“You look happy, Laura.”

“It’s my first time leaving the capital! Though I don’t like crowded places…… it seems okay occasionally.”

Plus, today Father is beside me, her heart cried out, but she swallowed those words and chose to just smile broadly.

Ludwig looked at Florencia for a moment, then took her hand and headed toward the city square.

“I hear there’s a small festival being held here in Stefain today. There’s supposed to be a night market too, which should be fun to see.”

“Yes, yes!”

He had held her hand when getting in and out of the carriage or entering doors, but this was their first time walking while holding hands. Though she had already shown him embarrassing parts of herself several times and been touched in lewd ways, this kind of simple skinship was a different dimension of intimacy that made her heart flutter in a girlish way.

This place had many travelers, making the atmosphere more free and lively than the capital. Perhaps because of this, it was easy to see young couples naturally holding hands or linking arms as they enjoyed the festival.

‘Walking hand in hand like this, Father and I…… might look like an ordinary couple to others?’

As Florencia blushed at the thought that suddenly occurred to her, Ludwig whispered:

“Laura, don’t call me Father here. If by chance any priest attending the meeting the day after tomorrow discovers me playing in a place like this, they would certainly disapprove.”

“Yes, Fa—…… Um, then, what should I call you?”

“By my name.”

“What……?”

Ludwig, much taller than her, looked down at Florencia and smiled gently.

“Just call me by my name, Ludwig.”

“Ah…… Lud, wig……”

“Well done.”

In that moment, Florencia thought his smile was brighter than the moon hanging in the sky.

“Laura, from here on there are many people, so stay close to me so you don’t lose my hand.”

“Yes! Ludwig……”

Even while walking with quick steps holding his large hand, Florencia diligently observed her surroundings, taking everything in.

The laughter of people enjoying the festival, the bustling noise of merchants selling goods, the sweet and delicious smells wafting from street vendors…… For someone who had never attended even the Academy’s festivals or parties, everything was fascinating and enjoyable.

Florencia discovered for the first time that she could enjoy slightly noisy and crowded places too.

“Pretty miss, buy some beautiful hair ribbons. They’ll match your beautiful silver hair perfectly.”

A middle-aged woman selling various colored hair ribbons stopped Florencia.

“These aren’t cheap materials. They’re imported soft silk, so they’re a bit expensive, but they’ll keep their shine beautifully for a long time.”

“Ah, no, I’m sorry.”

“I’ll take them.”

Just as she was about to express her refusal with a troubled face, Ludwig stepped forward first.

“Oh, thank you! What color would you like?”

“Hmm……”

Ludwig scanned the displayed ribbons with quite a serious expression. The woman, who had developed a merchant’s keen intuition, quickly held up this ribbon and that ribbon against Florencia’s hair as if playing with a doll.

“The young miss has such fair skin and beautiful hair color that all colors suit her well! Red is cute, and white similar to her hair color also looks good……”

“Then, please give me one of each color you have.”

“What?! No, Ludwig…… That’s too much, one is enough.”

“Since all colors suit you well, it’s hard to choose. You can wear a different ribbon each time you meet me from tomorrow on.”

“……Well, it’s really fine…… Thank you……”

Despite Florencia’s troubled face, the ribbon shop lady was already tying a light gold ribbon in her hair, and the rest of the ribbons were instantly wrapped and handed to Ludwig.

Besides hair ribbons, Ludwig bought everything Florencia showed even the slightest interest in—bracelets woven with various colored threads, a small portable sewing kit, a pen with a purple-dyed feather attached. As his wallet opened more frequently and the bags in his hands grew heavier, Florencia felt increasingly apologetic.

After passing through an alley where merchants sold various items, they came to a brightly lit, noisy street. Looking closely, tents lined up on both sides were displaying their products and running various games.

“Hey! Why don’t you try a game before you go?”

A large man with a red nose and face, who seemed to have been drinking since early evening, stopped them as they tried to pass. Looking where he pointed, they saw a blue tent with wooden tables and chairs.

“The entry fee is just 50 gold! If you arm wrestle me and win, I’ll give you back 500 gold.”

“N-no thanks. Ludwig, let’s just go.”

“Alright.”

Ludwig surprisingly answered with a faint smile and ready agreement. But the man with bulging muscles looked extremely strong at a glance. Since he was two or three times larger than others and looked like he could break Ludwig’s arm before he could blink, Florencia stamped her feet anxiously. Ludwig looked down at Florencia, who was tugging at his collar trying to dissuade him, with an expression that seemed to ask what was wrong.

“How do we do this?”

“Since I’m left-handed, you have to arm wrestle with your left hand and beat me! Simple, right?”

“Indeed.”

When Ludwig swept his hair back once, his fine platinum blonde hair slid back elegantly, shining beautifully. The man puffed out his nostrils triumphantly as if he had already won the 50 gold and confidently placed his arm on the table. Several people from neighboring tents gathered to watch the game.

“Well then, start!”

“……”

“……”

But the game ended as soon as it began. Before anyone could blink, Ludwig had pinned the other man’s arm to the opposite side. Florencia, who had been worrying with her hands clasped together and bouncing among the crowd, stood with her mouth agape.

“Let’s go now, Laura.”

Leaving the murmuring crowd behind, Ludwig collected 500 gold from the deflated man and walked out. Still unable to believe what she had seen, Florencia kept glancing at him. Noticing her gaze, he smiled.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Umm, Ludwig……”

“Yes?”

As he approached and bent his knee to match her height, Florencia stood on tiptoe, covered her mouth with her hand, and carefully asked in a whisper:

“Did you…… use holy power just now?”

“What are you saying?”

Ludwig slightly furrowed his brow as if offended by her suspicious words.

“Do you take me for such a dishonest person? To think I have so little trust from you…… I’m a bit disappointed.”

“Ah, I didn’t mean it that way……”

“Never mind.”

“Ludwig, I’m sorry…!”

As he strode ahead with his long legs, Florencia apologized with a flustered face and hurriedly followed. Ludwig, who had already gone some distance ahead, was in the middle of giving all 500 gold he had just received to a child selling wildflowers in shabby clothes.

“Laura, take this.”

“Oh…… Thank you.”

Since his anger from before was obviously fake, he whispered teasingly as he gave Florencia the flowers received from the child:

“Actually, I had no intention of playing the game at all.”

“Th-then why……?”

“Would it be appropriate for a priest to enjoy such gambling games? But, when I suddenly saw your face, it clearly said that my arm would break before I could even blink…… I suddenly felt like playing.”

“……”

Ludwig handed her something else as Florencia stood speechless.

“Take this too. I bought it in the street where they were selling ribbons—it’s a gift.”

Florencia accepted what he offered in a daze.

“But I didn’t see you buying anything……”

“Ludwig.”

“……I didn’t see you buying anything, Ludwig.”

“Of course not. You were distracted watching the parade procession then.”

Ludwig’s gift was a necklace with a small locket pendant attached to the end of a thin twisted cord. With an intricately crafted border, it held a pale golden color that shone softly. Click—when he pressed a small button on the bottom, an empty space appeared inside.

“Oh?”

Surprised by what was contained inside, Florencia could only blink as he put the necklace on her. The pendant, hanging on a thin cord and hidden inside her clothes, was small enough not to be visible from the outside.

“Ludwig, what’s inside this……?”

“……My hair.”

It will protect you, Laura, he said fleetingly, looking uncharacteristically shy. Florencia couldn’t believe he had cut off part of his beautiful hair for her and stood frozen like a wind-up doll with an unwound spring, before finally whispering very belatedly, “Thank you, Ludwig.”

Led by his hand into another alley nearby, this time they were surrounded by delicious smells from all directions.

“It’s nice to see you enjoying everything you eat. Is it delicious, Laura?”

“Yes, the previous one was good too, but this one seems softer!”

“Be careful not to burn your tongue since it’s hot.”

Although they had eaten plenty for dinner at the city restaurant, they sampled various foods from the street vendors lined up in the festival square. Ludwig bought a variety of items—skewers of grilled chicken coated with various sauces, hollow cone-shaped bread, thin crepes spread with chocolate sauce, and churros—and fed them all to Florencia.

“Your husband is very affectionate. You must be on your honeymoon.”

The male vendor commented enviously as Ludwig deliberately wiped chocolate from the corner of her mouth with his thumb, despite napkins being available.

“Ah, we’re not that kind of……”