Work Text:
“Since Miss Columbina has won your game’s prize, can I ask that you accompany me for tonight’s festivities, Ms. Nicole”
“You want me… to accompany you?”
Nicole had never imagined that the brusque and handsome Knight of Boreas would formally ask her to come along with him!
“Of course!” Varka nods, the distinctive grin on his face showing his strong enthusiasm. “I have to say, the whole ‘talking directly into people’s minds’ thing isn’t the best idea — don’t get me wrong — I just want you to relax instead of stressing over trying to explain magic to the kids.”
Nicole couldn’t argue with that. Although unfair, and slightly annoying, she would likely scare away any interested children before they could even play the game she was offering. She had worked hard on making Alice’s scraps into a functioning game and had poured extra energy into sculpting the prizes. Luckily Miss Columbina had visited and appreciated her efforts before her dissatisfaction with the situation grew worse.
“There were many interesting stands, Ms. Nicole.” the serene Moon Maiden jumped in. “Many of them appeared enjoyable, though I’ve yet to visit them all.”
No matter how interesting they seemed, Nicole was reluctant to go along with Varka. His striking appearance was undeniably alluring, but his outgoing personality seemed too different from her own. What if she embarrassed herself! “I, well… Barbeloth and Alice need me here. I’ll have to decline—”
“Don’t worry yourself, Nicole!” Alice excitedly chimed in, her Dodoco practically spinning from glee hearing their conversation unfold. “I can take care of that nifty game of yours. Go ahead and enjoy yourself with Varka!”
“Alice!”
“I agree,” Barbeloth’s Dodoco bounced in recognition, “You ought to conjure a portal, Alice. Don’t keep this Grandmaster waiting.”
“You think I wasn’t doing that already!” Beside the cushioned seat Alice’s Dodoco rested on, an illuminated gold sphere appeared, sparkling at the edges. “Don’t be shy, N, and go have fun on the Hexenzirkel’s behalf!”
Before Nicole could reason with Alice, she found herself standing in front of the tall Grandmaster himself! She met eyes with his piercing blue ones, witnessing as they easily crinkled when he smiled. Averting his gaze, she turned to Alice’s Dodoco.
“There were better options than pushing me into a portal Alice! How embarrassing…”
The red-themed Dodoco laughed lightly. “Hehe. Thank you for your help at the borders, my dear Nicole.” The mischievous little Dodoco swayed in its seat. “But you mustn’t pass up this opportunity!”
“Yes,” Columbina spoke, nodding solemnly, “it’s a wonderful opportunity to relax after all the troubles you’ve gone through on my behalf, Ms. Nicole. I must thank you again.”
“That— You don’t need to thank me, Miss Columbina. It is always my pleasure to guide everyone who needs help. That is what the Seelie are for.”
She tried for the most normal smile she could muster, but how could she ever dream of relaxing with Varka standing right in front of her!
“Anyways… let’s go, Mr. Varka. You’ve been waiting an awful lot.” Confidence is positively essential! She’ll make sure she’s pleasing company to Varka. She’s not much help at the Hexenzirkel’s stall anyways. “Where will we be going first?”
“Actually,” Varka turned to the Moon Maiden as she was pulling out a chair for Barbeloth’s activity. “Miss Columbina, do you have any stalls to recommend?”
The Moon Maiden paused to think before replying, “Mm, I’ve only visited a few, but the ring tossing stand was amusing. You both would be apt at it.”
With that, Varka gave her a decided bow, “Thank you, Miss Columbina. I hope you enjoy this year's Moon-Prayer Night.”
Waving goodbye to the Dodocos and Moon Maiden, Nicole followed Varka through the ambient streets of Nasha Town, hyperaware of how close he was beside her. It didn’t take long for Varka to rein in a conversation.
“It’s really admirable of you to want to help and guide others, Ms. Nicole,” Varka started, his tone much softer from every other instance she’s met with him. It was strangely soothing; Nicole’s cheeks helplessly warmed.
“The duty of Angels is as such, Mr. Varka. There’s no need to congratulate my simple endeavors. Though, it is delightful to hear high praise from you.”
“Please take my words to heart! You should be proud of how much you’ve helped the people of Teyvat.”
Nicole remained silent. She could barely handle compliments well, and with such eloquent ones coming from Varka, a lack of reply is better than embarrassing herself any further! She opted to look ahead at the short merchant in charge of the ring throwing stall. She was engaging with the children lined up, their small faces revealing their eagerness to throw rings at the toys perched on the wooden display. Alas, if it weren’t for the uncanny grin on the merchant’s face and the noticeable tricks used to scam the kids trying for the prize, Nicole would have liked to try it out. She turned to Varka, hoping to inform him of this obvious scheme, but he was already firing himself up.
“Don’t worry, Ms. Nicole! It might seem challenging, but I’ll win the prize for sure!”
He went up to the pink-haired swindler, placed a couple mora in her palm, and collected the rings in his hand. Nicole moved her gaze to the merchant who had taken up a frightened expression looking at Varka; she must have recognized him as a knight from the Favonius cavalry. But Nicole didn’t delight herself in watching the merchant witness her schemes get utterly ruined by Varka’s knack in athleticism. Instead, she found felicity in admiring his perfect coordination and tossing. He might have failed handling the Kuuhvaki transfusion, but his physical prowess was indisputable.
“I’ve got them all!” A hearty laugh escaped the tall knight, placing his fists over his hips.
The merchant came over, a candid frown bitter over her features. “Very good, sir. You would have had the highest score if you had come before my previous customers. Here’s your prize. Might I interest you in another round?”
She passed a stuffed Dodoco to Varka, plain in appearance except for its scrunched up face. “Want to give it a try, Ms. Nicole?” Varka asked.
She shook her head, waving her hands in the air. It wasn’t in her interest to take the treasure of others. Varka decidedly inquired, “Are you sure, Ms. Nicole?”
Met with her silence and head shake, Varka thanked the merchant and gestured for Nicole to follow him again. His pace was slow, so Nicole methodically matched it.
“Ms. Nicole,” Varka began, “Here.”
Outstretched in his hand was the plain Dodoco. In Nicole’s eyes, the cute and round plushy looked miniature in his immense palm.
“You’re giving this to me?”
“Who else could I give it to?”
“It’s not a matter of ‘giving’, Mr. Varka! It’s more to do with the prize being earned by your own merits. This treasure belongs to you. Someone in my position can’t be privy to such generosity!”
Varka smiled in reply, a spirited laugh followed. “You’re too uptight, Ms. Nicole! I insist. Please take it. You’ll be able to remember me through this when you’re off doing your mage… duties. Actually, now that I think about it… What do you do as a Hexenzirkel mage? I know you protect the borders of Teyvat but…”
She took the Dodoco in her hand, the fluff much softer to a touch than she had thought. “The witches of the Hexenzirkel mainly accomplish their own interests. From what I know, I think the one you’d find most interesting is the work of Mage “B”. She studies divination, and although I can’t discuss the nature of her work, a conversation with her is always inspiring! We can always return to the Hexenzirkel’s stall to talk with B! Mage “M” isn’t here now, but she also had her quirks. Her imaginative narratives were a joy to hear! I particularly liked how she devised The Boar Princess; there was always something to learn from her! Actually, I can tell you the rundown of everything M discussed with me since I’ve committed it all to memory—”
“Ms. Nicole,” Varka stopped in his trek, standing close to the next stall while training his gaze intently on Nicole. “I should have phrased that better… I was hoping I could hear what you do? That introduction of yours was brief— Not that there’s an issue with it, of course.”
“Oh,” she felt her face warm exceptionally. Her mind took her back to her initial meeting with Varka in Nod Krai. Thanks to Alice, her introduction had spiraled into an embarrassing mess. “I like to sculpt…”
“...”
“...”
“That surely can’t be all, Ms. Nicole.”
“Well! Hmm… there’s several things I can’t reveal as the Orator, but guiding everyone like the Traveler to the secrets of Teyvat is my main focus. However, it’s not often that I guide people directly, so I’m mainly stuck pursuing my hobbies if Alice doesn’t need me. That mainly includes, sculpting, remembering history, talking to the other Hexenzirkel mages, sculpting…”
“What a fascinating life, Ms. Nicole.” Varka laughed, but Nicole couldn’t figure out what she could have possibly said to entertain him.
“How about we check out this next stall?”
Nicole followed his finger, pointing toward a large game display shaped like a set of teeth. Children were playing within it, anticipation brimming from their expressions. It wouldn’t be the best idea to interrupt the several children who found the game amusing, she thought, beckoning Varka toward the next stall instead.
“Moon-Prayer Candy! Tasty and with several variations to select! Buy a whole box and you’ll be able to share it with your friends and family!” The merchant fervently promoted the many candy flavors he was selling.
“Are you selling candy, sir…?” Varka gathered some Mora in his hand.
“Limppu! And yes! What would you like, friends?”
“What do you recommend?”
“Hmm,” Limppu looked between Varka and Nicole, seemingly making out the best choice for them. “I think you’d both enjoy something sweet which, in my experience, has brought many couples together!”
“Wait!” A startled look sprung up on the Grandmaster’s face, Nicole could only cover her blushing cheeks with her hands. “We’re not… that.”
“Ah… Too soon? Oh well, I think you’d both enjoy some Lakkaberry, Sunsettia, and Lemon flavors. Is that fine?”
“Yes, yes, just… pack it up nicely.”
“Thank you for your patronage!”
Varka took the finished product in his grip, walking away from the lively candy seller. The tips of his ears were a blushing red, but Nicole would never notice with her face still sitting in her palms.
Varka coughed abruptly, “I didn’t think he’d say something like that. I apologize.”
“You’re not to blame, Mr. Varka. I didn’t mind—”
“Is that Nicole? You’re back!” a shrill voice came from in front of them, interrupting Nicole’s thought. She recognized the approaching group instantly.
“Paimon! Traveler! Miss Ineffa! Miss Aino! And Miss Columbina! It’s nice to see you all!” Nicole ensured her voice directly forwarded itself to include the new group.
Paimon asked a barrage of questions upon seeing Nicole, ranging from the problems at the world border, which had previously caused her to leave, to the various stalls and activities around Nasha Town. Nicole promptly answered them all.
“Ms. Nicole, would you like to join us in a game of Kuuhenki Concentration?” Ineffa asked.
“That sounds delightful!”
“Varka you should play with us too!” Paimon voiced.
“Nah. I’m alright.”
“Okay! Nicole, let me explain the rules!” Aino began. The rules were simple to understand and the Kuuhenki were as beautiful as the Seelie Nicole was all too familiar with.
Varka watched the matches unfold from the side, leaning his back against the metal walls of Nasha Town. His eyes were fixed on Nicole’s calculated gaze, thoroughly thinking through each decision. And Nicole… was well aware of this. What could he be staring at her so intently for? She couldn’t figure him out! Though she tried to be logistical about the game, it was much too hard to keep up with the Kuuhenki when Varka was paying so close attention.
Thus, Nicole finished the second game with another sticker on her face. A purple heart and a golden star decorated her now. Plus, with Ineffa playing, she’s sure to be calculating far better than she ever could, giving her the winning advantage. Nicole deduced she was outplayed from the very beginning.
“This is my last game. I’m evidently not good at this…”
“That’s alright! The Traveler and I aren’t winning either,” Paimon pointed out, gesturing at the growing number of stickers on both of their faces.
“Thanks for playing with us, Nicole,” the Traveler added, wearing a pleasant grin.
Nicole turned to Varka, his sharp gaze softened when met with hers. “Sorry for the wait, Mr. Varka. We can head off now.”
“Adorable,” Varka whispered. A few seconds passed before he frantically corrected himself, “I mean… the stickers! They’re cute! Can I get one, too?”
“You should’ve played the game, Varka,” Paimon frowned and contended.
“Huh, I guess I should have.” Varka let out a roaring laugh. Nicole was incredibly lost! She couldn’t understand him one bit! Were the stickers that adorable?
“Let’s go, Ms. Nicole. I spotted some interesting stalls up ahead.”
They said their farewells and set off, walking at the same leisurely pace as before. Nicole peeled off the star sticker on her cheek, placing it squarely on Varka’s own.
“You wanted a sticker, right? You can have one of mine. The purple heart complements my attire, and the yellow star goes with your hair.” A soft smile played on her lips seeing the brawny Knight of Boreas with a cartoonish sticker on his face.
“Hahaha, you’re right. I’m grateful, Ms. Nicole.”
The rest of their stroll rested in silence. Gentle festival music and distant conversations made up the background; Nicole found herself veritably enjoying the peaceful mood. Her company was surprisingly amiable, though his qualities did seem perplexing at times. If she could read minds, maybe conversing with Varka would be much easier.
“—Ms. Nicole,” Varka’s eyes were acutely fixed on her. She had been too deep in thought to notice him speaking to her! Fortunately, she remembered to disable her magic at the correct times. If not, Nicole would be much too embarrassed to ever face Varka again after thinking such things of his character.
“Huh?”
“This stall is selling balloons! Want one?”
An array of Nod Krai animals were depicted in the many balloons on display. Nicole couldn’t deny it, they were exceedingly cute. But they were definitely intended for children and she couldn’t just take away this trinket from them.
“Thank you Mr. Varka, but these are for the kids.”
He gave her an incredulous look and then proceeded to speak to the stall’s seller.
“I’ll take this one that resembles a Rimehorn Deer.”
“Excellent!” the seller exclaimed, handing Varka the small balloon. The corner of his eyes crinkled once again, a cheeky smile stretched on his face. “I could tell you found them endearing, Ms. Nicole! There’s plenty extra anyway.”
Had she failed to control her expressions? How terribly humiliating! Yet, she couldn’t deny this specific man’s gift of a lovely balloon as he wore that silly smirk on his face…
“Mr. Varka, you needn’t do this for me!”
“Well,” Varka’s smile only deepened. “You’ll have to continue accepting my gifts because of the next thing I’d like to buy.”
He gestured to the table adjacent to the balloon stand. Several accessories laid out over the mantle, most being headbands with either antlers or animal ears to choose from.
“I’d like to match with you! Please choose one for us, Ms. Nicole.” The mirth of his expression remained and Nicole found it awfully difficult to turn him down.
“Hmm, well the antlers seem like a good pick.”
“Great! Then we’ll get those—”
“They do remind me of Lauma’s fantastical antlers. Yet, the badger ears are so round and precious! Oh, but the fox ears have their own charm… I don’t think I’ll be able to choose. They all seem so adorable!”
“I never took you to have such an affinity for cuteness.” Varka said with his signature laugh following. “How about you get the antlers and I’ll get the badger ears. We can always switch if you find mine more to your liking.”
“That… works too.”
Gosh! If Varka hadn’t decided for her, who knows how long she’d stay contemplating each piece!
Varka finished paying the vendor and turned with the same, delighted expression. “Mind if I put these on for you, Ms. Nicole? They simply clip on.”
“Go ahead,” Nicole said calmly. Internally, however, her emotions were in pure chaos. Varka was tremendously close now, and her heart was beating loud enough it made her question if the cadence of her heartbeats were audible to the man doing her the favor! Maybe staying in the Hexenzirkel’s stall would have been better for her — mentally.
“They look nice on you,” Varka stood back, bliss exuding from his person.
“Crouch a little, Mr. Varka,” Nicole beckoned. “I’ll return the gesture and put these on for you.”
“Really?”
Nicole smiled in reply, taking the accessory from his hand. Varka swiftly leaned in, craning his head for Nicole to reach. She could make out his features much clearer this way. His eyes were shut, giving her a definitive look at his lengthy lashes and creased brows. The scar on his cheek was far more noticeable at this distance, it made Nicole wonder what on Teyvat could have caused it. She’d like to avoid it if she could.
“How did you attain this scar?” she asked, clipping on the last ear.
“Oh, you're curious about that?” Varka laughed, “It’s a long story. How about I tell you the next time we meet?”
“Alright.” Her disappointment was greatly outmatched by the bigger idea proposed by Varka. Meeting him again! Would it be similar to their outing today? Nicole noted to emotionally prepare herself better for their second encounter. “You look like a proper badger now!”
“A strangely tall badger, I’m sure.” He spinned to the direction of the next stall. “Let’s head over there, Ms. Nicole!”
“This looks like a stall for hanging your wishes,” Nicole folded her arms. “Maybe if I read a few, it’d give me new ideas on what to guide others to! Hmm… Are you going to wish for anything, Mr. Varka?”
“I think so,” he said, grabbing a paper slip and quill.
“And what does the Knight of Boreas wish for, if you don’t mind me asking.”
His lips broke into a smirk, “Hmm. This might sound cheesy but…” His voice shifted into a mellow tone, “My wish will go out to those who exhaust themselves for others. I hope they find time to relax, haha.”
“That’s not cheesy at all, Mr. Varka.” Nicole matched his tender demeanor with a soft smile, “It’s very kind of you.”
“Thinking about it, I think it applies to the Acting Grandmaster I left in Mondstadt. She’s passionate, that I can’t deny, but it causes her to overwork. Some other people come to mind, too.”
“It seems there’s many driven people in Teyvat.”
“I definitely agree,” Varka exclaimed, his features brightening up with a candid chuckle. He finished up his slip, adding it to the many other wishes waving in the breeze, swiftly gathering another slip for Nicole. “What will you wish for, Ms. Nicole?”
“My wish… To make this easy and efficient, I’d like to express my wish for this festival: I hope everyone finds the peerless treasure they look for.”
“That’s very fitting, Ms. Nicole! On brand, I like it.”
Nicole knew her face was reddening. She hurriedly hung her slip, proffering Varka forward to whatever stall awaited them next. Luckily, a composed and distinguishable voice greeted them.
“Is that you, Flins?” Varka detected the similar speech coming from the lamp.
“Alas, another person recognizes me today.” The talking indigo lamp hummed, “How do you do, Varka? And… Ms. Nicole? Might you be interested in an animal sugar sculpture? I can even determine your ‘spirit animal’ if that interests you.”
“That sounds enticing! Do me, Flins,” Varka said eagerly.
Flins hummed once again. “I know your character too well, Varka. I surmise a deer would fit you best. You are steadfast and formidable like them.”
“Haha, it seems you have me all figured out, then.”
“Does Ms. Nicole want to give it a try?”
“I can’t see why not,” Nicole answered.
“Wonderful. Now tell me, do you prefer the day, or the night?”
“Hmm… Well my favorite scene from the Boar Princess takes place during the day, but Mage “B” shows me her astrological findings at night!”
“And, which of the four seasons do you favor?”
Nicole frowned. “Out of the four? There’s many pros and cons to each—”
“I can see Ms. Nicole enjoying the flowers of spring,” Varka interjected.
“The flowers… Yes. The flowers in Mondstadt during spring are quite lovely.”
“How remarkable.” Flins continued, “Which of these would you prefer most: forests, lakes, or the open seas?”
“They’re all naturally beautiful.”
“If you were to open your own shop, what would it be like?”
“This one I can answer with confidence!” Nicole brightened, “A quaint antique shop selling all kinds of wares is very appealing!”
“I believe…” Flins paused to think it over. “A badger suits to be your ‘spirit animal’ quite well, Ms. Nicole. Please take the corresponding sugar sculpture.”
“The handiwork on these is truly spectacular,” Nicole remarked, admiring its intricate shape. “I've never sculpted anything with sugar. It does seem like a challenging task. Is this a sign I should try it out…”
“You are the master sculptor, after all,” Varka nodded. “I’m sure it’ll be so impeccable that Flins will be out of business for the next Moon-Prayer Night.”
The talking lamp scoffed, “Varka’s teasing never ceases, does it? Jokes aside, I’d be happy to teach you the techniques, Ms. Nicole.” Promptly, she thanked Flins for his offered assistance. The flames within the lamp blinked, “Ah, I didn’t notice this before, but I’ve managed to match your sugar sculptures to each other’s headpieces. What an impressive coincidence.”
His insipid comment rendered both of them quiet. Varka coughed out an awkward laugh before bidding Flins goodbye. Nicole was perfectly embarrassed.
“We can sit over here,” Varka directed to a nearby bench, ignoring what Flins had commented. “I think we have one last stall left.”
Nicole followed, taking a seat next to Varka. She made sure to sit a few inches away from him, else the remainder of her sanity would crumble quickly away.
“I didn’t know you were interested in antiques,” he reverberated. Nicole recalled her resolute answer to the lamp’s last question."
“Yes.” Nicole stared down at the badger-shaped confection in her hand. “It’s something I thought about before. To have a place where someone’s past valuables can become somebody else’s — I find that to be, in a sense, poetic. If I were to ever step out of the Hexenzirkel, I would open up a shop like that.”
She didn’t receive a reply; had Varka grown so bored of her monologue that it made him drowsy? “Why isn’t he—”
His gaze was intent on her. He wasn’t asleep like she had thought. Her eyes met with his cerulean ones. “Mr. Varka?”
“Sorry,” his eyes quickly darted to the gray flooring. A faint flush spread over his cheeks. “I found it incredibly moving, Ms. Nicole. Your dreams are truly selfless.”
“Selfless…?”
Varka couldn’t continue. He was far too abashed to concisely describe how captivating he found her. He’d never felt so infatuated before! From her extreme vigor during the Kuuhvaki transfusion, to her propensity for sculpting, to the softness of her smile and voice, how could he not find it enchanting. He had initially invited her to the festival to confirm the feeling in his heart — and how right he was. Being with Nicole only taught him how compassionate she turned out to be!
While Varka’s thoughts were incessantly chaotic, Nicole found herself in bliss, enjoying both the compliment she’d received and the sugar sculpture in her hand. The badger was optimally sweetened, with Nicole raising no complaints. In due time, all she held was the colorful stick it had been served on.
“I don’t think I can outclass, Mr. Flins,” Nicole began, turning back to Varka. “He’s definitively the master of his craft. You ought to apologize to him for even thinking he could be stripped of his business.”
“I could,” he shrugged, “but then again, I wouldn’t want to boost his ego, hahaha.” He collected himself, pushing off the heels of his feet to stand. “One last stall, Ms. Nicole, and you’d have made me a happy man.”
She smiled at his valiant tone. “I didn’t think you could be so eloquent, Mr. Varka.”
A laugh Nicole had become greatly familiar with flowed from Varka. She followed the pace of his strides forward, eventually meeting a young man promoting the ‘Dodoco’s Whirly Gig’ rather fervidly.
“Come check out Dodoco's Whirly Gig!”
“We’d like to ride,” Varka stated, his statement evidently brightening the young man’s face.
“You’ve made it just in time, my friends! This is the last spin before our ride closes for the night.” The young man pointed to the ride behind him, “Choose any Dodoco! Each has two seats — perfect for a couple like you two.”
It seems Nicole would face painfully embarrassing comments till the very end. Surely Varka wasn’t finding these comments too distressing. To be paired with someone like her would certainly hurt his pride as a Grandmaster. Someone more grounded seemed like the type that would pair well with his personality.
Varka remained unbothered by the young man’s remark, thanking him before heading over to the ride. He offered a hand to Nicole, steadily letting her sit on its highly situated seats, before getting on himself.
“These were definitely made with children in mind…” he said, as the ride slowly commenced.
“You paint a humorous image, Mr. Varka,” Nicole smiled, taking in the man to her side, much too big for the cushioned seat he sat on. His arm was basically touching hers, and if she had decided to rest her hand over the cushion rather than her lap, they’d surely be…
“I can’t picture that!”
“Picture what exactly?”
She had done it! Accidentally turning on her means of communication… How is she going to explain herself out of this one…?
“Oh… well… I… I was merely thinking of dropping the formalities! We’ve gotten pretty close after all!” Out of all things Nicole! Anything else would have sufficed! “I just… couldn’t picture your name without the decorum Alice taught me.” How badly Nicole wanted to stop herself from thinking entirely.
“We could do that,” Varka cheered. “You can just call me Varka. Can I do the same for you, Ms. Nicole?”
“Yes…” Nicole’s face sufficiently warmed at the extent to which she had humiliated herself.
“Then, just Nicole. I like that.”
A feeling of dizziness washed over her. It could be from the ride, but its slow circular motions definitely didn’t warrant for sensations of vertigo. She chose to ignore the lightness in her heart and diverted their conversation elsewhere.
“Did you enjoy the Moon-Prayer Festival, Varka?”
“Yes, and you’ve made it far more gratifying,” he smiled, the lights behind him further illuminating his person. Nicole found him akin to the sun, bright and forever jubilant.
“I’m… glad,” she clasped her hands firmly together. “The most important thing, after all, is to find your experiences memorable. You’ll see that even your memories are an invaluable treasure.”
Varka reached for her tightly woven hands, engulfing them in his. His warmness melted into hers, but her attention was fixed on the fondness brimming from his eyes.
“Your wisdom bewitches me, Nicole.”
If Varka was indeed the sun, then it’s no wonder why her face was burning. A fresh blush colored its entirety. “Bewitches… as in—”
“Completely captivated,” Varka astutely confessed.
“I—”
“Dear passengers,” a young man’s voice rang out. “Dodoco's awesome adventure has come to a close. Please leave in an orderly fashion, and we look forward to seeing you again in the future!”
The ride came to a creeping halt, with the few other guests on the ride hopping off and complimenting the young man’s successful management of the festival ride. Varka helped Nicole off, the temperature of his palm still strikingly hot. In fact, the same heat rushed to his cheeks after realizing what he had mentioned. Bewitches… captivating… that’s exceedingly direct! He hadn’t intended to be so forward!
Fortunately in front of the ride, Columbina, the Traveler, and all their other acquaintances had gathered, each saying a proper farewell to the Moon Maiden. It was her last Moon-Prayer Night and her previous peaceful disposition exuded more melancholy now. Varka didn’t have to explain himself and his brusque statements just yet…
“Are you leaving now, Miss Columbina?” Nicole examined.
“Yes,” the Moon Maiden replied, a solemn smile gracing her lips. “To the moon.”
“Then, I hope you reach your destination smoothly. Know that I will always be here to guide you in times of hardship.”
“Thank you, Ms. Nicole.”
“We’re going to miss you!” Paimon exclaimed with a sadness Nicole hadn’t expected.
“Enjoy the krumkakes, Columbina!” Aino said, almost tearily.
“I’ll await your messages,” Lauma soothed.
The Traveler offered to follow the Moon Maiden till the end, departing to the ruins Nicole had introduced them to. Nicole could only wish the best for her. For how much Columbina had gone through, she deserved to finally find tranquility on the moon. Tragically, Nicole could only futilely hope for the same sense of comfort, as she was back to confronting Varka — the same man who had enveloped her hands with his and called her overtly captivating.
“Nicole,” Varka started, his cheeks turning an increasingly deeper shade of pink.
“Yes?”
“Take the candies we bought from that one vendor,” he blurted as he swiftly placed the box in her hand. “A token for accompanying me tonight.”
“It was my pleasure,” Nicole felt her cheeks hurting from all the smiling; she continued, nonetheless. “I haven’t hung out with someone like this in a while. I have to thank you for such a pleasant and memorable experience!”
“Let’s do this again,” Varka asked, “Soon?”
Nicole brightened at the idea. “Yes! Only if Alice doesn’t assign me anything.”
“It’s settled then.” Varka let out his notable laugh. “See you soon, Nicole.”