CH 24

“The Lambert Territory is fundamentally made up of agriculture, such as wheat, corn, and fruits. Nuts are a famous specialty, and in fact, more than half of the nuts in the kingdom of Pluvia come from our territory. We are also trading with Rubrum, so there are many merchants who come to buy such folk art and artifacts.”

As we walked through the town, Machina explained various things to us.

Under the blue sky, as I looked at the white tent stalls lined with stores, I thought there certainly was a savory smell like roasted nuts coming from somewhere.

The outdoor market was crowded with people. From time to time, Marquis Lambert’s knights would make their rounds, and the sounds of children running around could be heard.

(It’s a very nice town… It shows the personality of Marquis Lambert.)

There were also a lot of folk art items that seemed to be a mixture of cultures from the Rubrum Empire, many of which I had never seen in the royal capital.

Thanks to the clothes Machina has provided for me, I could blend in with the town… Not as much as I would like, but it’s a little less conspicuous, and I feel like I can walk around without worry.

I’m wearing a white linen shirt that is long enough to cover my buttocks and loose white underpants, which are also white. Thanks to their construction and the cool material, I’m protected from the sun but also comfortable.

Besides, to prevent my face from standing out too much, I wrapped my face in a calm-colored light blue cloth, like the color of Machina’s eyes.

For some reason, Mika took a threatening attitude toward Machina, asking if there were any other colors available. I’m not quite sure why he was so irritated with what I thought was a beautiful colored cloth. In addition, they had prepared clothes for Mika as well, and both Machina and Mika were dressed in white shirts and loose navy blue underpants similar to mine.

“This is a common people’s market, but there is an upper-class bazaar beyond it. Let’s go and have a look. There are many merchants from Rubrum, so I’m sure you’ll find some interesting items.”

Machina led us to an indoor bazaar.

As soon as I stepped inside, a smell like a mixture of spices wafted through the air.

Unlike the marketplace that looked like a row of tents earlier, Marquis Lambert’s knight stood at the entrance, and indeed, inside the stone building, there was an array of expensive-looking goods.

High domed ceilings. The stores lined up in a narrow space were colored with mosaic lanterns. It was as if we had wandered into a world of night, even though we had been under sunny skies earlier.

I also heard a flute playing from somewhere.

As I was looking around to see what I could find, I heard a cheerful voice from the side.

“Welcome! The Ramee Trading Company deals in glasswork ornaments. And what do you know, I’m Ramee!”

“Glassworks?”

“Yes! Don’t underestimate glass. The Rubrum products are different from the others. Please take a look! Our finished product is different from other stores!”

The fact that he spoke to me in a slightly accented Pluvian language must mean that he is a merchant from the Rubrum Empire.

I looked over and saw a man with brown skin, golden eyes, and dark, elegant hair, which is also a characteristic of the Rubrum people. His shoulder-length earrings shimmered.

He has a friendly smile on his face, but I’m amazed at how manly he is.

As far as I know, all men in the Rubrum Empire are like that, they show a lot of skin. They are dressed only in loose underpants and vests like the ones I am wearing, and their skin is on full display.

I had never seen them this close before, so I froze in amazement. Then I heard Machina’s voice from the side.

“The people already knew that Your Highness Nagi was coming for a visit. That’s why the merchants have a strong business spirit.”

“Yes! Please come and see.”

Ramee, who was beaming with a friendly smile, didn’t seem bothered by the word “business spirit,” and leaned forward even more.

The bare brown skin peeking out from the embroidered vest-like garment is so close that I don’t know where to look. Ramee, seemingly oblivious to that, kept smiling while showing me a glasswork pendant top he was holding in his hand.

“Recently, the products here are highly valued for their artistic quality, and orders are coming in from the royal capital as well. A senior member of the Order of Knights has also ordered from me.”

“Hmm, I see. So there are knights who want such a pretty thing? Is it for a protection charm?”

“Huh? Well, that’s for getting the girls, of course.”

“……..Huh?! Ah, yes, I see. So that’s what it’s for.”

I glanced over at Mika, who was also holding a glasswork in his hand, looking at it from various angles and through it.

The blue item Mika was holding in his hand shone through the magic light and cast a shimmering blue light on his serious-looking face. Mika probably didn’t realize it, but his side profile, which seemed to be scattered with light, was so beautiful and magical and I couldn’t help but admire it.

(So Mika also… thought of wanting to give this kind of thing to someone.)

My heart ached sharply at the thought of it.

It’s not that someone is forbidden to marry when they become a knight for life of royalty.

If he has someone he loves, Mika will get married. Just like I will surely do with someone’s daughter, if I survive the next five years.

And yet, he will always be by my side. That’s the kind of relationship I chose for this second life.

I felt somewhat empty, and a shadow of me as I was looking down, fell on the pendant top that Ramee was holding.

Ramee continued in a cheerful tone of voice.

“Err, this is our most popular item. We don’t have them on display in the store, but we also have ones made with real gemstones.”

“I-I see. Is this thing hollow inside?”

I returned my attention to Ramee, thinking that I shouldn’t space out when he was showing me his wares.

Ramee’s earrings sway and his face comes closer.

“This is how it opens, mister prince.”

“Wow, you’re right. This is amazing, I didn’t know you could put things in such a small space. But what do you put in here?”

“Well, maybe pills or something. They’re beautiful to hold, and they’re kind of like good luck charms.”

Ramee twisted the glasswork a few times, and as if by magic, a small opening appeared.

It seemed that craftsmen made each one with a different structure, which was why they were expensive even though they were made of glass.

This was a convincing item if he said there were people from the royal capital who wanted it.

But when he called me “mister prince”, I felt a little embarrassed by the way it sounded like he was talking to a young prince. Ramee is from the Rubrum Empire, so I guess he is not very good at honorifics. But it reminded me of the time I was called that.

When I was little and wanted to be taller than Brother Seth, my grandmother would sometimes jokingly call me that.

(That’s right… I should just put my grandmother’s guardian stone in here. It’s beautiful, after all.)

I had put the stone in a cloth sack, but then I couldn’t see what was inside, even though it was in the color of my eyes. And I thought it would absorb sweat in the coming summer season.

Among the several pendant tops Ramee had in his hand, I took the transparent one and said.

“I’ll take one of these.”

“Please take it. There is no charge. In exchange, please give me the title of Royal Purveyor.”

“That’s a lot more expensive than no charge …I can’t give you the royal title, but if you’re okay with my personal-…”

“Nagi!”

Suddenly, I heard Mika’s sharp voice from beside me, and I froze in surprise.

Mika, standing between me and Ramee, continued in a low voice.

“I’m sorry. You already gave an interesting offer, but we’ll still pay for it after all.”

“Tch. Even though the prince almost agreed to it.”

“I’m sorry. I want to buy it for him. So this time, I’ll pay.”

While I was blinking my eyes, Mika had finished paying, and I tilted my head, “What, Mika’s buying it?” I was confused, but I couldn’t even interrupt him. Mika gave me a sharp glare, and I felt intimidated. I did feel a little remorseful, thinking that giving him the purveyor title might have been thoughtless, even though I had not used his product yet.

Machina also said that the merchants have a tough business spirit, and I also thought the same inwardly.

But I was grateful to have found a very nice item.

I thought that I’ll move the guardian stone there as soon as I returned to Machina’s mansion.

It was a stone that had a very special meaning because it made me return from death, but it was also a memento of my grandmother. Memories of her passed through my mind, and naturally, a smile overflowed my face.

But then I felt a gaze on me, and when I looked at Ramee in front of me, our eyes met.

Ramee laughed softly, and as if his true feelings had overflowed, he said,

“I hope the peace can last forever. Life in the desert can be hard, but the country would be much richer if we were trading like this.”

I heard Ramee mutter so, and I thought that what he said was right.

Then, remembering the future five years from now, a painful feeling spread slowly in my heart and I became sad. The words I conveyed to him as if squeezing out my feelings were a heartfelt wish.

“Yes, that’s right. I also hope so.”