PAGE 1

The girl butted in again as the boy apologized. Not the same species? Dilon wondered what she meant by that. Still, he accepted the paper bag of oranges and handed them the boy his money. The boy held Dilon’s hand and put the change in it.

 

Just then…

 

“AHHHH!”

 

A scream could be heard. Dilon and the boy turned around in surprise. Suddenly, there were many more young girls there from all over the town. And they were looking at them with sparkling eyes.

 

“Wh-what?”

“Huh?”

 

The two looked around in confusion. Finally, the small girl next to the boy sighed.

 

“Those girls followed you here. And now you’re standing in front of the Lowland boy everyone is interested in. Also, you’re holding hands.”

 

The two looked down in surprise. They had frozen while still holding the change. Perhaps it looked like they were holding hands at a distance. They frantically pulled their hands back.

 

“Uh, um, I look forward to tasting them.”

“Oh, ah. We’ll probably be selling them tomorrow as well. So you should come again.”

 

Their awkward conversation ended there and they turned away and walked in different directions.

 

Oh. This was scarier than being looked at with descrimination. That was what Dilon thought as he rushed back to his store.

 

“I heard a lot of noise. Did you learn anything?”

“I didn’t have time for that. Girls are scary.”

“Selling Soluna oranges at this time of the year is very suspicious. Damn it. You really can’t do anything, can you?”

 

Corete glared at the still shaken Dilon. Then he looked at the two men who were selling the oranges. There was something about them that seemed familiar to him.

 

“Seslan? No, he should be in the beast territories. And the hair is different as well. Besides, the other one… Hey, Dilon. Look at the shorter one over there. Doesn’t he look like someone?”

 

Dilon was still not himself.

 

“The one selling the oranges? Smaller, oh, I see. The hair color is wrong, but the face and eyes look like Arthur. No, he’s too young. Edwy? Is that a wig?”

“And look at the taller one.”

“Taller? Oh, Seslan? No, but he looks like him…”

 

Dilon and Corete looked at each other.

 

“What would Midland and Lowland royalty be doing here?”

“And in disguise. Well, one of them, anyway. Besides, this mission was due to Arthur’s request. I didn’t hear anything about a separate team.”

“Besides, weren’t they supposed to be in the elf territory…”

 

Both of them folded their arms and stared at the two men selling oranges. The shorter one must have noticed this, because he looked at them and then looked away. Then an expression of surprise appeared on his face as he looked back at them. They could see his mouth shape the name ‘Dilon?’

 

“It’s confirmed then. That is Edwy.”

 

Dilon had also played with Edwy when he was younger. Now that he thought about it, his scent had seemed familiar.

 

“The boy said that they would be selling oranges tomorrow as well. That means they will be staying here. Tonight, then.”

“Yes.”

 

That’s when it would happen.

Next Chapter