Chapter 12

“I’ll mark the must-visit attractions on a map for you. Your schedule is just one day on your day off, right? If we assume you’ll be walking around for about five hours, hmm, I think the market would be better. There are many things to eat and see around there. If you follow my advice, I’m sure you won’t regret it.”

“I see. I’ll do as you suggest.”

“Are you good at finding your way? You know how to read a map, right?”

While she had been enthusiastic in her recommendations earlier, she now looked worried about him. Like a mother leaving her three-year-old son by the water.

“If someone approaches you pretending to be pitiful and asking for money, just ignore them and walk away. And you don’t have to give money just because you watched a street performance.

If you enjoyed it so much that you want to give money, that’s fine, but too large an amount is a bit dangerous. There are occasionally thugs who watch for that and then come to extort money. And if someone offers to show you the way and asks you to follow them, never follow them!”

“…I understand.”

“The commander is just too, no, never mind.”

He perfectly fit the image of a well-bred aristocrat among aristocrats. Polite, honest, and even with a gentle nature that seemed likely to quietly let things go rather than confront others.

Of course, Anasha might have greatly misunderstood him, but that’s how he appeared to her. Like a beautiful deer that needed protection.

“Ah! Or could I go with you on your day off?”

She had reached the conclusion that it would be better to go together rather than worry.

“I’ll guide you and introduce you to various things. How about it?”

“It’s your only day off this month. Are you sure it’s okay?”

“Come on, if it’s only once for me, it’s only once for you too. Besides, days off are meant for going out and having fun.”

Rihirt showed his agreement to her words, quietly but definitely.

⁕⁕⁕

The night before their appointment, Rihirt stayed in his study until late. Books that he had presumably been reading for some time were piled high on the left side of his desk.

The titles of the books were all along the lines of ‘Escort Theory’, ‘Meetings Between Noble Men and Women’, and ‘Basic Dating Manners’, completely different from the combat books or related reports he usually read.

In truth, Rihirt was now in a complicated state of mind. A private meeting with a woman was a first in his life. What woman would dare to openly request a meeting with him, a Duke, and even if they did, he wouldn’t have easily agreed to meet them.

Of course, she probably didn’t want that kind of romantic approach, but in any case, it was a date by dictionary definition. He thought it necessary to learn what kind of manners a man should have in such situations.

After finishing the remaining books overnight, he dressed in clothes prepared by the maids the next morning. Though he hadn’t specifically instructed them to prepare anything special, the head maid had paid particular attention to his first day-off outing attire.

Wearing a black vest underneath and a dark blue formal coat over it, he looked like someone responding to an invitation from nobles.

Rihirt boarded the carriage and headed to the destination he had specified in advance. The carriage stopped in front of a square street where a small clock tower stood facing west. As he took about three steps while looking around the quiet street, something happened.

A small something appeared from somewhere and bumped into his chest. It deliberately grabbed his arm tightly and pushed him back into the carriage.

Rihirt looked down at the woman who seemed half-buried in his arms with eyes that couldn’t hide his bewilderment. Then, Anasha suddenly raised her head.

“My goodness! We said we were going to the market today!”

Anasha quickly pulled away from his embrace and anxiously looked out the window to see if anyone had noticed. Fortunately, the street was quiet and no one was around. Turning her head back to him, she stood in front of him as he sat and spoke as if quietly admonishing him.

“…If you go to the market like this, you’ll immediately be targeted by thugs and dragged into a back alley. Do you want to be completely robbed?”

“Completely, you say?”

“I’ve been robbed once, and they really take everything, even the coins you’ve hidden! Anyway, first take off that coat. We can’t do anything about the pants, but wearing just a shirt would definitely be less conspicuous and better.”

Anasha confiscated his formal coat and vest in turn, nodding slightly. After carelessly throwing the removed clothes onto one side of the carriage sofa, she stopped him as he was about to leave.

“Wait a moment. It’s not enough yet!”

“…?”

Simultaneously, Rihirt’s vision was partially obscured.

“Ta-da, now it’s done.”

Anasha smiled brightly as she pressed a dark brown beret onto his head.

In truth, no matter what he wore, his appearance was too eye-catching. His handsome face aside, his hair was platinum blonde. Thinking she had done well to bring a hat, Anasha sighed softly without him noticing.

“Now let’s go. To have fun.”

She took his hand and led the way, looking very much like his guardian. Anasha walked, finding her way with familiarity, when she belatedly noticed the long fingers that were slightly squirming in her palm.

“Oh! I’m sorry. I got excited and grabbed your hand without thinking.”

“…It’s nothing.”

His pale, long eyelashes quietly lowered. He seemed lost in thought, and perhaps due to his cold impression, he also seemed somewhat displeased. Maybe he was uncomfortable because she had taken his hand without permission when they weren’t even close? Anasha looked truly sorry.

Seeing her obvious expression, Rihirt quickly spoke to explain.

“You really don’t need to be sorry. I wasn’t uncomfortable. It’s just……”

“Just?”

“I think my expression hardened unconsciously because I was a bit surprised.”

It was strange. Holding hands should just be holding hands, yet he momentarily lost control of his expression. It was also strange to feel an odd sensation from such contact simply because she was a woman. Rihirt suddenly found himself unable to understand himself.

“It’s understandable to be surprised!”

And with that, Anasha shattered his serious internal struggle in one blow.

“If it were me, I would have thought, ‘Is this person crazy?’ It’s natural to be surprised, for sure.”

“Is that so.”

Since she said so, it must be that way, Rihirt assumed. As if not giving him time to think more deeply, Anasha immediately moved on.

“From here all the way over there is all part of the market. There’s probably no other place where you can buy such a variety of items.”

Anasha, who had been walking about ten steps ahead, turned around to look at Rihirt who was following behind. Her sky-blue dress skirt spread out in a circle before settling down again.

“What’s wrong? Are you thirsty?”

“It’s nothing.”

Rihirt, who had been constantly eyeing her attire, pretended not to notice. But the plain dress without any patterns continued to catch his eye.

As his gaze lingered again, Anasha immediately noticed and approached him.

“Ah, you’re looking at my clothes. Well, it is surprising. Even my uncles sometimes don’t recognize me when I walk around dressed like this.”

Anasha, who had been chattering cheerfully, deliberately put strength in her eyes.

“But I normally dress like this too. I like these bright, flowy dresses. I was wearing a dress when you first saw me too, wasn’t I?”

“I apologize. I certainly wasn’t looking because it was strange.”

“When you say it like that, it sounds even more like you were looking because it was strange.”

Unable to say that what was strange was her, Rihirt kept his mouth shut. Anasha, who had been looking up at him, turned her body first and moved forward again.

“I was going to buy you something delicious as an apology for earlier, but hmm. I’ll have to think about it!”

“If it’s about buying something, I’ll do it. Didn’t you come out today especially for me?”

“I just came to have fun together. You don’t need to do anything for me. By the way, Commander, you exchanged your money, right? You didn’t bring gold coins, did you?”

Instead of answering, Rihirt quietly handed her the leather pouch he had been carrying at his waist. His expression asked if he had done something wrong.

“My goodness! What is all this?!”

Anasha was shocked to see not just one, but a whole pouch of the ‘glittering gold coins’ she had only heard about. The moment he paid with this, the market would turn into pandemonium.

“Today, I’ll pay.”

“But.”

“Pay me back. Later.”

Anasha thought she had done well to come along after all.

⁕⁕⁕

The sightseeing, which had been precarious from the start, flowed surprisingly smoothly. Contrary to Anasha’s concerns, he blended perfectly into the market atmosphere without standing out. Caught up in the loud and lively atmosphere, Anasha took him here and there, showing him many things.

“What we saw earlier was a dance called Rentina. It was quite intense, wasn’t it? Nobles might not know it well, but it’s a dance that commoners perform during festivals to liven up the mood. That’s why they dance like that. Usually, it’s only performed occasionally in the capital, but we were really lucky today!”

She spoke while drinking a fruit beverage sold in a cup made from a halved fruit shell. She still looked excited.

The sky as the sunset was approaching was beautiful. Sitting on a hill located a little away from the market, the two talked about what they had experienced today. Most of the conversation consisted of him asking questions and her answering.

“Lastly, there’s something I want to show the commander. Is the time okay?”

“Yes.”

“Then shall we go?”

Anasha, who stood up first, extended her hand to him. Until now, Anasha had taken the lead in everything. It was to the point where the theoretical knowledge that escorting should be done by the man for the woman seemed meaningless.

But Rihirt now took the position that it didn’t matter. Whether man or woman, such formalities were meaningless. Rather, it was because she had led him that today had been more enjoyable.

“You’re not tired yet, right?”