Yesterday, I worked hard to choose jewelry, but I didn't get a chance to show it off.
It was because of Kishian's advice that walking around with the Identity of the Grand Duchess revealing might lead to danger.
He said that I had to cover my face for safety, so he brought me a wide, hooded cloak to cover me thoroughly.
When I was covered with a black cloak and a hood, my face was barely visible, let alone my jewelry.
Only after covering me did he nod his head in satisfaction.
"This is enough to get a lot of attention."
"Wouldn't it be too obscured to attract attention? It looks suspicious."
I muttered a little dissatisfaction in the mirror, and he shook his head.
"You have to be careful. It's a big festival, so all kinds of people will be gathered, so kidnappings and things like that might happen."
"Kidnapping?"
"You don't have to worry too much because I'll be by your side. Just to be a little careful."
He opened my robe more carefully and led me outside.
After that, he took me directly to the black horse that had been prepared in advance.
His order fell on Walter, Anne, and the other escorts who were waiting with him.
"Don't follow me too closely, as it will interfere with the festival, but move from a distance."
"Yes, Your Highness."
After giving the order, Kishian set off his horse.
The destination was the place where the festival was held. Hoffmannsplatz Square.
After a short ride on horseback, we arrived at the square, where there were many more people than we expected.
Merchants dressed in unusual costumes were selling all kinds of strange things with wagons parked up, and the people who came to see the territory were busy moving back and forth.
The wide area seemed cramped, with no time to step on it.
After leaving the horses nearby, we started walking around the streets and looking at the goods lined up by the vendors.
"Have you ever been out on the streets and enjoyed a festival like this before?"
I shook my head at his question.
"No, I don't. It's my first time. As a Princess, I was cautious about going outside.
What about the festival...
I had watched festivals being held from afar.
Beautiful lanterns hung from them, children happily shooting under them, and lovers shyly holding hands to show their affection...
They seemed to be having a lot of fun, but I always had to watch from afar.
It was because of my father's strictness.
He didn't want to send Letie to a place where the common people were so crowded, so I couldn't go to the festival either.
If I left, Letie would insist that she wanted to go too.
"It's my first time too."
I looked up at his words.
He put me in his eyes and made me smile.
"It's my first time seeing a festival. This is the second time we've shared the first time with each other."
The moment I understood the meaning of those words, my cheeks became hot.
This was the second time we shared our first time together, as he said.
The first time was in my bedroom on a winter day three years ago.
"Well, that's what you say on the street..."
"Well, what do you think? I don't think anyone understands."
With a cool, pleasant smile, he led me forward.
"Tell me anything you want to see or have while passing by. I don't want to have any regrets."
I nodded silently.
When I spoke, I felt like my voice was going to tremble.
As I walked beside him, he wrapped his arms around my shoulders so that I wouldn't bump into people.
Thanks to this, I was able to look around the city comfortably.
'I think I should buy you a gift. You must be busy these days, but you're hanging out with me like this..."'
Kishian told me not to worry about it, but I knew he had been trying hard to make time for the day.
Even as he walked along the road, his work must have been piling up.
Just then, an item suitable for him came into view.
I paused in front of a wagon selling delicately crafted glassware and grabbed the hem of Kishian's robe.
"I think I'm a little thirsty..."
"Do you need something to drink?"
He looked around and finally pointed to a nearby juice shop.
"Juice?"
"I think it would be a little better if I drank it. Can I just wait here? My legs hurt."
"Are you going to sit alone? It's dangerous."
"It's quiet here, so it's okay. And Walter will be watching from afar, so if something happens, he will come running."
"Hmm..."
He seemed a little worried, but as if he had decided to trust the escorts, he walked to the juice shop.
I waited for him to move away for some time and approached the wagon selling glassware that I had seen earlier.
"Welcome, Miss. All of them are made by skilled craftsmen. They are not easily available anywhere."
As I approached, an old man who seemed to be the owner of the wagon greeted me with a smile.
I busied myself picking out the prettiest and loveliest items he had on the stall.
Among them, the most eye-catching was a glass sculpture in the shape of a small rabbit.
Everything else was pretty, but the black rabbit with one ear sticking out was especially cute.
His eyes are gold, so he looks like a Kishian.
"I want to buy this."
The old man's eyes lit up when he heard my tone.
He stared at my face from under the hood and asked.
"You look like a young lady from a noble family, but which family are you?"
"You probably won't know it. I came from afar."
After looking around, the old man seemed a little worried and told me the price of the rabbit carvings.
"Then... I'll give you 10 silver."
The price of a sculpture the size of a finger was ridiculously high.
He seemed to notice that I was an aristocrat and asked for a high price.
Still, about 10 silver was just a small amount of money, so when I paid the price obediently, the old man added as if his conscience was pricked.
"We will carefully wrap your belongings with a special silk ribbon. We will pack it for you without any extra charge."
"Hurry up and pack it up. I don't have time."
I had to hurry to get his goods before he returned.
At my urging, the old man hurriedly put the crafts in a box and began to pack them neatly.
The gifts were finely wrapped with red wrapping paper and a shiny golden silk ribbon.
I hurriedly craved it into my arms and sat down on a bench to wait, and soon the Kishian returned.
"I didn't know what kind of flavor you would like, so I brought it as a safe apple juice for the time being."
"Thank you."
Fortunately, he didn't seem to see me buying gifts.
When I went back from watching the festival, I would give it to him as a surprise.
It's not a great gift, but wouldn't it still make him smile for a while?
When I thought of the way he smiled as he accepted the gift, a warm sense of happiness welled up.
I fiddled with the gift I had placed in my arms a few times and got up from the bench.
"Shall we see it again? It will take me a whole day to see it all."
"Let's do that."
We started walking down the street again.
The warmth from the clasped hands felt particularly warm.
***
After that, I browsed the shops, stood in line to buy apple pies, and went inside the shabby tent to look at the card store.
It might be a nuisance to wander around that much, but Kishian didn't complain until the end of the day.
I was grateful that he followed me without saying a word, so I thought it was a good idea to buy him a gift.
Still, I didn't want to make it too hard, so I decided to go back after watching the lantern performance for the last time.
Not far away, I heard a strange sound.
Hiing. Hiing...
It sounded like a young puppy, so I looked at the place where the sound came from.
I saw a shop that was selling small animals in small cages.
Are you selling pets? Curious, I approached the place, and the Kishian followed.
Standing in front of a stall selling animals, I was speechless for a moment.
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