"Your Highness, the money and carriage are ready."
Miss Yurna walked up to the rooftop and spoke to Luke.
Luke, who had been lounging on a chair and leisurely basking in the sun, sat up when he heard her and stretched comfortably.
He came downstairs.
Lux was reading a novel, Sona was practicing the zither, Annie and Caitlyn were playing five-in-a-row, Navis was reading, while Poppy and Quinn were helping by the carriage.
"I'm heading out for a bit. Are you coming?"
Luke asked.
Hearing this, Lux put down the novel in her hands and asked curiously, "Are you going to that place from yesterday?"
"Yeah."
Luke nodded. "I'm planning to buy it and turn it into a private winery."
Once she heard it was a winery, Lux already lost interest. Although she was of age, she was no longer very enthusiastic about drinking.
The reason was also because she knew she did not have a high alcohol tolerance.
Compared to that, she preferred soda.
But after thinking about it, she still said, "I'm going! We didn't have enough fun shopping yesterday. Today, I'm going to enjoy myself properly!"
The others also nodded one after another.
And so, everyone prepared to set out together.
At that moment, Luke looked toward Jinx, who was still tied to the pillar, bored enough to be dozing off. "Bring her too."
As if sensing something, Jinx's bobbing head suddenly jerked awake. She yawned blankly, then blinked. "Bring what?"
Everyone had to admit that this girl really did have a big heart. Even now, she had not shown the slightest bit of fear.
She even seemed a little too familiar with them.
Since they were bringing her along in the carriage, keeping her tied up no longer meant much, so they untied her.
She happened to sit beside Sona. After recalling the sound from earlier, she said, "That music you were playing just now sounded really nice. I almost fell asleep."
For a moment, Sona could not tell whether that was praise or an insult.
But she still gently nodded and smiled softly.
"When I was little, I especially liked falling asleep to songs. Usually, there were only two people who could lull me to sleep." Jinx spoke to herself, her eyes flickering. "You're the third."
At this point, everyone understood that what she had said before was a compliment.
When Jinx had been dozing off just now, she had indeed dreamed of many things, which was why she was so talkative now.
Listening to Sona play had instantly taken her back many years, to the stretch of time she considered the happiest.
The carriage traveled along the road. For the rest of the journey, Jinx became unusually quiet.
She had seen Piltover's streets and alleys many times before. Right now, she was thinking about where she was being taken.
Soon, the carriage stopped on the same street as yesterday. The street was called Meteor Road, and all kinds of shops were open for business, making it even livelier than it had been last night.
After the carriage stopped, the group split into two.
Lux and the others continued shopping, while Luke brought Jinx, Miss Yurna, and Quinn toward the shop from yesterday.
When they arrived, Lymere was already waiting there.
"It is a pleasure to see you again, Your Highness."
He wore a pair of glasses, and his whole body gave off a refined, cultured air. He did indeed look like a professor from a school.
"Good morning."
Luke gave a simple greeting, then went straight to the point. "I brought the money in one payment. It's in the carriage outside."
"Very well. This is the deed to this shop."
Lymere took a deed from his pocket and handed it to Luke. "Next, I will go to the Piltover courthouse and formally transfer ownership of the deed to you."
Luke nodded. "Then I'll have my maid go with you."
"No problem. I inspected those machines this morning. They should still have at least two years of usable life left."
After Lymere said this, he asked, "Would you like me to explain how to use them?"
"No need."
Luke smiled slightly.
"Very well."
Soon, Lymere got into the carriage outside and headed to the Piltover courthouse with Miss Yurna.
Once the transfer was complete, this shop would officially belong to Luke.
It would not take long anyway. Luke looked around the shop a few times. Lymere had probably cleaned it.
However, one person's strength was limited, so the shop still looked somewhat dirty.
Then Luke also felt that it was a little too empty.
So he turned his head and instructed Quinn, "Go to a nearby furniture store and pick out some large tables and chairs, the kind you'd see in a bar."
"Yes."
Quinn nodded in response and turned to leave.
Then Luke looked toward Jinx, who was yawning with a bored expression. "As for you, get to work."
Jinx asked in confusion, "Doing what?"
"See those windows, walls, floors, and cabinets? Those are all your tasks."
Luke picked up cleaning tools and stuffed them into Jinx's hands. "Before the tables and chairs are delivered, you must clean all of them."
"I'm not…"
Jinx instinctively tried to refuse, but before she could finish, she saw Luke smiling as he took out the frying pan.
She took the cleaning tools and began working without a word.
It was as if she vented all her resentment toward Luke onto the floor. The mop dipped into water, and with vigorous scrubbing sounds, she started mopping hard.
Luke found a chair and sat on it leisurely, beginning to direct the world from above.
"There. Mop that spot cleaner."
"Not a speck of dust."
"Where are you looking? There's a huge black mark right there."
"Use some strength!"
Being ordered around by this guy as if she were a servant, running here and there, the anger in Jinx's heart began building little by little.
Time passed minute by minute.
As the floor was about to be finished, the more Jinx thought about it, the more wrong it felt, and the angrier she became.
Looking at the floor she had mopped until it was unbelievably clean, she finally began to doubt her life.
Jinx, what exactly are you doing?
Did you come all the way to topside just to be ordered around like a donkey?
Did you come here just to endure this guy's smug face?
If it was unbearable, then there was no need to keep bearing it.
Finally, she gripped the mop in her hand, then threw it hard onto the ground and looked at the leisurely Luke. "I've had enough! I'm fighting you!"
"Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang!"
One minute later.
With a large bump on her forehead, Jinx obediently picked up a rag and began wiping the walls.
Damn broken pan.
Damn prince.
Time slowly passed.
As she kept muttering in her heart, Jinx suddenly realized that Luke's attention did not seem to be on her. That guy was lying flat on the bar counter, looking somewhat sleepy.
Her thoughts stirred. Was this not a good opportunity?
Right now, they were the only two people around. She secretly glanced at the open door and felt that the road to freedom was right ahead.
So, while wiping the wall hard, she took advantage of Luke not paying attention and moved toward the door.
As the distance grew closer and closer, she could no longer suppress the impulse in her heart.
She took one last look at Luke, who was still lying in that same place. There was already some distance between them. Jinx's heart settled.
Without hesitation, she sprinted straight out the door.
In the blink of an eye, she crossed through the doorway. Sunlight shone on her face, carrying the scent of freedom.
She looked back and saw that Luke had not caught up.
Jinx grew excited, but she did not get careless. She sprinted at full speed toward a crowded area.
She passed person after person, racing quickly down the street, running farther and farther without looking back.
In fact, she did not dare rest even once along the way. Even though she never saw Luke catch up, she still ran at full speed, continuing for at least ten minutes before finally stopping.
Even for her, she could not help panting now. She was so tired that her chest rose and fell constantly.
Then she stopped in front of a statue.
"I ran this far. That guy… can't possibly… catch up now, right?"
Jinx leaned against the statue, panting. She cautiously looked left and right again, confirming that she did not see Luke.
She could not help letting out a breath of relief, then gave a smug cold laugh. "A mere prince really thought he could keep watch over me? If I want to run, I can run whenever I want."
However, after running continuously for so long, even she felt somewhat thirsty.
"Have a drink. Looks like that took a lot out of you."
Just then, a kind person above her handed over a bottle of water.
"Thanks."
Jinx took it and politely thanked them.
The next second, her whole body suddenly stiffened.
Why did the voice of the person who had just spoken sound a little familiar?
And why had this bottle of water been handed down from above?
She could not help swallowing. Bit by bit, she carefully raised her head.
Then she saw Luke's smiling face, and she was instantly dumbfounded.
At some point, this guy had appeared on top of the statue, and she had not noticed at all.
Luke smiled and asked, "Still running?"
Jinx shook her head. "Not running."
"Then let's go."
Luke landed on the ground and walked back toward the shop.
Jinx followed behind him, took two steps, then refused to accept it and suddenly turned around to sprint away again.
This time, she used her talent for climbing walls. She climbed from the ground up to the roof of a building, then ran across the rooftops from one building to another, pushing herself with all her strength.
Then she turned back and glanced in Luke's direction.
Her eyes immediately widened in shock, as if she had seen something world-shattering.
Luke lightly tapped the tips of his toes against the ground and soared upward from where he stood, his body as light as a swallow. With a single leap, he rose several meters into the air, like a feather without weight.
Then Jinx saw it with her own eyes. One of his feet stepped on the air itself, and he shot up several more meters before landing on the rooftop. It was just like flying. His figure shifted smoothly, graceful and effortless, and in the blink of an eye, he had caught up.
Jinx slowly stopped, still a little dazed.
Had what she just saw been an illusion?
How was this guy flying?
"How did you do that just now?"
She looked at Luke as he walked over and could not help asking.
Luke smiled faintly. "Want to learn?"
Jinx immediately nodded like a woodpecker, her eyes lighting up at once. "I want to learn!"
What answered her was a crisp clang, as the frying pan struck her forehead again.
Luke chuckled. "What reason would I have to teach you? Stop daydreaming and obediently follow me back."
"Oh."
This time, Jinx really did follow him obediently.
After witnessing Luke's movement technique just now, she had fully realized that in front of this guy, she could not run away at all.
However, at this moment, other thoughts began moving in her mind.
She could not help imagining how happy she would be if she learned those moves just now.
Her gaze fixed on Luke's back, and she grew thoughtful.
She had to get those moves from this guy.
And so, after returning to the shop once again, Jinx became much more obedient.
She also worked quite hard. The floor was mopped until it shone brightly, and then she wiped the walls and cabinets.
For a little girl to clean such a large shop, it was still somewhat difficult.
At that moment, someone suddenly came from outside the shop. Her figure was slender, her face delicate and pretty. She had short brown hair and wore a light-colored cloth dress, looking very clean.
"Hello?"
She stood at the door, carrying a basket in her hand, and greeted the inside somewhat softly.
Jinx, who was wiping the wall, had no time to pay attention to her, though she had not intended to pay attention in the first place.
"Hello."
Luke sat up and looked toward the door. "Is something the matter?"
"I came to say hello."
The girl stood at the entrance and explained, "I'm from the shop next door. My name is Orianna Reveck. This shop has been empty for a long time. Today, I suddenly heard sounds coming from here, so I thought I would come say hello."
Hearing this name, Luke's gaze flickered slightly.
Just hearing the name alone might not leave much of an impression.
But in the future, this girl might gain another nickname.
The Lady of Clockwork.
However, that was a matter for the future. At this stage, it seemed she was still merely a very gentle-looking girl.
"I just bought this shop today. If nothing unexpected happens, we'll be neighbors from now on."
Luke smiled.
Orianna looked at him. After seeing his face clearly, she froze slightly, then bowed ninety degrees in a panic. "Your Highness, hello. I hope I haven't disturbed you."
"Of course not. Please come in, Orianna."
Luke did not mind and allowed her to enter.
Orianna hesitated for a moment, but still stepped into the shop. As she walked, she said, "These are some cookies I baked myself. If you don't mind, please accept them."
At this moment, she still had not recovered from the fact that her new neighbor next door was the prince of Demacia.
She had also gone to watch on the day Luke arrived, so naturally, she could recognize him.
"Thank you for your kindness."
Luke took the basket from her hands and saw many delicate, adorable cookies wrapped inside with a layer of pink cloth. He casually picked up one and tossed it into his mouth.
The texture was crisp and sweet, with a hint of chocolate flavor, and he could also taste the distinctive flavor of an oven-baked treat.
Luke smiled. "They're delicious."
Yesterday, he had not paid much attention to the shop next door. It seemed to have closed early.
Orianna did not quite dare look directly at Luke. She still seemed very nervous and kept her head lowered. "As long as you like them."
At this moment, Jinx came over, rudely reached out, took a cookie, and tossed it into her mouth, chewing it with crunching sounds.
She did not have the slightest bit of ladylike manners while eating.
Perhaps feeling that the taste was good, she wanted to reach out and take another one, but just as her hand stretched halfway, Luke slapped it back. Her eyes immediately became resentful.
Luke looked at her. "You haven't finished your work, and you're already eating?"
"Stingy."
Jinx muttered and turned around to keep wiping the wall.
Seeing this, Orianna said, "If it's cookies, I still have plenty at my place. I can bring some more over."
"It's fine. You don't need to worry about her."
Luke waved his hand, glanced at the empty shop, and said, "There's only this one chair. Please sit for now."
Orianna hurriedly waved her hands. "No need. I only came to say hello. If you're doing a big cleaning, I can also come over and help."
It seemed she saw Jinx, a thin and small girl, doing such exhausting work and felt a little sorry for her.
Luke said, "This isn't a big cleaning. It's simply to punish her."
"Huh?"
Orianna was stunned and looked somewhat confused.
"To put it simply, she did something very wrong, and now she's atoning for it."
Luke only gave a rough explanation and did not go into detail.
Seeing this, Orianna did not ask further. She nodded tactfully and said politely, "All right, then I'll head back first, Your Highness. I'm at the prosthetics workshop next door. If you're interested in prosthetics, you're welcome to visit anytime."
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