The day we were leaving has arrived. It was impossible to set up a schedule because the crew were taking a child with them, so we are going to stay at inns. The plan was to leave early in the morning to avoid the Hollows and arrive early in the next town.

  And speaking of Alistair and I.

  “Don’t wanna.”


  “Nu.”


  Both of us were turned away. In front of us was a gorgeous outfit sent by the Prince. And, for some reason, there was a middle-aged maid in a travel outfit with a tensed face standing before us. Her name is Dory.

  “Alistair-sama, Leila-sama. My name is Dory. I have come here from the capital to take care of Ojou-sama,” was how she greeted us. It must have been difficult for her to travel all the way here from the fief capital.

  “I’m Alistair.”


  “I’m Leiwa.”


  She smiled for a moment when we introduced ourselves, but then she looked at us from head to toe and then tensed.

  “Even for an instant, it’s unbelievable that children of the Four Marquis Houses would dress, would dress in such common clothing,” she muttered, and instructed us to change into the clothes that she had brought with her.

  To us who were turned away, the most fashionable of our guardians, Kyaro, argued, “What’s the problem? Alistair aside, Lei looks stylish and cute, doesn’t she?”


  “What do you mean me aside?!”


  “I don’t like colourful clothes either, but you have to wear them.”


  “Don’t wanna.”


  “Nu.”


  Kyaro shrugged.

  “Why don’t you like them, Lei?”


  “Ith’sh hoth and pricwwesh.”


  “Are they complaining? Oh my gosh!”


  “Emy!”


  Emy hugged me when I ran towards her. Then, she took out the sewing box she had and looked carefully at my dress.

  “It’s well-made. This must have been made from a good designer in the fief capital,” she shook her head in admiration.

  On the other hand, the maid said to me, “This was made by a famous designer in the capital, Jacomo and it’s one of a kind. He tailored it to match Ojou-sama’s hair and eyes. Stop being selfish and wear it.” However, I looked away rudely.

  “Now, now. I’ll do something about it,” Emy said before pulling out the thread of the lace and removing it.

  “Kyaa! Krest’s high-quality lace!”


  “You don’t have to be so noisy about it. You can still use the lace. The length of the lace won’t change just because I remove the thread, so you can add this to your thin trousers.”


  “Ai!”


  “We-well, if Ojou-sama is alright with that. But Alistair-sama, the Prince came all the way here to pick up children from the Four Marquis Houses, so we’ll be criticised if you dress like that.”


  “Why?”


  “Why……? They would blame us for not properly dressing you up.”


  Alistair thought that Dory might be right as he looked at the fancy decorations attached to the shoulders and chest of the outfit he was supposed to wear.

  “No, I’m a hunter. I’m not on an exhibition. I’m fine with what I have on,” he refused and tried to leave. But Dory quickly chased after him.

  “Wait, you!”


  “What’s wrong? You’re late.”


  “Hubert-sama,” Dory looked relieved when she saw the Prince.

  “Why didn’t you change?”


  We each replied to the surprised Prince.

  “Wei changed.”


  “I’m a hunter. I won’t wear anything showy like that.”


  The Prince raised an eyebrow when he saw that my dress was now a lot simpler without the decorations, but didn’t say anything about it. Then he instructed, “Bring the simplest outfit you have.”


  The maid brought an outfit that was fit for a noble, but the colour was a lot calmer, and it had few decorations on it.

  “How’s this?”


  “I guess I can wear this,” Alistair reluctantly changed into that outfit.

  “Awishthair nice.”


  “Really? Well, it’s alright since it’s not hard to move in,” Alistair was a little embarrassed as he put the Rhodolite sword on his waist.

  Dory shook her head and looked as if she wanted to say something, however the Prince announced, “We don’t have any time left. We’re leaving right now.”


  Bart carried me because we didn’t have any time left and we headed to the small hut near the entrance of the town. The townspeople came out one after the other as we walked and they regretfully said their farewells to us. They were even reluctant to part with me and gave me a lot of sweets.

  I widened my eyes in surprise when we got to the small hut. There were rows or Rug Dragons with clean saddles, and 10 escorts for the Prince, as well as a few people whose jobs I wasn’t sure of and five who seemed to be hunters. Those hunters were probably here just to be safe.

  And the mayor and his family were here.

  “Amy!”


  “Lei!”


  Amy ran up to me and hugged me gently.

  “I’m going to miss you.”


  “Me thoo.”


  We stayed like this for a while, then she let go of me and softly gave me something wrapped in a handkerchief.

  “They’re hand-me-downs, but they’re your favourite Rug Dragon clothes.”


  “Wah thhanwsh,” I said before stepping back. I held the handkerchief tightly.

  I turned to the front and stood on the ground, and my eyes met with the Rug Dragons.

  “Aa.”


  “Kyee!”


  “What? I don’t know what the Rug Dragon is saying!”


  “The leader’s saying ah, wait!”


  I was immediately surrounded by a group of Rug Dragons. I softly put my hand on the nose of the dragon that was pushing me with his mouth.

  “Kyee.”


  “Ith’sh oway. Lei’sh fine.”


  “Kyee.”


  The Rug Dragons pushed me with their smelly mouth one by one before returning back to where they were.

  I got a little anxious and looked at Alistair who shrugged.

  Unlike Alistair and the others who were preparing indifferently, the guards were taken aback looked towards the Prince for an explanation, “Your Highness!’


  “I don’t know either. Bart!”


  “What?” Bart answered in an annoyed tone.

  “What just happened?”


  “Oh, they adopted her.”


  Instead of the Prince, who didn’t get what Bart was saying, one of the guards asked, “Don’t tell me that Leila-sama is being treated as one of their kids?!”


  “Apparently.”


  “That’s rare.”


  I looked around restlessly for where I was sitting and Dory, who had gotten on first, reached out her hand towards me, “Come here.”

  “Nu,” I turned away rudely.

  “Lei wide awone.”


  “My!”


  The Prince walked towards us while sighing when he saw this, “It’s dangerous by yourself.”


  “Lei awwaysh awone.” My words froze everyone up.

  “That’s not what she meant, honestly. She’s saying that she wants to ride alone,” Kyaro chuckled while walking towards us. He quickly sorted the luggage with Clyde, put me on and put a belt around me.

  “Even adults would be nervous with people they don’t know, right?” Kyaro said.

  I replied, “Thhish ish good,” and moved my hands up and down in jubilation. Alistair wasn’t riding in the basket; he said he wanted to ride on his own.

  “Why does it take so much time just to leave?” The Prince grieved.

  My thoughts were a secret.