◆ Shopping in Altstadt
WHEN we arrived in Altstadt, the holy city, Helios returned to Mr. Julius’s ring while Prince Faisal ordered Ares to return to the Holy Palace by himself. The prince seemed interested in Mr. Julius’s ring, and I sensed a business opportunity to sell my wares, but when I started my explanation, Mr. Julius seemed angrier than ever before, so I stopped myself.
He probably didn’t like the fact that he was trapping his dragon in a cramped space, and he refused to have anyone else own such a ring. And it does make it seem like we’re treating dragons like objects, I reasoned to myself. He was likely trying to keep storing Helios inside of a ring to a minimum.
Altstadt was bustling with people to the extent it seemed like a fierce battle had never occurred in their nation. Many were wearing garments with long, cylindrical sleeves, and their hems went down to their feet. They came in various colors, from pure white to vibrant hues like red and blue. Others were adorned with lovely embroidery. Many people had wrapped a cloth around their heads, and I guessed it was to protect their hair and skin from the harsh sunlight.
“This is the heart of Altstadt,” Layla said, her arm intertwined with the Faisal’s as they walked down the busy city streets. “You can buy jewels, dresses, outfits, books, food, and anything else you desire here.”
Mr. Julius and I followed them. They were likely familiar with the people in the city as many bowed and greeted the couple. However, no one seemed overly reserved or hyper-respectful; it was more of a casual affair.
“It reminds me of the main shopping district in Astria,” I said. “I’ve got a shop there. Technically, it’s now my second store, but this city is much larger than Astria’s capital and a lot busier too.”
“…Astria’s the countryside,” Mr. Julius added.
“Well, compared to Dystiana, maybe… Hmm, or maybe it really is the countryside. When I see Rasheed’s city, I’m starting to feel like Astria isn’t so big.”
When I first guided Mr. Julius through the main street, he called our kingdom the countryside. I wondered just how prosperous the imperial capital of Dystiana was. Like Altstadt, which was brimming with a cheery atmosphere despite the recent battle, the imperial capital might have been peaceful and prosperous, ignorant of their own invasions.
As I walked around, I felt like the merchants and people were completely detached from war. Unfortunately, that wasn’t true—this city just happened to get lucky this time around and managed to avoid turning into a battlefield. Astria, on the other hand, was still hard at work to restore its former glory. One wrong move, and Rasheed could’ve turned out the same.
“Astria is a lovely place as well,” Layla said. “I once went on a vacation there with Prince Faisal.”
“A few years ago, I went to the royal capital as my brother’s guard,” Faisal said before turning to me. “Fate is a funny thing. Back then, you were the daughter of a duke, weren’t you, Chloe?”
“I suppose I was,” I replied with a forced smile, trying to sound casual. It was a past that I didn’t like to talk about.
“You lack tact, Prince Faisal,” Layla said, gently pinching his side.
That looks painful.
“In any case, Chloe, why don’t we get you dressed for the occasion?” Layla suggested. “Since we’re having a splendid stroll in the city, we should change you out of your usual outfit to suit the mood. I’ve got my favorite apparel store nearby. You usually need to be measured for dresses, but the normal clothes of Rasheed can be worn without the need for any precise numbers.”
“That’s a good idea,” Faisal agreed. “The afternoons in Rasheed are hot and the temperature dips at night. The clothes here, woven of silk made from desert spiders, can help regulate your body temperature. It’s very comfortable, and above all, it’s loose-fitting. I’m rather fond of it. Men and women wear similar clothing, but the colors and designs are different. I’m sure we can find one that suits Julius as well.”
Silk harvested from desert spiders. I wonder what that’s like… It seemed to have the same effect as Ariadne’s thread, and I was curious to know which was better.
The world was vast and filled with materials that I wasn’t familiar with.
I looked up at Mr. Julius and smiled. “Isn’t that great to hear? I know you like clothes that are easier to move around in.”
Much like how I only wore apron dresses, Mr. Julius usually only wore plain robes. He was a handsome man, so I knew he’d suit whatever he wore. Though I’m not sure if he’d obediently wear other clothes…
“Yeah, I guess so,” Mr. Julius replied with a nod.
I expected him to find this all to be a huge pain, and his response caught me off guard. Maybe he’s more excited than usual, surrounded by the exotic atmosphere of another nation.
“I’m not interested in clothing, but you can do as you please,” he added. “I’ve decided to go along with whatever you wish to do today.”
“You’re so nice…” I murmured. “Is something wrong? You’ve been so nice to me recently. Maybe you’ve got a fever or something.”
“Isn’t it a good thing that he’s so nice?” Layla inquired, tilting her head to one side in confusion. She tugged on Prince Faisal’s arm, acting spoiled. “In fact, I’d argue that it’s normal for your man to tag along with a lady’s shopping. Don’t you agree, Prince Faisal?”
The prince had a broad smile, beaming more than usual. He looked absolutely elated, like a dog happy to tag along with his master’s shopping. I’m sorry that I compared you to a dog, Prince Faisal. When I first opened up my shop and didn’t have any customers, I took on various odd jobs including washing and walking dogs. I was fairly knowledgeable about them.
“Of course I do, Layla,” Faisal replied. “Allow me to hold your things. I’d much rather do that than see you wandering around by yourself.”
“Why would you say that?” she responded. “You’re making me out to be some sort of troublesome child.”
“U-Uh, no, that’s not what I mean…”
Prince Faisal does speak his mind a bit too much. I smiled wryly as I watched him desperately trying to salvage his lover’s mood. They seemed to be having fun, and just watching them made me happy.
“Let’s go, Chloe!” Layla exclaimed. She stopped fighting with Faisal and locked arms with me. “What color would suit you best? You’re adorable, so a pink outfit with floral patterns might be nice. Cute clothes don’t suit me. My face stands out a bit too much, so it clashes with my appearance.”
“You’re so pretty, so anything will look lovely on you,” I replied.
As she tugged me towards the store, I obediently followed her. In the end, I was never able to understand why Mr. Julius was being so unusually kind to me today, but I had no complaints. Maybe it’s something I don’t need to be worried about.
On the corner of the main street was Layla’s favorite apparel store. We purchased the common outfits of Rasheed. Layla chose a red piece decorated with embroidery of black roses. Prince Faisal chose opposite colors—a black garment stitched with red roses. I went with a white one with pink floral patterns; Layla had chosen it for me, matching it to my hair and eye color. Mr. Julius wore a black outfit decorated with an embroidery of a vibrant lily made from gold thread. He stated that he wasn’t keen on changing clothes. And so, I ended up pushing it onto him. We switched clothes in the changing room and ended up purchasing what we wore.