BSS 129

Chapter 129

Anyway, Aini was a kid who just didn’t mesh with me. The fact that she actually wanted to watch that cringeworthy, soul-shriveling play that made my hands, feet, and internal organs curl up in embarrassment was proof enough.

Rox praised her, saying she was a young lady with refined taste, but I couldn’t understand where on earth that was supposed to be elegant or sophisticated, nor could I sympathize with it, let alone acknowledge it.

Normally, I try to respect people’s preferences—but considering that the protagonist of that play was an absurdly idealized version of me, all that remained was a sense of sheer humiliation.

In the end, while Aini went off to watch the play in the plaza with Rox, Chad excused himself, saying he’d go sharpen his blade at the blacksmith’s. That left only Ash and me.

Ash said he didn’t like the play either.

So we moved to a nearby leather workshop. Sitting side by side, squatting together in that cramped little shop while choosing a sheath for my dagger felt… natural, somehow.

Still, considering the deliberate effort that had gone into separating me from Rox, I had a hunch Ash had something he wanted to ask.

“This one seems good.”

Ash was the kind of man who, aside from being extremely average-looking, had gentle, elegant movements.

I took the small gray leather sheath he handed me.

“I’ll try it.”

The workshop sold all kinds of leather goods.

They accepted custom orders, but I was looking for something ready-made that I could use right away. One fairly large box was filled entirely with dagger sheaths.

Digging through it required a good deal of patience and care.

If I liked the design, it wouldn’t fit my dagger. If the size was right, it’d look tacky or be impractical. I was starting to get a little irritated.

“The quality’s good, and the price is reasonable. You can attach it to your belt, too.”

“Oh, it fits perfectly.”

“And it suits you as well.”

At my feet were piles of rejected sheaths I’d tried on and discarded because they didn’t fit.

“Not bad. Is it because you’re a swordsman? You’ve got a good eye.”

Compared to all that, the one Ash had picked fit astonishingly well—both my dagger and my taste.

A moon-and-star pattern had been carved deeply into the leather, and it felt sturdy. More than anything, the way it settled naturally into my hand made it feel like it truly belonged to me.

The gray leather had a faint bluish tint—an uncommon color—which made it even better.

“Is it acceptable?”

“I like it. I’ll take this one.”

After crouching for so long in such a cramped space, I wobbled when I stood up—but Ash smoothly supported me by the elbow, helping me up with practiced ease.

Ash was the type of person whose manners were ingrained in his very body. People like that were usually of noble blood.

“There’s something like this, too.”

“What is it?”

“A dog leash.”

At the moment, Rai was outside the shop, in the middle of a “stay” command, grumbling that it had been easier to follow me around when he was a snake.

“If you try to put that on him, he’ll really go ‘dog’ crazy.”

“He’s already wearing a collar, though.”

“That’s not a dog leash. It’s a person’s accessory.”

“But it looks too weak. If you’re going to use one, something sturdier like this would—”

“No. Rai’s more like my friend than a dog, so that’s fine.”

“…If you say so.”

You’re strange too, for accepting that so easily.

Ash put the leash he’d been fiddling with back on the shelf, and right next to it I spotted something that made me think, Oh wow, I need this.

This was why leather workshops were dangerous. There were too many things to buy.

“I needed this too! And this, and this!”

It probably looked like I was grabbing everything in sight, but they were all things I genuinely needed.

“If it’s for a watch strap, a chain might be better than leather.”

“No, it’s for my compass.”

“I see.”

“Which is better? Pick for me.”

I did whatever I pleased, and rather than criticizing me for it, Ash simply went along obediently.

What kind of prince listens this well?

“This one would be best. The knot is sturdy, so it’ll last longer. The darker color won’t show dirt as easily, either…”

“Wait a second.”

To check the match, I took out the compass I’d kept in my pocket.

It had small scratches on its face from bumping against coins.

Normally, people carried compasses on a strap to prevent that, but since I’d set out on this journey so suddenly, I’d been lacking all sorts of things.

Dragon Lairs had rare treasures you couldn’t find anywhere else, yet almost no everyday necessities. The Silver Wolf tribe’s village also lacked anything that could satisfy my more cultural needs.

Come to think of it, there were more than just one or two things I needed to buy right away.

“I want another belt too. With my current one, I don’t have enough places to hang things. Hmm… should a new belt be thin or thick? There are way too many kinds.”

Travelers’ clothing varied widely, each style reflecting their different origins—but there was one thing they all had in common: multiple belts.

People carried all sorts of items at their waists, attached to their belts.

“Belts are important. Shall we choose one together?”

“Please. I honestly don’t know what’s best.”

“It’s like that for everyone at first.”

The more experienced a traveler was, the more belts they tended to have.

They hung everything from daggers to potions, whips, ropes, compasses, watches, drinks, food—practically anything.

It made items easy to reach when needed, and since they were held close to the body, they were harder for thieves to steal.

Of course, even things worn at the waist could still be stolen, but the loss rate was far lower than with bags.

Multiple belts also served as a way to distinguish travelers from locals.

Travelers usually wore at least two belts, and if they carried a lot of gear, sometimes three or four. I only had one—which was practically a sign of a novice traveler.

Like wearing a white belt in taekwondo—an air of inexperience. I really needed to buy another one soon.

“This type would be comfortable. It distributes the weight well.”

From the dozens of belts hanging down from the ceiling, Ash carefully selected one that sat loosely around the hips.

It had several loops for attaching items, and it felt secure around my waist—comfortable to wear.

I tried attaching my belongings to it, one by one.

I’m definitely buying this.

“You have two compasses?”

“Yeah. One of them isn’t for navigation.”

“It looks a bit unusual.”

There was one ordinary compass that properly pointed north, south, east, and west—and then there was Lubao’s compass, a magical tool.

After Sister Anel had given me the normal compass, I’d stopped using this one as much and had half-forgotten about it. But now that I looked again, it was pointing squarely at Ash.

That was why it had caught his attention. The single needle was stubbornly pointing at him.

“Can you stand right there for a moment?”

Since I thought of it, I decided to test it right away.

I positioned Ash in one spot, then wove my way through the maze-like clutter of goods piled around the shop.

I made a full circle around him, watching how the compass needle reacted.

The result was obvious. As if it were the most natural thing in the world, the compass faithfully kept pointing at Ash.

Even as I circled him a full 360 degrees, the needle’s attraction never wavered. It felt as though I had become the moon orbiting the earth.

What Lubao’s compass pointed to was the nearest person who missed me.

Why would a man I’d met just days ago miss me?

There was no longer any room for denial. I’d never really needed to doubt it, but now I felt completely at ease.

So you didn’t forget me. Ash, you good kid!

Just how much were you thinking about me for the needle to react like this?

“What… are you doing?”

“Ash.”

“Yes?”

“Is there anything you want? I’ll buy you anything.”

“What are you suddenly saying…?”

“I just feel like buying you things. Just say the word! What do you need?”

I owed him from long ago, after all. If you wanted, I could even tell you where Magi lives. No—maybe not that.

I can’t tell you Magi’s address, but I can tell you Rai’s true identity!

Maybe my gaze was too intense, because Ash looked down at me with a slightly embarrassed expression.

“Miss Jinny, it seems you like me.”

From his perspective, not knowing anything, that’s probably how it looked. It wasn’t entirely wrong, so I readily admitted it.

“Yeah. I like you.”

What was there to be so shy about?

Ash’s cheeks flushed faintly, like a bashful country girl’s. He covered his mouth with the back of his hand, clearly at a loss.

“Do you dislike me?”

“…You’re very forward.”

“I don’t mean that I like you romantically. It’s just that you remind me very strongly of a friend.”

“You’re the same for me.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You remind me of someone as well… someone who isn’t alive anymore, yet keeps coming to mind.”

If only we could confess everything to each other.

That I was Jinny Crowell, the sacrifice the world still spoke of so fervently—and that you were the second prince striving to become crown prince.

But that truth was too enormous, too heavy to reveal easily. Even to me, it felt daunting.

First, I’d have to make Ash understand how I was even alive. Then I’d have to explain how wrong the rumors were, why I was here now, and how I’d recognized a prince in disguise—everything, in painstaking detail.

Where would I even begin?

I didn’t know if he’d believe me. And the most crucial truth was something we both had to keep secret—that was our fatal problem.

What would happen to a prince who revealed his identity during the trials?

I didn’t know, but it surely wouldn’t be a good choice. It was clearly a violation of the rules.

Above all else, princes undertaking the trials were required to conceal their status.

So instead of hinting at what I knew, I held myself back and simply gazed into Ash’s brown eyes for a long while.

Then I reached out and took his right hand, bringing it toward me.

I spread his large palm and gently traced the scars resting there with my fingertips.

Ash allowed me to do so without resistance.

Even though he’d grown much bigger, he was as gentle as ever.

I felt that we hadn’t really changed all that much.

Even if our outward appearances had, the essence we’d faced in our childhoods was probably still there… and if so, that made me happy.