NOVPUBHe looked around at the stalls and shops, his gaze falling on a human mask with a white base and gold patterns.
The mask had soft lines and a tranquil expression, with eyebrows and eyes that conveyed a sense of compassion and benevolence toward the world.
He picked up the mask without hesitation.
He usually chose things very quickly, just by going with a feeling, and would find the one that pleased his eyes the most.
After paying, they each put on their masks and blended into the bustling crowd.
At this moment, no one cared about the true identity behind the masks.
They wandered in the night, surrounded by people and demons of all colors and races, indistinguishable from each other.
In the lively center of the celebration, they passed by many tourists, some engaged in eager conversation, others focused on their prize draw tickets.
Many faces were brimming with anticipation, clearly hoping to win big prizes.
"Shall we give it a try?"
Talia’s requests were modest.
She and Lanci had three special fireworks festival prize tickets, and Talia only wanted the third-place prize, a voucher for a late-night snack meal.
"Of course."
Lanci’s voice carried a hint of excitement; he quite enjoyed drawing prizes.
They made their way to a beautifully decorated prize center and handed their tickets to the beaming staff member.
"Good luck to you!"
The person said sincerely.
Lanci and Talia exchanged a glance, holding their breath in unison as they watched the display on the machine in front of them.
What appeared before their eyes was not the third-place prize they wanted, but a consolation prize, a small bag of colorful candies.
The results were the same all three times.
"Truth,"
Lanci sighed softly, with a sense of resignation.
"It’s good, too."
Talia tucked the candies into her pocket.
After a moment’s thought, she sneakily slipped a pack into Lanci’s pocket as well.
Then she opened a bag, lifted her mask slightly, and popped a candy into her mouth, occasionally taking out another to place beside Lanci’s mouth.
Lanci readily accepted.
The fact that Talia was now sharing food with him was something he would have hardly dared to imagine a year ago.
Ascending the steps, the Temple of Love — or as it was called, the Parriet Church, quickly came into view for the two of them.
The floor plan was of a unique elongated horseshoe cross layout, and it was said that the church covered an area of six thousand square meters.
And the most eye-catching feature was the two soaring bell towers on the western facade.
They each stood tall on either side of the church, like two loyal guards protecting the sacred hall. 𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙥𝒖𝒃.𝙘𝙤𝒎
Although it was not their first time there, as Lanci and Talia stepped into the Temple, they still found the church’s size incredible.
Apart from the five longitudinal naves lined up in sequence, the central nave and the narrow side aisles were all bustling with activities.
Moving among them were people of all shapes and colors wearing masks.
It was not until they entered the main hall that the height of the building made the inside seem dim, as if isolated from the noise of the outside world.
Looking up, their gaze followed the arches all the way up towards the vault, where a large Rose Window was quietly set, like a splendid eye observing the masses below.
And below it, music suddenly erupted.
Masks of all hues flickered in and out of the light and shadows, and various faces intermingled under the lamps, indistinguishable from one another.
Everyone was wearing a mask, thus identity, status, and race all became blurred and insignificant at this moment.
But it could be seen that most of the masks were still human.
Today, there seemed to be few of the Demon Race coming to the Temple to join in the festival.
Lanci and Talia simply skirted the center of the main hall, walking along the marble floors toward the statues, hoping to gain blessings through prayer before ending their outing today and going back to practice card making.
Suddenly, a Priest seemed to notice their figures and came forward to stop them.
"The two of you, this is not the traditional time for prayer. To seek blessings in a more sincere way is more likely to receive the gods’ favor."
The Priest offered them a bow and explained.
He lifted an arm and pointed towards the center of the main hall.
And he trusted that the two of them understood what the more sincere way of seeking blessings from the god of love was during special events.
"It’s just that..."
Lanci and Talia looked at each other, their voices tinged with slight difficulty, unable to see the expressions under each other’s masks.
The blessings of the gods already exist for those who believe and are non-existent for those who do not.
"Moreover, if you participate in the masquerade ball, complete it in full, you can get a fireworks festival prize draw ticket."
The priest grinned and pulled out a prize ticket from his sleeve, waving it around.
Talia’s eyes clearly flickered with excitement.
She wanted to draw again.
Not having won a special meal voucher for the festival had left her disappointed.
Though drawing again didn’t necessarily mean she would win, she felt there was hope in the prize ticket the priest had given her.
Or maybe it was just that she had caught the drawing bug.
However, she quickly composed herself.
After all, Lanci probably wouldn’t be willing to indulge her.
"Let’s go dance, as a way to practice our rapport," Lanci suggested with a laugh.
He seemed to have read Talia’s mood.
Extending his hand to her, he struck an inviting pose for a dance.
"..."
Talia looked at him with a trace of surprise and confusion.
Finally,
"Even though I’m a princess, I haven’t danced in a long time, the last time was with my sister," she said, placing her hand in his palm.
"No worries, I’ve never danced with an eight-hundred-year-old princess before, either," Lanci replied.
Talia resisted the urge to throw him over her shoulder.
The two stepped into the dance floor together, blending into the crowd, soon becoming indistinguishable.
The music grew more captivating, and the crowd became increasingly excited.
Laughter, conversation, and whispers intertwined into a noisy chatter.
The Rose Window above changed colors with the passage of time under the refractions of the grand hall’s light, alternating between passionate exuberance and a cool, deep mystery.
Talia, with her Demon Race mask, stood out prominently, occasionally attracting more attention.
"... Just a few days ago, she went berserk, and now there are demons attending the festival as if nothing happened."
"That’s the Demon Race for you, killing a few people is nothing to them."
"Most of the people wearing demon masks today are humans, right? Who would be sick enough to want to live with demons?"
Such murmurs reached her ears.
Or perhaps Talia could sense a similar sentiment.
It caused her rhythm to falter slightly.
Gradually, she began to lose the desire to step on Lanci’s feet.
If only she had chosen a human mask and continued to disguise herself as she usually did in Ichrite, everyone would be content.
She had been at odds with Lanci all day, never letting go of his hand, except now, she wanted to pull hers away.
But Lanci didn’t let go.
"Tata, don’t regret the choices you’ve made," Lanci said as though he understood her thoughts, fixing his gaze on her beautiful golden eyes.
"Whether you wear a mask of the Demon Race or of humans, in my eyes, you are always Tata."
Lanci held Talia’s hand tightly, causing her to look at him in astonishment, with no option but to focus on the man before her.
"..."
Talia didn’t answer him, but the corners of her lips began to curve up slightly beneath her mask.
He couldn’t see, so a small smile wouldn’t matter.
The dance continued.
Even though their movements seemed uncoordinated.
As if the steps were from different eras, one old, the other even older.
Just like the humans and demons of the Poseen Kingdom, there were still difficulties in syncing up.
But despite the stumbling, neither of them was afraid.
Their figures, one human, one demon, gradually started attracting attention.
This so-called "contradictory" harmony was filled with strange possibilities.
It was evident they were having fun.
Supporting each other, they bravely took the next step.
