The Pretender and The Prince novel Chapter 57

When they reached the main hall and Ondine saw the enormous banner for “Arena of Valor”, she stopped in her tracks, a look of pure delight on her face.

Seth glanced at her. “Zaria told me you used to like this game.”

Ondine’s lips curved into a smile. “I did,” she said softly.

The exhibition was split into two sections: a general area and a VIP area. It was a Sunday, and Valentine’s Day on top of that, so the general area was packed shoulder-to-shoulder. The VIP section, with its prohibitively expensive tickets, was much less crowded.

Seth led her to the VIP entrance.

The space was filled with famous cosplayers dressed as characters from the game, and fans eagerly lined up for photos.

Ondine’s eyes sparkled with excitement. She couldn’t believe Seth knew about her old hobby. She had started playing in her first year of high school, took a break during her senior year to focus on exams, and picked it up again in college.

When she and Ellis first started dating, she had tried to get him into it. But Ellis had no aptitude for gaming and was constantly getting beaten, so he quickly gave up.

Ondine had a “master” in the game, an incredibly skilled player whose proficiency with several characters had ranked him number one in the country. When Ellis saw her playing with her master, he got jealous and demanded that she quit. At the time, she had been so in love with Ellis that she had given it up without a fight.

A few steps inside, Ondine spotted a cosplayer dressed as her favorite female character and hurried over.

She handed her phone to Seth. “Seth, could you take a few pictures for me?”

“Of course,” he said, taking the phone. “Give me your bag, too. It’ll be in the way.”

“Okay, thank you, Seth.”

Since he was offering, she gratefully accepted.

The VIP section was huge, with not just cosplayers but also a vast array of merchandise. Ondine’s eyes lingered on some collectibles featuring her favorite character.

Noticing her interest, Seth walked over and paid for them.

Ondine rushed to stop him. “You don’t have to, Seth. I don’t even play the game anymore. It’s a waste of money.”

He didn’t pause his transaction. “You can keep them as a memento.”

He paid so quickly she couldn’t stop him.