novelraw Chapter 285 Rome Stories February 13 New Share
Chapter 285 Rome Stories February 13 New Share
“Eh? There’s a hat as a reward this time? How come I didn’t know about that?” Abigail asked with a puzzled look after hearing Leon’s words.
“It’s an extra prize, sponsored by a friend of mine,” Leon explained.
“It’s just a hat. If you want it, take it.” Abigail shrugged indifferently.
“Then what was the prize for the champion of the last Egg Hunt?” Leon was curious about the reward besides the hat.
“An egg exchange voucher, provided by Marnie. You can trade it for sixty of Marnie’s premium eggs,” Abigail replied.
“That’s actually pretty good.” Leon didn’t look down on the prize at all.
Marnie’s eggs were different from the ones sold at Joja Mart. She priced each egg at 5G, and sixty of them came to 300G—a decent sum. And since Abigail mentioned they were premium eggs, the price could be even higher. As a festival reward, it was generous.
“Yeah, Marnie’s eggs are delicious—much better than Joja’s, and even better than the ones from my place. Once you exchange for those eggs, I’ll have to come by and mooch some off you,” Abigail said with a grin.
“Keep the voucher for yourself. I’m already raising chickens—the same kind Marnie has. It won’t be long before they start laying eggs of about the same quality,” Leon replied.
“But I already said all the prizes would be yours,” Abigail protested, narrowing her eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re just saying that because you’re afraid I’ll come over to mooch food.”“Of course not. My goal is the hat, not the eggs.” Leon shrugged.
“Really?” Abigail eyed him with suspicion.
“Really.” Leon nodded helplessly, then added, “Besides, whether or not you come over to eat isn’t something I can decide. When have I ever invited you? And when have I ever driven you away?”
“Fair point. Then how about we split it—you take the hat, I take the eggs. But I’ll give you half the eggs, otherwise I won’t be able to eat them all myself,” Abigail proposed with a smile.
“Why wouldn’t you be able to?” Leon asked, suspecting Pierre’s merchant instincts might be at play.
“No, it’s just my mom. She’s always making plain boiled eggs, and I get sick of them after a while,” Abigail explained. “I know it’s the healthiest way to eat them, but I want to try other egg dishes.”
“Makes sense.” Leon nodded, thinking of Caroline’s aerobics and weight-loss classes. He could understand why Abigail’s tastes differed from her mother’s.
While chatting, they returned to the festival stalls. Most participants had come back by now, probably just in time for the deadline.
Leon glanced at the baskets in everyone’s hands. Most had found eggs, but not many. From a quick look, he was sure he wouldn’t have to put on the mascot costume.
Just then, Lewis blew his whistle, signaling the end of the Egg Hunt. It was time to count the eggs each participant had collected.
As expected, Abigail dominated the competition with thirty eggs—thirteen more than Jas, who came second.
When Abigail went to claim her prize, Leon noticed that Jas didn’t seem disappointed at all. Instead, she cheerfully comforted Vincent, who was sulking beside her.
Sure enough, Vincent had once again been chosen as the Easter mascot, which meant wearing the bunny costume for group photos. But he didn’t stay upset for long—he happily ran over to Lewis to get the costume, clearly unbothered by the role.
Abigail, meanwhile, returned to Leon after receiving her prize, beaming as she placed a traditional straw hat on his head.
“Haha! So that’s why you wanted the prize—it’s a straw hat. Fits your identity as a farmer perfectly,” Abigail said, circling him to admire the look from every angle. “It really suits you. Not bad at all.”
Once she finished inspecting, Leon took off the hat and held it in his hands.
“Straw Hat: A light and breezy hat beloved by farmers. Even in the hottest summer, it will give you some relief from the heat.”
“So it really has a special property? Comes with built-in air conditioning, huh?”
Reading the system’s note, Leon put the straw hat back on. He did feel a slight drop in temperature, though it wasn’t obvious in the pleasant spring weather. Still, if the system said so, he probably wouldn’t have to worry about getting heatstroke under the scorching summer sun.
“What’s your plan next? There’s going to be an eating contest soon—whoever can eat the most boiled eggs in a short time wins. Want to join?” Abigail asked, clearly annoyed that Leon’s attention was all on the hat.
“I’ll pass. That contest sounds like a recipe for choking,” Leon replied, turning to her. “What about you?”
“No thanks. I like eating, but having to eat the same thing over and over sounds like torture,” Abigail said, shaking her head.
“Any other events after this?” Leon asked, changing the subject.
In the game, the Egg Festival ended after the Egg Hunt. But this was his first time attending a real one, so he didn’t know what else might be planned.
“There’s plenty! A flower arrangement contest, an egg rolling race, and even a bunny sand sculpture competition down at the beach. Want to join?” Abigail listed them enthusiastically.
“You’re not going?” Leon asked.
“Nope. My main goal was the Egg Hunt. I’m not interested in the rest,” she replied, waving him off.
“I bet it’s because you’re not good at them,” Leon teased. He knew her playful personality—if she claimed disinterest, it probably meant she couldn’t consistently win.
“With your big mouth…” Abigail rolled her eyes, then turned to leave. “I have to go help my dad at his stall. You enjoy yourself. As for that big meal I promised, we’ll talk about it after the festival’s over.”
“I’ll be waiting for that meal,” Leon called after her, deliberately emphasizing the word “meal.”
But Abigail didn’t answer and walked away without looking back.
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