EXTRA SIDE STORY 02
The passage was quite long.
They had been walking for what felt like ages, yet the exit still wasn’t in sight. Ivelina began panting.
“Brother, how much farther do we have to go?”
“We’re almost there. Just a little more.”
Ivelina swallowed a sigh and kept walking diligently.
Just as Jonas had said, before long the exit finally appeared.
Her steps gradually quickened.
As soon as they stepped outside, a cool breeze blew.
“Waaah…”
Ivelina gasped in amazement.
The grass swayed gently in the wind, brushing against her ankles and tickling them.
Jonas grinned and asked,
“So, kid, what do you think?”
“It’s… so big…”
For someone who had never once stepped outside the imperial palace, the outside world felt like an entirely new universe.
When she turned her head back, she could see the towering palace walls stretching endlessly upward.
Jonas grabbed her hand and tugged.
“Let’s hurry. That way is the shortcut.”
“Is it a distance we can walk?”
“It’ll take about ten minutes.”
Ivelina narrowed her eyes.
Still, the only person she could trust was Jonas.
She held his hand tightly and followed him farther along the shortcut.
After walking for a while, Ivelina’s legs began to ache.
As her pace slowed, Jonas noticed immediately.
“Kid, do your legs hurt?”
“…A little.”
She had been about to say no, but changed her mind.
Jonas chuckled, then knelt down on one knee in front of her.
“Hop on, kid.”
Without hesitation, Ivelina climbed onto his back.
Jonas carried her and strode forward.
“Brother.”
“Yeah?”
“Do you have money? You need money to buy things.”
“Of course.”
Jonas lifted the pouch hanging from his belt and shook it in front of her eyes.
It looked heavy, likely full of coins.
“So if there’s anything you want or want to eat, just tell me.”
“Hmm… okay.”
She wasn’t sure if there would be anything she wanted to eat or buy, but she nodded anyway.
When she had walked on her own earlier, it had felt like such a long distance, but with Jonas carrying her, they exited the shortcut in no time.
Jonas set her down and said,
“We’re here.”
“…Here?”
“You just go out that way.”
They had arrived in a dim alley.
Ivelina tilted her head in confusion, and Jonas pointed toward a certain direction.
Bright light was coming from there, and many people were passing by.
As if enchanted, Ivelina walked toward it.
The moment she stepped out of the alley, it felt like entering a completely different world.
The alley had been dark and silent, but the main street was bright with colorful lanterns despite the night, and the crowd was lively and noisy.
“Are there always this many people?”
“There are more today because it’s night market day. Since it’s crowded, you might get lost, so hold my hand tightly.”
“Yes!”
Ivelina gripped Jonas’s hand firmly.
Jonas smirked at how cute she looked and then led her into the crowd.
Ivelina looked around eagerly.
She had thought it would be boring, but it wasn’t at all.
Somewhere nearby she could smell a sweet and spicy aroma, and laughter rang out loudly from different directions.
She even saw people with flushed faces walking past with their arms around each other’s shoulders.
“Kid, are you hungry?”
“Um… maybe a little…”
“Then let’s go eat something delicious.”
Jonas smiled brightly and led Ivelina toward the food stalls.
“Brother.”
“Yeah?”
“Isn’t this too much?”
“But you said you were hungry earlier.”
Jonas tilted his head.
Ivelina let out a long sigh.
“I said a little. How are we supposed to eat all this?”
“Once you taste it, you’ll probably ask me to buy more.”
Jonas chuckled and led her to an empty seat.
It was a temporary dining spot set up so people could sit comfortably and eat.
Ivelina carefully sat down on the chair.
Jonas plopped down across from her and spread out all the food he had bought across the table.
There were all kinds.
Chicken skewers covered in sauce, stir-fried noodles fragrant with spices, crispy fried snacks, cotton candy, and freshly baked bread.
To keep her from choking, Jonas had also bought juice beforehand.
“Try it.”
Ivelina cautiously picked up a chicken skewer.
The smell alone was promising.
She didn’t know what kind of sauce it was, but it smelled sweet and spicy—probably the same aroma she had smelled earlier.
She took a careful bite.
Jonas watched her with sparkling eyes.
“Well?”
“Hmm…”
Ivelina’s eyes widened.
“…It’s delicious.”
“Right? I told you it was.”
Jonas giggled and finally started eating his own skewer.
Ivelina quickly finished the chicken skewer.
Next were the stir-fried noodles.
Since the chicken skewer had been tasty, these would surely be good too.
Swallowing her anticipation, she twirled the noodles around her fork.
Taking a big bite, the spicy flavor hit her first.
Fortunately, it wasn’t so spicy that she couldn’t handle it.
“How’s that one?”
“This is good too!”
“I’m glad you like it.”
Jonas watched her eat with a satisfied expression.
While eating the noodles, she swallowed and spoke.
“Brother.”
“Yeah?”
“I want some sherbet…”
After eating something spicy, she craved something cold.
She hesitated shyly, glancing at him.
Jonas chuckled and stood up.
“What’s there to hesitate about? I’ll go buy some. Stay right here and don’t move. Got it?”
“Yes!”
Ivelina nodded with a bright smile.
Only after repeatedly reminding her not to go anywhere did Jonas finally leave.
Even as he walked away, he kept checking to see if she was still sitting there.
She sat obediently and waved her hand energetically to show she was fine.
Jonas seemed to think it would be faster to run and come back quickly, because he suddenly turned and began running.
In an instant, he disappeared into the crowd.
After watching him for a while, Ivelina gave up and swung her legs back and forth.
Then she noticed someone.
Among the countless people, that one child caught her eye.
The child wore ragged clothes and walked close against the wall, looking pitiful to anyone who saw them.
Despite the shabby clothing, their hair shone beautifully like gold.
“So pretty…”
Ivelina murmured unconsciously.
She glanced toward the direction Jonas had gone.
He still hadn’t returned, and it seemed like it might take some time.
After hesitating for a moment, Ivelina jumped down from the chair and walked toward where she had seen the child.
“Where did they go?”
Peeking into the alley, she spotted golden hair shining brilliantly even in the darkness.
Ivelina smiled brightly and ran into the alley.
“Hey!”
At her voice, the child walking ahead suddenly stopped.
Ivelina hurried over to stand in front of them.
The child was about the same height as her.
They were also very skinny, making it hard to tell whether they were a boy or a girl.
“Hello.”
“….”
The child didn’t respond.
Their long bangs covered their eyes, making it difficult to see them clearly.
“What’s your name?”
“…You don’t need to know.”
The voice was curt.
Only after hearing it did Ivelina realize the child was a boy.
After thinking for a moment, she asked,
“Then… can I touch your hair?”
“…What?”
“Your hair is so pretty… Can I touch it just once?”
The boy turned his head sharply as if he didn’t want to hear any more.
Ivelina quickly grabbed his wrist.
“Then you can touch my hair too! But you can’t tell anyone you saw me, okay?”
“…?”
Ivelina glanced around.
The dark alley was empty except for the two of them, and no one from the outside was looking in.
She carefully removed the hood she had been wearing.
Her dazzling silver hair was revealed, along with her red eyes.
The boy flinched slightly and stared at her in a daze.
Ivelina smiled brightly.
“Now can I touch it?”
As if enchanted, the boy slowly nodded.
Ivelina carefully reached out and touched his hair.
Even though it clearly hadn’t received proper care, it felt softer than her own.
She gently stroked it like she was petting a puppy.
“It’s so soft and pretty…”
She grinned happily.
The boy didn’t move until she withdrew her hand.
Instead, he kept staring at her from beneath his bangs.
“What’s your name?”
“…Arsène.”
“That’s a pretty name.”
At her words, Arsène’s cheeks flushed faintly.
After hesitating for a moment, she asked carefully,
“Um…”
“Yes?”
“Your bangs… can I move them aside?”
Ivelina was curious about the eyes hidden behind them.
She was sure they must be beautiful too.
When she looked at him with sparkling eyes, Arsène—who had been about to refuse—couldn’t bring himself to say the words.
In the end, he sighed quietly and gave a small nod.
Smiling brightly, Ivelina slowly brushed his bangs aside with her fingers.
As the hair moved away, brilliant blue eyes appeared, like sapphires set into place.
“Wow…”
Ivelina gasped in amazement.
They were so clear and transparent it felt as if she could see straight through them.
“They’re so pretty. Why do you hide them?”
“…My father doesn’t like them.”
“What? That makes no sense!”
Ivelina exclaimed.
How could someone hide such beautiful eyes?
She looked disappointed for a moment before
suddenly saying,
“Oh! You didn’t touch my hair yet. Go ahead.”
Arsène shook his head.
How could a lowly commoner touch the hair of a princess?
But Ivelina said it was fine and grabbed his hand without hesitation.
Then she placed it on her own hair.
