The world seemed to quiet for a moment as I released the bolt, watching it fly through the air.

Clink.

The bottle tipped, wobbled, and finally fell to the ground.

The crowd burst into cheers upon witnessing that I was the first student to actually get down all five bottles.

“Phew~”

I let out a relieved breath.

This seemed more intense than one of the battles I had recently.

The student running the stall handed me the giant purple dragon, which I took at, and then looked at Violet for a moment.

“Well? Still think it’s silly?” I said, holding out to her.

She rolled her eyes, but I could see the corners of her mouth lift into a smile.

“Just take it already, my arms are getting tired…” I said so, letting out a small sigh.

Violet hesitated, her gaze switching between me and the plushie.

For a moment, she looked almost shy—something I wasn’t used to seeing from her. But then she took it, cradling it in her arms as if it were the most precious thing in the world.

“…Thank you,” she said softly.

“Just doing my duty as your date.”

We moved on to other stalls, trying out many different games.

At one, we threw rings onto bottles, and though Violet claimed she had no interest in “childish games,” she ended up winning a small, fluffy bunny plushie after a few tries.

At another, we tried fishing for little plastic ducks in a tub of water, and her competitive streak came out in full force when she beat my score by one duck.

The games were fun, but soon, the smell of food caught our attention.

We wandered toward the rows of food stalls, where students were serving everything from sweet crepes to savory dumplings.

“What are you in the mood for?” I asked as we stopped in front of a stall selling skewers of grilled meat and vegetables.

Violet glanced around, her eyes scanning the options.

“Hmm… Let’s start with this. It smells amazing.”

We ordered a couple of skewers, and the student behind the counter handed them to us with a cheerful smile.

The meat was perfectly grilled, juicy, and tender, with just the right amount of seasoning.

As we ate, Violet seemed to relax even more, the usual sharpness in her eyes softening as she enjoyed the food.

“This is really good,” she admitted, taking another bite.

“Mhm…” I nodded in agreement.

The students from the Food Club really made excellent grilled meat.

After we finished eating, we headed further into the center of the festival.

The sounds of laughter, music, and the occasional pop of a firework filled the air.

Violet was still carrying the giant purple dragon I’d won for her, holding it close like it was her prized possession.

“So,” I said, glancing at her as we strolled along the snow-dusted pathway, “where to next? I feel like we’ve barely seen the surface of this festival.”

She looked around for a moment before her eyes caught on a group of students gathered around a stage.

“What’s going on over there?”

We walked closer to the commotion, and it turned out to be a talent show.

Students were taking turns performing everything from singing and dancing to magic tricks.

One student conjured a flurry of glowing snowflakes, making the children present in the crowd smile widely.

Another played a soulful tune on a violin, their music echoing beautifully in the crisp air.

“They’re really putting their hearts into it, aren’t they?” Violet watched with interest, a small smile appearing on her lips.

I nodded.

“It’s not every day they get to show off like this. It’s kind of nice, seeing everyone come together like this.”

Normally, everyone would try to fight against each other.

Since I arrived at this academy, there has been at least a single fight every single day. The funny thing is that it would always be different students.

For a while, we stood there, enjoying the performances.

The snowflakes falling gently around us only added to the magic of the moment.

When one student finished their act with a dramatic bow, Violet leaned over slightly and whispered in a teasing voice to me.

“You should go up there.”

I was taken aback by her words.

“Go up there? What, do you think I should start juggling or something? What would I even do?” I replied black, crossing my arms.

Violet’s smirk widened.

“Surprise me.”

Hearing her words, I wanted to deny, but…

Looking at the children, smiling very widely, and the happy crowd in front of the small stage made me feel quite nostalgic.

As an actor, I started in smaller places, like comedy shows and things like that until I finally joined the big industries.

So, seeing this, really brought back memories…

‘…It’s worth a try, isn’t it?’

Looking at Violet, I smiled, tilting my head.

“Sure, wait here.”

Violet blinked, looking a little surprised that I agreed so quickly, but she didn’t say anything.

I handed her my half-finished skewer of grilled meat, which she took without protest, and even took a bite of it.

Then, I made my way through the small crowd, approaching the host of the talent show—a cheerful girl wearing a Santa hat—who looked at me curiously as I approached.

“Hey,” I said, gesturing toward the corner of the stage, where a battered acoustic guitar rested on a stand.

“Mind if I borrow that for a quick performance?”

Her eyes lit up at my words.

It seemed like she recognized me.

“Of course! Go ahead. The stage is all yours.”

I picked up the guitar, running my fingers over its strings to test its tuning.

It wasn’t perfect, but it would do.

The crowd quieted a little as I stepped onto the stage, the creak of the wooden planks under my boots cutting through the air.

I could feel dozens of eyes on me—some curious, some expectant.

A soft murmur rippled through the crowd, but I didn’t let it bother me.

I pulled the strap of the guitar over my shoulder and adjusted the mic stand, tapping the mic gently to check the sound.

“Hey, everyone,” I smiled at the public.

“I’m not really part of the talent show lineup, so I hope you don’t mind if I crash the party for a minute.”

That got a few chuckles from the audience, easing the tension.

I glanced toward the back of the crowd, where Violet stood.

Even from this distance, I could see her watching me closely, the giant purple dragon still clutched in her arms.

“This song’s not anything fancy,” I continued, fingers brushing over the guitar strings.

“But it’s for someone who’s been making this festival… interesting.”

A few “oohs” and teasing whistles rose from the crowd, but I ignored them.

My fingers began strumming the guitar, a simple, soft melody filling the air. The sound was warm, like the crackle of a fire on a cold winter night.

And then I started to sing.

“♪~There’s this beautiful girl…”

The sound of my voice blended with the guitar in a way that felt natural.

The notes were smooth but rough around the edges, like the soft crunch of footsteps in snow.

The music itself was simple, gentle, a little melancholic, but warm all the same.

I could feel the crowd quieting down as they listened.

“Does she know the way she shines? In the snow, in these purple skies~♪?”

Between the chorus of the song, I glanced at Violet for a moment.

She wasn’t looking directly at me, but I could see her posture had softened, her usual slyness was replaced with something else.

Her grip on the purple dragon had tightened as if she were holding onto something she didn’t want to let go of.

Then, I finally reached the final verses.

“She holds a purple dragon in her arms~♪, but it’s her who casts the charm. She’ll roll her eyes, she’ll walk away, but I’d chase her down any day now.”

Thus, I repeated the chorus…

“Does she know the way she shines, in the snow, in these purple skies? Does she see how her light’s my guide, Through the cold, through the night…?”

The last note lingered for a moment, fading into the stillness.

For a heartbeat, the crowd was silent, as if they were letting the song settle.

Clap!

And then the applause started—first a few claps, then a wave of cheers that filled the air.

“Woo! Go get her!” someone shouted from the back, making the crowd laugh.

I gave a small bow, slinging the guitar off my shoulder and setting it back on its stand.

It’s been a while since I’ve sung a song, but that should be satisfactory enough, no?

The applause followed me as I made my way back to Violet. Her cheeks were dusted with a faint pink blush, causing me to smile wryly.

“So? Did you like it? Did it surprise you?”

For a moment, she just stared at me, her eyes searching mine. Then, slowly, a grin spread across her lips, one that was softer and more genuine than I’d seen all day.

“I loved it,” she said simply.

I raised an eyebrow, pretending to look surprised.

“Oh, really? Even though it was about a silly girl who clutches a purple dragon like it’s her life’s purpose?”

She narrowed her eyes at me, though the smile didn’t leave her face.

“Careful, Junior. You’re not as funny as you think.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” I teased her.

“The crowd seemed to like me.”

“They have low standards,” she shot back, but the blush on her cheeks gave her away.

She shifted the purple dragon in her arms, hugging it closer like it was some kind of shield. I ended up chuckling at her actions.

But soon enough, she let out a bright smile.

The purple dragon disappeared from my view as she then, grabbed my right arm and led me away from that place.

“Hehe, not it’s my time to lead this date!” she announced brightly.

She hurriedly brought me along with her.

‘This ain’t so bad.’

‘I just hope nothing ruins this sweet time.’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep