"Fine," Rina sighed, relenting to the situation. "Sylphrena is one of the Three Angels of Dawn, messengers of the God of Life. She's the one who ushers in the dawn each day, hence the name – Light Bearer. Legend has it that she carries the sun in her hands at sunrise, bringing light and warmth to the world. Her presence is said to bless our kingdom, ensuring peace and prosperity."

"I see... how amazing."

"Yes!" Rina replied, her tone softening. "Our kingdom was founded on the belief that her grace watches over us. She's a symbol of hope, a guardian of our land."

The young man nodded earnestly. "I promise I'll do my homework from now on."

Rina, although still a bit annoyed, couldn't help but smile at his sincerity.

"Wait, you mentioned there are three angels. So, there are two more statues then, I guess."

"..." Rina resisted the urge to slap her own forehead; this was common knowledge. She could understand if he didn't know about one angel, but all of them? That was something else.

Where did this country pumpkin come from?

Rina took a deep breath, preparing herself for an educational monologue. But he spoke up first.

"If the Kingdom of Sylphrena is named after the Angel Sylphrena, and the other two kingdoms are named Kael and Zephir... Then the three Angels must be Sylphrena, Kael, and Zephir?"

Hearing the boy's theory, Rina let out a sigh of relief. So, he is not stupid; perhaps he never had the chance to attend school.

Rina was aware that in some parts of the kingdom, parents preferred their children to help with family work instead of sending them to school. At least he has a loving family – parents, brothers, sisters, and probably friends...

She envied the boy, roaming carefree, asking naive questions to a disguised princess, beloved by his family; he lived the life of her dreams.

"You are a quick learner."

"Oh, I never thought to hear a compliment from you. But thanks, "he chuckled.

The sincerity in his voice eased some of the tension that had been holding Rina's body tight. She wasn't accustomed to such freely spoken interactions, aside from her father. Rina felt at ease enough to steal a covert glance at this intriguing boy.

The first thing that caught her eye was his hair, a cerulean blue, much like her rare silver. It looked as if the blue sky had been woven onto his head, with the wind playing with his hair, like ripples on a lake. In a few spots, black streaks were visible, like boats navigating the endless blue. From the side, she could not see his face properly.

Equally striking were his clothes – worn-out leather shoes, a linen short, and a once-white, now grey shirt that appeared a bit too small, revealing the contours of muscles threatening to burst through the fabric.

He must have been working hard on the farms to get such a nice body.

Her cheeks turned red as she realized her thoughts.

Strong. A strong body... not nice.

Rina shook her head vigorously, trying to dispel that train of thought, but her mind wandered in various directions.

Could this be a scandal? The beginning of an impossible romantic relationship between a farmer and a princess... Father would never approve.

"Rina, stop!" She scolded herself, her gaze returning to the ground as if searching for hidden treasure beneath the dirt.

"Is everything alright?" The blue-haired stranger's voice sounded concerned.

"Ah yes... actually no. What's wrong with your clothes? You should change your attire," she commented honestly, unaware of how rude she sounded and failing to see the irony in the situation.

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

The boy looked down at his body, his gaze lingering for a moment.

"My attire is fine. Thanks for your concern, though. But have you seen yourself in a mirror lately? You're wearing an oversized monk's robe, and you're practically sweeping the ground with the edges. I may not know much about clothing, but you certainly don't either," he countered.

"Ugh," was all Rina could manage in response. He was right, and she felt his gaze scrutinizing her. However, she couldn't accept this criticism.

"I don't want to hear this from a farmer!"

"Farmer? What are you talking a—" he couldn't finish his sentence.

"Fresh fruits! Apples, bananas, strawberries—everything the heart and stomach desire for a sharp discount!" A fruit merchant pulling a portable table approached them, advertising his goods.

The princess and the stranger turned to the merchant, who eyed his potential new customers with greed sparkling in his eyes.

"What a...ugh...lovely pair," he remarked, giving them a once-over before clearing his throat. "Ahem, are you not hungry for a fresh, juicy apple?"

The merchant raised a colossal apple, the size of a head, in both his hands. "Look at this gem. Treated with the best fertilizers and the clearest water—a king apple. They're rare to find this time of year, and I'm the only one around offering it. For only 10 silver, it's yours."

"Woah... I've never seen such a big apple. It's gigantic," the boy remarked.

Country pumpkin... The apples I've seen are twice as big, and I could have them whenever I desired.

The merchant smirked. "You know what? For you two, I'll make a special offer: 8 silvers."

"That's very kind. Thank you very much."

You're probably getting ripped off, you know.

"You're welcome. So, are you buying this one, then?" the merchant asked the stunned boy.

"Haha, no, I don't have any money," he replied, scratching the back of his head with an embarrassed grin on his face.

"Alright, alright, you're a tough nut. 7 silvers, and that's my final offer. I still have kids to feed, and that's as low as I can go."

The boy sighed, reaching into his pockets, and pulling them inside out, revealing nothing. "Not even a copper," he said before bursting into laughter.

What's so amusing about having no money?

"I see, what a waste of time."

The sound of a cart being pulled grew closer as the merchant prepared to move past them. Rina glanced at the boy, who was apologizing to the merchant, and rolled her eyes. As a princess, she felt compelled to help this commoner. It was her royal duty.

"Wait! Come back, I'll buy one... You know what, give me two."

Without hesitation, the fruit seller swiftly turned back, his goods almost toppling from the cart due to inertia. He rubbed his hands together, his eyes gleaming as he fixed his gaze on Rina.

"Of course, young lady. Here, I've already prepared two King apples for you. That's 14 silvers for you. And because of your enchanting voice, I'll reduce it to 13!" He spoke as he packed two apples into a plastic bag.

"I'm not so ignorant. You can play your tricks with others. Ten silvers, and I won't pay more than that."

The merchant looked at the plastic bag in his hand and then back to Rina. He sighed and, through gritted teeth, said, "Fine."

"Good. Here," Rina stretched out her hand from under the robe, revealing a sparkling gold coin in her ivory hand.

With wide eyes and a lower jaw that seemed about to hit the floor, the merchant stammered, "T-This. What exactly do you want to buy? Did you say two or two hundred apples?"

"That's a gold coin. Where did you steal that from?" the boy joked from the side, but she could hear the astonishment in his tone.

Huh... That's the smallest denomination I have. What's the big deal anyway? It's just a gold coin. I have more...

Common sense wasn't the princess's forte.

"Just put them all in a bag, don't waste my time," Rina commanded.

The merchant instantly muted himself, not wanting to anger this apparent wealthy customer. He efficiently packed all the fruits into bags and placed them in front of the pair.

"Thank you, dear customer," he said before almost running away, as if fearing being recalled for a refund.

"Amazing, you can even haggle the price," the boy commented.

"Hmpf..." Rina shrugged her shoulders, pretending that it was nothing special. "... Naturally."

"Let's go, take them all with you," she ordered, pointing at the numerous bags, and was about to leave.

"What do you mean? Do you want me to carry them for you?"

"Of cou...," she stopped herself.

I forgot he is not my servant... How do I get him to carry those bags then... Father said that a man should always help a woman. They can't deny their requests... What should I do?

"Of course! D-Do you expect me to carry all those bags? Do you have any shame left in you? I bought these things for you. Y-You owe me!"

Like a stranded fish gasping for breath, the boy's mouth opened and closed. For a moment, he stood frozen, as if another statue had been added to the plaza. He then silently stepped toward the bags.

You should have done so from the very start. Hmpf!

Soon, a robed figure with a hood covering her head and face, and a blue-haired boy with bags all over his body, parts of various fruits slipping through the openings, walked side by side on the streets of Sylphrena's capital, passing in front of a stand. They glanced at giant apples with a price sign that read: One King apple – 3 silvers.

The boy's laughter echoed. "In the end, you were still ripped off."

"Damn it!" the princess cursed; she would not let the boy have this last laugh.

Angry shouts and heartfelt laughter filled one of the countless alleys.