NOVEL WEB
Book 1: Chapter 11: The Roller-Coaster-Loving Sirin
“We have arrived. Should I wait here for you? Or perhaps you can call me when you are about to come out?”
“There’s no need. Elder Sister Raven, you can go back first. I’ll bring Sirin to the night market for supper afterward.”
“Alright. I’ll be leaving, then.”
“See you tomorrow.”
After Raven drove away:
“Sirin, let’s go. Let’s get the tickets together.”
“Alright.”
As it was a work day, daytime being hotter and the tickets cheaper at night, there were still many people in Vast Sea City Amusement Park. Night tickets started selling at five o’clock. It was currently past seven o’clock, already past the peak period. Only a few people stood in the queue to buy tickets. Chen Heng only had to line up for a short while before obtaining tickets. He got tickets for the entire amusement park, allowing them to ride anything there.
“Sirin, have a look. Is there anything that you want to ride?” When Chen Heng entered the amusement park, he also took an amusement park map and handed it to Sirin.
“Elder Brother, you decide.”
“Let’s get ice cream first. Take it as dessert after dinner. We can decide after that.”
He Who Knows Fate: What should we ride when bringing children to the amusement park? I’ll wait online. Urgent.
Youkai Sage: Say, do you have a misunderstanding about what the Dimension Administrators Association is?
Queen of Ice and Snow: What’s wrong, old woman? You stopped pretending to be young and just set your name as Youkai Sage?
Youkai Sage: CBA, are you asking for trouble?
He Who Knows Fate: Everyone, please calm down.
Magus of Flowers: Just ignore these women’s matters. If you are bringing children to the amusement park, you must bring them to the haunted house.
Efreet: Probably a roller coaster?
I Have a Strong Presence: Bumper car.
Iron Fist Teacher: Of course, the carousel.
He Who Knows Fate: But Sirin is already 14 years old. The carousel… @Efreet, please give me a reliable suggestion. You are the same age, right? It is currently night. We are at the night amusement park.
Efreet: Then, the Ferris wheel.
He Who Knows Fate: Let’s use that as the finale. Sirin is almost done with her ice cream. Another one.
Efreet: Pirate ship. See if she gets frightened when riding the pirate ship. If she does not, bring her to the roller coaster, haunted house, and similar attractions. If she gets frightened, bring her to the less exciting attractions, like the carousel or bumper car. When it is about to end, ride the Ferris wheel with her. When you reach the highest point and see the fireworks, lean in and kiss…sorry, occupational habit. Just round off with the Ferris wheel. Yeah, just like that.
Magus of Flowers: Occupational habit? You are about the same age as Sirin, right? Are you already working as a matchmaker while in middle school?
He Who Knows Fate: @Efreet, thank you. We are going to the pirate ship first, then.
[TL Note: As previously revealed in an author note, Efreet is Itsuka Kotori. She is from Date a Live. This novel/anime is about the main character winning the hearts of some females with special powers, called spirits. When their affection level gets sufficiently high, the main character can seal their powers with a kiss. Efreet works as a commander of the organization behind the main character and helps the main character win the spirits’ hearts.]
“Let’s go, Sirin. We’ll ride the pirate ship.”
“Alright.”
One and a half hours later, Chen Heng held Sirin’s hand as they stood in queue for the Ferris wheel.
He Who Knows Fate: I truly did not expect Sirin could be so wild. Two times on the pirate ship, four times on the frisbee ride, and five times on the roller coaster; we did not ride anything else in the amusement part. We practically spent most of the time airborne.
[TL Note: The frisbee ride is a type of pendulum ride that swings in full circles vertically. Think of it as the pirate ship, but 360 degrees. Here is the Wikipedia entry on the frisbee ride: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frisbee_(ride).]
Umaru-chan: She lives up to being the Herrscher of the Void.
Efreet: Well, I got it right at the start—roller coaster.
He Who Knows Fate: Alright, it’s our turn to ride the Ferris wheel.
Chen Heng sat across from Sirin in the Ferris wheel. “Sirin, did you have fun?”
“I had fun. Thank you, Elder Brother.”
“Good that you did. The weather should be getting hotter. We’ll go to the water park after some time.”
“Alright.”
“We’re already at the top of the Ferris wheel. Look out. Sirin, do you see the lights of the many houses in the city? They are quite beautiful.”
“I do. They are very beautiful.”
From the highest point of Vast Sea City Amusement Park’s Ferris wheel, one could see most of the city. This was especially so at night. It was currently nine o’clock, and many tall buildings had not turned off their lights yet. When the busy people reached home, they would not go to sleep so early. The lights were like stars, looking very beautiful.
Vast Sea City Amusement Park’s Ferris wheel at this timeslot was a famous romantic spot in Vast Sea City.
There was a legend regarding the Ferris wheel. Lovers who rode the Ferris wheel together would eventually part. However, if the lovers kissed at the Ferris wheel’s highest point, they would be together forever. Rumor had it that every cabin of the Ferris wheel was filled with blessings.
Chen Heng always found this legend ridiculous. It just came to mind now because this was his first time riding the Ferris wheel at night with a girl. However, Sirin was still a child.
“Let’s go. We’ll head to the night market. After having fun for so long, you’re probably a little hungry already, right?” After they got off the Ferris wheel, Chen Heng intended to bring Sirin to the night market for supper. He did not have any special feelings about the Ferris wheel.
Do forgive Chen Heng for being a straight male. He only felt that the Ferris wheel was tall and that it was probably expensive to build.
“Alright, Elder Brother.”
Vast Sea City Amusement Park’s night tickets were rather popular. As a result, many taxis waited outside the amusement park’s entrance, so there was no worry about finding a ride.
Chen Heng hailed a taxi at the roadside. “Mister, to the night market.”
“Alright.”
Traveling to the night market took ten minutes. The roads would not be jammed at night; only the section near the amusement park and the night market would be busier. The taxi driver remained silent throughout the journey, not making small talk. He did not play any music or turn on the radio.
After about fifteen minutes in the taxi, the two arrived at the night market.
“Mister, can you bring us to Fantasy Sea Villas later? We will be back soon,” Chen Heng asked the taxi driver after he paid. He did not want to hail another taxi. Furthermore, he liked the attitude of this taxi driver, not making small talk or asking questions.
“Fantasy Sea Villas? Sure. Go on, then. Come back soon. I’ll wait here for you.”
Chen Heng did not intend to bring Sirin too deep into the night market. The roads there were narrow, and staying clean would be hard in some areas. He could tell that Sirin liked these clothes, so he kept to the night market’s entrance.
“Is there anything you wish to eat?”
“That and that.” Chen Heng looked at where Sirin pointed.
“Fried chicken cutlet and squid balls? Sure.”
The two had dinner around six o’clock. They just need a little food for supper. One should not overeat for supper. Otherwise, it would be easy to grow fat.
Chen Heng placed the food the store owner handed over in a bag. Then, he brought Sirin back to where they got off the taxi.
“Sirin, we’ll eat when we reach home. These are just cooked and are hot. We will arrive home in about ten minutes. The temperature should be fine then.”
“Ok.”
After ten minutes in the taxi:
Chen Heng paid the taxi driver and got off. Then, he walked into the estate’s entrance. He would have preferred for the taxi to drop him at his house. However, Fantasy Sea Villas’s security was strict and would not allow taxis in. Chen Heng understood this rule well and accepted it. After all, safety was the most important. Fortunately, his house was near the estate’s entrance.