AME 14

CH:14

At high noon, under the blazing sun, the carriage glided over the paved road and left the castle. Today was the day they planned to purchase the necessary items for Alessia and use the opportunity to introduce her to the domain.

Normally, merchants were summoned into the castle to display their goods, or items were ordered directly from the start. But since Alessia expressed a desire to see the outside world, they decided to visit one of the cities within the domain.

Kaon pretended to look out the window but stealthily stole a glance at Alessia. She was entirely absorbed in looking out the window.

“Are those eyes supposed to be creepy?”

As Kaon leisurely admired her profile, the rumors about Alessia’s eyes suddenly came to mind. His gaze naturally focused on her red eyes.

“They’re really not.”

The red eyes shimmering in the sunlight pouring through the window looked exquisitely brilliant. They weren’t frightening or eerie, as some had claimed.

In fact, they sparkled so brightly that his gaze kept drifting toward them. Like embedded jewels, her vivid red eyes had a magnetic pull—not a power that controlled the mind, but something else entirely.

“Kaon, was this wall built to keep out monsters?”

His reverie was cut short. Still looking out the window, Alessia asked the question while gazing up at the fortress wall. Kaon followed her gaze and replied.

“Yes. Ferdinand has rarely been involved in territorial wars, and since monsters have always been the main threat, the wall facing the forest was built even before the city was fully established.”

The wall was ordered to be built by the first Duke of Ferdinand after the first war with monsters, and it continued to protect the domain to this day.

It was significantly longer and thicker than the outer wall built to defend the city from external invasions.

So sturdy was it that despite being the oldest, it required the least maintenance.

“Well, it was well built, but more importantly…”

Of course, being the largest wall in Ferdinand, it had been constructed with exceptional funding. But there was another reason beyond just money.

“The power of magic must be the bigger factor.”

Kaon gazed at the faint wavering aura that shimmered across the wall. Like a mirage, it was a barrier formed from someone’s mysterious magical power.

The enormous barrier surrounding the entire wall had been formed using the magic of a single individual. Every time Kaon saw that wall, he couldn’t help but think, “Who the hell was this insanely powerful lunatic…”

Barrier magic was one of the most mana-consuming types of protective magic. A wizard capable of casting something on that scale alone had to be either incredibly strong or incredibly insane—or perhaps both.

Curious to know who it was, Kaon had once looked it up in the records, but the documents claimed something entirely different—especially the phrase “a group of dozens of mages rotating shifts,” which was completely false.

And how did he know this?

Because Kaon could see the flow of magical energy. The mana flowing through the wall unmistakably belonged to a single individual. Only Kaon and his late mother knew about this inborn ability of his.

“She never approved of it.”

His mother had earnestly begged him never to reveal it to anyone, not even until the day she closed her eyes for the last time. Kaon turned his gaze from the wall, pushing away the unpleasant memory.

“I heard there are multiple cities here, Kaon. Where are we going today?”

“We’re headed to Brier. It has the most shops.”

Brier was the most bustling city in Ferdinand, home to the largest number of residents and always teeming with people.

It could be a bit chaotic due to the crowds, but in terms of shop size and product quality, no other city could compare.

After a long ride, the carriage began to slow as it entered the streets of Brier. Large shops lined both sides of the main road, and street vendors could be seen here and there.

“It’s such a lively city.”

After silently watching the scenery for a while, Alessia murmured quietly. Kaon followed her gaze out the window.

A vendor and a customer were haggling, perhaps due to a failed negotiation. Passersby walked by, laughing as if nothing could trouble them. A young couple, likely newly in love, shyly held hands.

Wherever Alessia’s eyes turned, ordinary people were simply living their everyday lives.

It was a common enough sight anywhere, nothing particularly worthy of interest—but Alessia kept watching quietly.

Her expression looked somewhat sad, so Kaon spoke up without much thought.

“We’ll stop by a tailor’s first. Since the distance was far, you likely couldn’t bring much luggage. It would be good to buy several outfits now, especially since you’ll soon be heading into the forest.”

“Oh, will I need armor or something?”

“Mages usually don’t wear full armor. But they tend to prefer clothes that are more practical for movement.”

“Right, since I’ll be walking around the forest.”

Alessia nodded in understanding, then hesitated for a moment. Kaon suddenly remembered that her luggage hadn’t arrived in a separate cart.

He’d assumed it was because she’d minimized her packing due to the distance between Ferdinand and Ingelos, but perhaps that wasn’t the only reason.

“Could it be…”

What if Ingelos had fallen into worse poverty than he imagined? What if she didn’t choose not to bring her belongings—but couldn’t?

Of course, even for a duchy, it was an unlikely scenario. But since he was planning to mention it eventually, Kaon decided to bring it up now.

“Though you’ve come to Ferdinand as my fiancée… compensation for your work as a mage will be provided separately.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. All the purchases made today will be paid for by Ferdinand, so please choose freely.”

And that statement worked wonders. Alessia’s eyes widened as she asked for confirmation, then a noticeable glow lit up her face.

Even as she pressed her lips together to keep her expression composed, her smiling eyes betrayed her joy. Her hands kept clenching and unclenching in excitement, which she tried to hide, but Kaon noticed.

“What’s making her that happy?”

Even if her family had declined in fortune, it wasn’t such a remarkable offer for a noble lady of a ducal family to be so thrilled over. He didn’t quite understand it, yet something about her innocent excitement tugged at his heart.

“…She’s kind of cute.”

A charm he couldn’t deny brushed against Kaon’s heart.

“Surely, she doesn’t plan to stay in Ferdinand forever, does she?”

“Of course not! What kind of shameless person would do that?”

The ominous voices drifted into the carriage, which had come to a stop. They were riding a carriage without Ferdinand’s crest so that Alessia could explore in peace.

“I heard she’s a mage? Those tower brats are always so arrogant! The knights always complain when they stop by our tavern.”

“Well, she’s from Ingelos, so that makes sense.”

“Let’s just hope we don’t run into her. I don’t want to catch bad luck just by looking at those blood-red eyes.”

The voices coming from behind the carriage reached them clearly. Even without names, it was obvious they were talking about Alessia.

“Alessia.”

A brief silence passed. Kaon opened his mouth at last, but the coachman interrupted, announcing their arrival.

“Shall I open the door?”

“It looks like we’re here.”

Unlike the flustered Kaon, Alessia smiled calmly, as if unaffected. For a moment, Kaon wondered if she hadn’t heard—but that couldn’t be.

He noticed her hands quietly clenched into fists. The meaning was all too clear.

[Scene Break]

“Nice to meet you, Lord Kaon and Lady Alessia. I’m Dvora, the head of this boutique. I’ll serve you with all sincerity.”

Dvora, the seamstress with voluminous hair, bowed politely.

“Nice to meet you. We’re here to look at some clothes for my fiancée.”

“Yes, right this way.”

She led them past mannequins dressed in gowns and guided them upstairs.

“Would you like to join her, Lord Kaon?”

“I’ll wait here. Please take your time, Alessia.”

Kaon sat on a nearby sofa and glanced around the boutique. One side displayed completed dresses, while the other was neatly arranged with dozens of fabric swatches and threads.

“I hope this lifts her mood a little.”

There were so many kinds that it was almost overwhelming to look through them all. Kaon watched Alessia from a distance, responding with her usual pleasant smile.

“Come to think of it, Alessia doesn’t seem to get hot easily.”

That thought popped up as he watched her. Ferdinand was sweltering in summer, and everyone tried to avoid the heat in any way possible.

Even the mannequins wore short-sleeved dresses suited to the season, but Alessia was wearing a long-sleeved dress, as always.

In fact, from the very first day she arrived in Ferdinand, she’d dressed that way. It wasn’t as if the sun avoided her. It was strange.

“Maybe it’s just her preference? Though… she always wears that ring too.”

Kaon focused on the ring adorning Alessia’s right index finger. A sunflower-shaped ring with a large ruby in the center, surrounded by small diamonds.

Even to Kaon, who knew little about jewelry, it looked expensive. But on Alessia, it seemed a bit too mature. The design was old-fashioned and the stones large, which clashed with her delicate hand.

Nevertheless, she never once took it off. Perhaps because the ruby matched her eye color? He couldn’t say for sure.

“Kaon.”

“Yes, Alessia?”

She had come to find Kaon, who stood immediately. She motioned for him to lower his head.

He bent awkwardly, thinking she wanted him to crouch, and as he did, she leaned in close and whispered in his ear:

“Would it be okay if I bought a few hats?”

It was a trivial question, whispered softly. But the sensation it brought was anything but. The warm breath and ticklish voice sent a shiver down Kaon’s spine.

“…Yes, of course. As you wish.”

Kaon stiffened from the unfamiliar feeling, barely managing to reply. The lingering tingle of that moment stayed with him for a while.