Chapter 7
“Looks like you have company.”
Despite my stiff tone, Ash maintained a friendly demeanor.
“Shall I introduce you?”
No, I’ll pass.
But before I could even say that, Ash gestured toward someone.
“Olga, come here.”
At his words, a girl with brown hair hurried over.
“Ash, really, how can you go alone like that?”
“This is Olga Florences,” Ash introduced her. I barely managed to hold back a sigh.
“Just call me Anastasia,” I said.
True to a heroine’s charm, Olga greeted me warmly, with maximum friendliness.
“Nice to meet you, Anastasia. But… did you come alone?”
“My companions went to help some people who got hurt in that alley,” I explained.
Something seemed to occur to Olga, and her expression grew awkward. Glancing at Ash, she turned back to me with a voice tinged with guilt.
“I’m sorry. It’s our fault… We got caught up in the quarrel and didn’t handle it like proper nobles.”
With Ash’s reckless nature, it was hardly surprising. I didn’t show any particular reaction, only hoping they would disappear quickly.
“Aren’t you two going to release the sky lanterns?”
“Ash isn’t interested in things like that. He was worried about Anastasia, too…”
I had no idea why he would be worried about me. I lowered my hat and frowned again.
“He’ll be here soon,” Olga said.
“We’ll wait together until then. It might be dangerous alone, and besides, it would be boring.”
Does she have “please worry about me” written on my forehead?
Olga sat at a slight distance from Ash, her eyes sparkling as she looked at me.
“By the way… are you a noble, Anastasia? It’s just… Ash hardly ever talks to others first, so it’s surprising.”
Ash Cloud, son of a marquis, treated commoners like dogs. Olga seemed puzzled by his unusual approach.
Ash wore a suspicious smile. Did he notice my face?
Red hair was rare, and silver hair was even rarer. Among commoners, it practically didn’t exist. A sharp-eyed person like Ash might have noticed.
And he probably confirmed it when he saw Adel.
“Anastasia.”
Adel was drenched in sweat as he arrived. Ash’s expression soured upon seeing him.
“So you were Anastasia’s companion.”
“Long time no see,” Adel greeted without showing much expression.
The two were often compared: similar ages, heirs to a duke and a marquis, frequently discussed among the nobles.
Of course, Ash couldn’t match Adel.
In personality, character, or talent, nothing surpassed Adel. Even the marquis admitted he envied Adel. It was no wonder Ash despised him.
Ash puffed himself up.
“That was irresponsible. There are quite a few drunk people here. You shouldn’t leave a lady in poor health alone.”
Ash had already figured out I was the Sinclair Marquis’s daughter, afflicted with an incurable disease.
Well, since Adel had been spending time only with me lately, rumors probably spread.
“So you’re worrying about others. That’s unusual.”
Adel gave a brief nod, then turned his gaze to me.
“Anastasia, shall we go to the place you wanted to go?”
“Huh? But…”
I tilted my head. Olga, your future lover, had her eyes wide open, but why aren’t you even looking at her?
Curious, I pretended not to notice.
“Do you two know each other?”
“The introduction was late. This is Ash Cloud. He’s met Prince Magnus a few times,” Adel explained.
Only then did Ash introduce himself. If I hadn’t prompted, he probably wouldn’t have. A bit irritating.
“Still some business to attend to?”
Adel looked puzzled at my hesitation. Olga cautiously spoke up.
“Um, excuse me, are you Prince Magnus?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Adel finally looked at the heroine. Olga’s face flushed, radiating a lovely, peach-blossom-like charm.
“Oh my, it really is Prince Magnus! I’ve heard so much about you. My parents said there’s no one as kind and noble as you. And your swordsmanship is unmatched, plus magical aptitude…”
“Is that so.”
Hmm, something was off.
Adel didn’t react at all.
“Prince Magnus, may I sit and talk with you for a moment?”
“Sorry, I need to focus on Anastasia.”
I closed my mouth in surprise. Olga’s eyes widened, clearly not expecting rejection.
I was equally shocked. I had been prepared to let Adel leave me and spend time with Olga.
Olga stammered in a voice like a mountain bird.
“Th-then tomorrow? Since you’ll release the lanterns tomorrow too, if you plan to come again…”
“There’s no reason to come if it’s not with Anastasia. If nothing else remains to do, I’ll take my leave.”
Adel lightly held my hand. I stood up absentmindedly.
As we left the table, I heard Ash snicker.
“Wow, our goddess’s pride got bruised. But somehow, that one seems more like the goddess?”
I felt strange. Not exactly happy, just confused.
Adel walked toward the cotton candy stand. He held my hand just enough that I couldn’t slip away, occasionally catching his breath.
Even with his monstrous stamina, he seemed winded—he must have really run here.
I poked the back of Adel’s hand.
“Adel, that girl earlier, she’s pretty, right?”
“I suppose.”
“Didn’t your heart skip a beat, like fate or something?”
“My heart only races when Anastasia teases me.”
I laughed wryly.
“I’m serious. You liked Olga, right? You just didn’t say because you were embarrassed?”
“I’m not sensitive enough to fall in love at first sight.”
I burst out.
“That’s nonsense. Olga is so pretty!”
Olga is the heroine! The one all handsome men adore and obsess over!
Adel looked at me silently.
“In my eyes, Anastasia is far more beautiful.”
“Huh?”
“And I don’t like associating with someone who has high expectations but doesn’t know me well. I endured it before because it was awkward, but now I don’t want to anymore.”
It was like getting hit in the head.
I asked in a softer voice.
“You said it was awkward?”
“Anastasia, I’m just an ordinary person too.”
Adel muttered with a smile.
Walking alongside him felt new. In the original story, he was a perfect overpowered hero.
His struggles were solely to win the heroine’s favor; everything else was trivial.
But if Adel had his own difficulties too?
The story wasn’t purely romance; he could get hurt as well.
Just because he seemed ideal to others didn’t mean he thought so himself.
Yeah, he was ordinary too.
I realized that for the first time, but I grumbled on purpose.
“…Alright. Let’s get cotton candy.”
“You’ll throw the trash away, right?”
Adel asked, as if bracing himself. I scoffed.
“Of course. Trash goes in the bin.”
We bought cotton candy and each took one. Around this time, I started feeling off.
Maybe it was the lingering smell of alcohol from earlier. The more I nibbled the cotton candy, the more uneasy I felt.
I stumbled more, almost gagging. It felt like moments before coughing up blood.
After releasing the lanterns and with time passing, it seemed better to head back.
I tugged Adel’s sleeve. But he was watching elsewhere.
A group of men approached from the opposite side, all battered as if they had rolled on the ground several times.
They glared at us—at Adel specifically—with murderous intent. The smell of alcohol wafted as they closed in.
“Hey, you handed us over to the constables, didn’t you?”
They were clearly the people from the alley. One of them lunged as if to grab Adel by the collar.
“Who would offer such unnecessary kindness, huh?”
They slurred their words but didn’t skip the cursing.
“You made us pay a fine, you bastard!”
Suddenly, dizziness hit. I staggered and sank to the ground.
“Ugh…”
“Anastasia?”
M-my stomach…
“Step aside!”
Above me, Adel and the men scuffled.
“That won’t do.”
“Pay the fine we were charged. Then we’ll step aside.”
It seemed they didn’t recognize Adel in their drunken state. They had even tried to mess with Ash earlier; they weren’t in their right minds.
“If you don’t hand over the money fast, that woman might die,” one man sneered.
The surrounding crowd started paying attention. I barely lifted my head.
“I-I’m fine.”
Adel didn’t believe me.
“I’ll give it. How much do you want?”
“10 gold.”
“No, wait, 30 gold.”
Seriously? I looked at these arrogant men with disdain. Ugh… I might actually vomit.
Then a chillingly sharp voice cut through.
“I’ll give all the money I have. Step back.”
Adel could make such a voice… I covered my mouth, watching the situation.
The man at the front finally seemed to sense the serious atmosphere and faltered.
“Ah, fine. We can go.”
When the men received the money and backed off, Adel carefully helped me up.
“Anastasia, let’s return to the mansion quickly.”
Ugh, my stomach really doesn’t feel good.
“Oh my, isn’t that Prince Magnus?”
I turned toward the voice. A flushed woman appeared. Her words triggered murmurs among the crowd.
“It’s Prince Magnus!”
“Unlike other nobles, he actually looks at us properly!”
Suddenly, people surrounded us. I pressed my hat down out of habit. Adel’s jaw tightened.
“My friend is very sick. Please make way.”
But no one heeded his plea.
