Chapter 12 - Volume 01; Side Story 01: Part 01 (1/2)

Volume 01; Side Story 01: Part 01

Extra 01: Roma Market

――― And they lived happily ever after.

There was a soft woman’s voice and the sound of a book being closed.

A small child, who was looking at the woman’s hands as his eyes sparkled, raised his face.

『Mother. Does ever after mean forever? Will no more sad things happen to the Prince and Princess?』

The woman warmly wrapped the child’s cheeks in her hands as she smiled gently.

『Well, they might experience painful and sad things. But, they lived happily ever after.』

『How?』

『They can overcome painful and sad things if they’re together.』

The child pouted as if he didn’t understand this.

『But, the Prince didn’t come to rescue the Princess. The Princess also didn’t try to run away. The one who saved her was the magician and animals.』

『That’s true.』The woman laughed warmly to soothe the child’s stubbornness.

Her smile deepened, and she asked the child a question.

『Then if you were the Princess’s Prince, would you definitely go to save her? If you were the Princess in captivity, would you run away?』

The child replied, bravely.

The woman’s smile became wider as she heard his answer.

『Then, I’ll teach you a secret charm.』

『A secret charm?』

The child’s eyes twinkled even more. The woman put a finger to her mouth to tell a secret.

『It’s a special charm I heard from your father. If you say this, then both the Prince and the Princess can be happy forever.』

『Tell me, mother.』The child demanded, and the woman told him.

『But, you know, this charm only works on your special someone. So you should never use it until you meet this person.』

『Okay, mother.』

The woman smiled to the child, who had replied innocently, and taught him the charm. Those special words stayed with the child, along with her bright and fresh smile.

The child didn’t know.

That this was the last conversation he would have with his kind mother. That this was the last, irreplaceable moment.

Warm smiles and expressions, the warmth of a hand and the gentle time spent together are things that will remain in the child’s memory forever.

◊♦◊♦◊♦◊

Under the sunlight of the blue sky, there are a lot of colourful tents and unfamiliar people.

Foreign language is mixed in the conversations. Men and women were wearing outfits which were rare in Southlynd, and exposed a lot of their brown skin, but they looked suspicious because they had on cloaks with hoods which only revealed their eyes. The children running around were nothing new, and there was rhythmic music flowing around as if it was weaving its way through the gaps. Even the aromas floating around smelled exotic.

They are Roma people who weren’t an uncommon sight on the continent’s public roads.

But the party this year is comprised of different groups. They are a group of scholars called Thistle Star from the holy city Saulkan in the east. The group consists of researchers who have completed their academic presentation, which occurs once every three years and their followers.

There is a theory that they were initially Roma people because they travel with Roma people instead of the continental merchants. For that reason, they are treated in the same way as the Roma people, who have been subjected to discrimination and prejudice, in the Ars continent, and they have been feared for a long time, but their knowledge and research results are the capital of academic research. The value of things increases as soon as it is recognised by the prestigious Saulkan.

They have received invitations from academies from every nation, been invited as private tutors for nobles, and the royal familiars have reached out to them.

Thistle Star appears once every three years with a newly published academic book, and they generously sell them in the street stalls.

They didn’t just sell new books. They also carried a wide variety of unusual books, such as rare books from the olden kingdoms, well-known and unknown foreign books.

Is there any other sight that would make the book-loving Bernstein House want to shout in joy?

I couldn’t help but tremble in an unladylike way as my heart filled with excitement.

And, I leapt out to an adventure on a foreign sea while suppressing my pulsing heartbeat.

There, he smiled and gently held me firmly.

“――― Elli.”

I can’t resist his sparkling smile.

It started on a day that was the same as always.

In the morning, I saw father and brother off as they went to the royal palace, discussed the house details with the butler and head maid, and then I got dressed and boarded a carriage to the royal palace.

It’s a bit frightening, but I have been riding a carriage with the royal family crest on it to and from the royal palace ever since I became Prince Christopher’s fiancée.

The people at my home were nervous at first, but they’ve grown accustomed to this scene after four years, and they even chat with the imperial guard and coachman now.

The carriage swayed as my maid and I rode on it, and we arrived at the exclusive entrance for the royal family while I thought about what had happened in the last few days. The different event began from here.

I was brought to another room by the maids who accompanied His Highness and was forced to change my clothes.

“Huh? Mm, exactly what…”

“It’s His Highness’s request. Miss Elianna.”

Pressured by their smiles, I was forced to change into a plain dress as a question mark continued to float in my mind.

I like how there weren’t any gaudy accessories and excessive fabric on the dress, but I don’t think this is appropriate for the royal palace.

This is what His Highness wanted…? I questioned, and Prince Christopher showed up as if he had timed his arrival.

“――― Are you ready, Elli?”

I looked back and was speechless. Even His Highness was dressed in plain clothes similar to mine, and he looked like a knight.