Lorin and Xueyi stepped out of the room. As they ate a meal that was neither quite breakfast nor lunch, they could clearly feel the maids' gazes on them were different.
Lorin didn’t mind much—he’d expected this after people saw how he and Xueyi looked together.
Xueyi, however, felt shy. She kept fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve.
The clothes Xueyi wore weren’t hers. In fact, Lorin had no idea what to do with her ruined outfit.
But he couldn’t let her wear his clothes outside, so he’d borrowed these from the maids. He still remembered their knowing smiles when they handed him the dress.
Xueyi shifted closer to Lorin and whispered, "Can you come with me to buy clothes later?"
The maids had given her their best dresses, thinking of her noble status, but forgot to check the fit.
The dress hung loosely on Xueyi, its shoulder slipping down her arm now and then.
She wouldn’t have minded if it were sleepwear—loose clothes were fine for bed—but wearing this outside made her uneasy.
Seeing her like this, Lorin had no reason to refuse. He simply nodded.
Leaving the Royal Capital seemed almost arranged. With Xueyi here—the key person—he didn’t need to go elsewhere.
After eating, Xueyi clung to Lorin like a shy child, one hand holding her slipping shoulder, the other gripping his sleeve.
Only when they boarded the carriage did she relax a little.
Before, when traveling to the academy, they’d sat opposite each other. This time, Xueyi sat right beside Lorin, hugging his arm.
Lorin saw her pale shoulder half-exposed. He pinched her cheek gently. "Can you stay calm next time?"
Xueyi swatted his hand away, pouting. "If you’d just followed my plan, I wouldn’t have acted like that."
Lorin gave a bitter smile. He couldn’t guarantee his actions were flawless, but he knew they were for Xueyi’s benefit.
If he followed her ideas, he wasn’t sure where things would lead—or what he’d become under her influence.
At the tailor shop in the Royal Capital, the shopkeeper hurried to bow. "Good day, Second Prince."
Lorin studied the middle-aged woman, surprised. "Have we met?"
"Probably not," she replied. "But I saw your portrait when making your clothes."
Tailors used portraits to capture a noble’s aura when taking measurements for custom outfits.
"Are you here for a new order today, Second Prince?"
"Not me—her." Lorin nodded at Xueyi. "Do you have ready-made dresses she can wear now?"
He felt like he’d become Xueyi’s human shield if she didn’t change soon.
The shopkeeper glanced at Xueyi, not recognizing her family, but understanding their closeness. "Yes, miss, please follow me."
"I’ll wait here."
"Okay." Xueyi walked off but turned back. "Don’t wander off!"
Lorin wondered if she saw him as a child.
He looked outside. The shop faced the Royal Capital’s busiest street, with the palace visible in the distance.
He still didn’t know who pushed for his early departure. But after his talk with Oulei that night, she was likely involved.
Was she truly wary of him? Protecting Romon’s succession? Or just clinging to power?
"Second Prince, how about this dress?"
Lorin turned. Xueyi had changed into a light blue gown. It complemented her pale skin, reminding him of a small lake under winter’s first snow—still unfrozen.
"How is it?" Xueyi stood straighter now, her eyes holding a new spark, as if waiting for something.
"The dress looks nice," Lorin said casually.
But that wasn’t the answer she wanted. She marched up and punched his chest lightly.
"Why only the dress?" she huffed. "Shouldn’t you say I look good in it?"
She swung at him again, making Lorin step back.
The shopkeeper covered her mouth, giggling at the scene.
After buying the dress, with daylight left, Lorin followed Xueyi for a stroll.
Really, Xueyi led him—he barely knew the Royal Capital beyond what the Bookkeeper shared.
At the riverside, Xueyi stopped, staring blankly at merchants selling goods across the water.
"Want to buy anything else?" Lorin asked.
She hadn’t bought a thing since the dress, even refusing the shopkeeper’s jewelry suggestions.
Lorin recalled she rarely wore accessories—only the Bracelet he’d given her. It made her different from other noble girls.
Xueyi shook her head, pointing ahead. "Someday, let’s sell things together too."
Lorin was puzzled. "Why suddenly want to be merchants?"
As the Second Prince and a Gret Family lady, it sounded absurd.
"Then we’d stay together all day," she said. "You wouldn’t have to leave for some territory."
Lorin froze, unsure how to respond.
It sounded like a naive joke—nobles dreaming of commoner lives. But her wish was pure: she just wanted to stay by his side.
Lorin stretched with a smile. "Maybe we’ll try it someday."
