The Crown Prince Thinks I'm a Guy

Of Maturity and Youth

I stared at the boy's open palm. It looked large compared to mine. Yet, I had no doubt both of us were simply tiny compared to everyone else in the Black Cave.

"... You want me to pay?" I asked him, just in case. Who knows what specific gestures meant in a different nation? But, he only nodded enthusiastically with a huge smile. I now had no doubt that the boy was no noble. Which educated child would even ask for money in exchange for helping out a poor damsel in distress? I asked him with a suspicious face, "How much?"

I stared at him while he touched his chin with a thoughtful pose. I took this chance to observe him properly without all the adrenaline from running around. He had smooth, brown skin and thick, dark hair much like mine. However, while my hair was frizzy and often bounced out into an uncooperative mess, the few strands I could see from underneath his hood were curled up loosely. His eyes were a gentle chestnut color that grew darker in certain light. His lips were full and charming, while his cheeks held a boyish roundness. He was skinny though, and probably tall for his age. He's almost as tall as the shortest adults. Frankly, my five-year-old body barely reached his chest. I stopped staring when he caught my gaze.

He leaned in closer to me yet again so I couldn't look away. "20 pences!"

At first, I was confused about what he meant. But, then I remembered what we were talking about. "Oh! Then, deal! You guide me out of this place and have me safely returned to the Lunaris City market, and the 20 pences are yours."

He was laughing amiably as we shook on it.

Of course, I was totally broke, but I didn't tell him that. Anyway, I'll make sure to pay him back the moment I meet up with Miss Hestia.

"Alright then!" he announced with his hands on his waist. "But I hope you have just a little bit more time to spare? I've gotta find some of the things I came here to buy."

"You mean, you sneaked out to buy," I mumbled, but I agreed nevertheless. After all, I had no right to suddenly just barge in on a simple commoner during his chores, no matter how unofficial those chores were.

"What are you buying?" I asked in curiosity as we started walking into some narrow side streets away from the center.

"Oh, just these and that." He looked forward with a lackadaisical smile. I could only stare at him with suspicion plastered on my face. I mean, what kind of items would a prepubescent child even buy at a Dark Market?

We were now in a dreary street filtered with a few dozen looming stalactites above us. The stalls were more spaced apart and actual shops surrounded us in both sides.

I saw a few weird names.

'Mischievous Mallock's Maladies'

'Stormquil's Sordonic Concoctions'

'Sad Adventurer's Must-Die-To-Haves'

Although I was getting quite nervous the deeper we went down the streets, and even more nervous after seeing how there were more suspicious-looking lots appearing in this area, I still somewhat trusted the boy walking in front of me, whistling carelessly away.

The tune he was whistling was oddly familiar...

Before I could place a memory on the tune, there was a sudden commotion in the dark street.

"Please, sir, let me go!" A woman, not even dressed adequately, was pulled out by the arm from a shabby shop by a pair of men. "I promise to pay my brother's debts by next week!"

The larger man, wearing quite obnoxious and flashy clothes, sighed a stage-like sigh. "Woman, don't you know you said just that yesterday, and the day before that?"