Sincerity

"Amber... what should I... do?"

Faced with the stirrings in her heart, Lia finally understood that she had unknowingly developed some unusual feelings for Galan.

Even if it's not what they call liking... I might have already developed a little dependence on this person.

Otherwise, why would she be so resistant to Galan taking on a new apprentice and devoting more of her time to Amber?

"So you're admitting that you still care about him to some extent, right?"

Seeing that Lia ultimately did not deny it, Amber somehow felt a little more at ease.

Even though this has nothing to do with him, I still inexplicably feel these emotions.

"Hmm... it might be a bit too late to buy a gift now..."

She glanced at the time; many shops on the street had already closed early in preparation for the upcoming Winter Festival. Even if she went back now, she figured it would be difficult to find any good gifts.

People who want to prepare gifts for their crushes usually do so several days in advance, and rarely wait until this time.

"What should we do then?"

At this moment, Lia also felt some regret.

If Galan prepares a gift for me, and I don't reciprocate, wouldn't that hurt her feelings?

A few days ago, she would never have had such thoughts, but now she has come to terms with her feelings and is gradually becoming more sensitive to certain things.

Elves may be somewhat oblivious to emotions, but they are not incapable of them.

In fact, the moment Galan first said that he would make Lia understand what "love" meant, she already had a different opinion of the man in front of her.

Perhaps it was from that moment, from when he said that time would not hinder his determination, that I began to develop a vague fondness for him.

How about this?

The two, who were initially at a loss for what to give in return, had their deadlock broken by Amber's startled cry.

"Lia, just do as I say, go back and change your clothes, then tell Galan this..."

"Lia..."

"Lia?"

In a hazy state, Lia heard Galan calling her name, and only then did she belatedly realize that the two of them were dancing to the music coming from the square.

"Are you alright? Why were you spacing out just now, or did you just want to step on my feet?"

Actually, it wasn't just two kicks, but the kicks that went out of control while Lia was distracted were the hardest.

Since the two couldn't get down to the rooftop, they simply started dancing on the spot to the music.

The distant firelight illuminated one side of their faces, half bathed in the intense flames and half melted into the bright moonlight.

Galan's fingers were tightly clasped around Lia's, influencing her movements as well.

Because Lia couldn't dance, Galan had to teach her the moves again and again, which greatly reduced the number of times Galan was stepped on.

"No, I was just thinking about something Amber talked to me about before. I didn't mean to."

She looked up in a slightly flustered manner, only to find Galan smiling at her. Belatedly realizing that she had been tricked, Lia finally understood.

She couldn't help but pout, looking somewhat embarrassed and angry.

"Okay, okay, I won't tease you Amber. What did you two talk about?..."

For some reason, Galan had a feeling that a large part of the reason for Lia's change was due to Amber.

Besides this, he couldn't think of any other external factor that could have caused Lia to change so much in such a short time.

To do this, one must maintain close contact and a good relationship with her, and currently, besides herself, only Amber can do this.

Amber taught me a lot and made me realize many things.

So what is it?

Galan was still a little unaccustomed to Lia's riddles and couldn't figure out what she was trying to say.

"Galan, thank you for the gift..."

Even though it hadn't been opened yet, Lia knew that the other person must have prepared a wonderful gift for her.

Correspondingly, I should also give Galan a generous gift...

She carefully recalled the words Amber had taught her, her lips moving nervously. Just as their steps were gradually becoming synchronized, Lia suddenly lurched forward, as if she had twisted her ankle and was about to fall to the ground.

Seeing this, Galan grabbed Lia's hands and quickly pulled her up.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Lia used this momentum to throw herself directly into Galan's arms.

Seemingly sensing the subtle tension between the two, Galan turned his head slightly to look at Lia in his arms.

What happened?

You prepared a wonderful gift for me, but I didn't prepare anything for you.

"That's not a big deal..."

So I thought... I'd give myself to you as a gift... I wonder if you'd like it?

In the end, it was so difficult to understand each word Lia uttered, especially in this environment. An ordinary person would probably not be able to hear what she was saying at all, and would just think it was a girl's casual murmur.

Galan heard it all, and with his keen hearing, he couldn't possibly have missed a single word Lia had said. That's why he stood there, frozen in place, his mouth slightly open, as if he wanted to say something but hadn't yet. It wasn't until Lia turned her head to look at him again that he reacted.

"Lia"

"Um?"

"I like you."

Without any preamble or buildup, Galan stared intently at Galan before him, as if he were stating something utterly ordinary, yet also as if he were discussing something of paramount importance.

The laughter of young people around the bonfire mingled together, reigniting the lively atmosphere in the square.

The day has come to an end, and the new year has begun. Just as everything undergoes new changes, people look forward to these changes filled with infinite possibilities, hoping that they will lead them to a better future.

The sounds of people celebrating the New Year almost drowned out the fireworks exploding in the night sky, but even amidst the clamor, Galan still heard the faint yet equally firm reply from the girl who had thrown herself against his chest, "Me too."