A P H I A
I wear my hooded cloak to ignore the people staring and glaring at me. Clovis took me here to the Capital City for an unknown reason. His admirers are throwing me a death glare, and some of them are following us. Clovis seems oblivious to all the things that are happening around him.
Perhaps, he's more famous than Prince Kalmin. Well, technically, he is a prince as well since his mom is a princess, right? Or is he a marquess since he is the son of the duke? I don't know much about monarchies and their rankings.
Speaking of the devil, I couldn't still believe that Prince Kalmin let me go with Commander Clovis. Before our training started, he told me that he would never give me another day off for the rest of my life, but he did. His evil facial expression gave me goosebumps when he told me that I needed to do something for him next month in exchange for this day off.
I sigh in frustration every time I remember Prince Kalmin. He will be the death of me. I lose control every time he pisses me off, and I can't seem to control my anger. I hate him so much.
"Are you alright?" I look at Clovis, who is looking at me worriedly. I look around the area to check our surroundings.
"I'm fine." I am lost in the thought that I don't know where we are right now. "Where are we?" I asked while looking around the area.
"We are still in the Capital City. This area is the back alley." He said, and I nodded. I can see food stalls and a lot of customers. Wow. I did not know that they have this kind of place in the Capital City. "I heard that you have a big appetite, so I thought you might want to try the foods here."
Who told him that?
"Let's take a look," I said, and we walked on the alley side by side. "Oh! So, they are selling street foods!" I shouted, and my eyes twinkled in excitement. I wonder what kind of street foods this world has.
"Is that what you call them?" He asked curiously, and I nodded. "We call it fast food because they are fast to eat since they are already cooked." He explained.
"I see. We call it street food because it is ready-to-eat food sold by a hawker or vendor in a street or other public place. Let's try!" I grab his arm and lead him to the first food stall. "What is this?" I point my finger at the unfamiliar food in front of us.
"It's a deep-fried tarantula." I look at him in shock, and he gives me a confused look. "What? You don't like it?"
"I-I don't think I can eat it," I said before moving on to the next food stall. "How about this?"
"Fried Silkworm," Clovis answered, and I instantly imagined the worms creeping in my stomach. "You should try it."
"Have you tried it?" I asked, and he nodded.
"My fellow commanders and I like to hang out and eat here." He said. I couldn't imagine Aloisia eating these kinds of food.
"You should try the Hakarl-Rotten Shark too. It's delicious." Gosh! I don't think I can eat these street foods. I expected a hotdog, BBQ, corn dog, fish cake, tteokbokki, kimbap, tacos, and takoyaki. I have lost my appetite after seeing those exotic foods.
"What about this?" I asked. It looks edible to me, and I think I can eat it.
"Fried Frog. You want to try it?" He asked, and I nodded. I'm shy not to try even one of these street foods. Clovis might think that I am a peaky eater. "How was it?" He asked after I took one bite.
"It's crispy and tastes like chicken," I said while smiling. "I like it!" I shouted, and he smiled at me. I have also tried the fried locust bugs and grilled eel. Clovis was smiling at me while I was eating those foods, and I tried my best to hide how afraid I was to try those unfamiliar foods.
We checked out all the food stalls, but he ate most of the foods he bought. I just tried the three foods that I thought I could take. I suddenly miss the foods in my world and how delicious they are. I instantly crave pizza, burgers, milk tea, iced coffee, donuts, and ice cream.
"What your world looks like?" Clovis asked out of the blue as we sat on the wooden chair under the shady tree. He gave me cold drinks, and I liked them.
"It's a normal world with ordinary people working our ass off just to make a living," I said while chuckling. "We have no powers, magic, and monsters." I sighed.
"How different does your world compare to ours?" He is smiling and seems so curious about my world.
"Let's see. Instead of using a carriage, we have the vehicle to transport people and everything we need to move from one place to another. Instead of using human messenger or dove to send a message, we have phones that we use for communication, to access the internet, and we almost rely everything on that thing. It's high tech and very convenient to use."
"We have computers and home appliances that make our life easier. Instead of a castle, we have high-rise buildings. Instead of swords, we have guns. Instead of books, we have the internet to access the information."
I stare at my hands as the realization hits me. "It's primarily the technology. Technology changes everything in our world in a good and bad way. I wonder if this world will change the way my world changes."
"I find your world interesting." He said while smiling.
"Your world is interesting too in a peculiar way. Magic, potion, monsters, and spells frighten and amaze me at the same time." I said while chuckling. "So, why did you choose to become a knight?"
"I always wanted to be a knight since I was a kid. I wanted to explore every part of our kingdom and serve our people in the best way I could. I don't want to get stuck in the castle." So, does it mean he doesn't want to be Prince Kalmin? I mean, the crown prince is stuck in the castle, am I right?
"Prince Kalmin told me that you are cousins. He just told me the other day." I stated, and he looked at me in surprise. "Why?"
"Nothing. I am just surprised that the crown prince told you about it." I look at him in confusion.
"Is there something wrong with that?"
"Oh, no. Please don't misunderstand. It's just that Prince Kalmin is a very reserved person. He only chooses who he wants to talk to or what to say to other people."
"Oh." I reacted as I thought how Prince Kalmin showed different emotions in front of me, how he says everything he knows, and how he naturally acts in front of me.
Is the crown prince has a double personality?
"I think he's changing." Clovis caught my attention. "We started to see the real Prince Kalmin when he meets you." What? Why me? I don't have anything to do with him. "The twins like you too. They are more reserved than Prince Kalmin, but they warmed up to you easily, and we were more shocked to witness how affectionate they were towards you."
Really? I mean, it is how usually a kid is towards someone they like, right? It's very ordinary, yet they find it strange?
"I think it's because they find me funny," I said while chuckling awkwardly. I did not know that the commanders paid so much attention to Prince Kalmin and me. They are weird.
"I think it's because you are unique." He said before chuckling. "You are unique in many ways."
"Unique is good, right? Unique is a compliment, right?" I looked at him nervously, and that made him laugh.
He nods. "Yes, it's good." I sighed in relief. I thought they found me odd because I'm unique. Though, I don't know what makes me unique from the rest of them.
I'm just cute, that's all.
Clovis and I looked around the Capital City. We checked several stores of clothes, accessories, and weapons. "Prince Kalmin gave you one of the rarest and most beautiful weapons in the kingdom." He said while looking at the swords displayed on the wall. Prince Kalmin told me about it. "I think you are special to receive such kind of weapon."
I laugh awkwardly. "Perhaps it's because I'm the priestess," I said.
He shrugs his shoulder, and I look at him in confusion. "Maybe or maybe not?" He said while smiling. Wait, what does it mean?! I feel like he is implying something else. "I am looking forward to having you in my Order one of these days." He said as we exited the store.
I smile at him. "So do I." We walked to where the carriage was waiting for us, and he helped me get in the carriage. "Thank you for inviting me today."
He smiles at me. "It's my pleasure, Aphia."
I wonder how Prince Kalmin and Commander Clovis's relationships as cousins.