"This street is quiet, isn't it?"
Vivian walked beside Greg, her tone much gentler than usual:
"I looked up some information before coming to the Imperial Capital. Apparently, this street preserves the Empire's early architectural style. Few tourists know about it, so it's much quieter than the main street."
Although Greg had been here many times, he still nodded and replied casually, "Yeah, it's pretty nice."
His gaze swept discreetly over the intersection ahead as he silently calculated the distance-another two hundred meters or so, and they would reach the meeting point he had arranged with Ellie.
He had to find a way to make Vivian change course before they got there.
He noticed a small roadside stall selling handmade silver jewelry. Rings and bracelets in all sorts of distinctive designs sat on display, gleaming softly in the sunset.
An idea struck him. He stopped, pointed at the stall, and said, "Look at that jewelry. The craftsmanship is pretty fine. Want to take a look?"
Vivian followed his gaze, then shook her head:
"I'm not particularly interested in jewelry. Besides... I'd rather do something more meaningful with you."
Greg's heart gave a sudden jolt.
He had thought she simply saw him as her devoted lapdog, but now... why did it seem as though Vivian was actually pursuing him?
No, no, no. What if I'm just flattering myself, or she's only stringing me along?
Either way, I should calm down first.
Once he had settled his racing heart, he caught up with Vivian again.
Greg made several more attempts to change their route:
"Wow, there's a black cat doing backflips over there! Let's go see!"
"I heard the roast chicken over there is delicious. Want to try some?"
"The alchemical tools in that shop are half price!"
But every single attempt