FSW Chapter 40

"It would be terrible if we got separated, so you can't let go. Understand?"

They'd entered a street overflowing with crowds—she didn't know when they'd arrived. This was also the reason for holding hands firmly. He cautiously applied strength to his hand, having hesitated to properly hold it back. With force so weak the other person wouldn't notice.

Probably even if he'd gripped harder, Nishina wouldn't have noticed. She'd just been captivated by scenery from another world. Given her status and the fact she'd grown up so overprotected, unlike Aiden who occasionally went outside for inspections or work, Nishina had spent almost all her time in the imperial palace.

In other words, scenery like this was a first in her life. Like a country person who'd just arrived in the capital, Nishina constantly looked around. Merchants busy with solicitation and people getting heated over price haggling. Lively children who'd come shopping holding their parents' hands, and elderly people exchanging leisurely conversation.

The stalls occupying the roadside displayed plump fruits and various spices, unusual birds and other small animals, and various accessories that looked handmade, while the scent of baking bread and fragrant food wafted from shops with open doors.

"Wow! Look at that!"

Nishina's eyes lit up naturally at cotton candy that resembled clouds. After paying with coins she'd exchanged in advance, she shared it amicably with Lavis. Her hands got sticky, but the sweetness melting in her mouth wasn't bad.

After that, whenever she saw something interesting, she charged straight ahead like a bison. Naturally with Lavis in tow. At this point, it was no different from Nishina holding his hand for her own sake rather than his.

How else to explain Hilton repeatedly telling Lavis to absolutely not let go? After passing various street foods and the corner con artist, going a bit deeper inside revealed a vast plaza.

Just as excited Nishina was about to dash straight to the center—Lavis stood firm and pulled Nishina toward himself instead. There wasn't even time to wonder why. A long piece of lumber narrowly grazed past the tip of her nose.

"Are you all right?"

At the low voice that reached right by her ear, Nishina shuddered sharply. When she nodded reluctantly, Hilton, who'd arrived a beat late, personally extracted Nishina from his arms and gave warning:

"It's the festival preparation period, so it's quite chaotic. Please be careful."

"A festival?"

"Yes, when there's a grand banquet at the palace, festivals break out among the empire's citizens too. The imperial family actually supports them as well."

Celebrate together? She didn't know whose idea it was, but it was a very admirable thought. Leading her to a relatively quiet spot, Hilton added explanation:

"That's also why there are more street vendors than usual. Those people appear to be carpenters setting up new stalls."

Now that he mentioned it, she noticed burly men carrying tents and lumber as big as themselves. That earlier threat must have been from that. Being careful not to interfere with the working people, Nishina crossed the plaza much more cautiously.

"Didn't I tell you kids not to run around here!"

Despite the carpenter's rough tone, the children laughed merrily and ran wildly around the plaza. The carpenters must have only been pretending to be stern, because laughter spread across their faces too. Someone's laughter was quite pleasant to the ears. All the sounds of this street were like that. They sounded like a single harmony.

Easily contagious laughter, and hammering sounds, and the anticipation-filled voices of passersby, even the street musicians. The excited atmosphere was vivid within the warm melody. Though she'd never attended a festival and never could, she could feel the heat of that day enough—

Becoming cheerful as well, Nishina whispered softly to Lavis:

"I hope someday we can come to a festival together too."

"...Yes."

Hiding his reddened cheeks inside the robe, he shyly agreed.

"By the way, did you find what you wanted to buy?"

At Hilton's question, Nishina snapped to attention. It felt like being doused with cold water. She'd been so excited she'd completely forgotten her original purpose.

Fortunately, she hadn't wasted much time. Trying hard not to be swayed by various temptations, Nishina moved briskly.

After reminding herself of the purpose, she mainly visited shops. A jewelry store, a clothing store, even a blacksmith. But she couldn't find a suitable item. Nishina's shoulders drooped helplessly, growing rapidly dejected. Never mind the item itself—she didn't even know what would make him happy, or rather, what he'd even accept.

Whatever she offered, he'd probably open his eyes sharply and say, "I don't need it."

Just recalling that rigid face felt like scratching her heart. Just as she was endlessly digging into the ground—

"There, pretty miss. How about taking a look?"

A woman at a stall beckoned toward Nishina. Many people still passed around Nishina. When she pointed at herself questioningly with her finger, the woman nodded. Thanks to the artifact, merchants who didn't approach first wouldn't speak to her. But having circled this area several times, it seemed she'd finally caught attention.

Nishina obediently approached the stall. It seemed the woman sold accessories—colorful accessories were displayed in abundance.

"Oh my, you're even more beautiful up close! With just one of these earrings, you'd rival the princess!"

'I am that princess...'

A compliment too awkward to be happy about. With an awkward motion, she looked for Hilton. He was beside Nishina muttering image-damaging lines like, "The princess is beautiful though." Shaking her head, Nishina pretended not to see him and examined the recommended earrings. The silver earrings studded with blue cubic stones weren't luxurious, but they had their own cuteness.

"Or maybe something like this would suit you well?"

The owner pointed to neatly arranged strings. Delicate embroidery was densely stitched across them. They seemed to be for hair ties or bracelet substitutes.

"Wow, did you make all of these yourself?"

"Of course! I'm known in this neighborhood for my embroidery skills."

Pride filled the face of the woman who shrugged her shoulders proudly. Though Nishina had never learned embroidery, she definitely felt the skill was no ordinary thing.

'Giving it to brother as a gift... probably wouldn't work.'

Aiden with a flower-embroidered string tied on him.

'No, wait, it might unexpectedly suit him well?'

While Nishina agonized, the owner spoke affably to Lavis, who'd been standing a step behind. Calling the figure standing there blankly wasn't the problem. It was just that the title used was very strange.

"Brother can help sister pick something out."

"Sister?"

"Isn't this your older sister?"

It seemed she'd mistaken Lavis as the younger sibling because he'd been dragged around with their hands held. Him as a younger brother. If she had such a cute younger brother, she'd naturally welcome it. Barely suppressing her bursting laughter, Nishina affirmed:

"That's right."

She felt the linked hand flinch. But no objection emerged. More precisely, there was no chance to object. The owner hurried away to serve a new customer.

"Oh my, just browse for a bit!"

As soon as the owner left, Nishina burst into laughter as if she'd been waiting. Her lips bitten to hold back laughter stung. The more Nishina enjoyed herself, the more troubled his face became, but once the laughter started, it only stopped after quite a while.

Only after Nishina finally calmed down did he speak hesitantly in a small voice:

"...Your Highness, I'm fifteen this year."

At the unexpected words, Nishina's eyes widened. Then her lips curved smoothly soon after. Because she'd read the very small objection contained within.

"Should I call you 'big brother' then?"

Nishina tilted her head right and asked mischievously. The word he'd never heard or seen in his life must have been shocking—his eyelashes fluttered beneath the robe. With a face red as an apple, he quickly shook his head.

"How dare, such, absolutely not that meaning..."

Words of denial spilled out in broken pieces. He was so flustered that even the hand he held hurt.

"Um, my hand's losing circulation..."

When she pointed this out, he became even more startled, hastily released her hand, and stepped back.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

He looked like he might burst into tears.

'Did I tease him too much?'

Nishina roughly wiped her sweaty palm on her clothes and swallowed the faint mischief that remained. She had absolutely no intention of making him cry just for her own amusement. When she pulled his robe hem and soothed him, his disturbed breathing slowly returned.

Around the time his cheeks, which had been like red apples, faded to something like pink roses, the owner returned after selling an earring set with her splendid eloquence.

"But why are you wearing rags like that? Isn't it hot?"

"My brother has a sun allergy."

For something thought up immediately, it was a plausible lie. However, the gaze looking at him, who'd instantly transformed into a sickly younger brother, somehow became strange. Full of sympathy, perhaps. Or maybe pity flowing abundantly.

"I called him to give his sister a gift, but that won't do."

Clicking her tongue, the owner picked up something displayed in the corner and held it out.

"I'll have to buy something for the brother too."

What the owner offered was none other than a bracelet. The bracelet made by braiding strings was simple, without embroidery or any particular pattern.

"It's called a wish bracelet—make a wish and wear it until it breaks, and it'll grant your wish."

For something revealed like an important secret with a serious face, the identity was rather trivial.

Nishina's interest cooled instantly. No matter how sheltered she was, she knew that much sales pitch was packed into those words. A wish bracelet—wasn't that just a perfect name for selling?

She thought Lavis, who'd been offered it, would be equally uninterested. But unexpectedly, he was staring intently at the offered bracelet.

"Do you have a wish?"

When Nishina asked softly, he quickly lowered his eyes and denied:

"How could I possibly, there's no way..."

"Will you keep saying bad things with that pretty mouth?"

At the subtle self-deprecating remark, Nishina suddenly thrust her face under the robe.

"If you keep doing that, I'll buy a pin over there and make you wear it pinned up every training session."

She made a show of sweeping back her hair with one hand, fully exposing her forehead. He didn't seem to like that—his body flinched. He even pressed his lips tightly shut. But Nishina ended up convincing herself with her own threat.

Lavi with that fair forehead and red eyes openly displayed.

"Wait, that's actually good?"

When Nishina muttered seriously, Lavis, sensing crisis, quickly repented.

"I won't do it again."

A face truly remorseful.

'No, is it really that horrifying?'

It was a bit absurd, but in any case she'd extracted a promise, so there was no point in intimidating him further. With a pleased heart, she patted the head above the robe, then received the string bracelet.

"I'll buy this."

She completely ignored him trying to dissuade her. Payment ended in the blink of an eye. Nishina personally put the purchased bracelet on his arm. The navy string suited his white wrist quite well.

"It's a gift for accompanying me."

"But really, something like a wish—"

"Even if you don't have one right now, you might later, right? You can make it then."

Even if she didn't believe in superstition, the heart that yearned desperately wasn't futile. In other words, rather than an item that granted wishes, this bracelet held her wish for his wishes to come true.

She wrapped both hands around his wrist with the bracelet wound around it and closed her eyes tightly like a prayer.

'May everything you wish for come true.'

Only after fully infusing her wish did she release his wrist.

"My prayer is in it too, so double the effect!"

Nishina grinned boldly as she declared this. It wasn't entirely unfounded. It might not be a magic lamp with a genie hiding inside to grant his wishes, but it was a bracelet containing the princess's fervent wish to help his wishes in every way possible!