A King is Born on the Road

As Hayer predicted, Sandra didn’t have time to go to the circus with Iris. What was really surprising is…

“…The Hall family head didn’t serve a single meal.”

Sandra wasn’t even in the mood to serve a meal.

Hayer was dumbfounded, watching Ruben and Sandra, who were busy talking and laughing in the garden.

Iris said to Hayer with a smile.

“Be prepared, when you wake up tomorrow, she’ll probably feed you what you couldn’t eat today.”

“That’s… scary.”

Hayer said with a shiver.

Sandra hired the maid from the Everhart family to the Hall mansion.

The maid came here to repay Sandra for her free work of killing Leon, but it was an unlikely plan for the Hall family, which values compensation as much as one worked.

She provided Ruben a hiding place.

Iris, who watched everything, took a deep breath with a proud face, and said to Hayer.

“Well, then now…”

“Let’s go see the circus.”

“Us two?”

“Yes.”

Hayer said and raised his hand. Iris was puzzled, but belatedly realized that he was going to look at her injured arm from looking for the safe.

She held out her hand, and Hayer checked her condition. Fortunately, her condition seemed to be almost better, but Hayer was vigilant and took her to the Hall family’s doctor to check her arm, and received an answer that it was okay.

Moving to the venue where the circus was held, they were attracting people’s attention by exploding firecrackers here and there for publicity or juggling something like bottles on fire.

Hayer had obtained two tickets from a performer who sells circus tickets.

“They said that this is the best ticket, but I don’t know if it’s really good. I’ve never been to anything like this either.”

Iris was surprised to receive the ticket and her expression brightened.

Paper was very rare in Luwan, and paper was limited to books and letters used by nobles and above, so circus tickets were not paper either.

The ticket was a wooden board cut very thin like paper, and the seat number was written on it.

The two went into the circus tent in search of seats.

Circus members dressed up in patterns similar to tents were running around here and there. Iris was about to sit down, when an entertainer approached and held out his hand.

Iris put her hand on it for a moment and then removed it in surprise. At some point, a rose appeared in the entertainer’s hand.

While Iris was wide-eyed, the entertainer gave her the rose and left.

Iris asked Hayer.

“Did you see that? From his hand… a flower came out of his hand.”

“Ah, I see.”

Iris was curious, but Hayer kept turning his head and coughing strangely. It seemed that he had burst into laughter.

Iris asked, furrowing her brows.

“Why are you laughing?”

“It’s funny. When I come into a crowded tent, I keep coughing.”

“Don’t lie to me. When all the knights were sleeping in the tent before…”

Iris paused and shut up. She accidentally talked about the time when she went to the North Gate.

Hayer asked, tilting his head.

“Did we sleep together?”

“…No, if that happens, you’ll only sleep well.”

“I sleep well. I’ll fall asleep as soon as I put my head… Yes, I’m sorry. I laughed because it was cute.”

When Hayer confessed, Iris asked, looking down at the flower.

“What’s cute?”

“Just. It’s interesting.”

“A strange person…”

“Why do you ask as if you didn’t know?”

Hayer said, and checked with his hand to see if the seat Iris would sit on was clean. It was a clean enough seat.

The seat was the third of the five stairs centered around the stage.

Iris was surprised that the huge luggage box on the circus wagon turned into a seat when the tent was set up.

For her, who had been thinking about stopping the war ever since she crossed the North Gate, this new experience—though not necessary—was enjoyable.

Hayer looked closely at the person who came in with something to eat and said.

“Would you like to stay for a minute? I’ll bring something to eat.”

“Ah, come to think of it…”

She laughed again when she remembered that Sandra hadn’t served a meal. The two looked at each other and laughed.

Hayer said.

“Ah, it’s an experience I’ll never have again in my life. It’s a rare experience many times more than a circus.”

“I think so too.”

Hayer got up, still smiling, and went to ask the person holding the food where he had got it.

Meanwhile, as he walked away, Iris let out a deep sigh.

Even if she didn’t want to be nervous, her body became tense. This was a date. Everyone would think so, Iris thought. She pressed down on her chest to calm the tremors.

After a while, Hayer returned with a drink and said.

“I asked where they got their food from, and they asked who buys food from the Hall family’s territory?”

“What if you don’t buy food?”

“Just sit down.”

He said and handed Iris the juice he had brought.

Iris smiled at the fresh lemon scent.

“Did you drink alcohol?”

“Yes. Do you want some?”

“No… Ah, come to think of it, I got a box of cigarettes from Eggers.”

“Why a cigarette box?”

“Just, I heard you’ll have to talk to a lot of people who smoke.”

“Ahhh.”

Hayer understood and nodded. Iris also vaguely understood, but didn’t think it would come true.

Soon after, the two immediately understood the question of who buys food in the Hall family’s territory. Visitors came in one by one, all with food in their hands.

And as soon as they saw that the two were empty-handed, food was delivered here and there.

“How can you not bring any food?”

“People from the capital.”

“Ah, well…”

Then, they even taught them how to eat while looking at the two ‘poor capital people who don’t know how to taste.’

“Look closely, Young Master. It’s called a sandwich.”

“Ah, I see.”

Hayer deftly pretended to see anything for the first time and adjusted to it.

Iris was dumbfounded, but Hayer was very sly and ate food from people.

“Ah, try it. Ah.”

When a middle-aged farmer couple in the back seat offered food, Hayer casually took a bite of it and admired it.

“Wow. It’s really good.”

“It’s delicious, right? It will be delicious. Gosh, poor capital people…”

On Iris’s lap, there was enough food to almost fill a picnic basket.

The middle-aged woman turned to her and said.

“Well chosen, a very sturdy one.”

“…Sturdy?”

When Iris didn’t understand and asked back, the middle-aged woman pointed her chin at Hayer.

“Very simply, winter will feel light.”

《t/n: winter will be good/fine》

“…Winter?”

“I don’t think there will be any pests!”

Insect damage to humans… will it happen?

Iris realized a little later that the Hall family spoke of people as crops.

She still couldn’t figure out what was meant by pests…

After a while, the circus began.

When the lights briefly went out for the opening, Hayer moved closer to Iris.

Iris flinched slightly at the feeling of their arms touching, while Hayer told her not to be surprised.

“There was no need to be surprised that Lord Sandra served an excessive amount of food to her guests. She must have been an ordinary person in this town.”

“Ah…”

Iris relaxed and laughed.

“It really is. I really didn’t know.”

As the two laughed and talked like that, the lights came on again.

The lights in the venue pointed to the trapeze. Two circus performers were swinging on both sides and crossed.

“Wow!”

Cheers erupted in the circus tent as the performers jumped onto each other’s swings.

Iris couldn’t take her eyes off the figures easily either.

After watching the circus for a while, she looked toward Hayer.

“Did you see it?”

“Huh?”

Hayer, who was staring at Iris, asked back.

Iris paused, blinked, and asked.

“What are you looking at?”

“Ah.”

Hayer, belatedly realizing that he had been staring at Iris, fiddled with his ear, and answered honestly.

“Sorry. I’ve been worried about you getting hurt at Everhart.”

He seemed very concerned about Iris’s safety as she searched for the safe in Everhart and moved through the prisoner-filled dungeon.

She felt grateful to Hayer for protecting her wherever she went without saying anything.

afterword 

i squealed like a pig at the end i KNEW he wouldn’t have paid attention to the circus at all i knew his eyes would’ve been glued to her bc he was mesmerized (he didn’t say that but i like being delusional)