Chapter 31

Rosian’s cute-looking smile slightly wounded her pride.

‘If I turn into a dragon, I would be larger than your highness.’

Grumbling for a moment. Jayna gradually got distracted by looking at the secret passage.

A maze like passage that fans out in several ways, being illuminated by magical lights.

Jayna remembered, when she was still a child, oblivious with the matters of the world, she used to dream of going on an adventure.

“Pfft.”

She thought that stories, that are found in children’s books like fairy tales, has nothing to do with her…

“……”

Then, suddenly Rosian stopped moving forward. Jayna who’s still lost in her thoughts, almost bumped into Rosian. She looked at Rosian with a puzzled look.

“What’s the matter?”

“It’s because Miss Jayna laughed?”

“What?”

“Nothing, we’re right almost there.”

Rosian tugged Jayna’s hand, to help awaken Jayna from her reverie. Then, laughed.

“You have something on your face.”

Coming out of the pitch black passage, Rosian’s smile was blinding than ever thanks to the sunlight behind him.

Jayna carefully looked at him as he removed the soot from her face.

Michael and Hilvenzia are nice to her. While, Rosian, seems a little different from them…

“Now, shall we go?”

After taking the soot off, Rosian didn’t let go of Jayna’s hand.

As the two walked slowly, following along with Jayna’s narrow stride, one of the vendors in the street talked to them.

“Oh, this brother and sister seem to have a good relationship.”

“I’m not her brother.”

“Then, is she your girlfriend?”

Rosian grinned without answering. Watching the scene behold in front of her, Jayna recalled a passage of the novel in her head.

-We’re not dating, are we?

– Why do so many people mistake kindness for love?

-Your neckline is pretty.

Unlike his mother, he hates swordsmanship, but he will soon turn into a cold-blooded man who only knows revenge in the near future.

Jayna felt sorry for him again.

Just as she will die at the age of 17, Rosian after reaching adulthood will also lose his mother to Diamide, her biological father.

At that time, would Rosian still be so kind to her, like he is now?

‘No….’

Jayna gently shook her head.

Focusing in the present rather than in the distant future, Jayna wouldn’t be able to feel relax while walking around with Rosian nor wanted to watch a play with him if she feel uncomfortable spending time with him.

Jayna captured the surrounding scenery one by one.

Somehow, she felt that it was heavily snowing than ever.

***

The carriage, carrying Jayna and Rosian, ran down the street.

“The flowers are in full bloom.”

Jayna reached out her hand over the window to touch the petals that were fluttering in the wind.

A slight arc can be seen hanging on Jayna’s mouth, but Rosian, who was sitting next to her, sported a complicated expression.

Coming outside, what he had in mind wasn’t such a leisurely wagon trip.

It was just a hassle for him, a prince to ride a carriage or something.

He wanted to go around more freely.

Although last time he needed to ride a carriage in order to escape faster, this time he just wanted to walk freely with Jayna.

-I’m sorry, kid!

– Look ahead!

-Go to your parents!

The streets where the National Foundation Day was held were as complex and chaotic as the center of a battlefield.

Jayna is just too small among those adults who were big and tall.

He somehow managed to squeeze between them, but for Jayna it was impossible.

-Your highness, you may go alone.

Jayna even said to Rosian that it would be more comfortable if he go alone to enjoy the festival.

If he planned to go alone in the first place. Why would he even invite her to be here?’

Rosian had no choice but to go by carriage with Jayna.

It was very difficult to rent a wagon during the festival, but it’s not a problem that money can’t easily solve.

“Isn’t it hard to see the flower tree I spoke off in your spot, Your Highness?”

“No, I can see it well…”

Neighhh!

At that moment, a man and a woman were seen riding a horse outside the window.

The two looked so free. They can go anywhere they want if they only tugged the reins harder making the hose run fast.

‘I wish I had grown a bit bigger.’

Rosian was good at horseback riding, but he was still not skilled enough to drive a horse with Jayna.

‘I guess it doesn’t matter to Miss Jayna.’

Jayna, with her chin perched on the window was enjoying the bright streets of spring, no matter what people are doing.

The fluttering petal from the flowering trees beside the running road was a beautiful sight to witness, and it was Jayna’s first time to feel the joy of passing under a flower-made tunnel.

Feeling better, Jayna mumbled the melody that she was familiar with.

Rosian sat by and watched Jayna’s figure.

Jayna, looking outside with her face in the window, looked somewhat cheerful.

How long has it been?

It seemed that they have arrived at their destination.

“Miss Jayna, take my hand and let’s get off.”

Rosians skillfully escort Jayna down the carriage.

Then, he led her to a cafe in Adderid Geri.

This was one of the secret places that Rosian found.

A café than can only be found, if you took this street and if not it would be hard to find, it is also situated neared the boulevard.

Since the owner ran it as a hobby, the ingredients used were only of high-quality, and the price was not cheap for there are only few tables. In other words, it was a place where only a few people who knew would came.

“Let me help you take your order.”

Jayna looked down at the menu.

There were so many kinds of foods that she couldn’t even choose on what to order.

Rosian asked,

“You like strawberries?”

Jayna nodded, and soon a strawberry whipped cream cake was placed in front of her.

She carefully cut the cake, lifting a fork with a gold-bound pink rose.

“It’s delicious.”

“Fortunately.”

When she cut a piece and put it in her mouth, her face unconsciously relaxed.

A rich creamy taste, big, plump, juicy, strawberries, and the moist sheet melted in her mouth.

“Today’s Special Cookie.”

Then, comes the cookies that Rosian ordered.

‘This scent…’

Jayna and Rosian each took two cookies and started devouring the cookies one-by-one..

“Um.”

The scent of ginger and cinnamon lingers heavily in their mouth the moment they took a bite.

‘It’s ginger cookies.’

The chewy texture enveloped her mouth.

Jayna soon brought the tea she ordered to her lips. It was sweet and bitter at the same time, and a great match to the cake she ordered.

“Miss Jayna, is it a good match?”

“Yes, I really enjoyed the meal.”

But Rosian seemed to feel the opposite of what Jayna is feeling.

Rosian didn’t want to show it, but with an awkward face, the contents of his mouth were gulped done without being chewed.

‘His highness doesn’t seem to eat ginger well. Since, it has a scent that makes people dislike it.’

But Rosian didn’t make it obvious that it wasn’t tasty. Rather, he looks elegant even with a strange expression on his face, while feeling embarrassed.

However, Jayna who doesn’t like watching people suffer in misery, quickly said, while staring at Rosian.

“Your Highness, I have a favor to ask of you. The cookies are so delicious, can I eat them all?”

“Oh? Absolutely.”

At first, he thought that Jayna, find the ginger cookies quite to her liking.

After a while, however, Rosian noticed that it was Jayna’s consideration to ease his burden.

‘It must’ve shown in his face’

However, the little child in front of him didn’t show it, and just quietly chewed.

Feeling strange, Rosian stared at Jayna’s face.

Her eyes are big like a calf, and her face was white and soft.

Except for being cute and pretty, it is no different from other children, but Rosian couldn’t take his eyes off the girl in front of him.

‘Is this why that trash cares about Miss Jayna?’

“By the way, Miss Jayna, what was the song you hummed a while ago in the carriage earlier? I didn’t think it was in Imperial language, but it was something mysterious and sentimental.”

Jayna recalled the melody she had mumbled earlier.

‘Oh, that song’s…’

Jayna got up and moved to the seat next to Rosian. Suddenly, as the distance drew closer, Rosian’s eyes widened.

“The song was sung by me while I was doing ‘Sse-sse-sse.’

*How Sse-sse-sse is played

“Sse-sse-sse?”

Jayna raised her two little hands.

Then she rolled up her long sleeves and said,

“Sse sse sse” is a secret game that only I know. If you like, I’ll only teach you, your highness.”

“Even Brother Michael doesn’t know it?”

“Yes, no one knows.”

He didn’t even know what Sse-sse-sse was, but Rosian looked very excited.

“Yes, then I won’t tell anyone and it would only be between the two of us, Miss Jayna.”

‘The younger the child, the more they go crazy about secrets and stuff.’

Jayna pulled Rosian’s hands together.

“The impact of this game is great. The more you play this game, the better your concentration skill will be.”

Jayna’s voice didn’t shake a while explaining the mechanism of the game.

Jayna grabbed Rosian’s hands and said sternly.

“Sse-sse-sse has to hold each other’s hands and shake them up and down. After that, the main play begins.”

Jayna put Rosian’s hand on the table first.

Clapping your hands, then bumping his wrist in the air…

One clap, one wrist bump into the air

“In a way, it has a similarity on passing magic knowledge. It is spread only by oral tradition. Each person who also does ‘Sse-sse-sse’ has different approaches.

“But I’m going to do the same thing as Miss Jayna? Oh, it’s similar with wizards, having a teacher and a student.….”

“You got it right. Now I’m going to sing and do it.”

Jayna opened her mouth.

“On a white boat, in the Milky Way, in the blue sky.”

Jayna dazzlingly moved her hands. Rosian tried to focused on her quick and precise movements, until his eyes felt like they’re about to fall off.

“One tree, one tree rabbit.

At that moment, the wrist was bent, and the advanced technique of moving up and down in succession burst forth.

“Wow.”

As the exclamation came out of Rosian’s mouth, Jayna finished the game with a satisfied face.

“-to the West.”

“Awesome, Miss Jayna!”

Rosian enthusiastically clapped more than when he watched the play.

Even though Jayna wasn’t very good, the audience in front of her was quite generous. Jayna, excited by the reaction, asked Rosian back.

“So do you want to play with me now?”