Goodness. What was I doing getting so sentimental? Demurely taking out the handkerchief tucked against my chest, I pressed it to the tip of my nose.
“Um, could I take this chance to step out and look around a bit, too?”
“…You, my lady?”
“Yes. Being cooped up in the carriage for days on end has made me feel suffocated, and I’d love to see the streets.”
Since I had already gotten teary-eyed, I might as well make the absolute most of every drop. I gazed up at Sir Jerome with a gaze of utter innocence.
“Besides, once we reach the Grand Duke's Castle, it won't be easy to leave for a while, and there are a few things I need to buy.”
“Still… it would be dangerous for you to wander about alone. I will assign a knight to escort you—”
“Oh, no. To tell the truth… I need to purchase a few personal items for women.”
“Ah…”
I lowered my voice to a near whisper, wearing a thoroughly bashful expression. Caught off guard by this whispered ambush from a pretty girl, Sir Jerome glanced around with a flustered look.
I knew he would react like this. He seemed soft-hearted beneath his armor, and seeing him blush over something like this told me he had little experience dealing with women.
Technically, neither did I, but I had the perk of living a second life!
“I doubt there would be many women’s provisions stocked at the Grand Duke's Castle. What should I do? I didn't come prepared to buy them here… Would it truly not be all right?”
“Th-then if we keep our distance and guard you from afar—”
“I would also like to change my clothes…”
“…”
When I lightly fanned the collar of my dress, Sir Jerome squeezed his eyes shut. It was only an old dress buttoned up to my throat, revealing not a sliver of skin, but for a young knight steeped in chivalry, that gesture was more than enough.
“Ahem!”
…Seriously, what on earth was that author thinking?
Watching him clear his throat over and over, I silently cursed the original author whose name I could barely recall. Imagining how this innocent young man would eventually turn into a promising talent of R-rated romance made me feel solemn and expectant all at once.
“Besides, if knights in full uniform accompany me, everyone will figure out who I am. Wouldn't that cause trouble for His Grace?”
“Ah… you make a fair point.”
“Yes. Of course, it matters little to me, but would it be proper for matters concerning His Grace to become town gossip…?”
I didn't forget to poke at the deep-seated loyalty ingrained in Sir Jerome's bones. However soft-hearted and innocent he might be, the one who moved him was not me, but the Grand Duke.
Having appealed to both his reason and his emotions, he soon nodded.
“Very well. May I meet you back here in three hours, then?”
“Of course. I should have everything prepared by then. That is to say…”
Secret necessities for a lady.
Before I could even finish the sentence, Sir Jerome hastily backed away, saying that was quite enough. But that small distance wasn't enough for me to sneak Rose out. Right before shutting the window, I dropped a hint to push him and the knights as far back as possible.
“Ah… should I start getting changed, then?”
Clank.
Through the window, the distinct sound of silver armor retreating en masse echoed outside. Just as I thought. Wearing a triumphant smile, I lifted the lid of the chest. Scooping up Rose, who looked like a cat as always, I slipped open the carriage door on the opposite side.
“…Bella, did the knights leave?”
“Yep. All taken care of.”
Rule number two for avoiding being made a sucker: if you don’t want to be one, make someone else one first.
Liden, known as the heart of the North, was far more prosperous than I had anticipated. The streets bustled with so much clamor that it called to mind Hessen, the capital where we lived before Father’s business collapsed. Carriages piled high with merchant goods, noble processions, and children selling flowers and newspapers crowded the circular central plaza.
…Everyone is having fun except me. Everyone.
Rolling my stiff wrists in circles, I felt a petty prick of annoyance. Somewhere in this crowd were the swindlers who had bled my father dry. Gritting my teeth quietly, I rotated each ankle in turn.
This was a dog-eat-dog world; letting my guard down just because the scenery looked nice would be a grave mistake.
“Bella, where are we going now?”
“Oh, Rose.”
Belatedly, I noticed Rose below my waist, mirroring my exact movements. Shaking her wrists and ankles with earnest enthusiasm, she looked just like a kitten wagging its tail.
Aw, my precious little sweetie. Your sister can’t afford to let her guard down even for a second.
“Take my hand, Rose.”
If I didn’t watch out, our youngest might even pick up my habit of clicking my tongue.
I quickly put on a smile and took Rose’s small hand. We had a three-hour limit, so we had to hurry if we were to finish our errand and return to the carriage in time.
“Now then, let’s go buy those absolute essentials for a woman.”
“Bella, what is this place…?”
“Mm. It’s your first time in a place like this, isn’t it?”
Of course, it was my first time in this world, too.
The very first place we stopped was a bookstore crammed with books. The distinctive smell of parchment wafted out from the volumes. As someone who had once read her fair share, a wave of nostalgia washed over me.
As I raised my head and slowly looked over the shop, the middle-aged proprietor stepped up beside me.
“Are you looking for a particular book, miss?”
“Oh…”
“Or perhaps I could make a recommendation?”
The bookstore owner drew near cordially and studied my face. I noticed his admiring glance, but I stalled for time, feigning utter ignorance. To prepare for what lay ahead, I couldn't afford to show the slightest hint of suspicion.
“Well… I’m not sure what’s popular these days.”
“Lately, The Marchioness's Secret Night and Sir, It's Hot Inside the Armor are all the rage. Both of them are set right here in the North, in Liden, you see.”
“Oh my!”
When I covered my mouth and put on a show of bashfulness, the shopkeeper smiled warmly, as if he had seen right through me. Seeing someone who clearly looked like a young lady full of daydreams, he must have thought it was a tailored recommendation, but it was an entirely wasted effort.
…Recommending an R-rated romance to someone who ended up in this sorry state from a single misplaced in-app purchase?
Sir, you’ve picked the wrong customer by a mile. Not that I had zero interest, mind you, but that sort of thing could wait until my own skin was safely intact.
“Um… I’m not particularly interested in that sort of thing. Since it’s my first time in the North, I’d like to start with a map.”
“Aha, a map! But of course! A map is a must if you’re touring Liden!”
With an expression of sudden understanding, the owner picked out a map posted near the front of the shop. It was a quintessential sightseeing map made for ladies, complete with shopping districts, dessert parlors, and romantic spots marked with little hearts.
When I looked down at the map with an inscrutable smile, the owner grew eager.
“What do you think? Most ladies choose this one. Follow this course, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say you've seen all of Liden.”
“I see. But is there anything perhaps a bit more detailed?”
“More detailed, you say?”
“Something that shows the full cadastral and forestry boundaries for the entire North… Ah, a cadastral zoning map would be perfect!”
Clapping my hands, I smiled brightly as though the thought had just popped into my head, but the owner's expression went blank with disbelief.
And understandably so. A cadastral zoning map revealed every parcel of land, square footage, lot numbers, and boundaries, making it nearly impossible for anyone but a specialist to read. In a place like this, the only people asking for such a thing fell into one of two camps: knights preparing for war, or wealthy real estate moguls.
“…If this is your first visit to Liden today, why on earth would you need a map like that?”
“Oh, well, that’s…”
My smile turned awkward under the shopkeeper's surprisingly probing gaze. Why was he prying so much? Honestly, nothing in this world ever came easy.
As my mind raced to come up with a plausible excuse before it looked odd, a flash of inspiration struck.
“The truth is… I’ve already read them.”
Cupping a hand beside my mouth, I lowered my voice conspiratorially.
“Pardon? Read what?”
“The Marchioness's Secret Night and Sir, It's Hot Inside the Armor.”
“…”
Feigning unbearable embarrassment, I turned my back to Rose. I didn't forget to offer a kind explanation to the still-baffled owner.
“They were masterpieces.”
“Ah, well, they certainly are, but…”
“That is actually why I traveled to the North. I thought a cadastral map would help me visualize the details better. Where the marchioness's estate was located, and which parts of the knight's vast lands they… did that sort of thing.”
“Aha! So that was it!”
Only then did the shopkeeper's face fill with boundless delight. And how could it not? In all his years running a bookstore, how many people had he met who were embarking on an R-rated novel pilgrimage?
“I knew they were popular, but to think they would inspire this! As a Northerner, I couldn’t be prouder! Even I hadn't thought of doing that!”
“Yes. Since I brought my little sister along, I was too shy to say it outright… um.”
“I completely understand.”
The owner whispered right back, giving me an intensely sympathetic look. I didn't particularly care for his sympathy, but if it meant pulling this off, I had to keep up the act.
“Please wait right here. I’ll go fetch it from the back at once.”
“Oh, and by the way, what was it called again? I believe there was one where the male lead was a legal official… Hmm, the title escapes me.”
“The Lady's Trial is Held at Night!”
“Ah, yes, that's the one!”
…To think a book like that actually existed.
Biting my lip, I reigned in my profound sense of awe.
I felt a little sorry for the shopkeeper, who was practically bursting with pride, but since I had already chosen this route, I might as well settle everything in one go.
“In that case, I would also love a copy of the latest legal code for the nobility that the male lead was reading. Purely… for my collection, of course.”
