"Hey, Peanut, where do you want to go first?"
We were running downhill from the castle, surrounded by trees that seemed pulled straight from a dream. Their branches were adorned with pink flowers, and they looked like cherry blossoms, but different. Their whole aura feels magical you can feel it.
The stone pathway we followed was lined with lamps, spaced precisely every fifty meters. They didn't look electric, each lamp held a colored stone or gem that seemed to glow faintly even in the daylight. I couldn't help but imagine how breathtaking this place must look at night.
Lost in thought, I almost missed her question.
"Say what now?" I asked, snapping back to reality.
"Where do you want to go first?" she repeated, slowing down slightly to glance at me.
"Not that. Did you just call me Peanut or something?" I frowned. Peanut sounded oddly endearing, but why does it feel annoying coming from her?
She grinned mischievously, but I waved it off. "Whatever. If I had to choose, the marketplace seems like the best option."
The mention of an ongoing war lingered in my mind. Though no one had said where or how far it had reached, that still got me curious. If I was stuck here, I needed to start thinking ahead. I wasn't fully on board with the role they were trying to push on me, but if it came to it, I'd have to take it seriously. I can also make an effort if I feel like it.
The marketplace seemed like the perfect starting point. Observing the goods, their prices, and the general atmosphere would tell me a lot about the kingdom's situation, and the outside world too. Wars often drove prices up, especially for food. If that was the case here, I'd know things were getting dire.
"Then let's slow down and just keep going straight," she said, matching my pace as we continued down the path.
I shot her a glance. What did she expect from me? I was just some random guy.
"Hey, you okay?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.
I sighed. I've never been the athletic type. Weekends for me were about daydreaming, not jogging, or whatever this was. If given the choice between exercise and sleep, I'd always choose sleep. Minimal effort has been my philosophy for as long as I can remember.
But here, that attitude wouldn't get me far. I'd have to change, or I wouldn't last.
'I'll make a plan for that tomorrow,' I thought. For now, I just needed to get through today, and maybe even enjoy it. I mean, this is another world after all.
"Yeah," I managed, between breaths. "Just a little out of breath."
She chuckled softly but didn't tease me this time.
'I'll gladly think of this as a date.'
...
or how this should have been, but...
"Princess! Still looking as stunning as ever!" a booming voice called out from a fruit stall.
A large, burly man with a warm grin was waving at her.
"Ah, thank you," she replied, flashing him a radiant smile. "And you're still as buff as ever, hehe."
He chuckled heartily. "Hahaha! My fruits today are as fresh as the morning breeze. Here, take one!" He reached out, offering her a yellow, peach-like fruit.
"Thanks, I'll take it," she said, accepting the fruit gracefully.
Then his eyes shifted to me. I instantly knew what was coming.
"Hey, young man!"
Oh no. Here we go again.
"Take this... and this... and this... and this!" He shoved a mountain of fruits into my arms one by one, ignoring my protests. "Make sure to carry these for her, alright?"
Great. Just great. My arms were now overloaded with fruits, adding to the ridiculous amount of items I was already carrying.
I glanced at her, still smiling and chatting away without a care in the world. Did she even notice? Just how popular is she? She doesn't even need money, does she? Everything just gets handed to her for free.
I sighed inwardly. Being both a hero and a princess apparently made her the ultimate celebrity around here.
"Princess!"
"Princess!"
"Princess!"
More voices called out as we—no, she—continued down the street at a leisurely pace. I was just her glorified pack mule, trudging along behind her like some hapless servant.
'Is this what it feels like to shop with your girlfriend?'
Nope, definitely not fun. Not even a little.
____________
"Just how popular are you?"
"chichi chi, Peanut it's not about being popular, it's about being me?"
She looks at me and flashes a playful grin, clearly enjoying teasing me.
"What's with the smug face, and can you not call me Peanut?" What the hell is wrong with her, did she seriously take offense when I introduced myself to her party?
"But Seriously, being both a princess and a hero really does wonders to make people like you. I wish I could be a hero too, then I can have all the fun in the world. Is something wrong?"
She stopped completely. 'Did I say something' I wonder as she slowly turns around to look at me. This time, I felt like something was off.
"oi, Something wrong?"
"It's not about being a princess or a hero. Anyone can claim to be a princess, a prince, or even a king. That doesn't really matter. The same goes for being a hero, anyone can be one with enough courage. Just because you're not chosen doesn't mean you can't become one. It's what you do that defines you."
"Hey, don't take it seriously, I..." I started to backtrack, but she cut me off before I could finish.
It seems as though I step on a landmine.
"You see," she said, her voice steady, "when the world is at risk, people need to feel secure and safe."
She paused, her gaze drifting upward to the sky as if lost in a distant memory.
In that moment, her entire demeanor shifted. It was as though the person I had casually dismissed as an airhead had vanished, replaced by someone completely different, someone serious, someone wise.
"The people need to believe in something more than a title or a name," she continued. "They need to know there's someone they can rely on when everything around them begins to fall apart."
I was stunned into silence. The weight of her words left me unsure of what to say. I wanted to lighten the mood with a joke or some throwaway comment, but even my tongue betrayed me, refusing to move.
"It is my duty—not because I am this kingdom's princess, nor because I am the chosen hero. But to ensure that none of the people I care for are ever hurt again, I will gladly bear this responsibility."
Silence fell between us, a heavy stillness stretching out as if the world itself had paused, waiting for something to break the atmosphere.
I couldn't understand what I saw in her eyes, but one thing was clear: those eyes... they were something I never wanted to see again.
I was never an empathic person. Emotions, especially other people's, were something I didn't know how to handle. Something that I am afraid to meet personally. They made me uncomfortable, clumsy. And even in the rare times I tried, it always felt like a mistake, like a step I'd regret taking.
How long had I been here? A few hours at most. I knew nothing about this world, this girl, or the place we were standing in. And yet, for some reason, her eyes felt like they demanded answers from me, answers I didn't have.
I wasn't ready for that. I was not ready to look at someone that deeply. I want to say some stupid shit only I can say, and laugh it off.
"Princess, would you like a roasted sweet potato? Please, take one, it's my pleasure," an older man interrupted, his warm voice cutting through the tension like a knife.
"Really? Thanks, old man. I haven't had one in ages," she replied, her tone instantly light and cheerful.
"No need to thank me, it's my pleasure."
The old man turned to me next. "Young man, are you a new here?"
"Me? Uh… No? Yes?" I stammered. Technically, this was my first day in this world.
"You can call him Peanut," she said with a mischievous grin.
"Shut it," I muttered, but she ignored me.
"Here," the man said, handing me one of the sweet potatoes. It was warm to the touch, fresh from the fire.
"Eat it while it's still warm."
"Thank you,"
I took a bite, savoring the sweetness. It's just a sweet potato, but it saved me from an awkward situation.
"It's good, right? Peanut," she said, a teasing smile playing on her lips.
"Can you not call me Peanut?"
"Haha, starting today, your name is Peanut."
"No way in hell," I grumbled, but my voice lacked bite. "This sweet potato… it's good."
The mood shifted again. Watching her now, cheerfully chatting with the old man, not a trace of that earlier seriousness remained. She seemed like an entirely different person.
Was this face her true face? Or was it the one I'd glimpsed before?
I glanced at the sweet potato in my hands, then at the girl in front of me. Would this world change me? The answer, I don't know, only time will tell. If ever that time came, what kind of person would this me be?
"Hey, look! This hair accessory is pretty," she suddenly said, her attention diverted by a nearby stall.
"They do," I replied, not sure what else to say, as she moved ahead with an effortless brightness I couldn't keep up with.