Texture.
The appraisal began.
A few residents who had been pushed forward to act as judges looked through the items one after another, discussing in low voices as they went. Some nodded with a smile, while others earnestly felt the texture of the fabrics.
When it was Flora’s turn, the older demon race man paused for a moment.
He picked up the woven fabric, looked at the front, and then flipped it over to the back.
Some people nearby couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh—not out of ridicule, but more like good-natured teasing.
“This… how should I put it?” The man thought for a moment, his tone very sincere. “The stitches aren’t very even.”
Anyone could see that.
“The shape is also a bit… free-form.”
A low ripple of laughter spread through the crowd.
Flora didn’t look up; she just listened.
“However,” the man’s tone shifted as he pressed down on the fabric with his finger, “the threads are tied off very securely, so it won’t easily unravel. It feels quite comfortable to the touch as well.”
Another judge beside him nodded.
“The colors were chosen well. They aren’t harsh on the eyes.”
“And look,” someone added, “she didn’t undo any stitches to start over. She finished the whole thing in one go.”
“What does that mean?” The older man smiled. “It means her heart is very steady.”
When those words fell, the surroundings went quiet for a moment.
Then, someone began to clap.
It wasn’t very loud, but it was rhythmic. Soon, the applause joined together into a wave.
Flora looked up, a bit surprised.
She met several gazes. In those eyes was sincere recognition, even a hint of gentle admiration.
She was dazed for a moment before she slowly stood up and gave a small bow.
Naturally, she didn’t use the etiquette of a princess; she simply gave a very ordinary response to the appraisal.
As she stepped down, she was still a bit out of it.
“Hey.”
A voice came from the side.
Flora turned her head and saw a girl about her age holding a small woven doll. The stitches were clearly much more skillful, and the finished product was far more delicate.
“Is this your first time?” the girl asked with a smile.
“…Yes,” Flora nodded.
“I can tell,” the other party said bluntly, “but you were very serious about your weaving.”
She thought for a moment and added, “With these kinds of things, sincerity itself is very valuable.”
Flora was slightly stunned.
The girl reached out her hand, wanting to shake Flora’s. “I actually quite liked that cushion from earlier.”
Flora hesitated for a split second before reaching out to shake her hand.
“If they hold this kind of competition again, you should come back,” the girl said with a bright smile. “It’ll definitely be better then than it is now.”
Flora nodded.
Flora walked back to Lena’s side.
“It’s finally over.” Flora stretched her arms.
“Hehe, what Your Highness wove was actually quite pretty,” Lena whispered into Flora’s ear.
“You still habitually praise me. It wasn’t that good.”
“Really, I truly think it was quite pretty, Your Highness.”
The sky gradually darkened, and the streets of White Stone City took on a different appearance with the arrival of the night.
The flow of people was no longer crowded, but it remained lively. On the brightly lit streets, the sounds of walking, shouting vendors, and idle chatter rose and fell.
Their dinner wasn’t complicated. They sat for a while in a small shop by the river and ate stew and flatbread.
The food tasted home-cooked, nothing special, but it was steaming hot and made one feel very grounded. People came and went in the shop, and the owner was so busy he almost couldn’t stop, only giving a hurried nod when serving the food.
Flora didn’t eat quickly, but she ate more than usual.
By the time they stepped out of the shop, night had completely fallen. The lights on both sides of the street made the walls built of white stone look much softer.
Across the river, someone had released a few small floating lanterns that drifted slowly along the water’s surface, their reflections stretched long.
“Do you want to wander around for a bit longer?” Lena asked.
Flora nodded.
They had no destination; they simply followed the crowd. Some people were selling hot drinks, while others pushed carts hawking fried foods, the scents wafting over in waves. Lena bought two strings of roasted fruit and handed one to Flora.
“This one is a bit sweeter,” she said.
Flora took it and took a bite. The fruit was warm and crisp, and the sweetness spread across the tip of her tongue. She gave a soft hum of approval.
The crowd gradually thinned out. They walked to the section of the road by the river where the stone railing wasn’t high, allowing them to see the reflection of the lights on the water.
The evening breeze blew past, carrying a bit of a chill, but it felt very comfortable.
After walking for a while, Lena suddenly slowed down.
She didn’t speak immediately, but just looked down and kicked a small pebble by her feet. Flora noticed and slowed her pace to keep in step with her.
“Your Highness,” Lena spoke, her voice lower than usual. “Can I… say something?”
“Of course you can,” Flora answered naturally.
Lena took two more steps, as if organizing her words.
“Actually, at the very beginning… I was quite nervous,” she finally said.
Flora glanced at her from the corner of her eye but didn’t interrupt.
“When I first heard that the Princess was coming back,” Lena smiled, looking a bit embarrassed, “the people in the castle would discuss it privately. I thought to myself back then, ‘Oh no, Her Highness is definitely going to be a very serious, difficult person to get along with.'”
She raised her hand and gestured. “The kind where if you say one wrong word, it’ll be remembered forever.”
Flora was slightly stunned.
“I even wondered if I should just transfer to another place,” Lena continued. “Even though I really wanted to stay in the castle, but… you know.”
She paused and added, “I didn’t mean any disrespect; I was just… afraid.”
Flora didn’t speak; she listened quietly to Lena’s story.
Lena leaned against the stone railing, supporting herself with her hands behind her.
“Later, when I actually met you for the first time, I was actually even more nervous,” Lena said softly. “Because it was different from what I imagined. You were too quiet, and also too… serious.”
“That kind of seriousness made me not know how to handle it.”
The night wind blew, the river surface swayed gently, and Lena’s hair drifted with the breeze.
“But slowly, I discovered that you are actually very gentle,” Lena said, her tone becoming more relaxed. “You listen earnestly when others speak, and you don’t dismiss people lightly. Even when you don’t speak, you aren’t looking down on anyone.”
She smiled and turned to look at Flora.
That smile was bright and warm, carrying the most sincere feelings of a person.
“I really didn’t expect that I’d be able to become like this with you.”
Flora moved her gaze away slightly.
“Like this… like what?” she asked.
“Friends,” Lena answered quickly.
The word was spoken clearly.
“Being able to go shopping together, eat snacks together, and go back to my hometown together.” Lena’s voice carried a hint of joy she couldn’t hide. “Like right now, taking a walk at night and talking about all sorts of random things.”
She took a breath.
“I didn’t actually have many friends growing up,” she said. “My family was busy, and people in the city come and go. I knew many, but there were very few I could truly talk to.”
“It was even more so after I entered the castle.” She shrugged. “Everyone has their boundaries, and everyone has their own position. You know that feeling, right? There are relationships, but none of them are close.”
Flora nodded.
Of course she knew.
“So…” Lena turned to look at the river, then turned back to look at Flora, “being able to meet you, I was actually very surprised and very happy, so I treasure it very much.”
She said this very softly, but very seriously.
“Not because you are the Princess,” she added. “But because it’s you.”
Flora was silent for a while.
She looked at a small lamp drifting on the river; the light slowly moved away and finally blended into the night.
“I didn’t expect it either,” she said, her voice also low. “Being able to meet you.”
Lena turned her head.
“When I’m with you… I feel very at ease.”
She paused for a moment, as if confirming her own feelings.
“That is very rare for me.”
“In the castle, aside from Mother, only you care about me. Truly care about me.”
Lena’s eyes lit up.
“That’s good,” she laughed. “That is truly wonderful.”
They walked together for a while longer. Neither of them spoke again, but it didn’t feel awkward.
The night was gentle, and the lights were quiet. From the other end of the street came the faint sound of laughter and music; the festival was still continuing.
Flora looked at the river again.
Two floating lanterns drifted side by side, their lights overlapping.
Slowly, they drifted into the distance.
Thank you.