"Yay! Wonderful! I got it!"
Amidst the shock of the surrounding crowd, the young man cheered loudly.
He immediately rushed forward to pick up the bracelet, then without hesitation turned and ran to the young woman standing in the crowd to put it on her, finally lifting her up and spinning around in place while cheering.
"How wonderful..."
The lively atmosphere reached its peak at this moment. Standing in the crowd watching this scene, Butterfly took another bite of the rice dumpling in her hand and subconsciously exclaimed.
"Mm."
Her gaze similarly resting on that embracing and cheering young couple, the corner of Mitsuba's mouth hidden behind the mask slightly curved upward.
"Why did little Mitsuba suddenly want to help him?"
Butterfly suddenly asked.
"Because I don't like stories with regrets."
Mitsuba replied honestly.
[Because my own life is already filled with regrets.]
Although Mitsuba didn't say this sentence aloud, Butterfly still understood this layer of meaning.
She was slightly stunned upon hearing this, and her expression subsequently dimmed somewhat.
Just at this moment, several young men suddenly rushed in from outside the crowd, anxiously shouting toward the still-embracing young couple:
"Not good! Kimura, your father's coming!"
"What did you say?!"
"My father told your father about you secretly taking Xiao Xue out to play! He's coming this way right now! And he said this time he'll definitely break your legs!"
"Let's go! We need to leave quickly!"
Hearing this, the young man immediately wanted to carry the young woman in his arms and flee.
And the young woman also seemed very familiar with similar scenarios. She laughed happily and without hesitation jumped onto the man's back, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Just after running two steps, the young man suddenly seemed to remember something. He hurriedly turned back and loudly shouted toward Mitsuba's direction:
"Benefactor! Great kindness needs no words of thanks! My home is in the southern part of the city. Come find me if you need anything in the future!"
After speaking, the man carried the young woman he loved on his back and, under the cover of his good friends, hurriedly fled from here.
"Being young is truly wonderful..."
Waving goodbye to them, Butterfly couldn't help but let out another sigh.
"This kind of pure love that only happens to young men and women—no matter when you see it, it always makes people feel envious..."
"You speak as if you're very old."
"An old woman in her twenties who still hasn't married—how can she not be old..."
Sighing to herself, Butterfly casually handed the rice dumpling in her hand toward Mitsuba behind her.
"Here, have a bite?"
Perhaps also infected by what had just happened, Mitsuba—who was similarly somewhat in high spirits—didn't refuse this time.
She actively lifted the lower half of her mask and took a bite from the skewer of rice dumplings Butterfly offered.
But immediately in the next instant, she suddenly felt an extremely piercing gaze coming from beside her.
Turning her head in confusion to look, Mitsuba was instantly stunned.
It was a young girl in her teens.
Of course, being stared at by a girl was not a big deal.
But the important point was—Mitsuba knew this girl.
Not only did she know her, but the girl was also wearing the clothes of a Tsugikuni family maid.
This is not good...
The atmosphere became somewhat silent for a moment. Mitsuba, being stared at straight by the girl beside her, subconsciously averted her gaze.
"Why... are you staring at me?"
She suddenly remembered that she had indeed given her maids time off earlier, letting them go out and play by themselves...
"I-I'm not looking..."
The girl trembled upon hearing this and hurriedly lowered her head.
Her reaction instead made Mitsuba feel even more uneasy.
"You... recognized me?"
"I didn't recognize you, really..."
Even using honorifics—this clearly meant she had recognized her...
Looking down at the girl who kept shaking her head, Mitsuba lightly sighed and tried to defend herself:
"I previously... didn't mean to deliberately send you all away. I also didn't want to come out and play myself. I was forced, understand?"
The girl nodded desperately upon hearing this.
"Yes, I understand. You didn't mean it, you were forced out by Doctor Butterfly.
Family head, please rest assured, I absolutely won't tell anyone I encountered you here tonight, and absolutely won't reveal that you secretly came out to play with Doctor Butterfly!"
"I'm telling the truth, I really didn't..."
"Yes, family head need not say more, I understand everything!
If anyone asks me, I will tell them that family head is resting in your room right now! I absolutely won't reveal half a word about your matters!"
Looking at the firm-as-iron expression on the girl's face, Mitsuba opened her mouth to speak but stopped, ultimately waving her hand and choosing to give up.
"Alright, as long as you know. Remember to go back and rest early tonight..."
"Yes! I understand! I will definitely protect family head's secret!"
Nodding forcefully, the girl turned around like this and, under the support of some strange sense of conviction, walked away with her head held high.
"Pfft... Hahahahaha!"
It was also at this moment that Butterfly, who had been holding back her laughter, finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"What the heck, little Mitsuba! So the maids around you are all this cute?!"
"You shut up, it's all your fault..."
Contrary to Butterfly who enjoyed the spectacle without fearing trouble, Mitsuba was currently wearing an expression of utter hopelessness.
She had no faith whatsoever in these young girls' ability to keep secrets.
She didn't even dare to imagine how much embellishment her young maids would add to the story of her being secretly taken out to the fireworks festival by Butterfly tonight, and how it would then spread wildly through the servant circles of the entire castle.
Leaving aside the family head's image, if it accidentally reached the ears of those vassals, that would be the truly headache-inducing part...
Looking at Butterfly who didn't care at all about this and was even still laughing heartlessly, Mitsuba completely gave up thinking.
Forget it, she was someone about to die anyway—why care so much about so many things?
As long as those vassals didn't think of doing anything to Butterfly, then let them nag in her ears...
In any case, her current brain couldn't remember what they said anyway.
Thinking of this, Mitsuba suddenly felt her heart become much lighter at once.
As if those things that had been clogging her heart, pulling at her, had been suddenly cleared away...
"Alright, little Mitsuba, don't always think about future matters. Tomorrow's matters will be discussed tomorrow. I brought you out to play tonight..."
"You're right."
Nodding in agreement with Butterfly's words, temporarily giving up thinking and simultaneously letting go of everything, Mitsuba actively stretched out her right hand and unceremoniously said to her:
"So, give me money."
"Huh?"
"I want to play the ring toss too."
Her gaze falling on that butterfly hairpin placed in the corner of the stall, Mitsuba said with a smile.
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