Lucas did not say anything.
Thalia glanced up and flinched, taking a step back as she met the bright yellowish-brown eyes staring intently at her.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
As she shot back sharply in a wary tone, Lucas let out a low chuckle.
"No. I didn't realize you valued the position of Grand Duchess so highly."
Thalia blushed. Her face burned as she recalled her past history of recklessly running away from home. Raising the corners of her eyes as if to hide it, Thalia retorted sharply.
"What does it matter to you what I value? If you're going to leave, hurry up and prepare the carriage!"
"Yes, yes, I understand."
Lucas let out a chuckle and shrugged his shoulders as he walked toward the castle gate.
Thalia chased after him straight across the garden. Khan, who had been standing by her side like a shadow, quietly followed her as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Lucas frowned as he looked back at the wolf.
"Surely you aren't planning to take that wolf away, are you?"
"Is there any reason why it can't be done?"
"There are plenty of reasons."
Lucas rubbed his temples.
"The market must be packed with visitors flocking from all over the East. It is obvious what kind of commotion would break out if a direwolf appeared in a place like that."
"I have taken Khan out of the castle several times before, and there were no problems."
Thalia lifted her chin and retorted.
"Besides, rumors have already spread throughout Kalmor that I am traveling with a direwolf. There is no way there would be a sudden commotion now."
"But..."
"Fine. If I'm going to separate Khan, I'll just stay in the castle."
Thalia stopped abruptly.
In the end, Lucas raised the white flag.
"Okay. We can just take them."
He looked down at Khan for a moment with a wary look, shook his head, and walked toward the city gate.
A short while later, a four-wheeled carriage wide enough to carry Khan stopped in front of them.
As Thalia climbed on first, Khan squeezed straight through the narrow carriage entrance and took a seat at her feet. Lucas, who had been watching this with disapproval, let out a short sigh and sat down in the empty seat.
"Let's go."
As he lightly tapped the wall of the carriage, the wheels began to roll with a clatter.
She gazed at the castle gate receding into the distance outside the window, then glanced at the man sitting opposite her.
"So? How is Barcas doing?"
"We've just started moving. Aren't you being too impatient? At least after arriving at the market..."
"You told me yoy would give me detailed information about the war situation in the North if I went out with you. Keep your promise!"
As Thalia flared up and raised her voice, Lucas raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.
"Okay, okay. I'll just tell you."
Then, stroking the back of his neck with one hand, he slowly continued speaking.
"You have likely heard the general news, but the civil war is intensifying day by day. Although the Imperial Army has captured several major cities in southern Balto, the Northern Alliance is tenaciously holding out against them. I heard that several fierce clashes have also taken place in the southeastern border region of Balto where my brother is stationed."
"Clashes?"
Thalia's expression hardened in an instant. Leaning forward toward Lucas, she urgently poured out questions.
"What about Barcas? Is he safe? Did they say he wasn't hurt?"
"If something had happened to my brother, would I be out leisurely looking around the market right now? He is perfectly fine, so please stop worrying unnecessarily."
Lucas, who had replied nonchalantly, leaned his head against the rattling wall and continued speaking.
"According to recent reports, the lords of the East Balto region launched an all-out offensive to break through the supply lines, but they were defeated piecemeal by my big brother's hand. His momentum was so formidable that, among the rebels, he is known as a disaster itself."
Thalia let out a deep sigh of relief.
Lucas continued his explanation in a voice filled with pride.
"He will likely fight a few more battles before the season of rest begins. It seems he intends to gradually narrow the front lines and corner the traitors."
She bit her lip, feeling a large stone weighing heavily on her chest.
The thought of Barcas continuing to fight without even a moment to rest made her feel suffocated. An unbearable sense of guilt washed over her at the thought that she, too, had played a part in pushing Barcas into the battlefield.
"...It’s not really dangerous, is it?"
"Where is there a war that isn't dangerous?"
Lucas, who had been snorting in disbelief, hurriedly added upon seeing her noticeably pale face.
"Still, things are going in our favor, so don't worry. No matter how hard the rebels try, they won't be able to turn the tide."
Having finished speaking, he pulled back the thin curtain hanging by the window and looked outside. Before he knew it, the carriage had entered the city.
The destination was gradually coming into view. The entire avenue extending south from that square over there is a fabric market.
Thalia turned her gaze in the direction he was pointing. Beyond the square, a spectacular scene unfolded, with countless tents and colorful stalls lined up endlessly.
"It looks difficult for a carriage to enter. Let's walk from here."
Lucas stopped the carriage and stepped out first, extending a hand to her. Ignoring it, she tried to cross the threshold, but Khan suddenly sprang to his feet, ran out, and cleverly pushed Lucas aside.
"This is really..."
Lucas, pushed helplessly, frowned intensely and glared at Khan. However, Khan did not even give him a glance and was wagging his tail at her.
Thalia giggled softly and patted Khan's head.
"My little cutie, you did a great job."
"Cutie?... How can you say that after looking at his size? I don't know how it is, but he's getting more ferocious every day."
"Khan just dislikes people who get too close to him."
She glared at him as if warning and added.
"So you'd better not pull any stunts. My puppy is very jealous."
Leaving Lucas, who was twitching his lips as if to retort, behind, Thalia strode toward the marketplace.
As Lucas had said, the street was packed with visitors in splendid clothes who appeared to be nobles or members of the upper class.
Talia, who had been scanning them carefully, soon stepped between the tents. At that moment, dozens of pairs of eyes flew toward her in unison.
In an instant, the bustling marketplace fell silent as if by magic. It seemed as though they had recognized her identity at a glance.
Thalia slowly pushed her way through the people, cautiously keeping their distance.
Finally, the tent of a large exchange where a heated bidding war was taking place appeared before their eyes. As they approached it, several merchants who recognized them rushed out and bowed deeply.
"Welcome, Grand Duchess."
She sped past them and walked toward the display stand where the goods were displayed.
She walked past the merchants who were in the midst of a bidding war and went to the stall set up at the very back. Then, after carefully scanning the goods displayed in front of it, she lightly gestured with her chin toward the person who appeared to be a broker.
"Show me that one, that one, and that item."
A merchant, splendidly dressed in colorful sashes over splendid silk, immediately took each piece of silk out of the display case and showed it.
"You have exceptional taste. Here, take a look. This is fabric crafted from the finest silk imported from the Southern Continent, intricately embroidered by first-class artisans over the course of several months. It would be perfect for making a bunka or for creating banquet attire."
She reached out to roughly check the quality of the fabric and nodded to Lucas.
Buy these.
"Shouldn't you check this a bit more thoroughly? After comparing it with other items as well..."
"Don't be petty. Do you really need to waste time weighing and nitpicking just to buy fabric?"
A furrow formed between Lucas's eyebrows. He seemed to have realized that she had chosen the item carelessly out of annoyance.
He let out a small sigh, took a gold coin out of his pocket, and settled the payment.
"Alright. Let's go back now."
"Come on, look around a bit more before you go. I'll buy you anything you like. How about that? I think it would suit you well..."
He picked up a brightly colored women's coat from the display shelf and said
Thalia, who had been scanning it with a nonchalant gaze, soon turned her head.
“No need.”
"Try it on at least once."
"If you like it so much, why don't you wear it yourself?"
Thalia scoffed harshly and turned back toward the entrance. At that, he hurriedly blocked her path.
"Why don't you look around a bit more before you go? I hear a banquet is scheduled to be held at the assembly hall after the auction is over, so it would be a good opportunity to socialize with the nobles of the East."
She frowned and looked up at him. Only then did she realize that this man's purpose was to drag her into the social gathering of Eastern nobles. However, she could not understand the reason at all.
"Why do you want me to go to a place like that?"
"Well... It’s already been several years since my sister-in-law came to Kalmor. I thought it was about time you started building connections as the Grand Duchess..."
"Why do you care about that?"
A fleeting look of bewilderment crossed the man's face.
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