Chapter 735: Date with an Emerald Flower

"We have arrived, Young Sir and Young Lady."

The Cab driver said calmly.

The Royal Steam Eclipse Cab slowed to a stop before the entrance to the Light Spot.

Its steam engine gradually settled, and the sound of its movement faded beneath the voices of the students passing nearby.

"Thank you."

Ezra and Selena replied at the same time.

Ezra opened the door and stepped out.

He then turned around and offered Selena his hand, assisting her as she stepped down from the Cab.

A gentle wind brushed against Selena’s face.

She looked ahead at the Light Spot.

The place was filled with various attractions.

Students moved between the different facilities, some walking in groups while others seemed to be enjoying their time with their companions.

The paths leading further inside were busy, but there was still enough room for visitors to move around without getting in one another’s way.

Most of the students Selena could recognize were Second-Years and Third-Years.

A few people passing by slowed down when they noticed the two of them.

Some glanced at Ezra first, while others immediately recognized Selena.

Their eyes lingered for a moment before they continued with whatever they had been doing.

It was not particularly surprising.

Selena Galehart was one of the Flowers of the Kingdom.

Even within the Royal Academy, where students were used to seeing nobles and other prominent figures, her presence was enough to attract attention.

And today, she was not alone.

Ezra stood beside her, dressed in his black and burgundy outfit.

The two of them made a rather noticeable pair.

"There are so many eyes that will be looking at us."

Selena said lightly, looking at Ezra with a simple smile.

She did not appear particularly troubled by the attention.

However, she was aware of the number of people turning their heads in their direction.

"Just focus on what we came here for. The eyes will feel nonexistent."

Ezra replied calmly.

Selena looked at him for a moment.

It was a rather straightforward way of dealing with the situation.

Still, she could understand what he meant.

The two walked forward and approached the gates of the Light Spot.

"Is that how you and Vera handled the gazes?"

Selena asked curiously.

"I guess so."

Ezra replied directly.

His answer was as plain as ever.

Selena gave a small smile but did not pursue the matter.

She followed him through the entrance, and the two soon reached the ticket booth.

"I will pay..."

Selena began, but before she could finish, Ezra raised his hand.

"I will pay for this one, while you pay for our ride home."

Ezra said straightforwardly, pointing towards Selena.

"Oh, okay."

Selena replied, slightly surprised.

She had intended to pay for their entrance fees, but Ezra had already made his suggestion.

It was a simple arrangement, and she saw no reason to argue over it.

After paying their entrance fees, the two entered the Light Spot.

Ezra did not waste time taking Selena to the Domestic Animal Farm.

The farm housed several kinds of animals that could be kept as pets within the Kingdom.

Snowbell Rabbits, White Deer, Snowy Owls, Fury-Cats, and many others could be found there.

The place had been arranged so that visitors could get close to the animals without disturbing them.

Staff members were stationed around the different sections, helping guests and making sure the animals were properly handled.

Some visitors were already gathered around the enclosures.

Others moved between the sections, stopping whenever something caught their attention.

The moment Selena entered, her gaze began moving from one animal to another.

"Waaaa... They’re so cute."

Her emerald eyes sparkled.

A group of baby Snowbell Rabbits were playing around their mother.

Their small bodies moved across the enclosure as they followed one another, occasionally stopping to sniff the ground before hopping towards another spot.

One of them stumbled slightly while trying to catch up with the others.

Selena’s attention immediately settled on them.

Her hand tightened around the emerald closed hand fan she was holding.

Ezra watched the little animals plainly.

He did not show much of a reaction.

Meanwhile, Selena had already moved closer to the enclosure.

Her eyes followed the rabbits as they moved around their mother, and her expression had become noticeably brighter.

The staff handling the farm noticed her excitement.

One of them approached with a pleased expression.

She seemed happy to see a visitor enjoying the animals so much.

"Would Young Lady like to hold one?"

The staff member asked.

Selena turned towards her.

After receiving permission, the staff member helped her pick up one of the baby Snowbell Rabbits.

The little animal rested in her hands.

Its white fur was incredibly soft, and its small body was warm against her palms.

The rabbit moved its nose as it sniffed the air, its long ears shifting slightly.

Selena looked down at it.

"I love you."

She said softly, holding the baby rabbit close.

The staff member smiled at the sight.

A few of the other baby rabbits began moving closer to Selena.

Even their mother approached, bringing herself nearer to the visitor holding one of her young.

Selena’s attention shifted between them.

She gently stroked the rabbit in her arms while watching the others gather nearby.

The staff member then offered her some of their feed so she could feed them as well.

Selena accepted it.

She placed a little of the feed where the rabbits could reach it, and several of them soon moved towards her.

Her attention was completely occupied.

"Aren’t you going to join the fun, Young Sir?"

One of the staff members asked Ezra.

He turned towards the woman.

She was holding a snow-white Fury Cat in her arms.

The animal rested calmly against her, its fur clean and smooth.

"Do you want to pet her? I can show you the Fury Cat section."

She said calmly.

Ezra looked at the Fury Cat.

Then his gaze shifted towards the Snowbell Rabbits Selena was playing with.

He observed them for a moment before looking away gently.

His right hand moved to his chin.

Those animals are undeniably cute.

He thought to himself with a faintly serious expression.

The staff member waited for his response.

However, Ezra remained silent for a brief moment.

His expression did not change, and he continued looking at the animals as though he were considering the offer.

The staff member’s smile became slightly awkward.

Perhaps she had expected him to interest.

"Lead the way, please."

Ezra replied calmly.

The staff member was slightly flustered by his calm face.

She almost took a step back before remembering that she was supposed to guide him.

"Ple... Sir... No... Please, this way, Young Sir."

She said, stumbling over her words.

Ezra followed her.

The staff member adjusted her hold on the Fury Cat and began leading him towards the other section.

Nearby, some of the other staff and guests had noticed the two visitors.

Their eyes moved from Selena to Ezra.

A lot recognized the two without any introduction.

The Gentle Gale and The Silent Architect of Ash.

They are so handsome and beautiful.

And they came together.

What a lucky day to be here.

They all seemed to share the same thought.

Time passed...

Selena continued enjoying the different sections of the Domestic Animal Farm.

After spending some time with the Snowbell Rabbits, she visited several other animals.

By the time she reached the Slivershade section, she had already spent a considerable amount of time moving between the enclosures.

However, something eventually caught her attention.

She had not seen Ezra since she began playing with the Snowbell Rabbits.

At first, she had been too occupied with the animals to pay much attention to where he had gone.

She had assumed he was somewhere nearby, perhaps looking at another section.

But as more time passed, she began to wonder where he had gone.

Selena turned towards the staff member accompanying her.

"Please, where is Mr. Ezra Ashenlocke? We have to be going now."

She asked politely.

"Oh, Mr. Ezra Ashenlocke."

The staff member repeated her words.

She remembered the staff member who had taken the young gentleman away earlier.

After a brief moment, she seemed to recall where he had gone.

"Please follow me, Young Lady. I will take you to him."

She said.

Selena nodded and followed her.

They moved through the farm, passing the different sections until they reached the area where the other staff member had taken Ezra.

Then she heard a familiar voice.

"Ha... That actually tickles."

The voice was soft.

Selena’s steps slowed.

Her emerald eyes widened as she looked ahead.

Ezra was sitting with one of his fingers raised while a Frostpuff tried to lick his hand.

An adult Fury Cat was resting on his lap.

More Fury Cats and Frostpuffs were gathered around him, with some staying close to his legs while others occupied the space nearby.

The staff member who had guided him there was also present.

Ezra’s black eyes remained as plain as ever.

Yet, something about the sight felt different from anything Selena had seen about him before.

He was allowing the animals to gather around him.

One of the Frostpuffs continued trying to lick his finger, and Ezra did not pull his hand away.

The adult Fury Cat on his lap seemed comfortable enough to remain there.

It was a rather unexpected sight.

Selena looked at him for a moment longer.

"I guess we have spent almost an hour?"

Ezra asked.

He already knew Selena was standing in front of him, even without looking in her direction.

His black eyes remained fixed on the animals.

"Yes."

Selena replied softly.

"Alright, let’s move to the next place."

Ezra gently stood up.

The Fury Cat that had been resting on his lap slid down, landing on its feet.

It remained close for a moment before moving away.

Ezra brushed the little strands of fur from his clothes.

He then collected his black long coat from the staff member who had been keeping it for him.

The staff member handed it over, and Ezra put it back on.

Selena watched him finish.

She did not comment on what she had just seen, but the sight of him surrounded by the animals remained in her mind.

Like that...

The two left the Domestic Animal Farm and headed towards the Aquarium Farm.

***

The Aquarium Farm offered a different kind of experience.

Instead of animals moving around on the ground, Selena could see fish of different colours and sizes swimming behind the large viewing glass.

Some moved in groups, while others swam alone.

Their bodies reflected the light as they passed through the water, creating shifting colours across the glass.

Selena watched them as she walked.

The visitors were being guided around the Aquarium in batches.

Ezra and Selena joined one of the groups, following the crowd as they moved from one viewing area to another.

"Did you ever go to the Bird Domestic Farm when you were at Northwick?"

Selena asked.

She walked beside Ezra, occasionally turning her attention towards him before looking back at the fish.

Of course...

The students who had come in groups of friends, as well as some of the couples visiting the Aquarium, could not stop looking at the two of them.

Everyone recognized Selena immediately when they saw her.

Others seemed more interested in Ezra, perhaps because they were curious about the young gentleman accompanying her.

But with the different emotional gazes Ezra could feel around him.

It was clear it was way different from curiosity.

The student’s attention continued to follow the pair as they moved with the crowd.

"I did, and it was a good time."

Ezra replied calmly.

"That’s really nice. I also love that place, but there are even more interesting domestic farms in Northwick that you’d love."

Selena replied with a simple, elegant smile.

She continued looking at the fish as she spoke.

There were many places in Northwick worth visiting, and she seemed happy to bring them up.

From the way she spoke, it was clear that she had a good impression of the domestic farms there.

"Well, I would have, if not for some situations that led me to leaving Northwick suddenly."

Ezra replied dryly.

He remembered how the Ashenlocke Guards under Elder Fredricks had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, telling him to return to the Ashenlocke Estate.

The memory was still somewhat annoying.

He could remember how abruptly everything had happened, leaving him with little choice but to return.

However, Ezra did not dwell on it.

He simply continued walking beside Selena.

As they spent more time in the Aquarium, Selena brought up more conversations about Northwick and the amazing places Ezra should visit.

She mentioned some of the domestic farms he might enjoy, along with other places worth seeing.

Ezra listened and occasionally responded.

At other times, he took the opportunity to teach Selena about the fish they came across.

Whenever they stopped before a viewing glass, he would point out something about the fish swimming inside.

Selena listened while watching them move through the water.

Their conversation continued as they followed the other visitors through the Aquarium.

Another hour passed before they finally left.

***

The two went to buy some snacks.

Selena had decided that she wanted to treat Ezra to ice cream.

They approached the counter, where a server stood ready to take their order.

Selena looked at the available flavours before making her choice.

"I will buy the medium cup size, Vanilla-Strawberry flavour and Lemon-Milky flavour."

Selena said calmly to the server.

"How do you really enjoy lemon flavour, Selena?"

A familiar female voice came from behind Ezra and Selena.