Chapter 73: Change
Two days later, the promised day arrived. Sigren was waiting in front of Heilon Mansion. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
I looked at him curiously. “How did you get out?”
“What does that mean?”
“Well, the members of the imperial family usually use secret passages to leave, don’t they?”
It was like that in novels and movies.
Sigren looked at me with an amazed expression. “There’s a clear entrance. Why bother?”
Yeah, that’s right. I guess reality is different.
I grabbed Sigren’s clothes and pulled him with a sheepish face. “Let’s go.”
As we moved, I looked around quietly.
Sigren patted my head. “What are you thinking about this time?”
“Usually, there is something like a secret escort for royal family outings, so I’m wondering if there is one.”
“Why would I need one?”
He really was a non-romantic guy. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“What about your knights?”
“They will be resting.”
It was a really bland response.
“You look like you’re not having fun. If I were to bring the others, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy ourselves.”
“That’s true, but…”
Well, that didn’t matter. It was probably a good thing.
We then rode in a carriage and arrived at the entrance of the night market. Horses and carriages were prohibited inside.
Sigren wore a hood.
It was night, so I wasn’t worried about my appearance, but I was wondering if anyone would recognize me.
The market area was well organized. Tent stalls were spread out on both sides of the street, and people were actively walking in the middle. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com. A regular arrangement of lanterns between the stalls lit up the night.
“It’s bigger than I thought.”
“Yeah.”
There were a lot of people. In order to not fall, I held Sigren’s hand. At the same time, Sigren flinched. I looked at him curiously.
“What?”
“….”
“Should I not hold it?”
Sigren sighed.
“It’s not like that.”
Then he pulled my hand tighter. Thanks to this, I was able to walk more comfortably.
I asked while following him, “It’s something I did when we were children, is it not good?”
I used to walk around holding his hands. Now that we are both adults, it could be uncomfortable. After all, childhood friends of the opposite sex often have a subtle line. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“Holding your hand is not the problem, Fiona.” He handed me a fruit juice while saying that. He had just bought it from a stall.
“I am the problem.”
“….”
What did that mean? I wondered as I sipped the juice.
“Delicious.”
“It’s made from the fruit you used to complain couldn’t grow in Heilon.”
“Really?”
Indeed, he was the male protagonist. His abilities couldn’t be compared to those of ordinary people. His memory was incredible.
“I forgot.”
Sigren shrugged his shoulders. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“I remembered.”
What did that mean? Was he implying I had a bad memory?
“Let’s go.”
Before I could say anything, Sigren started leading the way.
After drinking the juice for a while, I gradually remembered the topic we were just discussing.
“Right, Sigren. What did you mean when you said you’re the problem?”
Sigren turned his head slightly.
“I’ll tell you about that later.”
“When?”
“Today, when we part.”
Why would he tell me when we part? I couldn’t figure out the reason.
Sigren tilted his lips into a subtle, unfamiliar smile. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
***
Shockingly, I felt like my face matched the capital’s taste in beauty. Why did I suddenly think this? It was because I heard one particular sentence often while walking around the night market today.
“Young Lady, are you alone? Then, here…”
“My partner is behind me.”
“Huh? Ack—!”
Sigren shoved the young man who had just flirted with me, his face annoyed. The man quickly stepped back.
“Wow.”
Hearing my exclamation, Sigren looked dissatisfied. “You look happy.”
I smiled brightly and pushed my hair back. “Of course. Apparently, my face fits the capital’s taste in beauty.”
“…”
Sure enough, whenever Sigren fell behind, some men would approach me. I had the power to deal with anyone if they tried anything, so I observed this strange phenomenon with ease. Not with lightning, of course, because why would I? They were just trying to flirt. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“But I’m not having fun.”
Well, I could see that, considering Sigren kept driving them all away.
“You don’t have to worry too much about me. I could handle them if they got too aggressive.”
Sigren squinted his eyes, then pulled my hood over my head.
“You could use this too.”
“No one recognizes my face here. Besides, it’s stuffy.” I grumbled and pulled the hood off.
“…”
Sigren finally gave up on trying to keep the hood on me. “Forget it. I’ll just walk very close to you.”
I laughed briefly. “Don’t be so hard on me. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a night market. Besides, you got caught by the girls too.”
Sigren replied nonchalantly, “And I came right back to you.”
I giggled and teased, “There’s no need for that. Who knows? Maybe the prince sneaking out to the night market could fall in love with a commoner girl at first sight?”
It sounded like a great romance. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
Sigren looked at me with disapproving eyes, though still smiling. “Forget it. There’s no way that could happen. It’s a love with a difference in status.”
Ah.
I closed my mouth. Sigren’s mother had been a commoner, the emperor’s one-night companion. And the emperor didn’t care whether she gave birth to Sigren or even if she died. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“Sorry.”
Sigren shook his head. “I think I understand why you’re apologizing, but honestly, you don’t have to.”
“Still.”
“You sometimes treat me too carefully. As I’ve said before, I’m no longer a wounded kid.”
Yeah, he wasn’t a kid anymore.
I absentmindedly fiddled with Sigren’s hand while lost in thought. I could feel the rough, callused skin from his years of holding a sword.
Sigren paused. “Fiona.”
“Hmm?”
“No, forget it.”
Then he tightened his grip on my hand. With the gap gone, I could no longer fiddle with his hand.
“In Heilon, I always dragged you around like this…”
Hearing my murmur, Sigren grinned. “Yeah, you dragged me around very recklessly.”
The reason, of course, was to help Sigren’s proper emotional development… right?
Even though it was the same as before, it also felt very different now. It was a new feeling entirely.
At that moment, I looked up at Sigren’s back, which was much broader than before. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
***
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