Chapter 34
Pledged Life
“You’re awake. I thought you’d still be asleep.”
When Irina came closer, Howard slicked back his hair once more, as if afraid even a single droplet might fall from it.
“I woke up early because I wanted to go out. You didn’t come back until dawn yesterday, and I slept so lonely.”
Irina whispered teasingly as she leaned closer to him.
She was referring to the room the servants had decorated yesterday.
At her playful tone, Howard suddenly cleared his throat.
“Why~? Why are you coughing like that?”
Irina’s eyes sparkled mischievously.
Howard, flustered by her teasing, bumped his forehead lightly against hers.
“Ah, why~? I went through all that trouble to prepare it, and you stood me up. And your groom, at that!”
Her teasing only grew bolder.
Howard, who had been caught off guard just moments ago, suddenly put on a serious expression and stepped toward her.
“Then should I visit tonight?”
“W–what?”
“Or right now? I didn’t realize you were waiting for me. My mistake.”
Howard took her hand and kissed the back of it.
With each step he took forward, Irina stepped back.
“W-wait—no, I didn’t mean—!”
“I’ve been holding back a lot too.”
“Eek!”
Thud.
Though there should have been a hallway behind her, somehow Irina’s back hit the wall instead.
Howard’s other hand touched the wall first, and then her back pressed against his arm.
One of her hands was caught in his, and the other was wrapped around her back—there was no escape.
Irina stopped joking and looked up at him with teary eyes.
It wasn’t fear of what he might do that made her heart pound—it was the pounding itself that was unbearable.
“I—I was kidding.”
Slide.
Howard’s hand slipped away naturally from behind her back.
As distance grew between them, Irina let out the breath she had been holding.
“Hehe… I really thought you were serious.”
As she laughed in relief, Howard tilted his head slightly.
“I was serious.”
“…Huh?”
“So please don’t forget that.”
Leaving a flustered Irina behind, Howard walked off first.
“Wh-what is that supposed to mean!”
Flushing red, Irina stomped off toward the dining hall.
In just two days, she would have to leave this peaceful place and return to the duke’s estate.
That place wasn’t bad, but here—she felt healed. She wanted to learn more about it before she left.
Like yesterday, after finishing breakfast, Irina busied herself getting ready.
A cheerful horn sounded nearby.
The outing group consisted of five people: two knights, Casey, Howard, and Irina.
It was a cramped place, and dragging along more people would’ve made it inconvenient to explore the market.
This time, Irina braided her hair to the side and wore a tall, narrow hat.
It was a small hat pinned in place—not enough to block sunlight—but wide-brimmed ones would bump into people, so she changed it in the carriage.
“Madam, I’ll protect you with all I’ve got!”
Casey assured her earnestly.
The guards behind them snorted, laughing as if asking whether she was ignoring their existence.
Leaving the carriage behind, the group began their market tour.
Everyone except Howard was familiar with the market, so their pace matched Irina’s naturally.
As Irina held on to Howard’s collar and eagerly looked around, a loud commotion suddenly erupted behind them.
The guards quickly surrounded Howard and Irina, and she stumbled back in surprise.
Someone was running past, clutching something tightly, chased by an older man wielding a stick and shouting for someone to stop his son.
Judging by the shouts of “Father!” and the curses flying, they were definitely family.
It all happened in an instant.
The guards clicked their tongues, disappointed at the false alarm.
Once the fuss settled, Irina looked mortified.
“Ahaha…”
Why her?
Everyone else had stepped aside, yet somehow only Irina had managed to step into a puddle of muddy water.
The brief morning rain must’ve left it behind.
Her shoes were now soaked through with dirty water—and some mud had probably seeped in too.
Since carriages couldn’t enter this narrow street, returning to the carriage would be a hassle.
“Shoes for sale! Brand-new shoes! Fresh and comfy!”
Just then, a voice rang out.
“Maybe I should buy one of those?”
“Huh? Those?”
“Mm-hmm. I can’t exactly walk all the way back to the carriage like this.”
Howard didn’t look enthusiastic. Neither did Casey.
Only Haron sided with Irina.
“Market shoes can be decent, you know. Look—these are from two years ago, and still sturdy. Not something fit for a lady like you, of course, but they’ll do till the carriage.”
“You see?”
Unable to move, Irina waited as the knight and Casey went to fetch the best pair they could find.
They returned with plain, low-heeled shoes.
“Madam, they said these were the most expensive. Would you like to try them?”
Irina smiled awkwardly; it was just shoes, but everyone was acting like it was a big ordeal.
“I’m just changing shoes—why do you look more sorry than I do?”
She laughed.
That’s when Howard knelt down on one knee.
He bent one leg firmly and looked up at her.
“Sit here.”
“Ah…”
Irina hesitated.
Sitting on his leg to put on shoes felt embarrassing and inappropriate.
“It’s fine. Go on.”
She couldn’t very well keep wearing soaked shoes, so Irina awkwardly perched on his knee.
Howard supported her waist and sat her securely.
Her face turned even redder.
Everyone looked surprised—Irina, the knights—everyone but Howard, who looked completely unbothered.
If anything, it seemed like he’d do even more if she asked.
Haron, initially wide-eyed, crossed his arms with an amused grin, while others turned their heads politely away.
Even so, they subtly shifted to form a wall around her, shielding her from prying eyes.
Casey, unlike them, looked utterly moved.
This is love!
Her eyes practically shouted it.
“Give me the shoes, Casey.”
“Yes, Your Excellency! Here!”
Howard reached out, and Casey handed him the shoes.
He carefully removed Irina’s wet shoes, took a handkerchief from his inner pocket, and gently wiped her feet before slipping the new shoes on.
“The right foot too.”
“Okay.”
Before he could reach again, Irina lifted her heel and slipped off the other shoe herself.
Unbothered by any dirt, Howard again wiped her foot tenderly and put on the other shoe.
“Try standing. Are they uncomfortable?”
Irina stood and moved her feet a few times.
They weren’t designer shoes or finely crafted leather, but surprisingly sturdy and comfortable.
She’d always thought only soft leather or silk could be comfortable, but these thick fabric shoes—apparently the priciest in the stall—weren’t bad at all.
“No, they’re much better than before.”
Her damp feet were now dry and cozy, and her mood lifted instantly.
Wearing her new “Riston Harbor shoes,” Irina wandered deeper into the market, looking for interesting trinkets before heading back.
Since she was already here, she wanted to make it feel like a proper trip.
Plop. Plop.
Raindrops hit her face.
“Huh?”
“It seems it’s about to rain.”
As soon as Howard said it, the rain began to pour.
A sudden seaside downpour.
“We should find shelter. It might be best to return to the carriage,” said Werner, and Howard nodded.
There were rows of tents nearby, but no real place to hide—returning was the only option.
Everyone started moving quickly toward the carriage.
Irina, however, had another thought.
If they went straight back, they’d go home right away.
They’d made up recently—maybe this was the perfect chance for a little date?
Her decision came in an instant.
“One, two!”
She grabbed Howard’s hand and ran in the opposite direction.
She thought she heard the captain shout something, but in the sudden downpour and chaos, she and Howard disappeared into the crowd.
Irina ran as fast as she could.
But she didn’t know the way at all, so she eventually had to stop.
She’d wanted to be alone with him, but now she was just lost.
Howard, who had been quietly following behind her, tugged her hand.
“Huh?”
“You’re drenched.”
His sigh carried a touch of reproach.
Scanning the area, he quickly spotted something and took her hand firmly.
“Come on.”
Matching her pace, he led her into a run.
The rain-soaked dress grew heavier with every step.
“We’ll rest over there.”
Not wanting her to get wetter, Howard pointed to a nearby building.
“Okay!”
They dashed beneath the overhang by the back door of a two-story inn, taking shelter from the rain.
