Chapter 76
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They stopped the carriage at a distance from the street where the festival was being held. There were too many people, so they decided not to force the carriage inside.
“Wow… This is my first time at a festival too. It’s incredible.”
Festivals were usually very crowded, so nobles rarely attended, and commoners were the ones who mainly enjoyed them. So this was Elaria’s first festival as well.
Noctis lowered the corners of his eyes playfully and said,
“I came here trusting only you, but this is your first festival… Somehow, I feel uneasy?”
“…Still, I’ve memorized the layout perfectly, so don’t worry too much!”
Stung by his words, Elaria added in a voice that lacked confidence. He looked at her with very affectionate eyes and began moving.
At the same time, he skillfully guided her so she would not bump into anyone. Unaware of this, Elaria focused on finding the way. Meanwhile, disguised guard knights were following the two of them from a distance.
“We should go this way.”
Spotting the clock tower, she regained her confidence and gestured as she spoke. Although he could already tell from the large crowd naturally heading in that direction, he replied as if he did not know.
“That’s reassuring.”
“As long as we don’t lose our way, there won’t be any problems.”
“Ella, I’ll trust only you.”
Because Noctis had been smiling like a boy since earlier, her heart was beating faster than usual. If he had shown that same smile with his original green eyes, it would have suited him even more, it had that kind of refreshing quality.
The two avoided the crowd as they made their way into the festival street. Under the strong autumn sunlight, all kinds of stalls lined the road.
Starting with a grilled chicken skewer stand, there were rows of fruit juice vendors, fruit skewers, and stalls selling unfamiliar snacks and desserts she had never seen before.
The scene was so unfamiliar that the two kept looking around repeatedly. As they advanced little by little within the crowd, Noctis suddenly spoke in a delighted voice.
“Hm? That’s…”
“Why?”
He moved closer to his side so her arm would not slip free as they walked, then whispered to her.
“I think I found something I ate when I was young.”
“…Where?”
“Over there, just a moment…”
He looked around and guided her along. Elaria followed him with quick steps. He stopped in front of a stall, and she looked at what he was looking at.
It was a bread stall, but the shape of the bread was unusual. The round, flat bread looked crisp on the outside, but it had no shine at all, so it also looked a bit unappetizing.
Still, seeing that Noctis looked pleased, she carefully took out the purse she had prepared. It was a pouch filled only with copper coins, prepared based on Amanda’s advice.
“It may look like this, but it’s very savory! Taste the richness for just one copper coin! Would you like to order, miss?”
The vendor, who had immediately recognized a likely customer, asked cheerfully. Elaria answered at once.
“Two, please!”
“Yes, here you are!”
After quickly paying, she safely tucked the pouch back into her dress pocket and accepted the bread. Noctis watched everything she did with wide eyes.
Holding the still warm bread, she looked up at him and smiled brightly.
“I told you to trust me.”
“…Ha, haha!”
He burst into laughter at her unexpectedly capable behavior. It felt unfamiliar because it was different from the side of her he had only seen at the ducal manor, but it was reassuring.
“Here, take it.”
He looked down briefly at the bread she held out, then grabbed it with the hand that was not linked with her arm. The texture felt exactly the same as what he had eaten as a child. He remembered coming to a festival like this with his mother back then.
Taking a large bite at once, he chewed the bread, which was chewy, nutty, and faintly sweet, and stared into the air for a moment. Elaria felt satisfied seeing that he seemed to enjoy it. After taking a small bite of the bread in her own hand, her eyes widened.
It was mild and simple, but surprisingly tasty. The chewy texture felt unfamiliar, yet that made it more interesting.
The two stood there for a moment, savoring the bread.
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