Twilight Confessions on the Ferris Wheel

Afterwards, we enjoyed quite a few attractions, collecting numerous stickers.

The attractions were almost identical to modern amusement rides, save for one crucial difference: given my current diminutive size, many of the thrill rides should have been impossible to experience.

Yet, thanks to Grinning Darby’s transformation magic, we were able to enjoy them safely. It was truly wondrous.

Ordinarily, I would have been incredibly excited by such thrilling rides. In my previous life, I never had the luxury of time or money to spend at an amusement park. Thus, everything here felt utterly new.

Every attraction captivated me, with the sole exception of the haunted house.

However, the lingering impact of the ‘House of Wonders’ weighed heavily on my spirits, preventing me from truly relaxing and enjoying myself.

My mood remained unchanged, even as the sky began to fade into a twilight hue.

“Heeheehee~! Next, you two will be riding the ‘Ferris Wheel’! Please enjoy the magnificent view from high above!”

“Come on, Eileen.”

Still feeling dispirited, I was pulled onto the Ferris Wheel by Katerina, and we settled into our seats side by side.

Soon, the Ferris Wheel began its ascent, carrying us high into the sky.

From this vantage point, we could survey the entire ‘Amusement Park’.

The park was visibly divided into three distinct zones, with three long glass corridors converging at the central Ferris Wheel. One of these was the path Katerina and I had traversed.

‘The remaining four must have been split into two groups, enjoying themselves in the other two areas,’ I mused.

Beyond the peculiar amusement park, a natural masterpiece unfolded below us: verdant woodlands carpeted the ground. Though it appeared simple from above, the sight was utterly refreshing.

Still, my mind was not attuned to appreciating such beauty.

“Eileen, are you still thinking about those two?”

Noticing my subdued demeanor, Katerina inquired.

“Mm…”

I nodded.

“While I know it was our only option to clear the challenge, and perhaps the best release for them both, my heart still feels incredibly heavy.”

Upon hearing this, Katerina chuckled softly.

“Just as I thought, Eileen, you’re as gentle as ever. Even towards the spirits you fear.”

After a slight pause, Katerina gently squeezed my hand.

“But… it was only after seeing them that I truly felt revealing my feelings to you sooner was absolutely the right choice.”

‘…Eh?’

Seeing my stunned expression, Katerina smiled.

“To be bound by emotions for an entire lifetime, only to become a walking corpse even after death… and to only learn of the other’s true feelings posthumously, that is truly too tragic.”

‘Yes… I wholeheartedly agree with that.’

“That’s why it’s so wonderful that I found the courage to confess my feelings to you so early. It’s precisely because of that that we could become lovers.”

Katerina lifted my hand, pressing it against her cheek, her smile blooming like a flower.

In that moment, I felt exceptionally happy.

Bathed in the twilight’s glow, Katerina’s already luminous golden hair seemed to be draped in a delicate veil, appearing somewhat ethereal and elusive, yet exquisitely beautiful.

‘Katerina…’

A chord within my heart was struck, and I couldn’t help but utter her name.

“Eileen… Eileen…”

In response to my call, Katerina smiled, softly repeating my name.

Her eyes shimmered like water, brimming with a myriad of emotions.

‘I must look the same right now,’ I thought.

Our other hands intertwined.

It was a pity that I was currently too small for our fingers to fully interlace.

The rapid beat of my heart pulsed through my veins to my palm, causing my mind to grow warm.

“Eileen…”

“Katerina…”

“Eileen…!”

“Katerina…!”

We simply called out each other’s names, almost mechanically, yet the distance between us imperceptibly closed.

This time, there was no need for hesitation, no room for shyness.

As the Ferris Wheel reached its apex, our lips met with a natural grace.

“Haha, mm…”

“Haa… Am…”

Unbidden sounds escaped, yet my heart was filled, overflowing with love and happiness.

Dopamine surged through my brain, and my body felt weightless, as if I were soaring.

“Haa…”

This expression of love seemed to last indefinitely, and only when the Ferris Wheel had but a short distance left to travel did we reluctantly pull apart.

In the twilight, a silver glimmer flashed past, stirring our hearts.

‘I wish… we could do it again…’

I glanced at Katerina, and her eyes, too, revealed a lingering sense of unfulfillment.

Alas, our Ferris Wheel journey was drawing to a close.

The sky had already been stained inky black, leaving us no more time to indulge.

****

The cabin door opened, and the intimate atmosphere immediately dissipated, though the lingering warmth on our faces refused to fade.

“Heeheehee~ It looks like you two had quite the enjoyable time~”

Grinning Darby, predictably, appeared before us once more, his teasing tone clearly meant to mock us.

“However… you weren’t the only ones enjoying yourselves~”

‘…?’

No sooner had he spoken than the Ferris Wheel stopped once more.

The black-haired ‘little sea-algae’ girl and her gray maid emerged from the cabin.

“Oh my~ That was truly exhilarating~”

Margaret’s face was flushed and gleaming; she certainly looked thoroughly satisfied.

Elizabeth maintained her usual smile, but the faint ‘strawberries’ blossoming on her neck silently narrated all that had transpired on the Ferris Wheel.

‘It seems they were one of the other groups.’

“Hm? You two rode this Ferris Wheel too?”

Naturally, they noticed us as well.

“Hehehe, you two look like you enjoyed yourselves immensely?”

The number of teasers had grown.

“And weren’t you two enjoying yourselves just as much?”

Katerina retorted.

Margaret, however, was entirely unfazed by Katerina’s counterattack.

“Of course~! Opportunities like this don’t come around often; miss this place and you won’t find another like it! Besides, this ride is absolutely perfect for setting the mood!”

‘I wholeheartedly agree.’

‘However… if they also rode the Ferris Wheel, then Miss Luomei and Adam, too…?’

Just as this thought crossed my mind, the Ferris Wheel stopped once again.

As expected, the ‘little squirrel’ and the ‘beast’ emerged from the cabin this time.

Their atmosphere… how could one describe it?

It was like mulberries picked before they had fully ripened.

Though they avoided eye contact, their fidgety movements suggested that things were progressing favorably.

*Pop! Pop!*

The moment they stepped out, a chorus of party poppers erupted around us, showering us in streams of colorful confetti.

“Alrighty~ All six passengers are accounted for~ Congratulations on completing the final stage! Clap-clap!”

Grinning Darby clapped his hands, making a comical sound.

Then, he produced the last smiley sticker.

“Heeheehee~ As a reward, here is the final ‘Joy Sticker’~”

After we took the sticker from his hand, he conjured a large board from seemingly nowhere, dotted with numerous circular indentations.

“Come now~ Please place all the ‘Joy Stickers’ you’ve collected into their corresponding slots~”

We each retrieved our collected stickers and affixed them to the board.

Once the board was completely covered with stickers, it surprisingly emitted a notification sound.

“Congratulations on clearing the game!”

*Whoosh! Whoosh-whoosh!*

Accompanying the notification were fireworks soaring into the night sky. Trails of long, bright flames ascended into the dark dome, bursting into brilliant floral explosions with each resounding boom.

Everyone present simultaneously uttered the same exclamation:

“How beautiful…”

‘However… compared to the dazzling fireworks…’

My gaze drifted to Katerina, who was admiring the fireworks.

The fiery glow illuminated her exquisite face, her emerald eyes sparkling like stars.

The hand I held, intertwined with her fingers, tightened almost involuntarily.

‘Truly beautiful.’