Chapter 374: The Rowdy and Lively Festival
The sun had just begun to dip behind the hills, casting a golden glow over Grafen as laughter echoed through the streets. The Festival of Renewal was in full swing, and everywhere Lyan looked, there were smiles—something he hadn’t seen in abundance for a long time.
Standing beside the ring toss stall, Tesha was on her third attempt, her eyes focused and determined. "Watch me this time, Master! I’m getting it right this time!" she said, her voice brimming with competitive energy.
Lyan stood behind her, arms crossed, a playful smile on his face. "I never doubted you, Tesha. But, you know, if you lose, I think I might have to step in and win you that plush dragon."
Tesha glanced at him, cheeks puffing up indignantly. "No way, Master! I’ll get it myself!" She flung the ring with precision, the crowd around them cheering as it landed perfectly onto the highest scoring peg.
"There!" she declared triumphantly, snatching the plush dragon from the vendor and holding it up. "See, I told you!"
Lyan ruffled her hair affectionately. "I guess you showed me." He turned his head as laughter approached, seeing Ravia and Raine, both carrying arms full of various prizes they’d already won.
"Looks like someone’s on a roll," Ravia teased, nudging Tesha. "How many tries did that take you, hm? Three? Four?"
Tesha shot Ravia a glare but couldn’t hide the smirk on her face. "Doesn’t matter how many tries! It’s the win that counts!"
Raine rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. But I bet you can’t win this game." She pointed to a dart-throwing booth just a few stalls over.
Lyan chuckled, stepping forward and placing his hands on Ravia’s and Raine’s shoulders. "How about we make this interesting? If you win, I’ll buy you dinner from any stall in the festival. But if you lose..." He leaned in, his voice dropping. "You owe me a dance later."
Ravia raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile forming on her lips. "You’re on, Lyan."