The topic suddenly became about Ariana. As their common interest came up, they both eagerly shared various opinions.

The serious discussion about which color would suit Ariana best continued until they arrived at the shopping district.

* * *

Adelia, escorted by Lucian, squinted at the bright sunlight as she got out of the carriage.

The summer sunshine was so strong it was dazzling.

Adelia fidgeted, trying to block the sunlight with her small hand.

“The sun is harsh.”

Lucian created a shadow over her face with one hand. His large hand was enough to provide shade to shield her eyes from the harsh sunlight.

With his other hand, he received her hat from the coachman. A straw hat with a ribbon made of the same fabric as her skirt was soon placed on Adelia’s head.

“It would be inconvenient to carry a parasol, so please wear this hat at least.”

“Thank you. When did you prepare this?”

“A hat is essential for summer outings.”

Lucian answered in a tone that suggested it was obvious. Adelia turned her head abruptly, feeling slightly sulky for no reason. Then, as if to surprise him, she boldly took his hand.

Before the surprised Lucian could open his mouth, she preemptively spoke.

“You haven’t forgotten that we’re supposed to be an ordinary commoner couple, right? Shouldn’t we at least hold hands? Let’s sort out our terms of address while we’re at it. I can’t call you ‘Your Highness’ here. What should we use? I’ve gotten used to saying ‘you’.”

“What?”

“Didn’t you call me ‘wife’ before? Let’s go with that then. I’ll call you ‘you’, and you call me ‘wife’. It’s ordinary and good. Or how about pet names?”

“Wait a moment….”

“How about ‘Adele’ for me and ‘Lu’ for you? Short and nice pet names. Let’s choose and use whatever feels comfortable. Whether it’s pet names or formal addresses. Alright, that’s settled!”

Everything was decided quickly before Lucian could say anything. He tried to open his mouth, feeling something was off, but couldn’t as there was nothing wrong with what she said.

In the end, he nodded.

“Understood. Wife.”

“You seem quite familiar with the term ‘wife’. You don’t have another wife besides me, do you?”

Lucian shook his head, seemingly exasperated.

“You are my one and only wife.”

* * *

“It’s lively here. There are so many people.”

“Most of them are probably local residents. They must be busy preparing for the tourists who will come in summer.”

The shopping district was full of energy. The streets were filled with customers coming to buy goods, children running around in the sunlight, and merchants busily preparing for business.

Lucian and Adelia walked along the well-organized streets, looking around. No matter how much they dressed like commoners and changed their colors, there was no way to avoid the pouring gazes. They tried their best to ignore the attention and enjoyed their surroundings.

“Here, drinks made from tangerines are said to be the most delicious in this region! Delicious and so cheap!”

“Oh my, I’ve never seen such big shrimp! Try these skewers made with shrimp caught this morning!”

“Buy sugar candies made from sweet and sour pineapples! They’re deliciously simmered in sugar!”

“Selling wind-dried jerky! It’s good for children’s snacks, adults’ nutrition… no, that’s not it, anyway, it’s delicious!”

Even amidst the bustling crowd, the merchants’ loud voices clearly reached their ears.

It was the kind of voice that naturally made one turn their head.

Adelia pulled Lucian towards the delicious smell that tickled her nose.

“Let’s go over there.”

The place Adelia pointed to was a shop selling barbecue skewers. Its difference from ordinary skewers was that they were made entirely of seafood instead of meat.

Large, plump shrimp covered in a brown, salty-sweet seasoning were deliciously cooking on the grill.

Next to them, thick scallops on skewers were sizzling nicely on charcoal. The sight of them grilling, leaving black grill marks, was enough to make one’s mouth water.

“Oh! Holding hands tightly, you must be newlyweds! Welcome!”

The shop owner greeted them with a hearty laugh.

“Would you like to try some?”

“Yes. Absolutely.”

Adelia looked up at him, holding his hand tightly. Seeing shrimp larger than two of her fingers made her lost appetite return.

Lucian ordered without hesitation.

“One shrimp skewer and one plate of grilled scallops, please.”

“Yes, that’ll be 1 penny.”

“Here you go.”

Lucian handed over a coin he took from his pocket. Seeing him open his wallet without any hesitation, the merchant bowed slightly as he received the money.

“My, not only handsome but generous too! Please wait a moment. I’ll have it ready right away.”

The merchant quickly placed the skewers and scallops on a disposable plate and handed it over. After a brief greeting, Adelia returned to the street and immediately took a bite of the skewer.

The plump shrimp burst in her mouth, spreading a sweet, savory taste. The seasoning on the outside was perfectly salted and delicious.

“Mmm, it’s delicious! Fresh seafood really is the best.”

Lucian chuckled seeing Adelia chewing enthusiastically, savoring the food. As she focused on the food, Adelia didn’t hear him and moved on to the next item.

She stabbed a thick scallop with a fork and popped it into her mouth. The scallop filling her mouth oozed flavorful juices. The subtle charcoal aroma blended perfectly with the rich taste of the scallop.

‘Should I open a seafood restaurant when I go up to the capital?’

Adelia closed her eyes slightly and grinned.

Then suddenly, she looked up. She had been so focused on the food that she had forgotten Lucian was beside her. The hand she had been holding tightly had long since been surrendered to the skewer.

“Is it to your liking, wife?”

“Haha…. It’s delicious. You should eat a lot too.”

On behalf of Lucian who was holding the plate, Adelia picked up a scallop and offered it to him. Lucian obediently accepted and ate it.

“It’s delicious.”

“Right? Ah! Shall we go there too?”

Adelia, who had already finished all the skewers, pulled Lucian into another shop.

Although it might have been annoying to be dragged around here and there, Lucian willingly matched her steps and moved wherever she wanted to go.

As they walked, tasting various foods, a certain building caught their eye.

“Shall we go there?”

The place Adelia pointed to was a general store. The quaint atmosphere of the shop sold various miscellaneous items. It dealt with everything from children’s items like dolls and toys to valuables like music boxes.

A pleasant bell sound rang as they opened the door and entered.

“Welcome.”

The owner of the place was a friendly-looking lady with a plump figure. With her familiar appearance, she exuded an atmosphere like a warm neighborhood aunt.

She rose from her seat in front of the counter and bowed her head.

“Are you looking for anything in particular?”

“No, we’re just browsing.”

“Feel free to look around. I only sell handmade items here. I’m quite skilled, you know!”

The shop owner proudly said, stepping aside to let the customers browse comfortably.

“There are many pretty items.”

Adelia slowly looked around at the items. Since the owner said they were handmade, the items here had shapes that couldn’t be seen elsewhere.

Most of the items were black, decorated with beautiful patterns made of pieces that had a pearl-like soft glow. It was beautiful, with even the tiniest pieces meticulously connected.

From plants like flowers and trees to animals like wolves and eagles. There were patterns in regular shapes, and works engraved with scenery called masterpieces.

“It’s a decoration I’ve never seen before. Quite unique.”

“Indeed. The sparkle is pretty, and the shapes made with the carvings are very detailed.”

Adelia picked up a jewelry box placed in front of her. It didn’t seem too heavy, probably made of wood. The outside seemed to be coated with something shiny to protect the carvings.

‘This looks familiar. I’ve seen it somewhere before.’

Adelia thought, staring intently at the carving. It felt familiar somehow.

Not this world, but perhaps her previous life? Yes, it felt similar to something she had seen in her previous life.

Her blue eyes, which had been deep in thought, suddenly widened. She abruptly turned her head to look at the shop owner.

“By any chance, is this decorated with processed seashells?”

“Oh my, how did you know? You have a good eye, young lady.”

“I have a hobby of collecting pretty things.”

“Is that so? Then you’ve come to the right place! Our region is known for beautiful mother-of-pearl decorations. You probably won’t see this in other regions. Especially the ones I make!”