Chapter 55
‘Anyway… the prince probably feels the same way about me, doesn’t he?’
It wasn’t just a guess anymore—it was almost a certainty. Ever since that Sunday in the park, when they nearly kissed, everything had become clear.
The fact that Elenon had come to the library every day from Monday to Friday, speaking to her without fail, erased even the tiniest residue of doubt.
‘Of course, I could still be mistaken, so I’ll leave just a small possibility open…’
Still, she kept a sliver of caution in her heart. It was like insurance against disappointment—if there was even a small escape hatch, it would make any future letdown less unbearable.
‘First, let’s go meet the prince.’
The moment she had longed for and feared so much had finally arrived.
Since the festival grounds were quite far away, Elenon had decided to bring Noxia by carriage.
Noxia walked out of the house and glanced around along the street. Just at that moment, as if waiting for her, a carriage appeared around the corner.
It was the same unadorned carriage she had seen last week when riding with the prince.
The carriage stopped in front of Noxia, and as the door opened, a familiar face appeared.
“Noxia.”
Elenon greeted her, his face lit up with a smile like a field of blooming wildflowers.
Seeing that smile, Noxia felt all the anxiety, doubt, and fear she had harbored since Friday evening melt away as if they had never existed.
Before that bright, sincere smile, any hesitation lost its meaning. The thrill of first love shook Noxia, and she smiled back at him wholeheartedly, without the slightest pretense.
“Noxia, hop in.”
Elenon reached out his hand from the carriage. Noxia took it and climbed in swiftly.
“Uh… Prince, your hair…”
Noxia’s eyes widened. Up close, Elenon’s hair wasn’t the usual bright blond—it was a soft, rich brown, similar to hers.
“I just dyed it temporarily for today. It’s a type that washes out immediately. Wearing a wig all day felt too uncomfortable, so I decided to try this instead.”
Elenon explained, watching her reaction carefully.
“How do you like it? Does it suit me?”
“Yes, it suits you very well, Prince.”
No matter the hair color, he would look good—it was in his face itself, a work of art. Noxia swallowed the rest of her thoughts.
“Sorry for not greeting you outside. I thought if I got out of the carriage and someone from your neighborhood recognized me, it might put you in an awkward position…”
“It’s okay, Prince. Thank you for thinking of that.”
Noxia nodded at Elenon’s explanation and took a seat opposite him. Elenon closed the door and tapped the coachman’s window. The coachman understood and began driving immediately.
“How was your Saturday?”
“Fine, Prince. And yours?”
“I had a good day too. Actually, I struggled a bit with school assignments, but nothing particularly serious happened.”
“Struggled? Why? Was there a problem?”
“No, nothing like that… it’s just that I procrastinated until the last minute because I didn’t want to do it, so if that’s a problem, then that’s the problem.”
“Haha, I see. So even the prince dislikes doing assignments?”
“Of course. I think it’s rare to find a student who enjoys doing them.”
Even though Elenon maintained a flawless exemplary-student image in front of others and consistently had excellent grades, he spoke lightly and cheerfully here. Noxia smiled in return, happy to share this moment with him.
“And you? Did you enjoy doing your homework when you were in school back home?”
“Not at all.”
“See, you’re just like me. People’s lives are surprisingly similar.”
Noxia couldn’t entirely agree with that. Sure, they both disliked schoolwork, but the worlds they lived in could never be the same. Still, she chose not to voice her thoughts.
“And you? What did you do yesterday?”
“A friend invited me to a tea party, so I went to her house. There were two other children my age besides me, and we had fun chatting and drinking tea together.”
“You mean Miss Carnen Holby?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“And the other two children?”
“Miss Daisy Roben and Miss Rachel Dalian.”
Elenon memorized their names, intending to treat them well if he met them at future social gatherings. It was instinctive—wanting to make a good impression on the friends of someone you like.
“I see. I’m glad you had fun.”
Elenon said kindly. Noxia felt a twinge of nervousness, expecting him to ask what they had talked about yesterday, but he didn’t. Instead, he smoothly changed the subject.
“By the way, I started reading the novel you recommended.”
“Really?”
The other reason Elenon had been frequenting the library for the past few days was to ask the young librarian Noxia for book recommendations.
As a librarian of less than a month’s experience, Noxia relied more on her own bookworm instincts than professional knowledge to recommend novels to him, and he gladly accepted.
Even if she had recommended the most boring book in the world, Elenon would have opened it simply because it was her recommendation. Fortunately, he didn’t have to endure the misfortune of reading something painfully dull just to please someone he liked.
“Yes. I’ve only read the beginning so far, but it’s already interesting. The protagonist is a bit frustrating, though.”
“Huh? Why is the protagonist frustrating?”
“He trusts people too easily. He tells all his secrets to someone who obviously seems like a scammer, so problems start right away.”
“You’re being too harsh on the protagonist, Prince. It’s the deceiver’s fault, not his. Also, the novel is a typical coming-of-age story. The protagonist starts naive but becomes stronger through various events. Please be patient and read it to the end.”
“I understand. And just because the protagonist is a bit frustrating doesn’t mean it’s a boring book I’ll abandon after a few pages. I really like the writing style and the narrative. I’ll read it all the way through.”
The two book lovers discussed the novel, and time passed quickly. As the carriage steadily moved along, they soon arrived at the festival grounds.
The festival, hosted by a famous traveling troupe, was held in a wide field on the outskirts of the capital. As they stepped out of the carriage, lively music reached their ears. Beyond temporary fences, tents peeked up here and there.
Tickets were required to enter, but the guard who stepped down from the carriage quietly handed a business card to the ticket booth clerk. After checking it, the clerk’s eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly nodded.
“P-Please enjoy yourselves.”
“Thank you.”
Elenon responded with a polite smile. Noxia, slightly hesitant, gave a small bow to the clerk and followed him inside.
The guard who had followed quietly melted away like always, leaving Noxia and Elenon to blend naturally into the crowd.
“So, where shall we start?”
“Let’s go clockwise and check everything out first. Is that okay?”
“Of course.”
Seeing the bustling festival scene, Noxia felt a wave of nostalgia. In her hometown, traveling troupes occasionally visited and held similar events.
In the quiet countryside, where entertainment opportunities were scarce, these occasional festivals were like a sweet treat reserved for birthdays.
Even after a month in the busy capital, Noxia still felt delighted at the lively scene before her eyes.
A giant carousel turned lazily to the music, a brightly decorated swing tower soared nearly to the treetops, booths allowed visitors to shoot arrows and win prizes, and various other attractions filled the grounds.
There were also relatively quiet activities: fortune-tellers pretending to read palms under veils, and free-spirited artists painting delicate designs on arms or faces.
And, of course, the festival featured tempting snacks—salty, spicy, and sweet treats, unhealthy yet irresistibly delicious.
“Noxia, have you ever ridden a carousel?”
“Just once or twice when I was little.”
“Shall we start with that?”
“Yes, let’s.”
Elenon, looking excited, reached out and instinctively took Noxia’s hand. He gasped in surprise and tried to pull back.
“Ah, sorry. There are so many people here, I was worried we might get separated…”
“It’s okay. You can keep holding my hand.”
Noxia quickly replied, grasping his hand even more firmly. The impulsive act made Elenon’s cheeks flush.
“Uh, um, okay. Got it.”
Elenon muttered awkwardly. As he adjusted his grip more comfortably, their palms rubbed together, exchanging a strange warmth.
‘Ticklish.’
Noxia felt flustered. She instinctively moistened her parched lips with her tongue, trying to calm the rising thirst deep inside.
Elenon avoided her gaze and looked straight ahead as they walked. Noxia was grateful for his disregard; it gave her a moment to collect herself.
They joined the line for the carousel. If Elenon had revealed his royal identity and reserved the entire festival grounds for a day, they wouldn’t have needed to wait.
But that wasn’t what he wanted, and he had never felt that Noxia wanted that either.
What Noxia wanted were small, special memories just between the two of them—doing something together, laughing a little, and later recalling it fondly.
That made Elenon happy every time. Everything Noxia wished for could be fulfilled without him having to rely on his royal status.
Yet sometimes he felt a pang of sadness at the thought that not only he, but anyone could provide her with those same simple joys.
‘If it’s something that can be done without being royal, then anyone else could do it too, not just me.’
