Chapter 54: A Royal Encounter in the Market

Her crimson eyes fixed intently on Norria’s face, who, in turn, was so astonished that his mouth hung open.

“Lady Chloe, what are you doing here?”

“It’s a long story.”

Chloe took Norria’s hand, slowly rising to her feet.

Noticing this, the beautiful girl beside them produced a handkerchief from her wide sleeve and gently wiped the smudges from Chloe’s face.

“Oh, thank you.”

“With such a beautiful face, you must take good care of it.”

The girl put away her handkerchief, her expression kind as she looked at Chloe.

“May I ask, what is your relationship with Lord Norria?”

‘?’

Chloe eyed the girl suspiciously, then cleared her throat twice. “Norria and I are merely acquaintances,” she stated.

This was the truth; her relationship with Norria was nowhere near as deep as Xina’s was with him.

Just as the girl visibly relaxed, Norria suddenly gripped Chloe’s shoulders tightly. He asked urgently, “Then, what about Lady Xina? Where is she? Is she well?”

“Xina is in the castle. As for her health… she’s reasonably well.”

Chloe was startled by Norria’s impulsiveness; it was the first time she had seen him so agitated. She even swallowed back the full extent of Xina’s condition, fearing he might do something even more reckless.

Norria let out a long sigh, releasing Chloe’s shoulders.

“That’s good. That’s truly good.”

“Lord Norria, who is this Xina?”

The girl’s voice drew out, and though she still smiled, a shadow fell across her face.

“Um… and this beautiful, flower-like lady, who might you be?”

“My name is Lilith Caroline, Princess of Eledis, and Lord Norria’s fiancée.”

When she spoke the word ‘fiancée,’ she distinctly emphasized it, as if declaring her claim.

“Hey, don’t just add your own title!” Norria exclaimed, pointing angrily at Lilith.

“But I really am Lord Norria’s fiancée!”

Lilith pouted, forcibly intertwining Norria’s arm with her own.

Chloe nodded sagely. She declared, “I’ll make sure Xina is well taken care of. I wish you both happiness.”

“Wait, this is a marriage her father forced!” Norria struggled to pull away, but Lilith clung even tighter.

“Wait, who is your father?”

“My father is Carloman Caroline, the Emperor of Eledis,” Lilith explained.

A flicker of hesitation crossed Lilith’s face as she mentioned her father, a strange reaction Chloe keenly observed.

“Carloman?”

‘Well, this is fast; I’m already entering the main storyline. With Lilith’s help, I should be able to meet Carloman smoothly. If I’m lucky, I might even avoid that dangerous wedding.’

Chloe glanced back; there were no pursuers. She wondered if Alice and the others had escaped, but caution was still best. She pointed towards the market entrance.

“Let’s go inside and talk. It’s not good to hog this spot out here.”

The market was a massive stone-domed structure. There were no windows inside, but thankfully, numerous ram-horn lamps illuminated it. Lamps adorned the ceiling, floor, and walls, making the market as bright as day.

All sorts of stalls bloomed across the ground, some selling local specialties, others clothing and perfumes. The sheer variety of goods overwhelmed Chloe.

The market was teeming with people, and the mingled scent of sweat and other unknown odors made Chloe feel nauseous.

In an inconspicuous dirt pit, guards had piled various excretions, and the smell naturally permeated the market. Coupled with the stagnant air in the enclosed space, the stench was utterly suffocating for Chloe.

Yet, the people around her seemed completely unfazed, as if they had grown accustomed to it.

‘I’d heard people in the Middle Ages weren’t big on hygiene, but I never imagined it was this extreme.’

Chloe pinched her nose and made her way to a perfume stall. The fragrant scent diluted the stench, allowing her to finally breathe easier. She turned to find Norria slowly approaching.

“You’re making it very hard for me to walk.”

Norria tried to shake off Lilith, but she wouldn’t let go. He sighed and turned to Chloe.

Chloe grinned. She said, “After just a few days, you’ve managed to cozy up to a princess?”

“Lord Norria is no ‘kid’! He is the Prince of Saint Fros and the first in line to the throne!” Lilith declared, lifting her chin with an annoyed expression.

Norria scratched his cheek, embarrassed. “Let’s talk about that later.”

Chloe nodded; she had already known Norria’s true identity.

“But you, I’ve never seen such a beautiful girl before. Are you really not related to Lord Norria?”

Lilith’s doe-like eyes narrowed slightly, watching Chloe with caution.

“Oh, truly, just acquaintances. And you’re quite pretty yourself.”

“You look a lot like my brother. He has silver hair and red eyes, just like you.”

Lilith let go of Norria, gripping Chloe’s hand, her eyes sparkling.

“Your brother?” Chloe asked, puzzled.

“Charles Caroline. He’s a renowned handsome man and the heir to the empire,” Lilith gushed when speaking of her brother.

Norria finally broke free from Lilith’s grasp. He turned, intending to tiptoe away, but Lilith snatched his collar.

“Lord Norria, where are you going?”

Norria mechanically turned his head, his face drenched in sweat.

“It’s too stuffy in here. I’m going out for some fresh air…”

“I’ll go with you,” Lilith said, pressing close to Norria.

Chloe watched the inseparable fiancés with a mix of emotions, while she herself faced one predicament after another.

She picked up a bottle of citrus-scented perfume and sprayed it on herself, the fragrance offering a brief respite to her mind.

However, the perfumery owner seized Chloe’s hand.

“Pay up.” His face was fleshy, and his eyes held a menacing glint.

“But doesn’t it say ‘free sample’ here?” Chloe pointed to the yellowed label on the perfume. The owner, however, casually ripped the label off.

“Didn’t you see the limited date? The free sample period is over.”

Chloe’s temper flared. She said furiously, “You’re being dishonest!”

The owner rolled up his sleeve, revealing his taut arm muscles, adorned with a tattoo.

“Are you going to pay, or not?”

Norria stepped in front of Chloe, scolding the owner, “You scoundrel, what kind of man bullies a girl?”

“Heh heh, I only care about money. Are you going to pay for her, then?”

Lilith slowly approached, opening her coin purse. “How much?”

“Five Shillings.”

Lilith rummaged through her purse, only finding three Shillings. Her eyes pleaded with Norria.

“Oh, come on! I work hard for a whole month on guard duty to earn eight Faranthi. You’re seriously asking for a king’s ransom!” Norria exclaimed indignantly.

“If you have no money, why are you even at the market?”

The owner’s small eyes narrowed, glancing at Chloe and Lilith.

“Otherwise, you could let these two pretty young ladies be models to pay off the debt. Heh heh, that would surely have a great effect.”

“A punch from me would have a better effect.”

“Oh, looking to run a tab?”

The owner stepped out. He was as strong as an ox, covered in bulging muscles, nearly a head taller than Norria. It looked like one punch from him could flatten Norria into a ball.

Seeing this, the surrounding crowd pressed forward to watch. After all, a fight with such a massive difference in weight class was a rare sight.

Sweat beaded on Norria’s brow. Lilith stepped in front of him, saying, “I am the Fifth Princess of Eledis. Let us leave, and I will have my father pay you another day.”

The owner spat.

“You’re a princess? Then I’m the Prince of Saint Fros! Hand over the money, stop with the nonsense.”

Chloe nervously watched the owner. She wasn’t afraid of this brute; she was afraid of the Church Knights hearing the commotion and apprehending her. She was already drawing enough attention.

Just then, a person emerged from the crowd and tossed five gold coins towards the owner. The owner deftly flipped, catching all the coins between his fingers.

“I’ll pay for them. Let them go.”

A lazy, youthful voice came from behind Chloe. Chloe turned, meeting his gaze.

He had messy silver hair and deep, blood-red eyes that seemed to encompass Chloe’s entire being. Of moderate build and with a face as refined as jade, he wore a pure white formal suit adorned with diamonds. His handsomeness rivaled Xia Ni’s, though this was merely Chloe’s personal estimation.

“Brother?!”

“Charles?”

Lilith’s brow lifted, her tense face instantly relaxing. Norria was also quite surprised, unsure why he was here.

However, Charles’s gaze remained fixed solely on Chloe.

It made her feel a little numb.