[IHTTMBW] Chapter 51
The night market was lined with round, yellow lights, arranged in a row like stars. It bustled with people, and alongside the street, various vendors had set up their stalls, luring passersby.
"Try some fruit skewers!"
"Here, we have dumplings!"
"Who wants to try shooting arrows? Arrow throwing, anyone?"
I was wide-eyed at the unfamiliar scene and held tightly onto Allenan’s hand. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, "Don’t let go of me, Myrthi, so you don’t get lost."
I nodded. It was strange to think how this prince from a neighbouring country knew the streets better than I, a princess of my own land. But even though I had gained more freedom lately, my movements were still mostly confined within the palace. In contrast, Allenan, who frequently visited Crothasone to see me, had taken many opportunities to explore the city during his visits. It made sense he would know the capital’s streets well by now.
Sticking close to him, I gazed intently at the passing stalls, my eyes lingering on the fruit skewers for a long time. Noticing this, Allenan smiled.
"Myrthi, do you want one of those?"
"Yes! What are they?"
"They’re fruits that have been simmered in sugar, then coated in candy."
"Wow! Fruit candy?"
The shiny, glossy fruits gleamed under the yellow lights. I tugged on Allenan’s hand and moved closer to the stall, practically drooling.
"Haha! Alright, alright. I’ll buy it for you, just stop doing that."
As if on cue, I swallowed the saliva I had been holding in on purpose, making it obvious. Chuckling, Allenan handed me not one but two candy-coated skewers, placing one in each of my hands.
Blushing with excitement, I clutched the candies and gave Allenan a playful pat on the head.
"Allenan, you’re so nice. So nice."
"Haha, if I had known you’d be this happy, I would’ve brought you here sooner."
He was right. If he had brought me to a place like this earlier, I might have thought a little more deeply about marriage.
With the sweet fruit candy at my lips, I eagerly sucked on it and then urged him.
"Let’s keep exploring!"
"Alright, let’s go wherever you want, Myrthi."
"Really?"
"Really."
Overjoyed, I darted off in every direction. The dumplings steamed with fragrant juice, and a fire-breathing performer spewed liquid onto flames, creating bursts of fire each time. The crowd was just as lively, and though I had never been in such a bustling place before, I couldn’t stop smiling.
"This is amazing!"
"Really?"
"Yes! Thank you, Allenan!"
Riding the wave of excitement, I pulled him along, eager to see everything the market had to offer.
As the two children passed by, someone handed me a snack, remarking on how cute I was. It seemed no one here realised that we were a prince and a princess. Perhaps they just assumed we were children of noble families because our clothes were quite fine. My violet eyes, in the darkness, merely looked black.
Then something caught my eye.
"Arm wrestling! Arm wrestling! Beat this man and win five gold coins!"
There stood a barker and a man with a massive build.
Five gold coins. From what I knew, that was quite a significant amount. As soon as the barker shouted about the five gold coins, many heads, including mine, turned in that direction. But the man sitting there was so large that no one dared to challenge him. People just stood by, hesitating and licking their lips.
"Allenan! Let’s go over there."
"Over there? For arm wrestling?"
"Yes! It looks fun."
"They always told me not to go to places like that... Fine, just make sure you hold on to me."
Allenan nodded in agreement. As we approached, I saw a child standing in front of the booth. The child looked to be about fifteen years old.
"Hey, kid? If you’re just here to watch, step aside and watch from there."
"I want to participate."
I was taken aback by the unexpected reply. I widened my eyes and stared at the child. The child had pale skin and short, dark blue hair, leaving quite an impression. The kid was so pretty that I found myself confused by what was happening. The barker, also taken aback, burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Kid, forget it. Go stand over there. We don’t take money from kids."
"I’m telling you, I want to challenge him."
"Come on, kid. Before you get yourself in trouble, just go away."
But there was something slightly deeper in the child’s voice. Tilting my head in curiosity, I urged Allenan to come closer. As we watched from the crowd, the child pulled out a gold coin from their pocket.
"I’ll wager this if I lose."
The tone was as mature as Euphil’s. The barker swallowed hard. Even if it wasn’t the full five gold, one gold coin was still a tempting prize.
I stared at the child with wide eyes, filled with curiosity. Could that really be a girl... or a boy?
"Little lady."
"Where are you looking? What part of me looks like a lady?"
"Haha! So, you’re a boy, huh?"
"Obviously."
The child’s voice deepened slightly, but it still sounded like the voice of a boy going through puberty. The boy, around the same age as Euphil, slammed his hand on the table with a resounding thud, urging the match to begin.