Despite being one of the most developed nations in the realm, the Roseabelles have always held onto their ancient traditions and appreciation for nature that dates back eons.
The bustling streets of Stygia were unlike anything Kaari had ever encountered, and she found herself frozen in place, captivated by the vibrant chaos unfolding before her.
The entire city was draped in colorful spring foliage, celebrating the season of fertility with the decorations stretching from the ground to all the to the rooftops of every home.
"Like what you see?" Lex chimed in with a small yet endearing smile, secretly pleased with his own decision to give the princess a little tour around the city.
"This... This is amazing." She nodded in amazement, her eyes still glued to the stunning decorations the people had arranged for the festival.
"This is barely anything. It gets even more festive once you reach the city hall, that's where all the fun is." He shrugged boastfully before extending his hand out for her to grab onto. "Come on, wouldn't want to lose you in the crowd of Roseabelles, would we?"
"A-Are you sure about this, Lex?" She asked nervously, unsure if she should have let her excitement get the best of her. "I don't want you to get in trouble because of me-"
"Nothing you ask of me is a burden, Kaari." Lex reassured her as he gently took her hand and held it by his side. "Besides, I've needed some time to rewind too, and I finally get to do that thanks to you."
As they walked further in, small children dressed in outfits reminiscent of spring peonies played freely with their friends, while the adult Roseabelles seemed surprisingly indifferent to those who appeared different from them.
Creatures of all shapes and sizes were enjoying everything the festival had to offer, and Kaari was surprised to find such a peaceful and pleasant atmosphere in a nation she had been told was full of hatred and despair.
Now all the stories she'd heard about the Roseabelles being ruthless and without mercy seemed like nothing but lies told solely to spread fear.
All kinds of enticing aromas filled the air as Kaari glanced around eagerly, her stomach finally acknowledging its own hunger.
The streets were bustling with a variety of stalls, where vendors enthusiastically tried to draw customers to their small, makeshift storefronts, most of which offered delicious street food.
However, she was embarrassed to say anything to Lex, thinking that the royal Roseabelle would see her in a different light if she were to admit that she was starving.
She was often taught as a child to keep quiet about her discomforts as it was a lady's way of being considerate, and those habits still remain a part of her even as an adult.
Unfortunately for Kaari, it didn't take Lex much time to sense something was off with the human, and he quickly began his interrogation as they casually strolled through the stalls.
"Something wrong?" He asked, his face clearly showing concern. "You seem... bothered."
"N-Not at all." Kaari tried to sound confident, but her words accompanied by an awkward smile did very little to ease the Lex's mind. "I was just-"
Her words were abruptly interrupted by her own stomach betraying her, it's rumbling so loud that even the noisy atmosphere wasn't enough to conceal it from the wide-eyed Roseabelle.
"Ah... so thatwas the problem. Wait for me right here, princess." Lex teased with a fond smile before he turned to head over to one of the stalls, dismissing Kaari's efforts to convince him that she was actually fine.
Kaari made sure to not lose sight of Lex as he went through all the stalls, searching for food that Kaari could digest.
And before long, Lex returned, holding a small bag and wearing a mysterious smile.
"Here." His playful whispers tickled her ears as he slipped the bag into her small hands, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "It's a Stygian delicacy, though I don't quite know what it's called."
The smell of warm butter and roasted peanuts filled her senses, making her mouth water. The pastry looked similar to a pancake, but was carefully folded in half, with a sweet filling of corn and roasted peanuts in the middle.
She eagerly took a bite, and Lex watched intently, curious about her reaction.
"It's... delicious." Her eyes sparkled with delight as she dug into the rest of it, completely unaware of Lex heading off to buy some more after he's seen how much she was enjoying it.
Before she even finished the first serving, Lex immediately showed up with several more bags of the same kind, catching her completely off guard.
"I-I can't possibly finish all this!" She exclaimed despite clearly being happy about having more to eat.
"That smile on your face tells me otherwise." He responded warmly, carefully brushing away the bits of pastry from was on the corner of her lips.
"T-Then... would you like some as well?" She asked softly, her cheeks turning pink in response to Lex's affectionate gesture. "It's embarrassing to be the only one enjoying myself."
Lex smiles as he looked at the half-eaten pastry Kaari extended out to him.
"If you insist, princess." He agreed and took a big bite, even though he didn't fancy desserts.
'How could I possibly say no to you?'
=================
As they passed the last of the food vendors, the pair was now inside the bustling heart of the Stygia's main city, where performers and spectators alike ran around to prepare themselves for the spring celebration performances.
Just as they were about to head into the middle of the city square to watch the performance, something at the corner of the street caught Lex's eye.
Clearly intrigued by what he had seen, Lex instructed Kaari to wait right where they were stood while he wandered over to one of the vendors to purchase whatever had piqued his interest.
Just as Lex left Kaari's side, the princess felt something small tug at her cloak.
As she looked down to see what it was, she found a small child gazing up at her with a pair of striking silver eyes, identical to her own.
"Why hello there, little one." Kaari squatted down to greet the child, who looked at her with a fondness Kaari was not used to. "How can I possibly help you?"
The child did not speak, but instead looked at the princess in fascination, before holding her tiny hands out to touch Kaari's long hair.
The child was clearly a Roseabelle, yet she showed no reaction when Kaari revealed her face to her. This was thanks to the magical cloak, that Lex had given her to wear, which made her undetectable to other Roseabelles.
The child continued to play with Kaari's hair until she seemed to have had enough and turned to the bags of pastries that Kaari had been holding onto.
She quietly handed over one of the bags to the child and watched with a large smile as the little girl enjoyed the delicacy.
Her face was covered with peanut crumbs and Kaari couldn't help but laugh at the silly girl before wiping her off.
The little girl flashed a grateful smile before she took hold of Kaari's arms, and with all her might, attempted to guide the princess somewhere.
"Little one?" Kaari called out, silently impressed by the child's strong grip despite barely reaching her knees in height.
'I should probably bring the child back to her parents.'
Kaari, though puzzled, chose to follow the little girl, leaving the premises where Lex had specifically instructed her to stay in.
'I'll just be out of Lex's sight for a minute, I'm sure he wouldn't mind.'