The Best Friend
After walking for about five minutes, the two arrived at a street bustling with people.
Large and small shops displayed their own crafts, and passersby looked at them with interest.
"This is... Artisan's Street, isn't it?"
Leje said, looking at the street unfolding before her eyes.
The place where the two were currently located was the craft district in Lagrandria.
It was called Artisan's Street, meaning a street for artisans and craftsmen.
"Why are we here all of a sudden? Is there something you want to buy?"
"Well... yes."
Rudell nodded at her, who asked in a puzzled voice.
What he wanted to buy was none other than a gift for Leje.
He had already given her a gift, but it was just a small token of courtesy.
He had a separate, real gift for Leje.
"Hmm... well, I guess it doesn't matter."
At his answer, she narrowed her eyes for a moment, then began to look around with curious eyes.
"Isn't it amazing?"
"Yeah. I've only heard stories about it, this is my first time actually coming here."
It was only natural. How often would a princess of the Dukedom, like her, have a reason to come to such a place?
High-ranking nobles like her often dealt directly with trading companies and could obtain anything they wanted with a single word, without having to move themselves.
As such, this kind of opportunity was rare for her.
"Rudell, what's that?"
Just then, Leje, who was looking around, asked with sparkling eyes as if she had discovered something interesting.
"That? It's a kiln for baking pottery."
A shop not far away.
Flames were blazing in a large kiln, and in front of it, a shirtless man was constantly putting firewood into the kiln.
The heat was so intense that even Rudell and Leje, who were watching, could feel the heat.
"Oh... so that's how pottery is made? It looks like it would be incredibly hot."
"You have to go through that process to make proper pottery. Nothing seems like a simple task once you delve deeper into it."
"Hmm... I see."
Leje, who let out a voice of admiration at his explanation, turned her gaze to another shop and began to walk as if she was interested.
Rudell also followed her, and the place she arrived at this time was similar to a pottery workshop, but slightly different.
"Is this a pottery workshop too?"
"I think this is a glass workshop."
The difference from the pottery workshop was that there was a large pile of sand next to the furnace, and the craftsmen were taking out the molten glass from the furnace by dipping iron rods into it.
"A glass workshop? Do you make glass with this sand?"
"That's right. They melt and extract the fine glass fragments in the sand, and then use that to make glass."
"Oh... I see. Maybe it's because I read books every day, but you seem to know everything."
"Thank you for the compliment."
Since Leje had lived in the world of nobles, it was natural for her to be unfamiliar with the ways of the world.
Rudell let out a low chuckle at the sight of Leje, who was fascinated by even the most mundane things.
Just like that, after briefly looking around the workshop's exhibits, the two began to walk again.
"There are so many fascinating things. I didn't know a place like this existed."
"Most nobles rarely come out here themselves."
"I think it's not bad to come out like this once in a while. Thanks to you, I got to know this place."
"I'm glad you think so."
In the original story, there was a part where she came into contact with various people and objects here and briefly revealed her true personality.
Rudell had been worried that Leje might not like it because there were already subtle differences from the original story, but seeing her reaction, it seemed like he didn't need to worry about that.
Just like that, the two passed through the street crowded with countless people and entered the depths of Artisan's Street...
"We're here. This is the place."
"What kind of place is this?"
Smiling at her question, Rudell headed into the shop with Leje.
And what they saw were shelves filled with all sorts of miscellaneous goods.
"Hmm... it doesn't look very special. What are you going to buy?"
"It's a secret."
Responding to Leje's question, Rudell began to look around the shop lined with shelves.
"Let's see... I'm sure it was somewhere around here..."
"If it's something you're searching for so diligently, it must be something amazing, right?"
"It could be, or it could not be."
What he was looking for now wasn't a particularly great item from a general perspective.
However, the value of an object to an individual is determined by the meaning and story it holds.
In that sense, the item he was looking for now was both a great item and a trivial item at the same time.
Just like that, as Rudell wandered around the shop looking for something...
"Here it is."
"Huh? This is... just an ordinary hairpin, isn't it?"
As Rudell stopped walking, Leje said those words.
The item on the display shelf was, simply put, a blue hairpin with an ordinary appearance.
"That's right. And it's the item I was looking for."
Responding to Leje, who spoke as if it was unexpected, Rudell picked up a hairpin from the display shelf.
And...
"Leje, stay still for a moment."
"Huh? What are you going to do...!?"
Rudell approached Leje, who had a puzzled expression and carefully reached out his hand.
Although she had a flustered expression, Leje did not refuse his touch.
Rudell fiddled with her hair for a moment and then put the hairpin on the side of her hair.
"Hmm. It suits you well, as expected."
Rudell, who stepped back and looked at Leje, nodded as if he liked it.
The blue hairpin was neither too flashy nor too inconspicuous.
A hairpin that naturally matched Leje's bluish-white hair.
In the original story, when the protagonist gave her this hairpin, it was described as suiting her well, so even in Rudell's eyes, the blue hairpin really suited Leje.
"Wh-what are you talking about, you idiot!"
"Excuse me, can I get one of these?"
"Yes~!! Please wait a moment!"
At his words, Leje shouted in a flustered voice, but Rudell cleanly ignored her and called the nearby clerk.
Rudell handed a silver coin to the clerk, who approached with a bright smile, and after calculating the change, he asked Leje,
"This is my coming-of-age gift for you. Do you like it?"
"What are you talking about all of a sudden!? It's not that I don't like it... but it's too sudden!"
At Rudell's question, Leje grumbled but looked at herself in the mirror as if she liked the hairpin.
Just as Rudell had said it suited her well, even Leje herself thought the blue hairpin suited her quite well.
"Sorry. I thought it wouldn't be fun if you knew what it was."
"Ugh..."
Leje let out a low groan and turned her head away as Rudell apologized while watching her.
There's a saying that you can't spit on a smiling face, and this was the perfect time to use it.
"I-I'll let it slide this time, but there won't be a next time!"
"Yes~ yes~ as you wish, Your Highness."
She was probably talking about him bringing her all the way here without any proper warning, but there was no need to spoil the mood, so Rudell just nodded and agreed.
Just like that, the two stepped out of the general store...
"So, how is it? Feeling better?"
"I can't say I'm feeling better, I wasn't really bothered in the first place."
"Sure, sure."
Rudell thought, 'If you weren't bothered, why did you have such a serious expression?', but he didn't say it out loud.
Leje's fists were quite formidable.
"Well~ now that we're done, we should head back, right?"
The sky was already dyed red.
If they went back too late, Alma would scold them.
Rudell stretched his body, loosened up, and started walking.
Just then.
"Hey... Rudell."
"Yeah? What is it?"
Rudell turned his head at the sound of Leje calling him.
And what Rudell saw was Leje hesitating and unable to speak.
"Leje?"
"Th-that is..."
What was she trying to say that made her hesitate so much?
With that thought, Rudell looked at Leje.
Just like that, after a short time of about ten seconds...
"Thank you for today."
"Huh? For what?"
"For everything today. You put in a lot of effort for me."
"You don't have to thank me. We're friends."
Aren't friends supposed to help each other and be there for each other whenever?
Even if they weren't, Rudell was somewhat responsible for this incident, so from his perspective, there was no reason for Leje to thank him.
"..."
"Leje?"
Did she sense something from his immediate and unwavering response?
Rudell called out in a puzzled voice as he looked at Leje, who was standing there blankly...
"You're truly the best friend."
After a moment, Leje smiled faintly as if nothing had happened and reached out her hand to Rudell.
"So, would you be so kind as to escort me home?"
"Of course, Your Highness."
Rudell chuckled softly at her words and took Leje's hand.
And the two walked out of the crowded street.
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