Ellen's departure woke Alice on the other side. Her long golden eyelashes fluttered a few times, and her beautiful heterochromatic eyes slowly opened.
The haziness of just waking up lasted only a moment; when she saw the posture in which she was "imprisoning" Luna Belle, two distinct blushes instantly appeared on her fair cheeks.
"Ah!"
She let out a low cry, quickly releasing her hands and feet as if struck by an electric shock, and her whole body suddenly sprang back, nearly falling off the bed. She scrambled to sit up, quickly straightening the collar of her nightgown and her somewhat messy long golden hair, trying to restore her usual impeccable poise. On the display screen at her waist, emoticons switched rapidly like a revolving lantern, finally settling on a shy (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄).
"G-Good... morning, Belle." Alice's eyes darted around, not daring to meet Luna Belle's gaze. "L-Last night... I slept very comfortably. Thank you for... letting me stay."
Luna Belle was finally liberated; she propped herself up with her somewhat numb body, stretched her aching arms and legs that had been pinned down, and seeing Alice's face so red she looked like she might start smoking, she couldn't help but feel like teasing her. She deliberately rubbed her waist, putting on a pained expression.
"Good morning, Alice. You certainly slept comfortably... but that sleeping posture, I almost thought you were practicing some ancient grappling technique in your dreams."
Alice's face turned even redder, even the tips of her ears tinged with crimson. She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt, the expression on the display screen changing to (つ﹏⊂).
"I-I'm... so sorry!"
Seeing her like this, Luna Belle finally couldn't help but burst into laughter. She reached out and gently patted Alice's shoulder. "Alright, I'm just teasing you. But next time Tineva tells ghost stories, don't force yourself anymore; you're clearly scared to death yet you still want to listen."
Alice looked up, her words not admitting at all that she had been frightened. "I... I wasn't scared! It's just... I maintain a necessary vigilance and research attitude toward supernatural phenomena that disrupt harmony and symmetry!"
Seeing her stubbornness, Luna Belle shook her head with a smile and pulled back the covers to get out of bed. "Alright, alright~ Go wash up quickly. Today is the Harvest Festival, and Cecilia and Katerina have invited us; we can't be late."
Hearing "Harvest Festival," Alice's attention was indeed diverted, and a sparkle returned to her eyes. She nodded vigorously, returning to her usual demeanor. "That's right. For such an important celebration, we must attend with the most proper appearance."
While stretching her still somewhat aching body, Luna Belle walked to the window and gently pulled open the curtains. In an instant, the golden morning sun poured in without reservation, illuminating the entire room. In the distance, the bustling sounds of people and cheerful music could already be faintly heard from the direction of the Central Urban District, filled with festive joy.
A new day, the Harvest Festival, had begun. Luna Belle took a deep breath of the cool, fresh morning air and patted her cheeks.
"Well then... let me properly experience a festival from another world!"
Luna Belle led Alice, Ellen, Tineva, and Falia away from Sixth Street, walking along streets decorated with wheat ears and colored ribbons toward the City Lord's Mansion. As for Grace and Silvana? The two were completely immersed in their world of technology, turning a deaf ear to the festive clamor outside. After Luna Belle's invitation failed, she could only leave these two tech geeks to continue their heated discussion on "Magic Circuit Optimization" and "Earth Element Structural Stability."
The morning light was just right, and the streets were already crowded with people. Vendors were shouting energetically, and the air was thick with the aroma of freshly baked bread, the savory scent of roasted meat, and the cloying sweetness of frosting. Children dressed in new clothes, holding small pinwheels or colorful balloons, darted through the crowd with laughter—a scene of bustling peace and harmony.
Before long, the group arrived at the City Lord's Mansion located in the center of White Thorn City. The grand mansion was also freshly decorated today, with grain ears and maple leaf wreaths representing the harvest hanging at the entrance. Ruoyu, in a neat black-and-white maid uniform, was standing under the porch. Seeing them arrive, she immediately showed a soft smile and stepped forward to greet them.
"Lady Belle, everyone, good morning! Lady Cecilia and President Katerina are already waiting inside." Ruoyu bowed slightly and said in a gentle voice.
"Good morning, Miss Ruoyu!" Luna Belle responded with a smile. "Please lead us in."
Led by Ruoyu, they passed through the corridors and arrived at Cecilia's office. The door was open, and Cecilia could be seen sitting behind a large desk. Hearing the footsteps at the door, she looked up, and a gentle smile immediately appeared in her ice-blue eyes.
"You've arrived." Cecilia put down her quill and stood up. Today, she wore simple light blue casual clothes, lacking some of the City Lord's majesty and adding a bit of the freshness of a girl next door.
To one side of the office, Katerina was leaning lazily against a chair, her fiery red hair draped casually over the backrest. Seeing Luna Belle and the others, she immediately stood up, a brilliant smile blooming on her face. She took a few steps forward and patted Luna Belle's shoulder firmly.
"Yo! Our heroes have arrived! Today is a big day; are you all ready? There will be plenty of fun things and delicious food at the celebration!"
Beside her, Sayu was still in an outfit easy to move in, standing there quietly with her arms crossed. Her violet eyes calmly scanned the group, and she gave a slight nod as a greeting.
"Cecilia... President Katerina, Sayu, good morning." Luna Belle rubbed her shoulder, which was a bit numb from the pat, and greeted them with a smile. Alice gave an elegant bow, Ellen let out a lazy yawn, Tineva hid shyly behind Luna Belle, and Falia maintained a standard knightly posture.
"Cecilia, are there any special arrangements for today?" Luna Belle asked curiously. "You seem quite busy."
Cecilia smiled helplessly and rubbed her brow. "During the Harvest Festival, there are always more matters to attend to than usual. However, Katerina and the people below have handled most things; I just need to do a final confirmation. Later, we..."
Before she could finish, there was a light knock on the office door.
"Come in," Cecilia responded.
A maid pushed open the door and said respectfully, "City Lord, the president of the Lavdon Chamber of Commerce, Madam Franina, has come to visit and says she has an urgent request."