episode_0096

When the sun sets.

I leave for major studies.

Of course, I was worried that if I was caught by Theodora or Lucius, I would get yelled at, so I carefully escaped.

Phew… no one will know this much, right?

Perhaps because it is still early spring, it is already dark outside.

It’s only 6 o’clock.

What will allow you to escape quietly?

With that in mind, I head to the newlywed room.

When I opened the closet in my newlywed room and looked through the pockets of my winter jacket, I found a leather pocket in my hand.

Open it and check the ring.

Goodbye.

After taking the ring and holding a paper bag containing clothes that a citizen of the empire would wear, he heads to Joy’s room.

-smart!

“Who are you?”

I hear Joey’s voice and I answer.

“It’s me.”

There was no response to what I said…

Soon the door opens wide.

“Brother-in-law?”

Looking at Joey, who didn’t expect me to come, I spoke quickly, wondering if Theodora might come.

“You said you wanted to go out, right? I’ll let you go out today.”

Joy, with a face full of doubt, hesitates at my words.

“Uh… how?”

I say that with a grin.

“First, put on your going out clothes and follow me, ah! And would you like to change into something plain rather than something too flashy?”

Joy looks embarrassed as she looks at the clothes with fancy frills that would only be worn in the imperial palace.

“Now?”

I nod my head at those words.

“Now. But I need to change quickly. Theodora might get angry when she comes.”

Joey nods.

“Now… just a moment.”

So I anxiously wait for her to change her clothes.

After a while, Joy’s visit opens…

“When going on a picnic. What do you think of the clothes you wear?”

I’m rather worried because the sleeves of the blue dress are clearly visible.

“I think that would be too cold?”

It is still early spring.

If you go around like that, you’ll catch a cold…

“Phew… I can’t help it.”

She says it reminds her of the clothes she used to wear when she was secretly practicing with Theodora.

“Wait a moment.”

Saying that, he goes to the newlywed room and looks for Theodora’s secret clothes.

Ordinary clothes hidden in the corner of the closet.

It was easy to find plain clothes in a closet full of fancy dresses.

Taking the clothes, he stands in front of Joy’s room and knocks.

“Now, do you want to try this on?”

When I brought her some women’s clothes… she nodded, a little surprised.

“Sleep… just a moment.”

After a while, I look closely at her as she comes out after changing her clothes.

Okay.

I smile and hold out the ring, thinking that it would be perfect as long as I didn’t have gray hair and red eyes.

“Then wear this and follow me.”

Joy soon puts on the ring.

“Okay, the magic works normally.”

Joy changed to black hair and black eyes.

The atmosphere has completely changed.

Should I say that she looks a little calm and cold in the atmosphere of a bright, cute and lovely girl?

“This is…?”

I say this to Joy, who is smoothing her hair as if she has noticed that her hair color has changed.

“Now, follow me.”

So he leads her and goes for a carriage ride.

“Agripa.”

Agrippa, whom I had summoned in advance, looks at me and sighs.

“Grand Duke. Are you here?”

I nod my head at those words.

“Joey, hurry and get on the wagon.”

His face is filled with doubts, as if he still doesn’t know what’s going on.

“I’ll get in the carriage and talk to you.”

Joy soon gets on the carriage.

And I also get into the carriage, and Agrippa also gets into the carriage.

“Brother-in-law… Where are we going?”

“Roman City.”

Joy’s eyes widen at my words.

It feels awkward because he doesn’t have his usual red eyes, but his unique big eyes are cute.

“Really?”

“Yes, the night market is also open today. Let’s have fun.”

Joey smiles brightly and nods.

“But Your Majesty the Archduke. If the imperial palace finds out that the princess is missing…”

“It’s okay, just tell Theodora that you went out with me for a moment.”

“Is it okay? The Empress Dowager must be worried too…”

-I flinch.

Joey and I flinched at the same time.

“That’s…”

Because I’m missing dinner too. There’s no way you don’t know.

A daughter who suddenly disappeared.

There’s no way she wouldn’t be worried because she’s a mother-in-law who cares so much about her daughter, but I’m sure Theodora will take care of it.

At that thought, I nod my head and say.

“That Agrippa… I’m really sorry. Can you just tell Theodora that you are going out with Joey?”

So Agrippa was sent to Theodora.

***

Me and Joey look around for Roman.

“Wow!”

Joy likes to fly.

Seeing her like that brings a smile to my face.

So, I walk with her and look around downtown Roman.

“Brother-in-law! Look over there. It used to be a clothing store, but it disappeared and became an accessories store.”

“Look at the department store over there! It’s on sale today!”

Apart from Joy’s excitement, I speak cautiously because I am hungry.

“Sister-in-law, shall we go for dinner?”

Joey nods his head at my words.

“Brother-in-law, what do you want to eat? I know all the good restaurants here! Just say it.”

I think about that for a moment.

“White rice and soy sauce crab sauce.”

Joey hesitates at my words.

“There are foods made from rice, but… what is soy sauce crab?”

I smile at those words.

Since I always liked soy sauce crab sauce, I tried it out while looking at Joy, who was excited.

“There is such food, then shall we eat that type of rice?”

Rice is also grown here.

However, since wheat is mainly grown, rice is sold at a rather high price.

Joey nods his head at my words.

“There is a store just a short distance away that is famous for risotto. Let’s eat there.”

So I go to the store she mentioned and listen to her story.

“Hey, I bought a dress a while ago. It’s really pretty, right?”

A certain store’s dress is pretty, or a certain store’s dessert is delicious.

This makes it feel like we’re on a date.

“Brother-in-law, are you listening to me?”

I smile softly as I look at Joy, who is slightly upset because she thinks I’m ignoring her.

“Did you hear that the bread over there is delicious?”

Joey nods his head as if satisfied with my words.

“Yes! Mom likes the bread over there… And Dad too…”

The atmosphere becomes momentarily gloomy.

No… why is this happening all of a sudden?

The moment I felt I had stepped on a landmine.

“Brother-in-law! They’re all here! hurry! It’s so popular over there that you can’t eat there if you’re late.”

As Joy said, there is already quite a line.

“Wow? I see business is going well here?”

Joey nods his head as if it were natural to hear what I said.

“Of course, this is the restaurant I chose.”

As she said, the line is quite long.

“Wow…”

But it seems like there are a lot of couples?

With that thought in mind, I whisper it into Joy’s ear.

“I guess most people here are couples?”

Joey answers my question.

“That’s it, hmmm… there’s a reason for everything.”

what?

I feel puzzled by her proud face.

Why does the presence of so many couples in the restaurant have anything to do with your satisfaction?

Before we knew it, it was our turn and we entered the restaurant.

The interior of the restaurant does not have a luxurious feel, but has a cozy feel.

The waiter guided us to the table and we sat down.

“Now, here is the menu.”

I leave the menu and hand it to Joy.

“I would like a cream risotto, and what about my brother-in-law?”

With that said, I look around the menu.

“Uh…?”

What did I just see?

There is something strange on the menu.

[Risotto highly praised by Princess Joy.]

[Princess Joy’s favorite Quattro Starzoni Pizza.]

what?

Are my eyes wrong?

I rub my eyes and flip through the menu.

[Red wine from the year Princess Joy was born.]

what’s this?

What does Joey have to do with this restaurant?

When I look at Joey as if asking for an explanation, Joey smiles and says.

“Brother-in-law, if you don’t know what to eat, how about risotto and Quattro Stazzoni Pizza?”

“Uh… Huh? Please do that.”

Soon after Joey finished ordering, I spoke in a low voice.

“Here… Why is your name on every menu?”

Joey laughs, covering his mouth with his palm at my words.

“Well, I’m a regular here. This place became famous. I come here often.”

I am puzzled by that statement.

“Why is that?”

Can Joy become very famous?

No… wait.

I heard that Princess Joy has been popular in Romania for a long time because of her unique cuteness and kind heart…

Was this what it meant?

“Even though I look like this, I am Roman’s celebrity. How popular am I in Roman?”

I speak while slightly lifting the menu and covering my face in case someone hears me.

“So…there are a lot of young couples?”

“Because I am the idol of Roman women?”

Joy’s words, which I had never thought of, are astounding.

No… aren’t people who are envied as idols usually pretty or cool?

I think it’s someone like Agrippa or Theodora.

Those two…anyone would think they are beautiful.

But Joy… I guess it feels like a cute dog?

So it is difficult to accept it easily.

“Huh? Brother-in-law, are you not trusting me now? If I take off this ring, there will be a lot of chaos here.”

I speak softly because I’m afraid I might accidentally take off the ring.

“Trust me, I believe it, so don’t take it out.”

My head hurts as I watch Joey fiddling with the ring evilly.

Was it a good thing that I came out like this today?

What if someone recognizes Joy?

These thoughts make my head spin. what? Taking off the ring?

When I think of that, I remember that she is Theodora’s younger sister, and my sighs deepen.

“Ha…”

The women in this family really don’t think about the future…