Chapter 319 Haunted house


    ??"Well where do we go now princess?" Rio asked as Reba just stood at the entrance not sure which ce to visit first.


    "Wait, I''m thinking." She said ncing around at the crowd of students just enjoying their time, ying games or just sightseeing. Feeling confused over what to try first. She didn''t want to go somewhere which had too much crowd or some annoying idiots who could jump up to pester her or ruin their time together.


    Getting no response, Rio sighed and spoke up. "Come, I''ll show you something fun." He said and started walking in one direction.


    "Wait," Reba said as she followed him too.


    Rio took her to a small shop that was set up on one side of the garden, while rows of few students were already standing there and cheering happily from time to time.


    "What''s this ce?" She asked as they walked through the crowd who gave way seeing their appearance. (Being a high noble and known genius sure had its perks.)


    "A race game. Something like what we used to y when we were children." he said as he bought the tickets and walked inside.


    "The ones you always lost." Reba said jokingly which was also true.


    "Lost willingly, cause you were a sore loser and a crybaby." Rio teased back. "Do you know how many times aunt had to step up and ask me to go easy on you."


    "Lies and excuses, that''s all what you''re saying." She replied in total denial. "And I''ll prove it to you by defeating you today."


    … . (Few minutester)


    "Hehehe I just let you win the first time as a trial, so you wouldn''t cryter on."


    "You just got lucky, I''ll beat you this time." ×2


    "You cheated on that turn by distracting me, let''s y again." ×3


    "My hand slipped, let''s try again." ×4


    "This game''sgging, I clearly turned right on time. Why didn''t my avatar change?" ×5


    "Sigh, it''s too boring, let''s go somewhere else." ×6


    After 6 consecutive losses Reba gave up on her luck and stood up to leave while silently cursing this guy for not even going easy on her once.


    ''Would he die if he lost once, what a show off.'' She said, ring at him as she noticed the students nearby holding theirughs seeing their matches.


    The whole row of shops in that line were just some random small games made by either using illusion magic or tech from the dungeons like video games. Affter trying a few other normal games, Ba got bored and decided to leave, and try something magical. (Or something where she could win.)


    "Come, let''s y that game." Ba said, dragging him to what looked like a casino.


    She always liked betting games, as the high lucky halo of heroine always made her win.


    … (few minutester)


    "Hahaha you loser, do you need my help to win. Why don''t you ask nicely, and this generous princess would show some pity." Ba said whileughing at Rio who just sat there with a ck face.


    ''System, if you''re messing around with me, I''ll beat yo ass.'' Rio said to his system, not believing how his luck can be so bad to not guess anything right in like a dozen tries.


    "Come on, don''t be sad, I''ll teach you how to y." Ba said, patting him on the shoulder like coaxing a child.


    "This is definitely rigged, let''s go try something else." Rio said and walked out of that shop faster than eye could see.


    "Let''s go to that ce." Ba said, noticing a shop nearby from where she could see a big banner floating upside.


    [A dreamscape]


    Seeing the new name and feeling curious Rio followed her and went to check the new shop. But as soon as he entered through the open doors, a surprise awaited him as he felt he was pulled into an illusion. A stone monument was ced in the empty zone ahead with rules exining what this was about.


    But seeing that this game was a team match that required ten members to start, they both just got out without waiting.


    "What a sham, they should write it that it''s a team battle game, and more yers are needed." Ba said and left, while Rio just stared at the noticeboard at the side, which they both ignored while entrying.


    "That looks like fun." Ba''s voice came to his ears and Rio followed her gaze and found her pointing at a tent house which said ''horror house'' at the door.


    "You wanna go there?" He asked doubtfully.


    "Of course. Are you scared, big boy?" She teased hearing his hesitation.


    "I''m just worried about you, okay. Don''te crying to me when you see a ghost." Rio said jokingly, pointing at the rule board first this time, which said that this tent had spatial properties of a maze and there might be real ghosts trapped inside too.


    "Come on. I can purify them easily with my magic." Reba replied proudly after reading it.


    "Magic''s not allowed to be used inside." Rio said, pointing at the rule which said no magic so no one can damage anything or hurt anyone.


    "Well, anyway I''m not scared. Even if there are real ghosts, they''re probably just some little roaming spirits who''re harmless." Ba said, excitedly moving forward.


    "Remember, that''s what you said." Rio said and followed her with a mysterious smile lingering on his face.


    … . [Few minutester]


    Phew huhh phew


    "Why the hell did all those damn ghosts swarm us?" Ba said, bent down with her hands resting on her knees as she breathed heavily to calm her racing heart.


    "Maybe they heard you saying you don''t fear them, so they took it personally." Rio said, passing her a bottle of water.


    "You_ you didn''t do anything, did you?" She asked while doubtfully ring at him.


    They had just entered the dark house when all of a sudden dozens of ghosts, real ghosts, ignored everyone else and swarmed onto them. Even the students nearby got a scare of their life with how they always followed and jumped onto them from every corner.


    "Who, me? I didn''t do nothing, swear." Rio said, controlling hisughter while hiding the video recorder that was still on.


    [When H gave you that cloak, she didn''t think you''d use it to lure ghosts in haunted houses and prank girls, host.]


    [And not only to take advantage of girls, but also recording it in video, what a pervy host I have.]


    ''Don''t twist my actions, you idiotic system.'' Rio said to his system, who made him sound so bad.


    I mean he did do those things, but just to scare Ba and record it to tease herter on someday, not to hug her or hold her or anything.


    ..


    "What''s up slowpoke, still cooking up excuses." Reba shouted flying on a Phoenix illusion, while Rio tried to catch her on a flying sword.


    "You''re testing your luck princess, stop hovering above the clouds or you''ll fall down faster when I chop those wings off your birdy." Rio replied.


    "Chop wings, using what? The broom you''re holding," Reba said and burst outughing.


    The game they were ying was simply a game of tag using magical creatures.


    When she rolled the dice itnded on the avatar of a top tier Phoenix, and as for Rio, he got to y the role of a knight in armor flying on a magic broom.


    Knowing he wouldn''t be able to even see the shadow of princess on that low grade magic broom, he just used the loophole and climbed onto the sword he was holding and used it to fly instead.


    Even though the speed didn''t increase, but the image did.


    Flying on brooms is for idiot children and old witches, both personalities not suitable for his handsome appearance.


    "You lost." Ba said, slowing down as the timer on the watch hit zero, and the ethereal form of phoenix disappeared.


    "Yeah yeah whatever." Rio said, walking through the crowd of students.


    "What now? We''ve been roaming around the games for hours." He said, thinking how many years had it been since he spent time so leisurely ying around.


    They''ve been going through the crowd clicking on every shop, checking every game or event nned for this party. Be it gaming, betting, haunted houses, small magicpetition, a fun duel, karaoke and dancing on beats, going through a maze and solving riddles or a treasure hunt. Not to mention the half an hour they wasted just taking various pictures in that one shop down the line.


    - it''s been like this nonstop cycle of walking from here to there excitedly from morning to evening now.


    Though he enjoyed herpany and his time of no worries very much so, it simply wasn''t him.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Something always felt missing, hollow, and he didn''t know how to fix it.


    Acting happy and actually being happy are such a different things.