Chapter 55

At that moment, Deatrice felt Lucius’ gaze and turned her head. Lucius naturally turned his head just in time to look at Spurt who was presently saying something with a cheerful voice.

The moment he looked at her with a gentle smile, Spurt smiled, as if having suddenly found her courage and then uttered, “I think we should go up the mountains instead of the lake for today’s outing.”

“Why? Is the sun too hot?”

“Oh, no. I read a book in the library yesterday and it says that there’s a mountain nearby connected to the mountain range of Buhelchios.”

“Buhelchios? The legendary mountain?” Dixie asked.

Spurt blushed shyly.

“Yes. The mountain where fairies like Banplenatos and Enkal existed.”

Lucius gave a passing comment. “You must know a lot about fairies.”

Spurt nodded her head passionately. “I’ve been interested in them since I was young and have always looked for books about them. As a matter of fact, did you notice that sometimes there are patterns left on trees in those mountains?”

“Patterns?”

“Yes! The fairies made it.”

“Then let us go see it.”

Surprisingly, it was Deatrice, not Dixie, who willingly said those words.

Languidly waving her fan with her palms behind her back, Lucius, who had seen Deatrice shoving red berries into her lips, wouldn’t have known any better. She said she agreed because she was bored.

Spurt looked at Dixie and then at Lucius, her eyes twinkling in great joy that her suggestion had been accepted.

She said in a persuasive tone, “I’ve already looked into it before. We would first pass through a forest before we could get to the foot of the mountain. The journey wouldn’t be too difficult. Moreover, if we go there, the wind will be much cooler than that of the lake’s.”

Lucius wanted to refuse, saying that a mountain that had not been fully explored is dangerous, but at the same time, he thought that going boating like this would result in either him having a bad time with Spurt or enduring a suffocating time with Deatrice.

Well, I guess the forest would be a better choice if we’re only going to stay by the outskirts. In any case, I’ve already scouted portions of it yesterday.

Lucius deemed it to be a safe mountain where nothing dangerous would happen. Hence, they entered the forest with his consent.

As soon as they entered and stepped on the shadow of the trees; they could smell the scent of fresh wood, the earthy soil, and the mild grass. Deatrice came first, followed by Dixie, Spurt with Lucius at the rear position. But even then, he was looking at Deatrice’s exposed neck while walking.

It was because her hair was currently tied up where it slowly flowed down and curled by the nape of her neck. He could even notice that the tips of her ears were slightly tinted red.

Lucius clenched and unclenched his fists.

Even though the forest seemed more ordinary than she had expected, Spurt wasn’t disappointed by its appearance. Instead, she shared what she knew about the forest, like what type of fairy it might’ve had in the past and the status of its ecosystem.

However, despite such enthusiastic and vivid explanations, the forest continued to show an unexceptional appearance and the party became increasingly bored.

They seemed to be paying attention to each other on who would want to go back first. Lucius felt a little fidgety and he wished his sister would ask him if he wanted to go back. In this way, it wouldn’t burden either him or Deatrice.

But then, Deatrice, who seemed to be indifferent to anyone, suddenly came forward. “I’ve come all the way here. I still want to find the fairy’s footsteps.”

“Really?” Spurt said with a frown.

“Yes. I heard good luck will be bestowed to those who find it, so I don’t think it’s such a bad idea to go on a reckless treasure hunt like this. As Dixie said, it’s like we’re taken back to our younger days by doing impulsive things.”

She smiled, “Tell me, Miss Spurt, are there any clues to find traces of the fairy?”

“Oh? Oh! Of course!” Spurt sat down and drew a pattern on the floor with a stone. “If you look at a place where the water grass is tangled by the waterside or on a tree with round grass, you might be able to see the traces of the pattern that the fairy left behind.”

Lucius did not understand why Deatrice would go along with such a foolish thing, but soon realized her intentions in the words that followed.

“Then I’ll go to the creek. Dixie, Miss Spurt, and Lucius look for the trail of the tree.”

It was clear that she wanted to be alone and away from others. Lucius immediately opposed.

“No. It’s dangerous, Deatrice.”

But Deatrice did not give up easily. “There’s nothing dangerous. All I have to do is go near the creek.”

“Brother, let her do it her way.” Even Dixie supported her decision.

Lucius thought for a second and spoke. “Then I’ll go with you. The creek is still dangerous, no matter how harmless it may seem.”

“There’s no need to do that. I’ll come back soon enough.” Deatrice, who resolutely refused, immediately left as soon as she finished her words.

Lucius frowned at the feeling of nervousness that persisted in his chest for some reason. It was something that had been going on since he looked at her back as she walked and when he saw her thoughtfully put a red fruit between her lips.

Yes. Maybe she’d rather want to be away from him for a while, and she had all the reasons for it. After all, it was him who had thoughts about sleeping with her.

Lucius concluded that it would be better for him to hurry up and find the trace of this so-called fairy or something just so they could return home faster.

The treasure hunt ensued, along with Miss Spurts soft humming.

Dixie plucked a few flowers and proceeded to walk through the forest while Lucius rummaged through the grass.

He furrowed his eyebrows.