Riding a tall Horned Dragon Horse, Alice had no interest in admiring the scenery along the street.
She was in a foul mood, and it showed all over her face.
Alice had the sort of childlike personality that made her feelings easy to read from her expression.
Her lips stuck out in an exaggerated pout, and everything about her warned strangers to keep their distance.
Cui Ciyou rode another Horned Dragon Horse beside her, keeping his eyes lowered and his thoughts to himself.
Roxy had gone ahead to join the royal party, leaving just the two of them on this stretch of road.
The silence did not last long.
"Hey!"
Alice's tone was sharp.
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
She turned her head and glared at Cui Ciyou in displeasure.
Cui Ciyou turned to look at her. "What am I supposed to say...?"
In a situation like this, anything he said seemed likely to be wrong.
"Comfort me! You're supposed to comfort me!"
Alice made the demand with perfect confidence, as though failing to notice and soothe her feelings promptly were an unforgivable offense.
Cui Ciyou rubbed his brow, trying to find the right words. "Well... it's not that you're a little dumb. You're just... a little more straightforward." He struggled to choose words that would not set her off.
"You're terrible at comforting people!"
Even more displeased, Alice turned away, leaving Cui Ciyou with a view of her sulky profile and the swing of her ponytail.
Cui Ciyou watched her back and thought for a moment.
He gently squeezed his horse's sides, guiding it closer to hers.
When the two horses were nearly side by side, he suddenly moved. As though he weighed nothing, he sprang lightly from his own saddle and landed steadily behind Alice. His arms reached