What Cartethyia received was starfish-shaped. She carefully scooped it up with a spoon and placed it into her mouth. Her eyes immediately narrowed in bliss. "So sweet... so smooth..."
Rover tasted his and nodded in approval. "The texture is very unique. It's sweet and refreshing, but not overly cloying."
The Shorekeeper savored hers meticulously, providing a far more professional evaluation regarding the ingredients and crafting techniques. "They used a gel extracted and refined from seaweed. This natural sweetness comes from one of its secretions. The maker needs to be incredibly careful during the process, otherwise, its texture will be ruined."
Throughout this entire process, the masked Rover remained the absolute center of the crowd's attention.
The meticulous way he took care of his three female companions, the indescribable unspoken understanding between him and The Shorekeeper, and the extraordinary bearing that even a mask couldn't fully conceal—all of these drove the curiosity of the people at the celebration to its absolute peak.
"Who exactly is he? Just looking at his demeanor, he's definitely not an ordinary person."
"To think Lady Shorekeeper would actually stroll around eating and drinking with someone like this... I've truly lived long enough to see everything."
"Look at how close Miss Camellya is to him... Could he be some important figure we don't know about?"
"Could it be... that legendary person...?"
An older Floramancer, recalling certain internal organizational documents he had seen, couldn't help but mutter a guess. However, he was immediately silenced by a sharp look from his companion, not daring to utter another word.
These whispers occasionally drifted into the group's ears.
Camellya, however, listened with keen interest. She would even occasionally shoot an approving glance at the people guessing her relationship with Rover.
Cartethyia felt a bit nervous, subconsciously stepping a little closer to Rover.
The Shorekeeper remained as placid as ever, acting as if she hadn't heard a single thing, simply following closely by Rover's side.
As for Rover himself, his expression beneath the mask remained unknown to anyone. All that could be seen were the slightly upturned corners of his lips and those golden eyes that remained calm and gentle from beginning to end.
The culinary tour finally came to an end. Camellya satisfiedly patted her completely flat stomach and sighed, "Ah... I'm so full! Now I have the energy to dance again!"
As if responding directly to her, the band in the central plaza of the celebration coincidentally switched tracks. A cheerful melody with a much stronger rhythm than before echoed across the venue, seemingly inviting the young people to step onto the floor and dance together.
"This one is perfect!" Camellya's gray eyes instantly lit up. She grabbed Rover's wrist, pulling with enough force to practically yank him right out of his seat.
"Break time is over, my Lord Leader! It's time to dance!"
The cheerful dance music was like a stone tossed into a calm lake, instantly sending ripples of enthusiasm across the celebration venue.
Unable to hold back any longer, Camellya dragged Rover by the hand, practically skipping as she rushed into the center of the dance floor. This instantly made the two of them the focal point of the entire venue.
"Come on! Let me see if you learned anything else in Rinascita besides fighting!"
Camellya's smile was radiant and laced with a challenging edge. She took a step back, rested one hand on her hip, and raised her other hand toward Rover, waiting for his response.
The surrounding crowd automatically cleared a space for them. The eyes of the entire venue focused on this striking pair—an incredibly energetic young Floramancer and a mysterious masked man.
The corners of Rover's lips curled up beneath the mask. He didn't move immediately. Instead, he first turned slightly sideways and spoke in a low voice to Cartethyia, who had followed them to the edge of the dance floor. "Wait here for just a moment."
Only then did he turn toward Camellya. He gracefully bowed, executing a flawless, standard invitation to dance. Then, he took a step forward, grasped her hand, and gently rested his other hand on her soft, impossibly flexible waist.
The music grew increasingly passionate.
Camellya's dance steps were exactly like her personality: fiery, uninhibited, and entirely fueled by improvised inspiration.
She didn't follow traditional steps. Instead, it was more like a free-spirited frolic. At times, she spun around Rover, her red-and-white skirt flaring out like a blooming flower. At other times, she pressed close to him, attempting to use her gaze and body language to dictate the rhythm, fighting him for dominance over the dance.
Rover, however, displayed astonishing adaptability.
He seemed able to predict every single one of Camellya's improvised spins and steps. He always managed to catch and guide her flawlessly—never allowing himself to be completely controlled by her, yet perfectly matching her fiery passion. Together, they turned the dance into a spectacular performance of absolute synchronization.
Their silhouettes crisscrossed and spun beneath the dazzling, vibrant lights, drawing continuous applause and cheers from the surrounding crowd.
Cartethyia stood at the edge of the floor, staring unblinking. Her icy blue eyes reflected the two joyously dancing figures, filled with envy and a faint, unrecognized yearning.
Her hands unconsciously raised slightly, as if attempting to mimic the dance steps.
As the song came to an end, Camellya was slightly out of breath. Wearing a post-exercise flush and a thoroughly unsatisfied smile, she patted Rover on the shoulder. "Not bad at all!"
Saying that, she stood on tiptoes and leaned close to Rover's ear, whispering in a voice only the two of them could hear. "I'll let you pass. Go find your little blonde knight. She looks like she's been waiting forever."
Rover smiled, offering no further words. He gently released Camellya's hand, turned around, and walked over to Cartethyia.
Right on cue, the music switched, transitioning into a soothing, beautiful melody.
"I told you before that I would teach you that dance from the carnival."
He made that same inviting gesture toward the slightly startled Cartethyia. "So, would you do me the honor of sharing a dance with me, Miss Knight?"
Cartethyia's face instantly turned bright red. Feeling the countless gazes directed at them from all sides, she was so nervous she was practically wringing her fingers together. "I... I only know how to swing a sword. I don't really know how to dance..."
"It's fine," Rover's voice transmitted through the mask, carrying a reassuring gentleness. "It's very simple. Just follow my lead. Trust me."
His gaze was calm and brimming with encouragement. Cartethyia took a deep breath, as if making a monumental decision, and finally placed her slightly trembling hand into his palm.
At first, she was as stiff as a marionette, practically moving the same arm and leg simultaneously. She kept her head bowed, too terrified to look anyone in the eye. Every time she accidentally stepped on Rover's foot, she would frantically apologize like a frightened little animal.
"Relax, Cartethyia." Rover was incredibly patient. His guidance was firm yet gentle, his low voice whispering the rhythm into her ear. "Head up, just look at me... Yes, just like that. Take this step. Very good..."
Under his steady guidance, Cartethyia gradually began to relax. Her physical coordination and learning ability as a knight finally started to show.
Her footwork transitioned from clumsy to fluid. She even began to perceive the beat of the music, following his gentle force to execute turns and spins.
The nervousness vanished from her face, replaced by absolute focus and a smile laced with pleasant surprise.
When she finally dared to lift her head and meet Rover's approving gaze, her smile grew even more radiant, her icy blue eyes sparkling with an unprecedented brilliance.
In this moment, she was no longer the Holy Maiden of the Convent burdened by a heavy past. She was simply a young knight girl who had learned a new dance at a festival, twirling joyously with the person she admired most.
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