They reached Lark City five days later. After being stuck in a carriage for so long, Ivy Shen was ready to puke—she swore she'd never ride in one again if she could help it.
"Whoa, Adrian, look—it's so lively up ahead!" As soon as she got off the carriage, she spotted two massive stone pillars in the distance, with the words "Lark City" carved right on them!
From afar, she could see the crowds surging inside. Even though they hadn't entered the city yet, all sorts of vendors and hawkers were already shouting and selling their wares, announcing just how bustling this place was.
"Master." Out of nowhere, a man appeared and bowed respectfully to Adrian Night.
"Is everything arranged?"
"Yes, sir. I'll take everyone to rest now." The man finished speaking and led the group forward.
As soon as they entered the city, Ivy Shen was stunned by the scene before her. Wow, it was seriously lively—so many different stalls, and tons of little trinkets she'd never seen before were being sold everywhere. She'd been to a small town recently, but a place this big was a first for her. Well, she had just transmigrated here, after all!
"Whoa, Adrian, there are so many people!" Clara Night clung tightly to Adrian's arm, looking around in awe.
"Careful!" With so many people around, someone running by almost crashed into Ivy Shen—luckily, Lucian Vane blocked them with one hand just in time.
Seeing this, Ivy Shen glanced up at Lucian Vane and finally gave him a rare smile. "Alright, I forgive you."
"Master, please come inside." The man pointed up ahead to the Oriole Song Inn with a flourish.
"Oriole Song Inn," Ivy murmured, squinting at the sign. Oriole, huh? Is that supposed to mean singing? Sure enough, as soon as she said it, a chorus of voices floated out from inside.
Lucian Vane flashed a sly smile. "Adrian Night really gets things done. If you hadn't arranged everything, we might not have found a place to stay." But who could tell if that smile was real gratitude or just another layer of mischief?
Clara Night arched an eyebrow, looking smug. "Of course! My brother's the best at this sort of thing. You see how grand the annual tournament is? People come from all over just to compete. No wonder the inns are packed, and the prices sky-high!"
Lucian just smiled and said nothing more. Still, his mood was surprisingly good, not that he realized it was all thanks to her earlier forgiveness.
"So, how are the rooms set up?" Ivy cut in, not wanting to chat any longer. She was exhausted from the past few days and just wanted a good night's sleep.
"Miss, you and the young lady have your own room. Next door are the Four Songstresses: Summer, Brooke, Wynter, and May."
"Wait, all four of them share one room?" Ivy perked up, curiosity lighting up her face.
"Yes, miss. The inn's so popular, even with reservations made half a year ago, these were the only rooms left." Honestly, if they weren't trying to keep a low profile, Lucian would've cleared out the whole place by now!
"Oh, thanks!" Ivy said, then glanced at Adrian and Lucian. "You two go explore or whatever, I'm off to bed." Not waiting for a reply, she made a beeline for her room.
At night, the full moon rose, bathing the land in a tranquil, silvery mist.
Someone was sleeping soundly in bed, when suddenly something ticklish and tingly brushed her nose—ugh, so annoying! Half-awake, she lifted her hand and swatted at it.
"Lazybones, time to get up!" Suddenly, a soft voice teased at her ear, warm breath tickling her earlobe—so itchy...
"Ugh, who is it?" Ivy grumbled, cracking open her eyes—only to find herself staring into a pair of deep, dark eyes. Thick eyebrows arched rebelliously, long lashes curled just so, and those eyes were as clear as morning dew. His nose was straight and handsome, lips pink as rose petals, curved in a mischievous smile... looking right at her.