The sight of the three laughing and holding hands seemed to fan the embers of jealousy smoldering in Valerius's heart. Seeing Cassian and Harrison openly express their admiration and concern for Ethan so blatantly made Valerius increasingly anxious.
Meanwhile, Ethan and his companions continued their cheerful conversation, unaware that two figures were silently following them. Harrison beamed as he bought a skewer of candied fruits and eagerly offered it to Ethan, his voice brimming with enthusiasm:
“Your Highness! The candied fruits here are delicious.”
Cassian glanced at Harrison and shook his head with a chuckle.
“Candied fruits are for children, Harrison. Enjoy them yourself,” he said, before turning to take Ethan's hand, pointing in a different direction.
“Your Highness, there’s a famous lakeside restaurant nearby. I’ll take you there to enjoy it.”
Harrison, unwilling to back down, responded firmly, “That place only serves luxurious dishes. The prince has had plenty of those. I’ll take him to enjoy some of the local street food.”
Cassian raised an eyebrow, his expression full of dissent.
“Street food is unhygienic. It’s not suitable for the prince.”
Neither was willing to yield, and their debate showed no signs of ending. Ethan gently placed a hand on each of their shoulders.
“There’s no need to argue. Today, I just want to stroll around the capital and enjoy the sights. We can worry about food later.”
Then he turned to Harrison, accepting the skewer of candied fruits with a gentle smile.
“I do like these. Thank you, General Ryder.”
Standing nearby, Valerius observed the scene, turning to Elias with a tone of disdain.
“Neither acting like officials nor warriors. Truly an embarrassment to Helios.”
Elias chuckled and added, “I never expected those two to have such a charming side.”
As Ethan and his group passed by a steamed bun shop, the delicious aroma wafted out. Harrison quickly pulled Ethan inside.
“Your Highness, this steamed bun shop is famous throughout the capital. You must try it.”
The shop owner, seeing the five distinguished and handsome guests, eagerly welcomed them, arranging seats with great care. Plates of steaming buns were brought out. Harrison, full of enthusiasm, quickly grabbed one, tore off a small piece, and held it up to Ethan's mouth.
“Your Highness, try this.”
Seeing Harrison’s beaming face, Ethan couldn’t bear to refuse and opened his mouth to accept the piece of bun from him. “Thank you, General Ryder.”
Not to be outdone, Cassian grabbed another bun, tore off a piece, and swiftly offered it to Ethan.
“Your Highness, the seafood filling in this one is also very good.”
Ethan reluctantly opened his mouth, accepting the piece of bun from Cassian’s hand, trying to suppress his embarrassment. “Thank you, my lord.”
When both Harrison and Cassian reached for more pieces to offer Ethan, he gently held their hands, stopping them.
“Let’s all enjoy the food together. There’s no need to fuss over me like this.”
Only then did the two cease, though their eyes continued to shoot daggers at each other, openly competing for Ethan's favor.
At a nearby wonton noodle stall, Valerius struggled to suppress the jealousy raging in his heart. Elias, sitting next to him, tried to soothe his mood by offering him a steaming bowl of noodles.
“Your Majesty, after wandering all afternoon, you must be hungry. This noodle shop is renowned throughout the capital. Please enjoy it.”
Valerius accepted the bowl, but his mind wasn’t on eating. His every glance was directed at Ethan, who was surrounded by two rivals openly vying for his affection. At this rate, Ethan was bound to be swayed sooner or later, Valerius worried.
By now, the sky had turned a fiery shade of red as the sun began to set. Harrison continued leading Ethan down a bustling street, lined with shops and crowded with buyers and sellers. They passed a large establishment, its exterior adorned with colorful flowers, with rows of lanterns lighting the pathways. Beautiful women, their faces flawless and adorned with makeup, dressed in elaborate outfits, stood along the entrance, an enchanting sight. Upon seeing the five handsome young men, the women flocked around them, their laughter like tinkling bells.
“Young masters, there’s a wonderful play tonight at Blossom Pavilion. You’ll love it,” they said, their graceful movements drawing the group inside.
The five young men guessed this was a well-known theater troupe in the capital, and these women were the performers. Their hearts were torn between the urge to leave and the curiosity that held them back.
Ethan was unfamiliar with the place, but even Cassian and Harrison were entirely out of their depth. Cassian, raised in a scholarly family, had devoted himself to his studies and, after achieving the top scholar rank, dedicated himself entirely to the court, never knowing the world of entertainment. Harrison, despite being the son of a general, was raised strictly by Zane Ryder, who had never allowed his younger brother to wander freely without supervision.
The ladies were utterly enchanted by Ethan Caelan's ethereal appearance, gathering around him, their voices filled with admiration:
"This gentleman is so handsome!"
"Even more beautiful than a woman!"
One of the ladies touched Ethan's cheek and remarked, "Your skin is so fair, yet you don't even wear powder."
Another lady stepped forward in awe and said, "Your lips are so red."
A third lady touched his slim waist, commenting, "Your figure is so graceful."
One of them deliberately stumbled into Ethan, leaving a lipstick mark on his collar, which made Ethan extremely flustered as he struggled to avoid them. Seeing this, Harrison Ryder tried to intervene, pulling the ladies away:
"Please, ladies, show some respect."
Cassian Lightwood handed a silver ingot to a lady who seemed to hold some authority:
"Give us the best seats."
The lady, after accepting the silver ingot, signaled the other girls to head outside to continue welcoming guests. The ladies quickly dispersed, making way. The five of them were then led to a large room, where a spacious table with five seats was arranged in the center, right next to the stage.