Ian and Louise stepped into the waiting carriage.
“How did you get the carriage?”
Ian gave a charming smile in return.
“Is there anything in this land that I can’t find?”
That was true, as Ian was the only son and heir to a man with absolute power. Whatever Ian did would always be backed by the national government, even if it involved breaking the rules of the Academy and going beyond the walls.
The carriage set off slowly towards the shopping district. Louise thought about Hesse for a moment. Thankfully his neck was still attached to his body, even though he had insulted the crown prince and teased him out for being dumped by a woman.
“I think you care about Sir Hesse.”
Louise clasped her hands together in her lap and smiled while Ian’s face wrinkled in displeasure.
“That vulgar knight?”
“He’s a good match with the master who climbs up a wall with no dignity.”
“That’s true.”
A voice from the roof of the carriage crowed in agreement.
“Yes! True! “
Ian stretched out his arm and pounded on the roof of the carriage. It was a sign to be quiet, but Ian’s scary look seemed to mean “Shut the hell up.” How vulgar.
“Will Lord Hesse be okay on the roof?”
Louise was rather anxious at the bumpy road.
“Are you worried about him?”
“Yes, Sir Hesse is very kind. He also helped me get over the wall.”
“…You have double standards.”
Double standards? Louise tried to figure out what he meant while Ian sighed.
“Think about it, Louise Sweeney. What if a little while ago I held you tightly and carried you over that wall?”
“That’s impossible.”
“Impossible? What on earth do you think of me?”
“I think that His Highness can’t carry me over the wall.”
“Anyway–the important thing is, what would you say if I tried to help you?”
Louise put her chin on her hand for a moment and thought of the situation. What if Ian held Louise like a treasured princess and carried her over the wall? This would be different from the time when he carried Louise after she hurt her back in the library because she wasn’t injured now.
“I think…I would say that I can get over the wall myself.”
“Yes, I’m sure you would say that. But what did you say to Hesse?”
“That it was very kind of him to help me get over the wall.”
Louise was mildly surprised. She hadn’t realized the hypocrisy of it all until it was pointed out to her.
“And how did you feel about him?”
“I was thankful for his generosity.”
“Right, and–“
Ian questions were not over.
“Do you feel okay despite being in this carriage for a while?”
It wasn’t intellectual question this time. This time he was worried about Louise because she would often get motion sickness while riding carriages.
“I’m fine.”
Louise answered with a smile.
Then she realized one thing. The carriage was especially slow today and did not sway much, likely on Ian’s orders.
“If you’re not feeling well, tell me. We’re not far from the shopping district, and we can stop for a break if you need to.”
“You’re being friendly.”
“I’m always friendly. You just can’t see the light because of your double standards.”
Was he friendly? She didn’t think that was the case all the time. In the past he always made fun of Louise’s motion sickness, but she didn’t want to point out that again.
“Sometimes you need to show some honesty. Even just for today.”
“Honesty?”
“Yes. If I give favors to you, you thank me.”
“Well, what if I give favors to His Highness?”
“Then I would say thank you to you.”
“Is this rule just for today?”
“Yes. And speaking of adding rules.”
Ian stared at Louise with a rather serious look.
“Can you not call me by that terrible title?”
“Your Highness? We’re not at the Academy.”
Therefore it wasn’t appropriate to call him either President or Ian for the time being.
“Listen to me. We’ll pass the mines on the way to the shopping district, and naturally there are many traveling mages on the way. And mages are talkative.”
“Ah…”
“Everyone will notice my existence if Louise Sweeney shouts ‘Your Highness’ in her cheerful voice.”
The mages would be excited to see the crown prince. Using the magical devices they had invented, rumors would spread to the continental world that the he appeared in the shops on a weekday.
“We should be careful.”
“Yes.”
“But how are you going to hide your face?”
She hated to say this, but he was the handsome male protagonist of this world. If he walked along the streets with his distinctive silvery hair, everyone would know who he was even if Louise didn’t call him Your Highness.
“I have a simple trick.”
He took a bag from underneath the chair and pulled out a wizard’s robe.
“In places where there are lots of wizards, you should pretend to be a wizard. “
The wizard’s robe would completely cover his uniform and also had a large hood that could conceal his head.
“Is there one for me?”
“No.”
“Well, I can’t walk around in uniform either.”
At this rate, everyone would know that she a student playing hooky.
“Louise Sweeney.”
Ian said with a confident smile.
“Is there anything in this land I can’t find?”
