Kaon’s plan had been foolproof. He had intended to roam Bellum freely without a care in the world for the entire day.
He was feeling refreshed after getting adequate rest and waking up in a clear state of mind. No, everything was fine until he started getting dressed… Actually, everything was good until he opened the wardrobe.
The misfortune began the moment he saw the formal attire neatly stored. As they would be staying at the palace for two days, Deborah had prepared a total of four sets of formal wear. Clothing was a reflection of a family’s status, so they had been tailored with ample consideration.
Kaon was about to casually pick an outfit to wear, but then he spotted the imposing formal wear hanging nearby and was reminded of the upcoming banquet.
In that instant, a critical issue dawned on him. Unlike before, he would not be attending the banquet alone this time. He had a partner—Alessia Ingelos, his irritating fiancée.
‘I could just attend by myself, right?’
After fully dressing, Kaon even gathered his outerwear. The main event was actually tomorrow, when the king, the main attraction, would make an appearance. Today was merely a time for the nobles to mingle and socialize.
Alessia Ingelos was a noble, and she was surely as familiar with these banquets as he was. Since the Ingelos family was also attending, it might even be more convenient if he skipped out.
‘But is that really a place I can attend alone?’
No, Kaon knew better. The Ferdinand and Ingelos families, age-old rivals, were making their first public appearance as betrothed after the engagement was announced. With the already sizable scale of the banquet, attending alone would only invite all kinds of speculation.
However, Kaon really did not want to attend the banquet at all. Tomorrow he had no choice, but today was a complete waste of time. He had never been comfortable with social gatherings, nor did he have any desire for them.
‘Ugh, this is just hopeless.’
Letting out a deep sigh, Kaon left his room.
***
“Alessia.”
Kaon knocked on the door and politely called out to Alessia. He was mindful of potential eavesdroppers, but the words felt unnatural even to his own ears.
The door swung open, and Alessia’s expression was not particularly pleasant. It was as if the words “What’s wrong?” were written across her forehead.
“…I came because I have something to discuss with you. Could you spare me a moment?”
“Of course. Please, come in.”
Even with her awareness, Alessia silently let Kaon in. It was the right thing to do, but the kind tone sent shivers down his spine.
“Why did you come?”
Alessia changed her expression as soon as the door closed. Kaon was no longer too surprised by this—he was simply used to it by now.
Kaon pondered for a moment. Perhaps it would be better to just return to his own room. Leaving alone would be much freer and more convenient.
However, some sense of duty as a knight, or perhaps just his conscience, held him back. The constant emphasis his father had placed on prioritizing ladies since his childhood seemed to still linger.
‘I’ll just ask one thing and then leave.’
With a firm resolve, Kaon spoke up.
“I’m not going to the banquet today. I’ll go tomorrow, though.”
“Okay.”
Her tone held no interest whatsoever. The expression on her face seemed to convey that she found it rather pitiful, as if looking at a foolish child.
Kaon felt an urge to just leave the room immediately, but he exercised patience. If he could alleviate his guilt even a little, he could endure this.
“Instead, I thought I’d explore the streets of Bellum. If you don’t want to attend alone, you could come with me.”
“With you?”
“Yeah.”
Kaon replied without even looking at Alessia. It was obvious that she would either refuse or ask why he wanted her to go with him.
“I…”
It seemed the second option was the correct one. Just as Kaon was about to get up and shake off the uneasy feeling, he hesitated. An unexpected reaction was awaiting him.
“…Can I really go with you?”
Alessia asked cautiously, her face full of hopeful anticipation. Her softened tone and the hint of timidness were so unfamiliar that it felt strange.
“Can I not?” Alessia asked again when Kaon remained silent, too taken aback to respond.
“…No, you can.”
The answer had already been decided.
***
In the end, the two of them left the palace together. Joseph would surely scold him, but what could he do—the carriage had already departed.
“I’ll buy what I need in the city streets and then go to the blacksmith’s.”
“The blacksmith’s, not a weapons shop?”
“The quality of the weapons made at the blacksmith’s is incomparable to what you buy at a regular shop.”
“With your knight get-up…”
She just won’t let it go, will she.
Kaon frowned in annoyance at her snarky remark, but soon relaxed his expression. The joy and excitement on Alessia’s face as she looked out the window was unmistakable. Her shining eyes sparkled, and there was no other way to describe it.
“Everything is so grand.”
“Well, it is the heart of the capital afterall.”
Kaon dutifully responded to her occasional exclamations of admiration. Alessia appeared to be excited, as if she could jump out of the carriage at any moment, her eyes never leaving the window. She somehow reminded him of a puppy eagerly awaiting a treat.
Of course, he wouldn’t dare voice that comparison, lest she give him a stern look and ask if he was calling her a dog.
The carriage gradually turned onto more crowded streets as they approached the main square, where it let the two of them out. This, they were told, was the most vibrant commercial district in Bellum.
“Is there some kind of festival going on in Bellum right now?”
“I’ve never heard of that before…” Kaon trailed off.
Even though he had never heard of it, the lively scene before them could hardly be described as anything but a festival.
The central square featured a large fountain, and all around it were rows of colorful tents and stalls lining the streets.
While visiting Bellum in the spring, Kaon hadn’t had the chance to explore the city streets in detail.
‘Did a new festival spring up in the meantime?’
As far as he knew, the only festival held in the spring was the Flower Festival, and that was still a few weeks away.
“Good sirs! Come take a look here! We’ve just received wonderful items from the Eastern Continent!”
Lost in thought, Kaon was hailed by a boisterous merchant. That’s when he realized what was going on.
“Ah, I see. The word must have spread about the grand banquet at the palace. With nobles from all the domains coming to Bellum, the market has become livelier.”
“I see. That’s why there are so many people.”
“It was already quite lively, but this is certainly on another level.”
Nobles with deep pockets were the merchants’ most valued customers. The existing traders as well as those who had flocked here, eager to capitalize on the opportunity, had created an almost festival-like atmosphere.
“Shall we go take a look?”
Kaon noticed Alessia’s gaze fixed on one of the stalls—the very same one where the loud merchant had called out to them.
“No, what’s the point?”
“But he said he has amazing items.”
“Yeah, right—Hey, where are you going!”
She couldn’t even take her eyes off it, but was already hurrying away. Kaon strode after her, and Alessia reluctantly followed.
“Ah, you’ve come!”
“I’d like to see what you have to offer.”
“Of course, of course! How about these dice made of ivory first? Just listen to the clear sound when you roll them. I’m sure you’ve never seen dice this beautifully white before.”
The dice were indeed exquisite. The combination of hexagonal and square faces made them visually intriguing.
“Why don’t you try rolling them? The experience is quite different from just looking.”
The skilled merchant seemed to have set his sights on Alessia. After some hesitation, she carefully took the dice and gently tossed them onto the wooden surface. The dice spun like tops before settling on one face.
“Wow!”
“Isn’t the sound just lovely? And the way the light reflects as they roll—you won’t find such items anywhere else. I only have this one set in stock.”
Energized by her exclamation, the merchant continued his pitch, but Alessia seemed to have already been captivated by the dice. Kaon observed her, and without realizing it, slipped his hand into his pocket.
***
“Why did you buy that?”
Alessia couldn’t hold back any longer. Whenever she showed even the slightest interest, Kaon would immediately take out his money and make a purchase, leaving her somewhat apprehensive.
“I liked it, and I bought it with my own money. Why do you care?”
“You’re interested in dolls?”
“Dolls?”
Kaon looked down, as if to confirm what he had actually bought. Alessia was dumbfounded. She had thought he was just a little gullible, but he was really just a complete fool.
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