* * *
“Wait! Jaynon! You need to put your shoes on!”
“Ugh! Not only did we sneak outside without permission, but we also got caught napping out here!”
Ed snatched up Jaynon’s other shoe and dashed after him.
Watching the two of them scramble, Tens shouted, “Jaynon! Ed! You’re going the wrong way! The dining hall is over there!”
Hearing Tens, Jaynon and Ed quickly corrected their course.
“Ah, I’m out of breath,” Jaynon muttered, clutching his side as they arrived at the dining hall.
He pushed the door open to see the Duke gently tapping Ronen’s palm with the sole of Roa’s paw.
“Did you see the strawberries we planted in the greenhouse?” Ronen asked.
“I did. They were planted beautifully, just like you. When the strawberries grow big, we’ll share them with everyone in the estate.”
Jaynon watched the Duke chatting warmly with Ronen, then whispered to Ed, “Now’s our chance, Ed. His Grace is in a good mood. Let’s just sneak in and sit down.”
Ed stared at the Duke’s soft smile, lost in thought until Jaynon nudged him.
“Oh, right.”
Ed and Jaynon greeted the Duke and took their seats.
But Ed couldn’t focus; the Duke’s gentle smile kept replaying in his mind.
‘Am I still half-asleep?’
Why was his mind so fuzzy?
“Wait, an outing?” Jaynon suddenly shouted.
Ed, who’d been staring blankly at the table, looked up.
The Duke was gently patting Roa’s head, his smile still serene.
“Yes, since we’ve all been busy with urgent matters, it’s time for a break. Head out and enjoy the market in the central village. The night market is open, so go have fun and come back by evening.”
“But Your Highness, I still have work left to do at the estate,” Jaynon protested.
“Is it something that must be done right now?”
Jaynon groaned, resting his head on the table.
Ronen, excited, lifted Roa’s paw and exclaimed, “Can I go too?”
The Duke nodded, picking up Roa.
“Of course, Ronen. You’ve been working hard, too. But since we’ll all be out, Roa will guard the estate for us.”
At those words, Roa gave a confident meow.
As the carriage rolled downhill, Ronen spoke up.
“Jaynon, the night market isn’t until later. Are we heading out too early?”
“Well, the main market is at night, but since there are many merchants gathering, there’s plenty to see beforehand. The traveling performers are a highlight.”
“Traveling performers?”
“They do plays, circus acts, and puppet shows. You’d like them.”
“Sounds fun!”
“Yeah, even though it’s called a night market, we rarely have such events here in the North, so the market will already be crowded.”
“I hope we get there soon!” Ronen said eagerly, waving a hand in front of Ed’s blank gaze.
“Ed.”
Snapping out of his thoughts, Ed looked up. “Oh, yes, Young Master?”
“Is there anything you want to do at the night market?”
“Hmm… It’s such a sudden break, I haven’t thought about it yet. What about you?”
“I want to eat those grilled skewers again. They have those, right?”
“Definitely. Street food is a must for festivals.”
“I can’t wait!”
Watching Ronen puff up his cheeks in excitement, Ed smiled, determined to enjoy the day.
But when they arrived, the sheer variety of food and performances left them overwhelmed.
Jaynon, the most knowledgeable about the North, was also stumped.
He had spent so much time cooped up in the estate that an unscheduled outing was disorienting.
“Wow… It’s already packed,” Jaynon murmured.
Ronen, determined, grabbed Ed’s sleeve. “We can’t get separated.”
“Yes, Young Master. Stay close. There really are a lot of people.”
When Tens returned from handling the carriage, he asked, “So, what now? Jaynon, you know this area best. Lead the way.”
Jaynon crossed his arms, deep in thought.
“Hmm, in situations like this…”
Before he could finish, Ronen tugged Ed’s hand.
“I’m hungry. Can we get skewers first?”
Ed glanced at their indecisive group and suggested, “Why don’t we eat first and figure things out after? We can’t just stand here forever.”
“Good idea,” Jaynon agreed.
“Yeah, let’s do that!”
Before Jaynon could respond, Ronen quickly answered, and the group began moving as if they had found a clear solution.
As they headed toward the restaurant, Ed watched the cheerful crowds smiling here and there, lost in thought.
‘…Seeing so many people gathered like this reminds me of the festival in Illa. Everyone was just as lively and joyful back then, too.’
“…Huh? Ed, what’s wrong?”
When Ed suddenly stopped walking and stared at something, Ronen, who was holding his hand, tugged it with concern.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I just saw people gathering and wondered what was going on. Looks like they’re just waiting for a play.”
Ed dismissed it lightly, and Ronen, relieved, pulled him forward again.
“Let’s hurry up, eat some skewers, and then watch the play! Ah, we already lost sight of Jaynon. Ed, come on!”
“Young Master! Over here!”
Ahead, Tens waved his hand high, and when Ed spotted him, he lifted Ronen in his arms and headed that way.
“Wow, it smells delicious!”
When they reached Tens, the vendor was already grilling various skewers.
Ronen swallowed hard at the sight.
“They’re almost ready, so just wait a moment, little lord.”
Ronen nodded, and Ed took the freshly grilled skewer, gently blowing on it before bringing it to Ronen’s lips.
“Be careful, it’s hot.”
Though cooled slightly, steam still rose from the meat. Ronen took a big bite, only to huff and puff at the heat.
“Ahh… it’s so hot.”
Ronen blew out a few more puffs before swallowing the meat with a gulp.
“Are you okay, Young Master?”
“It’s hot but so good! Ed, try some too.”
“Yeah, yeah, Ed, hurry before Tens eats everything.”
Jaynon, watching Ronen fondly, pushed a skewer toward Ed’s mouth.
Startled by the skewer nearly poking him, Ed quickly bit into the meat and stepped back.
Only then did he realize the skewer Jaynon handed him was fresh off the grill.
“…!”
Seeing Ed struggle with the heat, Jaynon, Tens, and even Ronen, who was still holding his hand, burst out laughing.
Initially, Ed wanted to get back at Jaynon, but as the laughter grew uncontrollable, he found himself swept up in the same inexplicable joy.
And the more the joy swelled, the more thoughts of the absent Duke surfaced.
The Duke always cared for everyone and made sure they could rest, yet Ed had never seen him take a proper break himself.
“Ed, let’s go over there!”
Ronen, always full of energy, seemed even more vigorous after eating skewers. Dragging the weary adults around, Ronen gasped in wonder.
“Wow, Ed! They call that cloud candy. It’s like magic, watching it form in mid-air!”
As a wooden skewer spun inside the machine, the fluffy cloud candy—what Ed recognized as cotton candy—grew bigger and bigger, making Ronen’s eyes sparkle.
“Can we see other colors too?”
“Of course, Young Master.”
Jaynon pointed at the menu with a smile, charmed by Ronen’s excitement.
* * *
Thanks
So cuteeeeee