‘It’s hot.’

Daphne blinked, wearing a wide-brimmed hat. She was from the capital in her own way, so it can’t be this hot in the south.

After being in Bertrand for a few months, she seemed to have adapted to the climate there.

‘Won’t it be really cold when you go back?’

When she thought of the hard time she had adjusting to the cold when she had just arrived in Betrand, she was not happy with the heat right now.

‘I’m like this to this degree, but Kael…’

As expected, he looked tired from the heat like the first time.

It wasn’t too hot at the swindler’s store thanks to the mana stone, but they were reduced to a pulp again as soon as they came out.

“Your Grace, are you okay?”

“…Depends.”

He didn’t look quite all right.

‘You’re weak against the heat, aren’t you?’

Considering that he was from Bertrand, Kael seemed particularly vulnerable to the heat.

Not only Zegman, but also Leon and the others weren’t to this extent.

Daphne was going to fan Kael, but changed her mind and took off her hat and put it on Kael.

“What is this?”

“You use it!”

Daphne stopped Kael from taking it off.

“There’s no answer if you take the heat.”

At times like this, a wide-brimmed hat and a parasol are so helpful.

At that, Kael paused and looked at Daphne.

“…Can you take the heat?”

The round eyes were cute.

The words ‘take the heat’ itself seemed unfamiliar to Kael.

Daphne laughed inwardly.

“Of course.”

Soon Daphne nodded.

“It’s a big problem if you get heatstroke from the heat. You have to lie down for days and days. It could even lead to death!”

Daphne spoke frighteningly on purpose to scare him.

Then Kael immediately took off the hat and put it on Daphne.

“If it’s such a terrible illness, Miss Daphne should use it.”

Daphne, who somehow wore her hat tightly, blinked.

Then he spoke with a most serious face.

“Because Miss Daphne is weak.”

Having said that, she couldn’t say anything more.

Daphne clutched her hat and muttered.

“No, it’s true that I’m weak.”

Nonetheless, Kael seems to need something. Daphne looked around.

“Then, Your Grace, how about buying a new hat that suits you?”

Over there, that one!

Where Daphne pointed to was a marine look and a set of white berets.

Kael’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Daphne.

“Come to think of it, you also tried to make me wear shorts at Meldy.”

“No, I thought it would be nice if you looked younger. That’s how con artists let their guard down.”

“In addition, you chose a ribbon tie and a brooch.”

“I thought it would be nice to look young…”

Kael’s eyes narrowed more and more, and Daphne’s gaze turned more and more sideways.

“But, I thought it would suit you well!”

In the end, Daphne spoke her mind.

When she first saw the clothes in Meldy, she thought those were Kael’s clothes.

“It would be hard to wear if it wasn’t now.”

To be honest, it was hard to wear even now.

Still, she wanted to see Kael dressed as a typical young master at least once.

“You always wear uniforms or suits that grown-ups would wear.”

So it would be nice to wear clothes like that at a time like this.

What Kael is wearing now is also a shirt and long pants.

Only the material changed, but there was no significant difference from what he wore at Bertrand Castle.

Hoo. Kael sighed as Daphne pouted her lips.

“Shorts are impossible, but I’ll wear a ribbon tie next time.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“You promise?”

Daphne smiled brightly.

‘Oh.’

Kael’s face softened. He didn’t appear to be in a bad mood.

“Your Grace, then to avoid the heat, that beret…”

“I’ll borrow a mana stone from my father.”

Was that why Zegman didn’t shed a drop of sweat?

Kael, who borrowed a mana stone from Zegman, held one out to Daphne.

“What about Mister Zegman?”

“He’s going to rest at the inn first.”

Indeed, he was not fully recovered yet, but he was overdoing it.

“Then shall we play on our own today as Mister Zegman said?”

Daphne said, glancing at the market.

Actually, she had been wanting to look around the market for a while.

‘I heard that the southern port city is a trading city, so there are many exotic things.’

There were many things she saw for the first time from the entrance to the market.

Kael smiled faintly as Daphne wriggled her hands.

“Let’s go, Miss Daphne.”

“Wait!”

Daphne grabbed Kael’s hand.

Kael halted abruptly. His eyes widened in surprise.

Were you surprised by the sudden grab?

“We have to change the names before that.”

“Names?”

“Yes, ‘Your Grace,’ ‘Miss Daphne.’ If I call you like this, won’t people find out immediately that you’re Grand Duke Bertrand?”

There was nothing wrong with going around as it is now, as long as they didn’t encounter nobles.

It’s not easy for commoners to see Kael’s portrait, and it was just a rumor.

Even if they met an aristocrat, she had the confidence they would be passed by as it is.

‘Because you wouldn’t think that the rumored cursed, mad grand duke would roam the South in broad daylight.’

It’s a bit like finding a vampire wandering around in the middle of the day.

Kael nodded at Daphne’s words.

“Then what should I call you?”

“Well, hm… what would be good?”

Like Wife or some title like that. If you don’t like brother or sister, then.

“Let’s do it by name! A simple name without ‘Miss.’”

The name Daphne was quite common because the name of the last god that remained on earth was Daphne.

In fact, there were two more Daphnes at the orphanage where Daphne was.

That’s why they were called Big Daphne, Middle Daphne, and Little Daphne.

Daphne was Little Daphne.

Kael was more familiar with the names ‘Curse-mad Grand Duke’ or the standard ‘Grand Duke Betrand’ than his name.

“Rather, I think my name will stand out less.”

Kael nodded as if he understood. And one more opinion was presented.

“Then shall we drop the honorifics?”

“Honorifics?”

“It’s strange if we just drop honorifics while calling each other’s name.”

Is that so?

Daphne’s head tilted to the side.

Indeed, if you’re an adult, it would seem really strange if young children said, ‘Kael, look at this’ or ‘Daphne, you’re so pretty.’

“Good!”

‘It’s to my benefit to speak casually. I’m two years younger.’

Daphne smiled brightly. Kael also smiled along.

“Then let’s really go now.”

“Yes.”

Holding the hand she had held to stop him, the two entered the market.

“Wow.”

An exclamation escaped from Daphne’s lips. It was truly, so, so amazing.

There were goods, spices, and food from different continents throughout the market.

“Look at this, young children! It’s a novelty item from the desert.”

“Don’t you need fish~! Freshly caught!”

“Try some fruits from the West Continent!”

“Five jenny is too expensive. I’d like four jenny per basket, please.”

“Aye, if we sell that much, we have nothing left. Instead, I’ll give you another handful of this. What do you say?”

Lively.

Merchants were flaunting their wares and enticing passers-by.

On one side of the market, bargaining was in full swing, and Daphne enjoyed watching even that.

‘It’s fascinating and cool.’

It was hard to get out of the imperial palace in her previous life. A place where it’s always lonely and seemingly peaceful, but behind it is a place where blood is shed and fights.

After living in such a place, she couldn’t help but to be excited to see such a lively place.

Daphne’s eyes lit up. And Kael was the same.

Considering the redness of his cheeks, this situation seemed to be really pleasant.

‘This must be Kael’s first time outside the territory.’

He couldn’t come out in the past because he was too young, but after he grew up to a certain extent, the curse became stronger and he couldn’t come out of the territory.

Furthermore, he usually stayed in the castle all the time and came out only when he had to hunt monsters or when there was something important.

“Kael, let’s have a lot of fun today.”

Daphne led Kael with a broad smile.

It was a fruit from the West Continent that stood out from earlier.

“That fruit. I’ll buy it!”

“Hey, the young lady has a good eye.”

A generous-looking man quickly cut the fruit for her to eat and put it on a skewer.

“Now, here. It’s four jenny.”

“Here you go.”

Kael’s eyes narrowed when Daphne held out the coins. It meant he didn’t like it.

“I bought this because I wanted to eat it. It’s on me. You buy the next one.”

Saying so, she held out the skewer.

‘Doesn’t it look like a pineapple?’

The skin was purple, so she bought it out of curiosity, but the yellow flesh inside reminded her of pineapple.

‘It looks delicious.’

When she thought of the fresh and sour taste, her mouth immediately salivated. Daphne took a bite.

And was disappointed.

‘It’s sweet.’

It was too sweet. Sweetness that makes your mouth numb.

It wasn’t the refreshing taste she was expecting.

“Ewaah.”

She wanted to drink water. Daphne trembled.

‘Wait, Kael doesn’t like sweet things either.’

In the past, even the black tea chiffon cake Bree brought to her had been yielded.

For Kael, this sweetness would be like poison.

“Kael, this is too sweet…!”

Daphne, who was trying to stop him, stopped. Kael had already finished one skewer.

Additionally, that expression wasn’t the expression of forcing yourself to eat something you hated.

When their eyes met, Kael secretly hid the skewer that he had eaten behind his back.

“Do you like sweets?”

“……”

There was no answer, but it was enough.

“Then why have you given up all your desserts to me so far?”

“That.”

Kael replied, rubbing his cheek with his sleeve as if he were embarrassed.

“My father and Bree always worry about you being thin…”

She didn’t think it was just the two of them who were worried.

“…I was a little worried, too.”

Kael sighed and confessed, seeing Daphne’s gaze.

“I’m eating well. Really. I’ve gained a lot of weight. Look at this.”

Saying that, Daphne showed him her arm, which had gained quite a bit of fat.

“That?”

Kael shook his head at once.

“You have to eat more. You’re still very skinny. I feel like you’re about to collapse at any minute.”

‘What kind of grandmother-like thinking is this?’