“Wow, let’s go over there!”
“Oh my god! Look over there!”
Before he knew it, the streets were filled with people and carriages. The sound of music could be heard as if a performance was taking place between the stalls.
“Why are there so many people?”
He could hear Siani’s muttering, but it wasn’t clear. This was because they were both wearing robes, and the streets were becoming increasingly crowded.
It’s suffocating. All his senses became sensitive.
“Mom! Let’s go there too!”
“Oh my, you have to be careful!”
The sound of cheerful laughter and friendly conversations were intertwined and irritating to his ears. He felt like he was suffocating from the warmth radiating from the people.
“I guess the show is starting!”
“Let’s go!”
At times, he bumped into someone running behind him on the shoulder.
“Gasp, I’m sorry! Are you okay?”
When an unfamiliar hand touched his body, he got goosebumps.
Ah… damn it. Red veins appeared in his eyes that were tightly closed.
At that time.
“Are you okay?”
“…!”
“Come here.”
Someone took him by the hand.
“There are a lot of people, so if something went wrong, you could get lost.”
It happened in an instant. His irritation that had been rising suddenly subsided. His heart, which was beating wildly, seemed to recognize the familiar warmth.
“Stay right next to me.”
“…”
“Now, hands.”
The woman shook his hand as if to hold it tighter.
“No, it’s fine.”
But Redian forced his hand down. Somehow, he felt like a dog looking for its owner.
“Then, just like before, grab this.” Then Siani handed him the hem of her robe.
The moment he wondered if he was being treated like a real dog just because he called her as master…
“Is it harder because of the mask? Once the processions are over, people will live, so it will be okay. We’re almost there.”
“…”
“Take off your mask in the carriage. It must be frustrating.”
Before he knew it, the evening sunset was coloring the sky. The woman’s voice, heard through the shattered wind, was sweet.
“No, you can’t. I’m your master, no matter what.”
Where does that unconditional stubbornness go?
“Oh my gosh. Look at that!”
At that moment, Siani noticed something and took a step forward.
Uh…! He clutched her robe tightly, afraid that this woman would slip out of his sight. Even though he felt like a dog chasing after its owner, he couldn’t help it.
“Wow, can you see it? It’s a hand-made soap. What’s that snack?”
As the sun set, the streets became a little more warm. The sun also fell on the cheek of the woman who was looking around.
“I guess the lanterns are going to be lit soon!”
Redian’s eyes followed her fingertips, but he soon returned. It was his first time doing everything, but he had no interest whatsoever.
“Wow, so pretty…”
The streets were bathed in colorful light as the hanging lanterns turned on.
“Rere, are you watching?” said Siani, who was staring blankly at the scenery.
“Yes. I’m watching.”
But this time too, Redian didn’t look anywhere else.
“Isn’t it pretty?”
“…Yes. Pretty.”
I don’t even know how she could smile like that. The ever-changing expression of this woman was even more interesting.
“Ah, there it is. There it is. The place I wanted to take you.”
“…”
He was definitely curious about the outside world. How did time pass in a world that had stopped only for her? Even though the world he was so curious about unfolded before his eyes…
“I heard this is such a famous dessert shop.”
He couldn’t see anything.
“You like sweet things.”
“I don’t like it.”
“Lie. You took the candy I gave you well.”
“No.”
He was only looking at Siani.
“Really? Okay. I can’t help it if you say you don’t like it. Then I will never bring you candy from now on.”
That’s when the woman turned her head and smiled at him.
“…Please don’t do that.”
Even Redian smiled without realizing it.
“You like it, right?”
Actually, he didn’t hate it. No, it was true that he didn’t like it, but for some reason, the candy this woman gave him didn’t taste bad. Is it because the candy taste is particularly unique, or…
“Let’s go buy candy, Rere.”
If it was because she was giving it to him.
“Now, here it is.”
Siani pointed at the burdensome-looking pink building. The door with the woman’s alluring red eyes and candy drawn on it looked very foreign. It would be more fitting to say that she looked like she would buy this building…
“Oh my gosh, look at this. They say it’s a candy that tastes like heaven.”
The woman’s eyes lit up as she looked at the candy displayed on there.
“Taste like clouds? What does cloud taste like?”
I think she likes it more, not me. Redian quietly watched Siani like that.
On the day she first appeared in the underground castle, where did her cold scowling face towards the trainers go…
“The taste of love? What does love taste like? Rere, do you want to try it?”
There was only one woman left who went well with the candy called Taste of Love.
“Do you like candy?”
“Me? No? What kind of kid am I?”
“Me neither.”
Redian’s eyebrows wrinkled thinly. “You said candy is only for kids, so why do you keep giving it to me?”
“I don’t know. Maybe because you look like a kid to me?”
“…”
It was his first time hearing something like that, and he knew what the woman said was a joke. But why does he feel this way? It’s not good, is it? Redian was unfamiliar with the way his mood fluctuated with every word this woman said.
“Get out of the way!”
It was at that time.
“Make way for the guards of Grand Duke Benio’s family to pass!”
A huge number of guards poured into the crowded streets.
“Aish, what the heck! It’s already crowded. I feel like I’m going to die!”
“What are the guards of Grand Duke Benio doing here! Oh, oh, hey! Don’t push!”
“I didn’t push you because I wanted to. But what kind of temperament is this?”
In an instant, the crowd gathered and became entangled. There was no room to step, so moving even a single step was difficult.
“What? Out of nowhere?”
Siani furrowed her brow as she looked out into the crowded street.
“These are guards sent by Grand Duke Benio to ensure a safe festival, so stay out of the way!”
“If you come like this, someone might think war has broken out.”
The guards also rushed into the space between Redian and Siani.
“Rere, come here.”
“Princess.”
Redian and Siani’s hands crossed in the air. The two were pushed into the gathered crowd.
“Rere! Mask!”
In the meantime, when Redian’s mask was about to come off, Siani shouted. It was because his face was so small that his mask kept sliding down.
“Uh, uh, don’t push!”
The distance between the two gradually widened as the crowd grew larger.
“I’ll fix it for you again. At least try adjusting the straps first.”
“Ah… Yes.”
Just as Redian was trying to fix his mask, he lost sight of her for a moment.
“Oh my god. Son, where are you!”
“Oh gosh, someone fell down here! Don’t push!”
“Mom! I’m here!”
It coincided with the end of the performance in the square, causing chaos. Most people were pushed, fell, and lost their companions.
“…Princess?”
Numerous faces passed by as Redian raised his head. However,
“Princess!”
Siani was nowhere to be seen. He was sure that woman was next to him just now…
Where did she go?
She disappeared.
“…”
Redian stood blankly amidst the crowds that surged in like waves. His persistent gaze stayed where Siani was last seen.
“That’s ridiculous.” He murmured quietly.
Apparently, she was smiling in front of his eyes until just now. She told him jokes, talked to him, and reached out to him… But she wasn’t there anymore.
“Princess disappeared into the crowd! Hurry and find here!”
“Oh my gosh, where has the princess gone? What should we do with this?”
He heard the knights and maids following them at that time, moving urgently.
Disappears?
…Who? Siani?
“She wasn’t kidnapped by some strange guys, right/? What if she can’t come back?”
He could also hear the maids crying as they got off the carriage.
She can’t come back… Redian’s face, which had been turning pale, gradually hardened.
“She wouldn’t have gone far. Hurry up, get your weapons, and find her!”
“The princess may have been pushed through because of the guards, so let’s follow them.”
Felicite’s escort knights dispersed in search of Siani. While they searched the store, Redian closed his eyes and opened them.
Near here.
After looking back on Siani’s last appearance again and again…
“Give it to me.”
“Yes, yes?”
“Give me the gun.”
He immediately snatched the musket held by the guard knight.
Disappearing.
It shouldn’t be. That couldn’t be possible.
No way.
Now… who could do it?
Thank you for the chapter!