Lyana's fingers tightened their grip on Len's palm, as if she wanted to anchor herself to his presence in the cold night. Amidst the rhythm of their steps along the dusty path, she lifted her face slightly.
"Fine, just let this matter drop now," Lyana said, releasing a soft breath as a trace of unspoken anxiety drifted through her voice. "If Brother wakes up right now, dealing with his anger will be entirely beyond my limits."
A carefree, faint laugh broke across Len's lips, making the heavy silence of the night feel a bit lighter.
"That is simply Eric's nature, Lyana," he said, giving his shoulders a slight shrug. "Scolding, shouting, and losing his temper over every little thing... that's his daily routine. You really don't need to worry so much."
A crooked, mischievous smile surfaced on Lyana's face. She cast a sideward glance at Len's calm face, a sharp, sarcastic undertone blending into her voice. "Oh, yes... I am very well aware of that. You've become completely immune to his scoldings; after all, you are always Brother's primary target.
" She paused her stride for a fraction of a second before continuing, "But I absolutely detest that loud chaos. You don't care in the slightest whether he is screaming or quiet, but because of you, I have to endure his long lectures alongside you."
Len offered no direct reply to her remark.
Instead, he simply quickened his pace, his long strides moving him two steps ahead of Lyana. Without turning back, he tossed his voice through the air, "Then just listen to it... what's new in that? This is just our everyday drama."
As their steps forged ahead, the dusty and desolate path gradually transformed into a well-structured avenue. A magical brilliance began to emerge on the distant horizon.
They had now arrived very close to the boundaries of the city, where blue crystals embedded along both sides of the pathways cast an ethereal, cool radiance even at this late hour. In this azure aura, the entire city appeared hazy and beautiful, like a dream.
Even though midnight had long passed, light still filtered through the windows of houses, and the pulse of life in the streets had not completely faded.
The moment they touched the outer perimeter of the city, Lyana's feet came to a halt. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. Right at that instant, a velvety, white light erupted outward from near her chest.
The divine radiance spun rapidly, forming a shimmering vortex around her entire body. Within that swirling storm of light, Lyana's human silhouette began to contract.
In the blink of an eye, the intense brilliance scattered like a cool spark, and in Lyana's place, a tiny, exquisitely beautiful golden butterfly hovered in the air. A gold-dust shimmer filtered from her delicate wings.
Taking a graceful loop through the air, she flew directly toward Len and perched with immense delicacy upon his right shoulder, as if it were her permanent sanctuary.
As Len stepped onto the main street illuminated by the glowing crystals, the silence broke entirely. The moment the eyes of a few guards, shopkeepers, and late-night folks standing at the entrance of the marketplace fell upon him, a profound look of respect surfaced on their faces.
Whoever looked at him bowed their neck slightly in a sign of respect to greet him. In the eyes of every passing figure, a familiar recognition and deep reverence for Len was vividly apparent.
Len, without slowing his pace, smiled warmly as he acknowledged their greetings. He continued to walk peacefully along the path without any haste, while the golden butterfly on his shoulder remained still, yet continued to radiate her magical glow.
The city, bathed in the azure glow of the crystals, was not merely awake; a simmering wave of festivity cascaded through every corner. Colorful magical lamps floated gently along the edges of the pathways, their shadows dancing upon the stone ground.
Despite the lateness of the hour, the sweet aroma of confections and roasted nuts hung thick in the air.
In this celebratory environment, while the elders were engrossed in their serious conversations, a few young children were determined to seize every single moment of this magical night.
At a corner of the street, where stalls adorned with vibrant toys and shimmering glass marbles were set up, a small cluster of four or five children gathered.
These innocent kids, around seven or eight years old, stood under the watchful eyes of their parents, gazing at the bustling market with wide, curious eyes. Right at that moment, their restless glances pierced through the crowd and locked onto Len as he advanced forward.
The moment they recognized Len's familiar, commanding yet calm figure, a unique brilliance lit up their faces. Forgetting their toys, they spun around on their tiny heels and dashed toward Len with all their might, the rapid 'thud-thud' of their small steps echoing against the crystal cobblestones.
"Len! Will you also come and roam around the festival with us?" asked a mischievous boy who had outrun the others. Standing right in front of Len, he tried to grab the hem of his attire, his eyes widening with eager anticipation.
Len's steps came to a sudden halt. The golden butterfly—Lyana—perched upon his shoulder, narrowed her wings slightly, as if observing this unexpected interruption.
Len did not offer a smiling reply; instead, he narrowed his eyes slightly, bent down a fraction at the knees, and caught the ear of the foremost child between his fingers.
He did not squeeze hard, but with a firm reprimand, he pulled the tiny ear upward. A mock yet effective gravity surfaced on his face, mirroring the demeanor of an older brother or a stern guardian disciplining his wards.
"Where are your parents?" Len demanded, molding his voice into a heavy, scolding tone. His gaze remained fixed on the child's face. "Why are you all roaming around like this all by yourselves at this hour of the night?"
The child, however, was not intimidated in the least by Len's grip or his stern voice; on the contrary, Len's gesture felt like a game to him. Displaying his teeth, he let out a loud chuckle and giggled, "My mommy and daddy are shopping all the way over at that big shop! They are walking so slowly!"
At the boy's ignorance and carefree attitude, Len's brow furrowed even deeper. Releasing the boy's ear, he stood up straight and altered his tone to one of genuine anger.
"Go back to your parents this very instant," Len commanded, his finger pointing toward the distant crowd. "If you drift away from them even for a single moment, you will get so lost in this dense crowd that you will never find your way back. Move along!"
Beholding Len's mock anger-flushed face and the severity in his eyes, the four or five children looked at each other with broad smiles. They knew well enough that Len was only trying to give them a mild scare.
"Alright, alright... we are leaving right now!" the same boy whose ear had been pulled said, letting out a cheerful giggle.
With those words, all four children spun around and bolted with all their strength toward the shop, wide, innocent smiles plastered across their faces. They laughed heartily among themselves even as they ran. At the very back of that fleeing group was a tiny, innocent little girl.
Her small feet stumbled over the stones, but she too kept a smiling, tight grip on the hand of her older brother—the very boy whose ear Len had just disciplined.
Len remained standing there, calm and still. He clasped both his hands firmly behind his back, a posture that gave him the aura of an incredibly relaxed and powerful prince.
Seeing the children running away so carefreely, smiling and giggling despite his scolding, all the mock sternness on his face melted away in an instant. A deeply gentle, warm, and genuine smile bloomed across his lips.
With his hands clasped behind his back, he continued to watch them with an affectionate gaze, smiling until they gradually dissolved entirely into the crowd.
The golden butterfly on his shoulder fluttered her wings once more, as if sensing this softened, regal side of Len.