However, that actually became reality.
"The group... Has grown quite large."
I opened the door and looked at the group of children standing in the hallway.
There was an excited Christelle, a pretending to be calm but clearly excited, Vice Captain Élisabeth, Ganael, whom I had no idea as to why he was a part of this group, and…
"Are you not tired, your Royal Highness?"
The bastard naturally ignored my question.
I had no idea what she said to convince him, but Christelle actually succeeded in dragging the Imperial Prince here.
He was standing firm with a long black robe while glaring at me.
'How is this possible? I thought the two of you weren't very close!'
I debated whether she threatened or blackmailed him, but either way, I had no way out at this point.
"We will be too noticeable going out like this. Everybody here... Doesn't have the typical appearance."
I had to at least attempt one last resistance.
"That is why I prepared these! Tada!"
Christelle smiled brightly and showed me a small basket.
I peeked in to see suspicious looking medicines and glasses.
I gulped.
I could hear Demy, who was plopped on the bed, snoring.
*
"We've never been somewhere like this before, have we?"
"No, we have not, ma'am."
Vice Captain Élisabeth, whose dark green hair was now brown, and Ganael, whose sky blue hair was now also brown, were walking together in front of the group.
Christelle had purchased more than just the whip from the Legault Central Commerce Center.
She must have expected this event, as she gathered all sorts of magic tools to help with disguise and camouflage.
She said that she bought a lot of other things too, but I didn't dare to ask about them.
I had the damn Imperial Prince bastard to my left and the MC to my right as we walked through the night market.
I tried multiple times to slowly back away but Christelle would immediately notice and stare at me like a ghost so I couldn't leave.
The street that was lit up as much as possible with small, cheap magic lights was extremely busy. It was as if every resident of Lucas Village was here.
Stalls selling all sorts of products, foods, and alcohol were packed one after the other with the fountain at the center.
There were even children running through the narrow street with large dogs.
It felt completely different from the Imperial Palace or the Imperial Capital.
"Your highness, do you want to try that?"
I was smiling at the children when Christelle started talking to me.
Her eyes, that were now brown because of eye drops, were looking at me.
I turned toward where she was pointing.
'Dagger throwing competition!'
"...It looks dangerous."
"They said it is okay because the tip is blunt. Let's see, 'Get a prize by simply hitting the target. Anybody who hits the center will receive the shopkeeper's special pastrami sandwich and dragon fruit juice!' Ah, it is food. I prefer money."
"Let's try it."
I responded to her.
"Excuse me?"
"Shouldn't we aim for the winning prize since we came all the way out here to the night market?"
"You suddenly became so serious, Prince Jesse."
"Right this way, your Royal Highness."
The Imperial Prince quietly sighed at my comment.
He did not like medicine touching his body and instead used a pair of disguise glasses. He still looked like the regular Imperial Prince to us since we knew his true identity.
But the expensive glasses seemed effective, as nobody else seemed to pay any attention to him.
"Welcome, for three people? It is 10 francs for 3 tries!"
"Okay, I'll pay."
The nice looking shopkeeper greeted us with an apron on.
Christelle responded energetically and handed her 30 francs.
Vice Captain Élisabeth and Ganael got chicken skewers from somewhere and were eating them while watching the situation with joy.
"Thank you very much, young lady Sarnez."
I quietly thanked her.
"It was nothing. I will go first."
"I wish you luck."
The shopkeeper wished Christelle luck and handed her an old dagger.
Christelle slightly pulled the robe back over her head and raised her arm.
Her now dark brown hair was tightly braided down.
She moved her dagger wielding right arm forward and back and aimed toward the target before…
– Tap!
"Ooh!"
"She hit the target on her first try!"
Two people in the audience screamed with excitement.
It wasn't right at the center, but the fact that she hit the target on her first try showed potential.
"Then I will throw this time."
I received the dagger from the shopkeeper.
I could not give up on this mesmerizing combination of a pastrami sandwich and dragon fruit juice.
Christelle laughed while asking why I looked so serious, but I could not laugh with her.
I couldn't ever hit the dart board at the bars during college… I wonder how I will do here?
*
Both my mind and body felt terrible. Three people were gathered around me whispering nonstop.
"Your highness, I guess you really are only overflowing in ether."
"Please be quiet, young lady Sarnez..."
"Cheer up, your highness! I will order you a pastrami sandwich from the chef as soon as we arrive at the March."
"Thank you..."
"Throwing is all about the wrist, your highness. You cannot rely on your arm."
"It is already too late..."
The three daggers in my hand were killed heroically as five people, including the shopkeeper, watched on.
I loathed the author and felt so embarrassed that I almost started grinding my teeth.
'What kind of 'second male lead' has no mana sensitivity or physical abilities?'
I received the shopkeeper's open sneering while Christelle struck the target with all three daggers.
"Grandpa, are you not going to throw?"
The woman's voice brought me out of this deep swamp of despair.
I turned my head to see that the shopkeeper was talking to the Imperial Prince.
He must seem like a grandpa to others because of the glasses.
Vice Captain Élisabeth covered her mouth with her hand and started laughing.
"..."
The Imperial Prince looked a bit upset but took the daggers without causing any issues.
His orange eyes clouded over while he held the dagger and observed it.
'Wait a minute, this bastard...'
*
– Thud!
Christelle put down the cup of beer that she emptied about half way.
Her large round eyes were full of complaints.
"Using magic was cheating."
"Young lady Sarnez, calm down and try this dish."
I pushed the pastrami sandwich on the table toward Christelle.
There were three sandwiches made with homemade rye bread, pastrami, and coleslaw in front of us.
I was eating one by myself while the good friends Vice Captain Élisabeth and Ganael were sharing another one.
The number of people at this street vendor's stall was not going down despite it being almost 11 p.m.
"I could have hit the center too if I dipped the dagger in water before I threw it. It's totally doable."
"And the reason you didn't turn those words into action?"
The Imperial Prince retorted back.
The person who hit the center of the target three times in a row at the 'Dagger Throwing Contest!' just now to win the three sandwich sets did not even touch them.
I was happy to benefit from it but I didn't expect the two of them to start provoking each other like this again.
"I'm thankful for the sandwich but please don't tease the young lady, your Royal Highness."
"So, he really was making fun of me! I couldn't tell whether he was being serious because he had some alcohol in him."
Christelle commented after I tried to stop the Imperial Prince.
I checked her cup to see if she was drunk and noticed the 750ml or so of beer was all gone from it.
'She drinks a lot.'
"No, he says that he is not making fun of you."
I immediately changed what I said. The Imperial Prince bastard raised one eyebrow, but I completely ignored it.
I've thought about it since a few days ago, but it seems as if I need to slowly change my strategy.
If I am unable to avoid these two people, I would probably feel better if I manage to stick the two of them together.
I know that it won't be easy to make that happen as I please, but I wanted to at least try.
"You also have the prize you won, young lady Sarnez."
"Yes, it's pretty. The sandwich is gone when you eat it, but I can keep this for a long time."
She treasured the mental victory and took out the crocheted decoration.
The shopkeeper gifted three crocheted decorations in the shapes of three divine items, the 'Blessing of the Blue Sea,' 'Sword of Wisdom from the Flaming Star,' and the 'Ark of the Wind Deity.'
I was told that there were a lot of souvenirs in the shapes of the four divine items at the Empire.
It felt similar to selling Eiffel Tower keychains in Paris or Cheomseongdae chocolates in Gyeongju. (TL: Cheomseongdae is an astronomical observatory in Gyeongju, South Korea)
"I'll take this one and I will give this one to you, your highness. As for this one..."
Christelle hesitated for a bit before handing the Sword of Wisdom shaped loop to the Imperial Prince with a slightly irritable gaze.
I barely held myself back from smiling.
"I offer this to you, your Royal Highness."
"Thank you very much, young lady Sarnez."
I thought that the Imperial Prince bastard might reject it, so I quickly set the tone to make him feel obligated to accept it.
I grabbed the sandwich and juice that Christelle did not eat and pushed it toward Vice Captain Élisabeth and Ganael.
The two of them who had been quietly chatting with each other smiled with joy.
"..."
The Imperial Prince silently looked at the loop of the Sword of Wisdom on the table before grabbing it and putting it in his pocket.
It sent chills of joy down my body.
'Wow, I should have done this a long time ago!'
It felt as if the two of them would quickly get closer to each other as long as I nudged them a little bit.
"Thank you all for coming out with me tonight."
I was shouting for Jung Eunse in my mind after seeing this new ray of hope when Christelle continued talking.
The shopkeeper had given her a refill so she had a full cup of beer in her hand.
"There were a lot of things I wanted to do. But the attendant I brought with me from home seemed to want to shield me from everything. I understand why, but..."
She chugged her beer.
Vice Captain Élisabeth was not drinking because she was on duty and was sharing the dragon fruit juice with Ganael.
I didn't drink and the Imperial Prince didn't order anything, so Christelle was the only one drinking at our table.
"Thinking of this as a second life made me want to live without any regrets. That is why I asked for such esteemed people's time late at night, fully knowing that it was disrespectful."
"That's okay, young lady Sarnez. I understand."
Vice Captain Élisabeth warmly responded and clinked her juice cup gently with Christelle's beer cup.
It sounded as if Christelle was being sappy because she was drunk, but I couldn't help but have a bitter smile on my face.
The other three people probably thought she was talking about a second life because she had been sick for a long time.
However, I knew the truth about Christelle's situation.
'There are a lot of things I wanted to do,' 'live my second life without any regrets.'
It made sense for someone who submitted her letter of resignation and ended up being transmigrated to this world.
I thought that it might continue in that motif, but it was reality for the MC.
I knew that this was a novel, but this place was a new opportunity for Christelle.
"It is nice and cool up north during summer. Let's all go together-"
"Damn it, I told you the money was due at midnight!"
Flinch. A husky man's voice drowned out Vice Captain Élisabeth's whisper.
Our heads naturally turned toward the voice.
The loud stall instantly became quiet.
"Umm, I had to pay off my debts elsewhere first..."
"Debt? Then is what you owe to the inn not debt? Do you think that 'Le Siffre' is a pushover?"
The man, who clearly looked like a thug, kicked a wooden table.
– Clang!
Glass broke, and the food that a customer had left was spilled on the floor.
I frowned.
'That guy just talked about the inn we are staying in.'
"Mr. Felix, why are you acting like this when there are customers here?"
Someone moved in front of the shopkeeper at that moment. My eyes opened wide after seeing the person.
It was Morris, the inn employee I had used my healing powers on a few hours ago.
The thug also recognized him and calmed down a bit.
"Move. This bastard slithered his way out like this last month too."
"I'll put in a good word with my aunt."
"You..."
The thug glared at Morris with frustration.
I started thinking about who Morris's aunt might be.
'Maybe...'
"How are you going to eventually inherit the inn when you are such a pushover? How are you going to take control of the village?"
"I don't have any thoughts about that."
"How stupid. You're missing your chance to be the Lord in the countryside."
The thug spit on the floor before giving the shopkeeper behind Morris the finger and heading for a different stall.
It seemed to be a sort of warning.
The stall slowly started returning to life after the situation ended.
I turned and looked at the others.
"My goodness..."
Ganael seemed shocked at this situation.
Vice Captain Élisabeth was also looking at the Imperial Prince with a stiff expression on her face.
"What do you wish to do, your Royal Highness?"
"..."
The Imperial Prince's eyes grew dim in thought. I cautiously interrupted.
'I know Morris. Oh, he's the guy who stopped the situation. He is one of the inn employees."
Christelle suddenly stood up from her seat.
I looked up to see a serious look on her face. Wait a minute...
Oh esteemed author-nim, why is the MC smiling right now?
—