Chapter 362 An Incognito Date in the Capital ②
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The next King of our country, Prince Roland Canaria—or “Roly” as he’s now called—and Lady Unia Greter of the Ferguson Kingdom were officially out on their incognito date. Having finally graduated to using nicknames, they were currently making their way from the Northwest Park toward the bustling main thoroughfare.
As for me, I was tailing them from the shadows, hidden by the Stealth Magic¹ cast by Muse, the maid of Her Majesty the Queen. I tell myself it’s a necessity for security and observation, but let’s be real: I’m basically a professional voyeur at this point.
”Oh, Roly, look, look! Isn’t that the street vendor you were talking about?”
”Unia, wait—whoa, hold on a sec…!” Roland said.
Unia grabbed Roland by the hand and started hauling him along. Ever since she dropped the formal honorifics, she’s been a force of nature. This high-energy version of her is likely much closer to her true personality.
According to Roland’s itinerary, they were supposed to just breeze past the main street with a casual glance, but in the blink of an eye, he was dragged right up to that infamous stall.
”Well, well! If it isn’t the young master from the other day. And who’s this? You brought a girlfriend along today?” the vendor asked.
”F-From the other—!? I mean, g-girlfriend…!?” Roland stammered.
”An acquaintance of yours, Roly?” Unia asked.
”Uh, well, you see…”
Roland fumbled for words, caught off guard by the very same merchant who had taken him to the cleaners during his previous Social Studies Field Trip². I suppose it’s a bit awkward to admit you got fleeced in front of your date, but…
”Ah, I’ve got it. You’re the shyster merchant, aren’t you?” Unia said.
”Now hold on, little missy, that’s a bit uncalled for! I’m selling high-end wares crafted with a master’s soul, right here in the heart of the city! Sure, you might find ’em a copper or two cheaper in the back alleys, but for the convenience of shopping in central Canarias? This is what we call a fair market price!” the vendor replied.
The merchant fired back shamelessly, despite being pegged immediately by Unia. I bet he hasn’t the slightest clue that the two kids in front of him are a future King and a foreign Duke’s daughter.
He’ll probably never know, but if the truth ever came out, he’d likely have a heart attack. Then again, knowing his hustle, he’d probably just put up a sign saying “Official Purveyor to Prince Roland!” and double his prices.
”…Are you referring to that hideous, half-dead bat figurine?” Roland asked.
”Heh heh heh, now don’t give me that look, young master. How about a gift for the lady? Since I made a decent bit off you last time, I’ll give you the ‘friends and family’ discount today. What do you say?” the merchant said.
”So you did rip me off!” Roland shouted.
Despite the teasing, Roland and Unia ended up browsing the goods. Fortunately, even if the merchant tried to fleece them again, Roland was broke. He’d meticulously calculated his budget for the entire day’s date, leaving him with almost zero pocket change. Knowing that, I could watch the scene unfold without worrying too much about his wallet.
”How about this hair ornament? I reckon it would look stunning on the missus. Or maybe a necklace? I’ve got bracelets, too,” the vendor suggested.
”I told you, she’s not my—! I mean, uh, Unia? M-Maybe we should be careful,” Roland muttered.
Roland was a complete mess—swinging between being flattered and being mortified at the “girlfriend” label. He was so busy trying to gauge Unia’s reaction and trying to verify the quality of the goods that his brain looked like it was about to short-circuit. As for the lady herself…
”…For a street stall, these aren’t half bad. Especially this necklace. How much?” Unia asked.
”Oho! The lady’s got a sharp eye. For you? Let’s say… this much,” the vendor replied.
”I see… Roly, the price is actually reasonable. It looks like our ‘shyster’ decided to play fair today desuwa,” Unia said.
”I-Is that so…?” Roland asked.
She was probably right. It wasn’t that the merchant had suddenly found God; it’s just that smart hustlers know when to play it straight. You fleece the one-timers, but you give a fair shake to the locals who might come back. Of course, they also like to sprinkle in a few scams once you’ve let your guard down, just to keep things interesting.
”Alright, in honor of the little lady’s sharp wit, let me bring out the real treasure. How about this ring? Might be a bit ‘fast’ for a young couple like you, but…” the vendor said.
”A bit ‘fast’? What does that mean?” Unia asked.
”What, you don’t know, little missy? It’s the latest craze in the capital! Giving a ring as a vow of love. You wear it on the ring finger of the left hand. That way, everyone knows at a glance that you’ve already got a ‘special someone,’” the vendor explained.
I’ve heard this story before… I was the one who leaked that tradition through Merchant Guild Garou³, but I didn’t expect it to trickle down to street vendors this quickly. As I was pondering that, Muse gave my side a sharp pinch from within the Stealth Magic field.
I looked over, and she had this look on her face that clearly said: ‘And where is my ring, exactly?’ She couldn’t hear me, so she could have just said it, but I guess she preferred expressing her dissatisfaction through physical cues.
”…That’s not exactly the kind of thing you just hand out on a whim,” I whispered.
”I see. So, is it that your love is ‘insufficient’?” Muse teased.
”Don’t word it like that! It sounds terrible!”
”I’m looking forward to the day you finally give me one. Though I wonder… will I be first? Or will it be Lady Cecile? Or perhaps Merluza…?” Muse asked.
”Stop raising the stakes! Just stop!”
Muse completely ignored my protest and leaned her weight against me. Look, I care for her, and I’m grateful for everything she does. I wouldn’t mind giving her a ring, but that involves saying The Line. You know the one. It’s a heavy commitment for me, and a lot for her to carry too, right? So, yeah, that’s a conversation for a much later date.
Meanwhile, Roland was facing his own crisis. The merchant was leaning in with a greasy smirk, and Roland’s head was practically spinning.
”Look at this, a matched pair! Isn’t this the perfect moment to show her what you’re made of, young master?” the vendor urged.
”A-A matched pair…! S-Show her what I’m m-made of…!” Roland stammered.
This merchant is a piece of work. You don’t survive in this business without knowing how to weaponize a teenager’s crush. I felt a weird sense of kinship with the guy, but I decided to ignore that for my own sake. I knew exactly what Roland was thinking. He was charmed by the romance of a pair ring, but terrified that giving one would be a burden to Unia—or that he didn’t have the right to make that kind of promise yet.
But mostly, he was terrified of rejection. If she gave him a polite ‘no thanks’ with that gorgeous smile of hers, that kid’s heart would have shattered into a million jagged pieces. I watched on with genuine concern. But then, the lifeline came from an unexpected source: Unia herself.
”Roly.”
”Y-Yes!?” Roland squeaked.
”If you truly mean it… I wouldn’t be happy receiving something like that just because you were pressured into it on a whim,” Unia said.
”Oh… r-right. You’re right,” Roland exhaled.
Whoa, okay. How do we interpret that? On the surface, it sounds like ‘Do it right and I’ll be happy,’ but she didn’t actually commit to a ‘yes.’ She dodged the awkwardness of the moment while keeping his engine running. Smooth.
”Besides, we’ve only just met. I don’t know your favorite foods, or your favorite stories. And you don’t really know me yet, either. Do you?” Unia asked.
”No… I guess not.”
”So, let’s take our time and get to know each other. Both of us. And later, if you really feel like giving me a ring after thinking it through… I’ll give you a proper answer after thinking it through, too,” Unia said.
”…Yeah! I’d like that!” Roland beamed.
In the end, it was a classic non-committal answer, but Roland took it as a win. He looked energized as he took her hand again.
”Sorry, Mr. Merchant! Maybe next time!” Roland shouted.
”Yeah, yeah. Hope you kids make it official soon!” the vendor called out.
”Hehe, we’ll see. But Roly? If you ever do buy me a ring, stay away from that one. It’s a total fake desuwa,” Unia whispered.
”Wait—it was a fake!?” Roland cried.
Poor Roland. He went for a rematch with the shyster and still didn’t manage to score a single point…
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Summary:
Prince Roland and Unia continue their incognito date, visiting a street stall managed by a merchant who previously scammed Roland. The merchant tries to pressure Roland into buying a ‘pair ring’ to prove his love for Unia. Unia de-escalates the situation by telling Roland she wants to get to know him better before accepting such a significant gift. The chapter ends with the revelation that the rings the merchant was hawking were actually fakes.
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Character Insight:
Unia demonstrates significant emotional maturity and social awareness; she recognizes the merchant’s manipulation and shields Roland’s fragile heart from a potential rejection while simultaneously setting a healthy pace for their budding relationship. Roland shows typical adolescent vulnerability, struggling with his royal identity versus his personal desires, making him easily exploitable by street-wise NPCs.
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Behind the Scene:
This scene highlights the ‘Modernization’ of the isekai world through the protagonist’s unintended influence, specifically the introduction of the Western custom of engagement/promise rings on the left hand.
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Glossary:
Notes:
• Roland – he younger brother of Queen Cecile and the heir apparent to the Canaria throne. Clean, golden-blonde hair, same color as the Queen, innocent, beautiful face that could be mistaken for a girl but dressed in a boy’s formal wear.
• Unia – The third daughter of the house of Duke Greiter. Has blonde hair tied in an intricate style, dol-like beauty, and expressionless face.
• Muse – Cecile’s trusted attendant and chief maid, Muse handles sensitive, discreet tasks like espionage and product acquisition. Have sharp, black eyes, wearing maid uniform, and have expressionless face.
• Merluza – The Captain of the Royal Guard, a veteran soldier and Lion Beast-person. She testifies to the military necessity and effectiveness of the ‘Tremble Ddo-Buddy’ (which she calls ‘Bob’) for female beast-person soldiers, ensuring job performance isn’t compromised by ‘heat’. Have dull yellow hair, large feline ears, wearing armor, and large scar over the right eye.
• Cecile – A queen in the capital who possesses the authority to regulate business and commerce, particularly concerning moral or public order issues. She is currently investigating Kento’s shop, ‘Harvest.’ Have long golden hair, elegant, and wearing expensive white dress with gold accesories.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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