Chapter 37.2

the nasty system window flashed again as if it answered my question. i had no choice but to distance myself from adrian by moving my hips and covering myself with the white sheet.

“rian, i think we should skip breakfast today.”

adrian, who may not have understood what i said, but noticed that i was blocking his advances, fell down in despair.

“i’m sorry.”

i felt so sad that i could die, but… it was really, really unfortunate! it couldn’t be helped. it was a matter of my escape and adrian’s life.

i got out of bed with my mottled body wrapped in a blanket.

* * *

i had a rough breakfast and lunch at the inn. we went to the local market to look around, but were forced to give it up soon after.

“no! no!”

people were staring at us as i raised my voice holding on to adrian’s choker.

“you must have no experience handling slaves,” a merchant grunted, then gave advice to me, who was breaking sweat holding rian, “give him medicine in that case, miss.”

“shut up.”

i glared fiercely at him.

if i knew this would happen, i should’ve put on his leash. it was so hard to control him because he’d run away in an instant if i didn’t hold him back.

“hiiing… hiiiing…”

i raised my eyebrows to adrian’s whine of mutiny.

“rian, you can’t! stay still!”

today – even though it’s just a few days that he’s been with me – his behavior was strange. even when i said no, rian was restless and kept on trying to run to the street lined with street vendors.

‘is it because i didn’t let him do it earlier? is he frustrated?’

he didn’t give up until the end, and i sighed at rian, who was staring at the stalls of street vendors.

“then you can only look at that stall. got it?”

at my words, adrian nodded with a huff. i smiled, wiping his docile eyes with my fingertips.

‘is it because he’s a prince? he’s crazy about jewelry.’

all the stalls he’d been whining about to rush in from earlier were stalls that sold accessories.

adrian skimmed through a neatly organized stall, from exotic necklaces rarely seen in the empire, to hairpins commonly seen on the street. then, he looked back at me with shining eyes.

‘phew. yeah, maybe i can buy him one if he really likes it.’

there wasn’t enough money to spare, so i might have to work part-time to afford whatever he’d pick.

already softened by adrian’s innocent eyes, i brushed his soft hair and said, “if you want something, choose one.”

at my words, adrian carefully reached out and picked an item. it wasn’t fancy, but it was a necklace that boasted a particularly delicate figure among cheap ornaments. a thin chain made of silver gleamed in the sunlight.

i glanced at the necklace adrian chose and spoke to the merchant on the other side of the stall, “how much is this?”

then a sweet-looking man smiled and said, “when you ask about the price, please say a pretty greeting!”

‘oh, was i too rude?’

i awkwardly scratched the back of my neck at his request and replied, “sorry. hello. how much is this necklace?”

the merchant’s eyes sharpened as he looked down at me. he opened his mouth, frowning as the smile faded from his face, “pretty greetings, miss.”

‘what’s a pretty greeting?’

for a moment, i wanted to leave the stall, but adrian’s eyes looking at the necklace in his hand were so bright that i could only repeat my greeting.

“hello?”

he didn’t seem to like my greeting with a lot of hearts, but the merchant shrugged as if it couldn’t be helped.

“whoa. yes, well. what do you need, miss?”

“how much is this necklace?”

“for price inquiries, please whisper.”

i laughed at the man’s request. this wasn’t some kind of secret shop. when i turned my head and looked at the stall, i saw a street merchant sign.

~ personal shop (private) ~

‘so, it was indeed a secret store…’

if so, his request wasn’t unreasonable. i leaned forward, speaking in a hushed voice.

“…this necklace, how much is it?”

“it’s a hundred reso, miss!”

“a hundred reso?”

it was quite expensive for a street item. the man quickly added with a frown as he whispered.

“due to the nature of the store, exchange and refund are difficult.”