"What are you doing? Are you going to eat that?" the emperor asked.
Aira let out a long, defeated sigh.
"...I knew it."
The elderly vendor immediately dropped to both knees, bowing so low that his forehead nearly touched the ground.
"All hail the Almighty Emperor! This lowly one is unworthy of serving Your Majesty!"
The poor man remained bent nearly double, trembling so badly he could barely breathe.
The delicious grilled skewers Aira had been dreaming about only moments ago suddenly felt impossibly out of reach. Before she could reassure the terrified vendor, hurried footsteps echoed through the market.
A knight clad in polished silver armor stopped several paces behind the emperor before dropping to one knee.
"Your Majesty."
The emperor turned toward him.
"What is it?"
"There is an urgent report from the western district. The Imperial Council requests your immediate presence."
The emperor's expression sharpened almost imperceptibly.
"Speak."
The knight lowered his voice. Even from where she stood, Aira couldn't hear a single word. The emperor listened in silence before giving a slight nod.
"I will hear the full report."
"As you command."
Several imperial guards immediately surrounded the emperor as he stepped aside with the knight. Their attention shifted completely away from her.
Aira blinked.
Wait..is this my chance?
She slowly glanced toward the emperor.
He was still speaking with the knight who had delivered the urgent report, his attention completely occupied. Several imperial guards stood around him in a protective circle, their eyes fixed on their emperor instead of the surrounding market. Then she shifted her gaze toward the guards. Completely distracted. None of them were looking in her direction.
Finally, she looked at the elderly vendor.
The poor man was still kneeling with his forehead nearly touching the ground, trembling so badly that he hadn't even noticed she had stepped away. He remained frozen in place, too terrified to lift his head.
A slow grin spread across Aira's face.
This is it...
Operation Escape begins now.
Trying to appear as casual as possible, she quietly took one step backward. Nothing happened. Another step. Still nothing.
Perfect.
She turned around and briskly walked in the opposite direction.
Don't run.
Running looks suspicious.
Just walk.
Normal people walk.
She clasped her hands behind her back and even began humming quietly to herself.
I'm definitely not escaping. I'm simply looking around without that overprotective emperor glued to my side.
~~~~~
However, five seconds later...
She disappeared into the sea of colorful market stalls.
Freedom!
She nearly laughed out loud. For the first time all morning, nobody was staring directly at her.
Well...it was because everyone currently saw nothing more than a grumpy old grandfather wandering around the market. She stopped in front of another food stall. Unlike the previous vendor, this merchant hadn't yet noticed the emperor. Which meant...
Food!
Her eyes sparkled.
Rows upon rows of beautifully grilled meat rested over glowing charcoal. Some were glazed with golden honey. Others shimmered beneath fragrant herbs she'd never seen before. One skewer looked almost identical to the barbecue she used to eat back on Earth.
That one. Definitely that one.
"I'll take one, please."
The cheerful vendor smiled warmly. "Certainly, Grandfather."
Grandfather?
Aira's smile twitched. Then, she glanced toward a polished mirror displayed at the neighboring stall. The moment she caught her reflection, she froze.
"...Whoa."
Staring back at her was a frail old man with a long white beard, drooping eyebrows, and countless wrinkles etched across his face.
She blinked twice.
Right...she's wearing a disguise necklace.
That everything made sense now. No wonder the emperor laughed earlier. She had been pouting like an offended child while looking exactly like a grumpy old grandfather.
Her lips twitched.
"...Okay... I would've laughed too."
With a helpless shrug, she accepted the skewer anyway.
The rich aroma instantly made her stomach growl again.
Finally...actual food. She lifted the skewer toward her mouth.
"I recommend eating it while it's still hot."
A deep male voice suddenly spoke beside her.
She froze. Someone was standing next to her. Very slowly she turned her head.
Then...everything stopped.
...
Oh. My. Goodness.
Standing beside her was easily one of the most handsome men she had ever seen.
Golden-blond hair shimmered beneath the sunlight like spun silk. Crimson eyes gleamed with quiet amusement. His perfectly sculpted jaw looked as though an artist had spent centuries carving it. He wore a sleeveless dark vest that left his broad shoulders completely exposed.
And beneath it...
Abs. Perfect. Defined. Absolutely illegal.
...
Aira completely forgot how to breathe.
Why...
Why is everyone in this world built like a walking sculpture?
Do they all exercise twenty-five hours a day?
Her eyes slowly drifted lower.
Eight-pack.
Definitely an eight-pack.
She instinctively swallowed.
Wait...No. Bad Aira.
Eyes up.
Eyes.
Up.
She forced herself to meet his gaze. But big mistake. His crimson eyes were just as dangerous.
The stranger smiled.
"You seem... surprised."
Aira immediately shook her head.
"N-No."
Catastrophically surprised.
He chuckled softly.
"I merely said the meat tastes better while it's still hot... old man."
"...Oh."
Wait.
Old man?
"I highly recommend the meat here." he continued with a smile. "Whenever I visit this empire, this is always the first thing I eat."
Ah...right. The food.
Embarrassed, Aira hurriedly took a bite. The moment the grilled meat touched her tongue...
Her eyes widened.
"..."
"..."
"...This is amazing."
The meat was unbelievably tender. The smoky flavor blended perfectly with sweet spices she'd never tasted before. Every bite burst with rich, savory juices. Her shoulders visibly relaxed. She almost cried.
It's real food...Bless whoever invented this.
The blond man watched her with obvious amusement.
"You like it?"
She nodded enthusiastically while chewing.
"Mhm!"
"It strengthens the body."
He folded his arms casually.
"It's made from a rare dragon beast. Very nutritious... especially for someone your old age."
Dragon meat?
Old age?
Aira blinked.
Then she remembered.
Right. The disguise. To him, maybe she looked like a frail old man. But...Dragon meat?
She nearly spat out the bite she had just taken. I'm eating dragon meat?!
Pweh!
She instinctively covered her mouth, her eyes widening in horror.
The blond man chuckled at her reaction.
"Hey, don't waste perfectly good meat," he said with a laugh. "It's actually very nutritious. Everyone loves dragon meat."
He tilted his head curiously.
"Don't tell me you've never eaten dragon meat in your entire life, old man?"
Aira froze.
Well... technically... no! How could she have eaten dragon meat?
On Earth, dragons only existed in myths, legends, fantasy novels, and video games. The idea of actually eating one would've sounded completely insane.
She almost blurted out the truth. But she quickly stopped herself.
No, no, no.
If I admit I've never eaten dragon meat, he'll definitely think something's suspicious.
Trying to maintain her composure, she took another cautious bite. To her surprise, it wasn't bad at all. In fact...it was incredible. It tasted even better than the finest beef, pork, or lamb she had ever eaten back on Earth.
Okay. I hate to admit it, but this is delicious. She swallowed before forcing an awkward smile.
"No... I was just surprised."
She looked down at the skewer in her hand.
"It's... been a very long time since I've eaten dragon meat."
She smiled sheepishly.
"Thank you for reminding me how good it tastes."
The stranger laughed. His laughter was warm. Wow...music to my ears. Unlike the emperor's rare, almost hidden chuckles, this man's laughter came easily.
"You needn't thank me."
He tilted his head slightly.
"I've never seen you around the Inner Market before."
"I'm..."
Think. Think fast.
"...a guest."
"A guest?"
He smiled.
"Then you must be one of the respected elders of the empire."
"Exactly."
"And where do you come from?"
Uh-oh. She smiled awkwardly.
"...Far away."
"Very far?"
"The... extremely far kingdom."
The blond man raised an eyebrow. He looked thoroughly unconvinced. But before either of them could continue, voices echoed throughout the market.
"Make way!"
"His Majesty approaches!"
The blond man's attention immediately shifted toward the approaching commotion. He looked past her. He looked toward the emperor in the distance.
Aira instinctively took a small step backward. Even from afar, she could see the emperor striding toward them with an unreadable expression. For some reason...His golden eyes looked unusually sharp.
Uh-oh.
He's coming this way...Panic immediately spread across her face.
The blond man noticed her. His relaxed smile slowly changed. Recognition flashed across his crimson eyes.
"...Interesting."
He smiled faintly.
"The emperor certainly seems very devoted to his elder... personally coming to fetch you."
His gaze returned to Aira before slowly drifting toward the sapphire necklace resting against her neck. The corners of his lips curled upward.
"So..."
he murmured almost to himself.
"You're the one.."
Aira blinked.
"...The one what?"
Instead of answering, his smile only widened.
"So that's why His Majesty personally came to the market today."
He looked genuinely entertained.
"I was wondering."
Aira frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
The blond man merely shrugged.
"Nothing."
Definitely something.
Before she could press him further, he leaned slightly closer and lowered his voice.
"It was nice meeting you."
"...Why are you saying goodbye?"
"I don't think His Majesty enjoys losing people."
She blinked.
"...Losing people?"
The stranger chuckled.
"I suspect you've wandered much farther than he intended."
Aira instinctively looked behind her.
Oh.
She had wandered much farther than she realized. The emperor was still several stalls away but walking straight toward her.
Oops.
Maybe she had escaped a little too successfully. When she turned back, the blond man had already taken a step away.
"It was nice meeting you..."
He smiled mysteriously.
"Though I must admit..."
"...it's rather disappointing not to see your real appearance."
Aira frowned.
"Huh?"
His voice dropped to barely above a whisper.
"Goodbye for now, Grandfather..."
He paused.
"...or should I say..."
His crimson eyes sparkled with amusement.
"...Woman of the Prophecy."
Aira nearly choked on her barbecue.
"W-What?!"
Before she could ask another question, a palace guard shouted from somewhere nearby.
"There!"
Several guards hurried through the crowded street.
"The elder! His Majesty is looking for him!"
Aira's eyes widened.
Wait...They're looking for me?!
Instinctively, she hid the half-eaten barbecue behind her back. Wait..Why am I hiding the barbecue?
I bought it legally!
The blond man watched the approaching guards before glancing once more toward the emperor. His smile became even more mysterious.
"...This should be entertaining."
With those words, he disappeared into the crowd as effortlessly as though he'd never been there at all.
Aira stared after him.
"...Wait!"
Too late he was already gone.
Only the lingering sound of his laughter remained. She stood there for another second before looking down at the half-finished barbecue still in her hand.
Worth it. Absolutely worth it. Even if the emperor scolds me later.