My Love Debts Are Everywhere!

"I'm so bored."

Fiona lay sprawled on the bed, pouting in frustration.

She glanced out the window, where the sun blazed brightly. Fall had arrived, yet the heat outside refused to fade.

It made her too lazy to go out and play, so she chose to lounge around in her room instead.

But lying around like this was just as boring—and it only made her even more irritated.

"Why the long face, Fiona? Is something bothering you?"

Stella's curious voice snapped Fiona out of her thoughts.

Turning to her right, Fiona saw Stella sitting on the edge of the bed, holding two glasses of strawberry juice.

"I'm just so bored, Sister," she muttered listlessly.

Usually, her sisters Iris and Charlotte would play with her. But lately, they both seemed too busy.

Charlotte now spent most of her time in the library reading, while Iris had suddenly taken an interest in magic.

Every day, she buried herself in a pile of magic books and studied them seriously.

Fiona didn't understand the reason for the change. When she asked, Iris simply said, "I don't want to be weak. I want to be strong so I can protect the people I love."

That answer only left Fiona more confused—and even more upset.

Stella couldn't help but smile at her sister's adorable pout.

She handed her a glass of strawberry juice and asked, "Didn't Uncle Leon leave you a lot of toys before he left? Why not try playing with some of them?"

Fiona accepted the glass and took a sip.

The sweet, slightly tangy freshness of the juice danced on her tongue, and her eyes curved like crescent moons.

But after a brief moment of enjoying the taste, her cheerful expression faded once more.

"I tried playing with them, but I got bored. Besides, most of the toys are meant to be played with by others," she said, puffing out her cheeks. "But Sister Charlotte and Sister Iris are busy with their stuff, so I don't have anyone to play with."

As her thoughts drifted to her father, the sadness in her eyes deepened.

It had been over nine months since he had left. Back then, she could sneak into his room at night to sleep beside him, but now, that was no longer possible.

Even though she was slowly learning to live without him, it didn't mean she missed him any less. If anything, her longing grew stronger with each passing day.

Every morning when she opened her eyes, she wished he were still there—smiling gently, watching over her with warmth.

But that wish felt more impossible with every sunrise.

Stella was silent for a moment as she sipped her strawberry juice. Suddenly her eyes lit up as an idea came to her.

"How about we play hide and seek together? That would be really fun, wouldn't it?"

At her words, Fiona was a little surprised, then looked excited.

"Hide and seek?" She straightened up and nodded enthusiastically. "That sounds great, Sister! Let's play!"

Seeing her recovered spirit, Stella laughed softly and gave a brief nod.

"Then, let's find a comfortable place to play."

Having said that, she and Fiona got off the bed and exited the room.

***

In the palace garden, Stella stood facing Fiona, who only reached up to her chest.

"Alright, Fiona. I'll explain the rules," Stella said with a gentle smile. "First, I'll be the seeker, and you'll be the one hiding. Second, the hiding area is limited—from the kitchen to the hall. Nowhere beyond that, understood?"

The palace was enormous, and without clear boundaries, searching for Fiona would be a nightmare.

"Okay! Got it!" Fiona chirped, giving an adorable little salute.

"Good!" Stella nodded, pleased. "Now go hide. I'll count to fifteen."

With that, she turned around and covered her eyes with both hands.

"One, two, three…"

As Stella began counting, Fiona dashed off toward the hall in a flurry of excitement.

"Ahh! Where should I hide?" She muttered, tapping her head in confusion.

The hiding area was limited to the space between the kitchen and the hall—not exactly the best for hiding freely.

Fiona scanned her surroundings and spotted a large box on the right side of the hall. Her eyes lit up—it looked perfect.

Without a second thought, she ran over and opened the lid. Luckily, it was filled with nothing but unused furniture.

There was just enough room to squeeze in. Fiona quickly climbed inside and pulled the lid shut.

Meanwhile, Stella continued counting until she reached fifteen.

She lowered her hands from her face and turned around.

"Hmmm… where did that little girl hide, huh?" She mused, rubbing her chin with a playful smile.

Having lived in the palace for months, Stella knew it like the back of her hand—including all the places Fiona might choose to hide.

"Well then, I'll start searching every corner of the hall and kitchen."

With that, she strolled casually toward the palace.

But she didn't notice that, far behind her—about a hundred meters away, hidden behind a large tree—a man was watching her closely.

***

"Fiona? Where are you?"

Inside the hall, Stella continued calling out while scratching her head.

She'd been searching for Fiona for over half an hour but still hadn't found her!

From the kitchen to the hall, she'd checked every corner—even under the table—but with no luck.

It was starting to confuse her, and doubt began to creep in: "What if Fiona hid outside the area we agreed on?"

But she knew her sister well. Fiona wasn't the type to break the rules.

*Whoosh!*

Suddenly, a gust of wind brushed the back of her neck, sending a chill down her spine.

She spun around quickly, but there was no one in sight.

"Strange… Was that just my imagination?" She muttered to herself.

But then, without warning…

*Tap!*

A hand pressed gently against her shoulder, followed by a soft voice.

"What are you doing, Stella?"

"Ah!" Stella gasped, spinning around in surprise. To her relief, it was Liliana who had appeared.

"Aunt Liliana?" Her eyes widened slightly before she sighed in relief. "You scared me, Auntie. I thought it was... a ghost."

"A ghost?" Liliana winked, chuckling. "What are you talking about, Stella? How could there be ghosts in this world?"

Stella patted her chest and nodded, reassured.

Indeed, there were no ghosts in this world. Her earlier fear had been nothing more than a trick of her own mind.

"By the way, what are you doing? I saw you looking for someone earlier," Liliana asked, her curiosity piqued.

Stella frowned slightly before replying, "I was playing hide-and-seek with Fiona, but that little girl is nowhere to be found."

"Hide-and-seek?" Liliana raised an eyebrow. She glanced around the hall, her gaze settling on a large box on the right side of the room.

"I think I know where she is," she said, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

"Oh? Where, Auntie?" Stella's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Follow me."

Liliana walked over to the large box, with Stella right behind her.

She lifted the lid slowly, revealing Fiona fast asleep inside, curled up tightly.

Her thumb was in her mouth, and a serene smile rested on her face as if she were lost in a beautiful dream.

"See? Here she is, hiding," Liliana said with a soft laugh.

Stella: "..."