Day 1(Janet)

“I am very excited to have this opportunity to guide you, Madam Janet!” Janet’s guide, Jeana, shook the former’s hands excitedly. She had a bubbly personality and a sunny smile that always adorned her face.

“Me too!” Janet matched her enthusiasm. “So, where are we going next?”

Jeana touched her lips and tilted her head, “Well, since we separated from the others before coming out, we ended up coming to the Entertainment District.”

“Entertainment District?” Janet raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, there are casinos, game parks, and the infamous-” Jeana came close and whispered in Janet’s ear. Her breath tickled the latter’s ear. “-Red Light District.”

“Red Light District?” Janet wracked her brain. She felt that she had heard that term somewhere but couldn’t remember where.

“Yeah, it’s what we call the Entertainment District at night and where men and women alike go to have some ‘fun,’” Jeana winked.

The pieces finally clicked, and Janet smiled knowingly, “Ah, I see.” She leaned in close, “Then, since we’re already in the Entertainment District, shall we entertain ourselves?”

“Let’s go!” Jeana linked arms with Janet and took her with her. As they walked into the streets, the atmosphere quickly changed. Many people, mostly men, could be seen staggering about in the streets with the stench of alcohol on them; some were jumping around with joy. Many were depressed and angrily screaming at the guards stationed outside the casinos.

“This is just how it looks in the day,” Jeana whispered to Janet. “It’s mostly deadbeat peasant men who come here thinking they can hit the jackpot. They end up losing everything they came here with and go back home to vent their frustrations on their wives and children.” Jeana’s eyes looked at them with disdain.

“And in the night?” Janet whispered back.

“That’s when the nobles come- both men and women. The real fun starts then. Red lights, the sweet fragrance coming from the courtesans and chevaliers, the sounds of games- it’s a sight to see!”

“Then should we come back at night?” Janet pulled her close and grinned playfully, “Just you and me?”

“Oh my!” Jeana covered her mouth, but her eyes had turned to crescents, “Are you inviting me to a date?”

“Well, what if it is?”

“Then I’ll be happy to come,” Jeana came close and kissed Janet on the cheek.

Janet’s hand instinctively rose and touched the part that was damp from her kiss. She looked at Jeana, “Were you always this assertive?”

“Well, mother always says to be assertive if you want to get something.”

“Your mother is a wise woman!” Janet nodded in agreement.

“Thank you!” Jeana’s smile reached up to her eyes and formed dimples on her cheek. “We should-”

Before Jeana could say anything, a strong stench of cheap alcohol made their nose crinkle. A man in peasant clothing staggered towards them and spoke to them with slurred words, “Hello there, beauties! What might- what are you two pretty gals doing in this part of t-town?”

The man smiled frivolously and bowed unsteadily, “I’m Cren; nice to meet ‘ya! What are you two gals’ names?”

“You dare!” Jeana’s brows wrinkled as she glared at Cren.

Cren chuckled and looked at them with a ‘seductive’ gaze, “Ooh, I like feisty women, and so do my buddies.” He grabbed Jeana’s wrist and pulled, “Come on, let’s go meet them.”

Jeana looked at Janet with panic, fear, and a trace of pleading. Immediately, Janet grabbed Cren’s hand that was holding Jeana and shook it off before pulling him towards her and kneeing him in the groin.

“Aaah!” Cren let out a cry of pain, and his hands covered his groin as he closed his legs. He bent over like a shrimp only to see Janet’s white fist in his face.

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Janet hit him with an uppercut, and he fell to the ground, unconscious. Janet looked at Cren with some contempt and pulled Jeana close. Jeana curled up in Janet’s embrace.

Janet looked at Cren lying on the ground and at her fist. It was red and in pain, but Cren’s face was a bit red at the place of impact.

“Did I grow weaker? That should’ve at least broken his nose….” Janet’s thoughts did not persist for long as Jeana once again kissed her cheek.

A bit taken aback, she looked at Jeana, who proceeded to look at her shyly and said, “…thank you.” The blush on her cheeks made her look like a maiden in love. Janet’s heart stirred.

“D-Don’t worry, it’s nothing,” she played it off coolly, but her eyes shifted away.

“Uh, then-” Jeana’s euphonic and hesitant voice made Janet look back at her again. Jeana continued, “-shall we go and play around? I know a great place!”

“Let’s go,” Janet’s looked at her warmly and smiled.

“Yay!” Jeana clapped and took Janet’s hand into a lover’s grasp. Being led by Jeana, Janet had the faintest feeling that she might’ve forgotten something or was missing something. But feeling Jeana’s soft and smooth hand and seeing her bubbly figure made Janet throw any thoughts to the back of her mind.

She decided to spend her time with Jeana enjoying whatever the city had to offer.

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Day 1(June)

“So, you’re in charge of guiding me?” June asked the girl in front of her with her eyebrow raised.

“Yes, madam.” Her guide, Viola, adjusted her glasses. She spoke stiffly or, rather, in a very professional manner.

“I see…” June nodded and looked around before asking, “Pardon me, Viola, but could you tell me where we are?”

Viola looked around and revealed an apologetic expression, “I’m sorry, but it seems we’ve entered the slums.”

“You’re not going to kidnap me here and sell me to someone, are you?” June said it jokingly, but her eyes weren’t smiling.

Viola shrunk at her sharp gaze, “N-No, nothing of the sort! The Palace has numerous gates, and the one we used just happened to be in the slums! Then, should we leave?”

“No,” June shook her head firmly. “Let’s continue onwards. And it’s not like they could rob us, right? After all-,” she proceeded to say it in the Queen’s tone, “-we have ‘someone protecting us from the shadows!’”

“Understood,” having regained her composure, Viola replied once again in a professional manner.

“Lead the way, or do you want me to do it?”

“Ah, no. Since I was tasked with guiding you, I will be the one to lead you!” Viola began to lead June through the slums with some bravado.

Of course, June had a reason for insisting on roaming around the slums. To understand how a king rules, you have to look at how their country treats the poor and lower classes.

As Viola kept talking and giving her trivia about the Capital City, June’s eyes darted around, trying to take in everything she could. The result- was a bit out of her expectations. The slum dwellers were always on the move and always working. Even if they got meager pay for it, they would pocket it happily and move on to whatever next job they could find. And there was always, always, someone handing out jobs.

The slum houses weren’t all that decrepit, nor were they in a state of disrepair- only looking shoddy due to cheap building materials. However, June felt something was missing, something should be here. But unable to put her finger on it, she threw it to the back of her mind.

The slum dwellers wore grey or white peasant clothing, but June didn’t think it was something wrong. She read somewhere that colored clothing was very expensive in medieval times, and only the affluent could wear them.

“Madam June,” Viola called out amid June's investigation.

“Hmm?”

“There’s a festival at the end of the week. Would you like to participate?”

“Oh?” June’s interest was piqued, “what festival?”

“It’s the Wish Festival that’s held on the 15th day of the First Month.”

“What’s it about?”

“Just as its name implies. People, both commoners and nobles, come together to write their wishes and hang them on the Miann trees scattered around the city. They hope their wishes come true in this new year.”

“Well, are their wishes granted?” June smiled slightly.

Viola nodded, “For some, yes.”

“Was your wish granted last year?”

“Er, probably. I can’t tell.” Viola said nothing more, and June did not ask.

She subtly changed the subject, “And to answer your question, Viola, I’ll be happy to sightsee around the festival as long as you’re the one guiding me.”

“Then, I’ll be guiding you then as well,” although her tone was strict, her lips curved upwards into a smile.

“Cute!” June laughed and suddenly linked arms with Viola before speed-walking forward.

Taken aback, Viola exclaimed, “Huh?”

“Come on, let’s visit the other places!”

Viola resigned to June’s pace and let herself be dragged by June. Once they were out of the slums and into the town square, the view was a stark contrast to that of the slums.

“…so pretty!” June marveled at the medieval aesthetic of the city. She had only seen such a scene in TV shows and anime but seeing it firsthand was something else.

“I know, right!” Viola’s chest puffed up with pride, “Auburn City is the pride of Rasmodéus Kingdom!”

June peeked at her face, “So, you were born in the capital, huh?”

Viola’s face contorted in shock, “How did you know!?”

“It shows on your face.”

“It does?” Viola kneaded her face with a puzzled look.

June covered her mouth and giggled. Seeing the harmonious atmosphere, the pieces in her mind clicked, and she finally understood what was missing from the slums.

“Ah, that’s right! I didn’t see any children there.”