Chapter 25
The first prince’s death and the victory in the war—two events had unfolded in the capital city.
Natalie’s eyes took in the sight of people walking through the streets, laughing together. And what reached her nose… was probably the smell of freshly baked bread. Looking around, she saw that delicious-looking food was being sold from the stalls.
The capital—the city surrounding the castle—was full of peace and vitality.
When the war began, everyone had been in mourning for the first prince. But with the war ending in victory, and thanks to the king’s arrangements, a brighter mood had settled over the city. Natalie hadn’t been able to go see it, but there had apparently been a triumphant parade honoring the warriors who had distinguished themselves.
Surely the Black Knights, led by Marc, had participated as well. Events to celebrate the heroes of the nation brought a cheerful atmosphere to the city.
“…Phew, sorry for the sudden outing. Are you feeling dizzy from magic?”
“…E-eh. N-no, I’m fine.”
Dizzy from magic? That was an understatement. But, following the king’s recommendation, she was walking through the streets with Edward. Returning now would have been… awkward due to matters related to the royal family.
While she was thinking about appearances, she thought she heard—perhaps it was her imagination—her father calling her. But surely it was just that—her imagination. Shifting her gaze back to Edward in front of her:
“Oh… Edward… your hair—”
“Hehe, I tried brown… how does it look?”
It wasn’t his usual fiery red, but a calm brown. It was probably the disguise magic he had mentioned in the hall. Though his appearance had changed, his inherent beauty remained.
“It suits you very well. That hair color is lovely too.”
“Really? Thank you… Actually, Natalie, your hair too—”
“…Me?”
Edward’s comment made her glance at her reflection in a nearby glass. Natalie’s hair had turned the same brown as Edward’s.
“Wow…! Amazing! Magic can do this too?”
“Hehe, I’m glad you like it.”
Her usually bright silver hair completely changed color, which felt fresh and new. Natalie, surprised and amazed, listened as Edward smiled and casually said, “I’m glad I could put my skills to use.”
“…Also, I thought your clothes might be a little hard to move in.”
“Clothes… a dress?”
Following his prompt, she looked at her dress. The long, frilly dress she had worn to meet the king had changed. Its length no longer tangled around her legs, and the sleeves were easier to move in.
Until now—counting even her first experiences—Natalie had mostly worn formal, rigid dresses. Of course, when acting like a servant at the Fangrey estate, she wore tattered, functional clothes.
But she had never worn something both elegant and easy to move in.
“Wow! I’ve never worn something like this—it’s so functional!”
“…Yes, it suits you… truly beautiful and charming.”
“…! Th-thank you…”
Being praised casually made her face warm up naturally. Unlike formal occasions like balls or family events, being complimented like this—so unexpectedly—made her flustered.
“Hehe, it’s nice to have some flair in clothing. As a man, I only have dull colors.”
“N-no, that’s not true! Any color still holds your dignity—”
“…Haha, no need to get so worked up.”
“Ah!”
Edward laughed at her flustered reaction. Unlike Natalie, he had only changed his hair color, but he wanted her to know he looked good too. Meanwhile, Natalie’s face turned bright red, like a boiled crab.
“We got carried away talking… Well then, beautiful Natalie, would you honor me by walking with me?”
“…D-don’t tease me! But… I’d be pleased today.”
Natalie placed her hand on Edward’s arm, and they started walking together.
◆◇◆
“The city streets here are lively, even with all the stalls.”
“…Wow.”
“Beyond the stalls, there’s a large square. You can see a fountain with lions crafted by local artisans.”
“A fountain like that…!”
Unlike the town in the Pettigrew territory, this place was bustling with people. Natalie’s eyes widened in awe.
“Oh! Husband! Long time no see! And you’ve brought a beautiful wife today!”
Walking with Edward and looking at the shops, a stall owner suddenly called out. Edward smiled and greeted him: “Long time no see.”
“Be careful not to look too much, or I might get jealous.”
“Ahhh! So sweet!”
“…E-Edward…”
Natalie, surprised, tried to stop him, but a voice whispered in her ear: “Don’t use my full name… call me Eddie, okay?”
The closeness of his face and his nickname made Natalie just gape.
“Ah, seeing such a happy couple… I feel a little sick… Oh, I almost forgot! Since she’s beautiful, I’ll throw in this new bread as a bonus… want one?”
“Hmm, it looks delicious. I’ll take two then.”
“E-Eddie…”
“Hmm? What is it, Natalie? Are you not fond of bread?”
“N-no, it’s not that…”
—She wanted him to correct the ‘wife’ comment!
Unaware of her thoughts, Edward paid with practiced ease. They must have inspected this town before; his movements were so smooth.
“Thank you! The new bread has cream inside.”
“Oh, cream… unusual.”
“I’ll throw in two more for you, sir—”
“Ah, thank you, but when we eat it together, we’ll split one in half.”
“Ahhh! That’s great! Sorry for being so forward.”
Natalie couldn’t process Edward’s words, filled with surprise and nervousness. Meanwhile, Edward, carrying the bag of bread in one hand, held Natalie’s hand with the other.
“Eh… thank you for the bonus. Let’s go.”
“Ah! Come again! Be happy~!”
With the cheerful call of the shopkeeper behind them, Natalie followed Edward as best she could.
◆◇◆
“E-Edward… Eddie!”
“Hehe, angry Natalie is cute too.”
“~~~!”
She couldn’t correct him. Swallowed by his pace, they arrived at the square with the lion fountain Edward had first shown her.
Led to a large wooden bench, they sat together comfortably.
“Well, you see… the bread on that street is delicious, exceptional even.”
Edward laughed softly and took a round, golden-brown bread from the bag, handing it to Natalie.
“Thank you… for the money—”
“Consider it my indulgence. I wanted to show you around. Don’t worry about it.”
“…Hehe, then I’ll accept. Thank you.”
She didn’t want to contradict his smile and words. Looking at the fluffy bread, she noticed it was warm, probably freshly baked.
“Such warm bread… Knights often come here, so you don’t have to worry about poison.”
“I see… it’s famous then.”
Breaking off a piece, she found something inside: a soft white filling. Drawn by the scent, she took a bite.
“D-delicious…!”
“See?”
It was cheese. While the manor’s chef made good bread, this street vendor’s had a different, delightful taste.
Staring at the bread as if it were a century’s greatest invention, she noticed Edward’s piercing gaze.
“W-what is it?”
“When I first ate it, I felt the same.”
“I see.”
“Yeah. Nostalgic… I think more people should know about this bread.”
“Yes! Absolutely!”
Bathed in warm sunlight through the trees, they enjoyed the delicious bread. After finishing the cheese-filled bread, Edward took out the bonus bread from the bag. He broke it in half, handing one piece to Natalie. Experiencing this kind of bread-eating for the first time, she accepted it hesitantly.
“…Sweet and delicious!”
“Yes, cream really goes well with bread.”
They tore the bread into bite-sized pieces and ate together, smiling.
Afterwards, sitting on the bench, they rested while Edward explained the fountain’s design and the buildings in other districts. Everything was new and interesting.
“The area beyond this square is mostly undeveloped… it will grow in the future.”
“I see.”
“Natalie, what shops do you usually go to?”
“Well, I—”
The initial awkwardness faded, and conversation flowed naturally—when suddenly:
“P-please… examine my son…”
“…Hah, I don’t treat patients who can’t pay.”
“P-please… I beg you…”
A woman’s desperate cries reached the square from the undeveloped area nearby.
