Chapter 224: Feeling Set Up?

Chapter 224: Chapter 224: Feeling Set Up?

As the taxi drew closer to the Central District, Elolo’s behavior became increasingly strange... or perhaps, forward?

When she first got in the car, she watched the street scenes outside the window with great interest. After a little while, she leaned on Lloyd’s shoulder. A bit later, perhaps deciding that wasn’t comfortable, she shifted, resting her head on his chest.

Seeing that Lloyd didn’t object, she grew even bolder. She took his arm and wrapped it around her slender waist, looking as if she were snuggling right into his embrace.

Lloyd watched Elolo nuzzle against his chest like a kitten, occasionally looking up to peek at him, then slightly narrowing her unique, mismatched eyes and revealing a sweet, seductive smile.

Considering she had just escaped a terrible family environment, she likely lacked a sense of security and someone to rely on. Her clinginess was probably normal under the circumstances. So, Lloyd didn’t say much about it. He just gave her a simple introduction to the city’s culture and customs, trying to play the part of a proper tour guide.

But Elolo just listened in silence. Unlike a typical tourist, she didn’t ask questions or show any curiosity; she just listened quietly.

Finally, Lloyd couldn’t hold back any longer and asked tentatively,

"Uh... are you not interested in any of this?"

"Hm? Not at all. I love listening to this. Please, keep going."

"But you don’t seem to be reacting at all?"

"That’s because I like listening to you talk more than I like hearing about the city."

Elolo’s beautiful eyes stared straight into Lloyd’s as she answered with unusual frankness.

This, in turn, made Lloyd a little embarrassed. He quickly averted his gaze, not daring to meet hers.

"Hee hee, Lord Uther’s reaction is so cute."

Elolo laughed and burrowed her head back into Lloyd’s chest, hugging his waist tightly as if he were a stuffed doll.

It wasn’t until the taxi finally reached their destination that Elolo reverted to her curious self. She hopped out of the car eagerly, looking all around.

Lloyd quickly paid the fare and followed her.

Elolo skipped along at first, looking at all the interesting new things around her, until she arrived at the foot of a giant white tower.

"Is this... the Saint’s residence?"

She tilted her head way back, carefully studying the magnificent marvel before her, unable to look away.

Lloyd stood beside her, also looking up at the giant tower. He subconsciously reached into his pocket and grasped the Saint Statue there.

The Saint Statue felt like a girl’s slender hand balled into a cute little fist, making it awkward to grip. He could only cup it in his palm and fingers, and the sensation wasn’t as pleasant as before.

But it showed no sign of anger, nor did it push his hand away.

Lloyd looked at it for a while, then tried to describe and embellish it with his literary flair:

So tall! So big! So white!

’Hmm... I guess that’s about it?’

The tower’s exterior was remarkably smooth, with no extra decorations and no visible windows. The entire giant tower seemed to be a work of nature, like a naturally formed pillar reaching to the heavens, exuding an indescribable majesty and sanctity.

Yet it didn’t inspire fear. Instead, Lloyd felt a strange sense of closeness and familiarity.

This was perhaps because the tower’s material and color were almost identical to the white part of the Double Helix Tower, both having a texture like white jade coral.

Lloyd gazed upward like this for two or three minutes until his neck started to ache, and he finally looked away.

Beside him, Elolo was surprisingly still looking up, seeming exceptionally captivated by this place.

On their way here, however, nothing had held her attention for more than three seconds. She had given everything a cursory glance, as if in a hurry to see everything in the city.

Only the Veto Sanctuary was an exception. It made her gaze at it for several minutes without blinking, as if admiring a work of art. It wasn’t until her expression became dazed and lost that Lloyd couldn’t help but shake her shoulder.

Elolo finally snapped out of it, turning to give Lloyd a sweet smile and saying as if nothing had happened,

"It’s so beautiful here."

"Do you want to get a little closer?"

Lloyd pointed to the foot of the giant tower, where a lush green park was laid out.

"No, that’s okay. Let’s go somewhere else."

Elolo shook her head, took Lloyd’s arm again, and then turned to look in another direction.

"I want to ride that!"

She pointed to a Ferris wheel in the distance, at Radiant City’s oldest amusement park.

"Let’s hurry!"

Elolo eagerly pulled Lloyd along, wanting to walk there.

Lloyd could only give a resigned smile and reply,

"That’s still pretty far. Let’s take a cab."

A moment later, the two arrived by taxi at the amusement park, which was actually a bit old and worn.

But it was still crowded. As the first modern amusement park in human history, many tourists came specifically to see it.

Elolo, still impatient, got out of the car first and ran off. By the time Lloyd paid the fare and looked up, she was gone.

’That girl, where did she run off to?’

Lloyd hurriedly searched for her in the chaotic crowd, even activating his Spiritual Vision, but he still couldn’t find her beautiful figure. It was as if she had melted into the flowing river of people.

Lloyd’s heart suddenly tightened, feeling as if it had been brutally hollowed out. His anxiety was plain on his face, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

Then, suddenly, he heard a cute greeting from beside him:

"Ta-da~"

Elolo had popped up out of nowhere, back at his side. She was beaming as she looked at Lloyd’s anxious expression, a bright red, heart-shaped balloon now in her hand.

Lloyd let out a long sigh of relief and asked with a hint of exasperation,

"Where did you run off to?"

"Just over there. A clown was performing."

Elolo casually pointed to a clown juggling colored balls in the plaza, then tugged on the balloon in her hand.

"The clown was very nice. He said I was cute and gave me this."

As she spoke, she noticed that the expression on Lloyd’s face wasn’t very happy, and she quickly asked,

"Oh~ Were you worried when you couldn’t find me?"

Lloyd nodded slightly.

Elolo quickly said in a placating voice,

"I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I made you worry. I’ll give this to you, so don’t be mad, okay?"

With that, she held the heart-shaped balloon in both hands and offered it to Lloyd.

It was as if she were offering him her own heart.

Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Lloyd nodded and reached out to take the balloon’s string.

But Elolo had slyly shortened the long string, wrapping most of it around her hand so that Lloyd had no way to grab it.

He was about to just let it go. It was only a balloon, after all.

But then Elolo took the initiative, placing her small hand in his palm and gripping it tightly.

Then she used her other hand to adjust Lloyd’s fingers, making him hold her hand properly. Tilting her head slightly, she revealed a crafty smile and asked in a soft voice,

"This way, you won’t have to worry about me getting lost, right?"

Lloyd hesitated for half a second before subconsciously tightening his grip on her soft hand.

It was small, soft, and just a little bit cool.

"Let’s go inside! I want to ride the Ferris wheel and the carousel."

And with that, Elolo pulled Lloyd’s hand and headed for the ticket booth.

After waiting in line for a while, the two finally got on the Ferris wheel.

"Wow... So this is what a real Ferris wheel is like. Radiant City is so big and bustling. I wish I could stay here forever."

Elolo knelt on the seat, one hand pressed against the window and the other holding Lloyd’s, looking as if she would never let go.

Lloyd was about to take the opportunity to tell her more about the city, but before he could speak, Elolo asked him a question,

"Lord Uther, will you always stay with me?"

"Well... I’m pretty busy."

Lloyd wasn’t a player or a liar, so he could only answer truthfully.

But Elolo wasn’t disappointed by his answer. She just smiled sweetly and continued,

"That’s okay. I’ll always be with you."

’Huh? Is there a difference?’

Before Lloyd could figure it out, the Ferris wheel ride was over, and Elolo was pulling him to go ride the carousel.

On the way, they happened to pass a "cruel and violent" little game stall—the air rifle doll shoot. Elolo’s attention was immediately captured. Pointing at a cartoon seahorse plushie on the shelf, she said in a wheedling tone,

"Lord Uther, I want that one."

"Ahem!"

Lloyd cleared his throat and gave a confident smile.

"It’s time to show you my mastery of marksmanship."

With that, he handed the stall owner a bill, raised the air rifle, and fired off a three-shot burst. BANG! BANG! BANG!

He missed every shot...

"There must be something wrong with this gun, right?"

Lloyd asked the stall owner.

"Maybe you just haven’t gotten a feel for it yet?"

The stall owner handed him another gun with a smile and took another bill.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Another three shots, and he didn’t even graze the edge of the shelf...

"Uh... it’s tough from this distance."

"It’s alright, sir. Try again. You’ll hit the target soon."

Lloyd felt like he was being hustled. He glanced back and saw Elolo staring at him with her big, hopeful eyes, her face full of expectation.

’There’s no other way... I’ll have to resort to some unsavory cheating.’

So Lloyd secretly slipped the owner a large bill and demanded,

"Give me your best gun!"

The owner nodded with an understanding look.

Then, when Lloyd fired again, the owner secretly pulled a lever under the counter...

The plushie fell to the ground, and Elolo jumped for joy.

"Wow! You hit it! Lord Uther, you’re amazing!"