The Crown Prince Thinks I'm a Guy

The Entrance Examination

For a while now, a little, red demon has been glaring at me. I was skipping along the city streets, enjoying the refreshingly cool, morning breeze. I let out a satisfied sound. "Ahh~ I'm so full! Aunt Tabitha, you definitely chose a great restaurant!"

"Of course!" the woman replied with gusto. "I know these streets and their best places like the back of my hand!"

Especially since we were now enveloped in such a pleasing atmosphere, I tried my best not to be too bothered by the red demon, who had now started to growl audibly. However, I thought that maybe I could appease it a little, so I peered down at its crouching form. It was festering in its own grumpiness. Holding out a cautious hand, I poked at its pinkish cheeks.

It screamed. "Gah! Don't go annoying me more, ya bastard!"

Immediately, this little demon was hit on the head by a much bigger demon. "Watch yar language, son! We didun raise ya to go sproutin' out such grody words!"

I flinched as I watched Joren curse out even more, and this time due to pain. His curses only earned him even more scoldings and beatings from his father, although I knew very well each hit was probably only as heavy as a kitten's paw.

I felt a presence come near me. "I know you've probably already grown used to us, but I will still apologize for my family's rowdy behavior," Tabitha told me, although she had a smile on her face as she stared at her family's antics.

"Oh, I actually find it quite endearing," I reassured her. Then, I shrugged. "Besides, the noise does keep me entertained."

She laughed a bit and softly agreed with me. The rest of the early morning, we walked towards the less crowded areas of Lunaris City, my left hand firmly held by the red-haired woman.

~~

Letting the last box of merchandise fall to the ground, I straightened up in a hurry and gestured at Joren excitedly. "I'm done here!"

He grinned and then glanced back at the wall clock hanging inside his relatives' underground storage area. "We still have about an hour 'til noon. We gotta leave now!"

I quickly kept pace as he ran back up to the main house, shouting at the windows, "Ma, Da! Me and Therion are going out for a bit, alright?!"

Immediately, the figure of a woman could barely be seen through the hazy glass window as she shouted back, "Don't go too far!"

Joren immediately grabbed at my arm and dragged me away. When we had just passed through the lot's gates, Tabitha called out again, "Come back in an hour, do you hear?!"

"Yes, Ma!" Joren replied back without even slowing down.

Based on the pamphlets I've seen days ago, the entrance examinations should be held at the central plaza of the city. Around two years ago, I had walked through the central markets, so I had a vague memory about where the plaza could be at. At first, our travel was smooth, but the closer we got to the center, the denser the people became. At one point, we couldn't even manage to move at all.

"What is up with this crowd?" I screamed in agitation.

"Iz always like dis at dis time of the year, child!" a booth owner replied from beside me. He gave me a toothy smile. "B'sides, who would'un wanna see such a spectacle, aye?"

I looked forward, and just above the heads of the people, I could glance the strong gusts of steaming air caused by-

"The Cameli-elephant thingies!" Joren proudly shouted at me, to which I laughed at quite hollowly before correcting him. "It's Cameliphanti, Monty."