Reincarnating into a Beautiful Woman

Chapter 37

"Celine?"

A young, squeaky voice surprised Celine and Zayden. They turned around in unison, scaring a group of small children who were startled from their intimidating aura.

Celined gaped at the small, curly haired boy in front of her.

"Oren..? W-why are you here?"

Next to her, Zayden was also dumbfounded by this sudden intrusion.

"Oh... uhh... There is a temple not far from here. Mother often comes here to pray and sometimes brings me along to play with these kids!"

"Oren! This stranger is not your sister! She doesn't look like us!" One boy pulled Oren away from Celine, who had just climbed down from Draco's back.

"Yeah! Don't tell them anything. They look suspicious!" One little girl narrowed her eyes, glaring at Celine suspiciously.

"Stop it! She's my sister! Right, Celine?" His voice sounded less confident, although his honey colored eyes seem to glisten in expectation.

"Yes, that's right. I am Oren's older sister." She wanted to reach out and squeeze his chubby cheeks, along with the other children. Celine was currently overwhelmed by the amount of adorable faces that she smiled without even realizing it.

"Liar! Then why would you come to this abandoned desert!" The little girl was the tallest out of the six children who hovered behind her. She seemed to be especially protective over Oren, who struggled in her grasp.

"The children seem to think we are imposters, Zayden. I guess we have no choice but to convince them."

Her smile sent shivers down the children's back as she began to unravel the cloth around her face.

****

Wow, children are so easy to please.

Celine had easily won the children over by using Draco's shape shifting advantage. Draco had transformed into a beautiful, white tiger, and each child had taken turns riding on his back. Zayden helped lift the child onto the tiger's back, earning the nickname of "strong older brother." He seemed to like that nickname and smiled.

Celine had also introduced the "freeze tag" game, which the children loved. They began to adore Celine and Zayden, immediately opening up to them and never wanting the day to end.

Although Zayden and Celine did not get to train their familiars, they created sweet memories with Oren and his friends.

When the sun finally began to set, they could hear Oren's mother calling for the children.

Draco disappeared into Celine's shadows, and disappointment spread across each of the children's faces.

"We want to spend more time with you!" The boys wailed. 

"Please come back, older sister." Tears were threatening to overflow Oren's eyes.

He was reluctant to part with Celine, and his whining grew louder. She had also grown fond of her little brother, giving him a gentle hug.

"I'll definitely come back, Oren. But you must keep this day a secret! The same goes for each and every one of you. If you tell anyone what happened, I will never visit this desert again. Do you understand?" Her warning was stern, and she narrowed her eyes. 

The children nodded in unison, startled by her change in attitude. 

Meanwhile, the little girl had clung to Zayden's back, completely infatuated by him. She whispered, "Older brother, come back and marry me in the future!" She giggled and tightly wrapped her arms around Zayden's neck.

The Second Prince briefly glanced at Celine, and whispered into the little girl's ear.

Whatever he had said upset her greatly, and she began to pout, shooting daggers at Celine with her eyes. She burst into tears as if she had received great injustice, then pushed Zayden away.

The little girl ran away, heading back to the temple.

"Wait for us!" The boys chased after the little girl.

"I'll see you later, older sister!" Oren looked back and waved one last time, hopping like a rabbit before joining the crowd.

"..." She tilted her head while observing Zayden, wondering how he could possibly make the little girl cry. Instead of asking, they moved quietly, too exhausted to start a conversation. Dealing with the children had taken away most of Celine's energy. Even Zayden seemed slightly drained. Draco carried both of them back in his camel form.

Because Celine was slightly taller than Zayden, she sat behind him. Her body became more heavy, and she struggled to sit upright. Without giving a second thought, she rested her head on Zayden's shoulder blade. He stiffened at once, which was better for Celine since she didn't need to lower her head down as much. Celine was too tired to see Zayden's reddened ears as she wrapped her arms around his thin waist for support. These motions came naturally to her, especially since the two had grown up together. 

"Remember when I taught you how to play freeze tag for the first time?" She murmured. 

"...."

"You were extremely excited and happy at that time. It would've been much more fun if there were more kids playing with us, like today."

Her voice sounded clear underneath the moonlight. The desert was silent and calm at night. Zayden could only look up at the stars to distract himself from the warm breath against his back. His body became increasingly tense, and the stars seemed to be especially brighter that night.

No, it's bright all around me, he thought in amazement. He felt as if he was walking through the cluster of stars in the sky, as if the world was unfolding around him. The joy in his heart couldn't be contained, and he wanted to be her pillar forever.

Ah... What do I do? I must like you too much.

Celine was completely unaware of his emotions and continued to reminisce their memories together, not minding his lack of response.

"I felt like I was a child again..." Zayden finally replied.

"Me too... Now that I think about it, we've been through a lot over the years." Celine chuckled, and closed her eyes. She breathed in his scent and relaxed. "Thank you for being by my side. In this world, I only have you."

Draco huffed and aimlessly spit onto the floor, as if he was wronged.

She smiled even greater, releasing a louder laugh. "You too, Draco. I only have you and Zayden."