“If this is supposed to be a secret passageway,” said Ras, looking serious, “should you really be showing it to a foreigner like me?”
“I don’t mind,” replied Tishna without hesitation. “It’s not like you’ll have another chance to use it.”
This escape route was only to be used by the royal family in case of coups and other emergencies. Its existence was such a closely guarded secret that ordinary people would be killed if they found out about it. However, Tishna used it as casually as though she were leaving to go play at a friend’s house.
“Do you always sneak out of the villa like this?”
“Sometimes,” said Tishna, suddenly averting her gaze in the way liars do. “Not always.”
Really? Because you seem awfully familiar with the route, thought Ras, glaring at the princess.
“In that case, should you really leave without telling anyone?” he asked her. “I don’t want to be branded as a princess-napper if I can avoid it.”
“Oh, it’s okay,” replied Tishna. “I do this all the time. Girrith and the rest of the staff should hardly be surprised.”
“That’s the complete opposite of what you just said,” said Ras, heaving a defeated sigh.
Just then, the exit came into view. As they pushed back a door hidden within a wall, a damp scent streamed into the passage. The secret path came out into a sewage drain by a canal, many of which crisscrossed the streets of Barlama like woven threads.
Ras was wearing a pair of leather pants and a rough tunic—the inconspicuous attire worn by many young mercenaries. Tishna, on the other hand, was dressed in a fine yet unmistakably plebian dress, with her trademark golden hair tied up so it wouldn’t stand out as much. Right now, the pair looked just like a rich merchant’s daughter and her servant boy. Their good looks were sure to attract eyes, but they could at least expect to walk down the street without anything seeming amiss.
In any case, it was impossible to disguise Tishna’s legendary looks. It was a futile effort from the very beginning.
“Morning market, already?”
Dawn had still not broken, and yet all sorts of stalls and stands lined the avenues. A large crowd of customers had already gathered, the vast majority of whom appeared to be locals.
“This is Barlama’s famed weekly market,” said Tishna proudly. “Isn’t it lively?”
Without her makeup on, Tishna looked less like a princess and more like an ordinary girl her age. Watching her mercurial expressions, Ras couldn’t help but feel charmed.
“You’re right,” he said. “I didn’t think there was anything like this here.”
“Mm-hmm. It’s a little different from Vif Arger, is it not?” said Tishna with a know-it-all look. Ras looked into her eyes with suspicion. As far as he knew, the royal princess had never been to Argyll.
“You say that like you’ve seen it for yourself,” he said.
“Oh? What makes you say that?”
Fiarca had already deduced that Princess Tishna had knowledge of the future, but Ras had no way to prove it. If the princess decided to play dumb, there wasn’t anything he could do.
After entering the market, Tishna stopped in front of one of the stands. “The skewers here are delicious!” she said. “You’ve got to try one! Two, please!”
The stall owner seemed to know Tishna, because he smiled broadly as soon as he noticed her.
“Back again, missy? And I see you’ve brought another strapping young lad with you.”
“Isn’t he just? We’ve pledged our futures together, you see,” said Fiarca with a grin, holding on tight to Ras’s arm.
“Enough of the jests,” said Ras, shaking his arm free, playing the part of a reluctant manservant forced to endure his mistress’s teasing. Tishna sulked, and the man running the stall broke into laughter.
“Looks like you’ve got your work cut out for you, lad,” he said. “Here, something extra on me.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
As Tishna retrieved a copper coin from her purse, Ras took the skewers. The stall owner had smeared them both with some kind of sweet-smelling sauce, free of charge.
“I have to say,” said Ras, “that’s the first time I’ve ever seen a princess pay with a copper.”
“Take care of the denas and the fleurs will look after themselves,” replied Tishna with a boastful smile. “You have one too, Ras.”
Tishna took one of the skewers Ras was holding and gestured for him to taste the other one. It was a standard lizard meat and vegetable skewer, but the moment Ras put it into his mouth, he widened his eyes in surprise.
“That’s good,” he said. “The meat’s tender, and the sauce is great. There’s a bit of a kick to the scent, but it brings out the taste of the meat.”
“Once you get used to it, the smell tempts your appetite,” said Tishna. “The sauce is made from salted fish, with fruit and honey added to give it flavor. At least, that’s what I heard.”
Looking pleased with Ras’s rave review, Tishna bit into her own skewer. No one nearby would have ever expected it was their own country’s princess getting sauce all down her chin.
“Charlgia is blessed with clean waters,” said Ras. “You couldn’t get food like this anywhere else.”
“I’m glad you liked it,” Tishna replied. “There’s a lot more you can get around here— Ah! Hilica! They have hilica sorbet!”
“Slow down, Princ—I mean, miss!”
Tishna ran off, her cheeks still stuffed with food, and Ras chased after her.
Tishna continued sampling the offerings at the market for some time, and as a result, when the sky was starting to lighten, Ras was completely stuffed. Tishna had also had more than she could eat, and so picked a quiet place, away from the crowds, to lean against the wall.