Chapter 4

That day, the two decided to stay at a small inn and begin their plans the next day.

However, since it was already late, there was only one room available.

“Eh, only one?”

While Chloe was flustered, Erich casually accepted it and paid the fee in advance.

“Wait, are we really staying in the same room?”

“What are you saying now? We’ve already seen each other changing clothes.”

“Don’t say weird things!”

In a panic, she covered his mouth with her hand and looked around.

A woman who seemed to be a server was watching them with flushed cheeks.

“But it’s true, isn’t it?”

“You were the one who suddenly started undressing!”

“Chloe, you’re being loud.”

From the men in the dining area at the back of the inn, teasing voices rose.

“Take your lovers’ quarrel somewhere else,” they said, and Chloe’s cheeks turned bright red.

Of course, from anger.

“Well, you don’t have to be so wary of me.”

Erich said that in a somewhat carefree tone.

“Thanks to Her Highness the Princess, I’ve become completely distrustful of women. If it weren’t you, Chloe, I’d refuse to share a room from my side.”

“…Alright.”

It was probably the same as how Chloe couldn’t trust other men because of her father, brother, and former fiancé.

Once he put it that way, she couldn’t strongly refuse anymore, and in the end, they stayed in the same room.

Either way, there were no other rooms available, so it couldn’t be helped.

At first, she had all sorts of unnecessary worries, but since it was late at night, she must have fallen asleep quickly.

Before she knew it, it was already morning.

It seemed Erich was the same.

Having finally escaped their cages, perhaps they both let their guard down a little.

“Good morning, Erich.”

She said that with her makeup removed, her face appearing even more faint and plain than usual.

Erich, his silver hair shining in the morning light and slightly tousled from sleep, replied with a sleepy “Good morning.”

“It’s been a while since I slept this well. Not being watched is wonderful.”

Saying that, he stood up and began changing clothes right in front of her.

“!”

Chloe hurriedly turned her face away.

(Seriously, I wish he’d stop suddenly changing like that.)

Though his skin was unusually pale for a knight, his body was well-trained.

“I’ll go buy breakfast. What do you want?”

“Um, sandwiches and fruit.”

“Got it. I’ll be right back.”

Dressed like a traveling swordsman, Erich said that and left the room.

Chloe also hurriedly changed while he was gone.

(Sharing a room is… fine, I guess. It saves money too. But changing clothes is a bit of a problem.)

As she thought that while organizing the things she had brought, Erich returned with an exasperated expression.

“Welcome back. What’s wrong?”

“There was an annoying woman.”

It seemed true that he disliked women.

It felt like a waste, considering how handsome he was.

While Chloe was thinking that, he laid out what he had bought.

Sandwiches filled with ingredients and a platter of fresh fruit.

He must have gone to the market.

“The town is a bit noisy. They might be looking for you, Chloe.”

“Just me?”

“I don’t think Her Highness the Princess would be looking for me. And if she were, she’d use the royal guards. So it’s not me. I’ll go to the black market, so stay here, Chloe.”

“…Okay, got it. Can I leave it to you?”

“Of course.”

She entrusted him with the jewels she had brought.

“Be careful.”

“I’ll be fine. The surveillance magic is gone now.”

Erich smiled lightly and left.

It seemed the princess had really caused him a lot of trouble.

I almost felt sorry for him.

He told me to eat at the inn’s dining place when it was noon, so I waited until then and went downstairs.

It seemed the place wasn’t run by the inn itself, but rather a shop owner renting the space.

Perhaps because of that, it felt more like a stylish café than an inn dining hall.

(What should I get…? I had sandwiches in the morning, so maybe a pasta set?)

The portions were small, but the beautifully plated dishes looked delicious.

There’s no way Father would imagine that his plain and shy daughter is enjoying lunch at a café.

After finishing the lunch set, I even ordered iced tea and a cake set.

Casually observing my surroundings, I enjoyed my tea.

There were no nobles, but well-dressed young women were chatting happily.

Compared to nobles, moderately wealthy commoner women seemed to have more freedom.

(As expected, commoners are freer and seem to have more fun. Being a noble just doesn’t suit me.)

Thinking that, it might have been fortunate that I was able to break off the engagement right after regaining my past life memories.

In my previous life, I lived freely as I pleased, so I didn’t want to be bound by noble rules and customs.

(Yeah, the cake is delicious. It would be fun to earn properly and travel around the world trying all kinds of food.)

Chloe’s heart was already set on the future.

Her father, her brother, and her former fiancé no longer lingered in her mind at all.

(Life is meant to be enjoyed. Since I’ve been reincarnated into another world, I want to experience all kinds of things.)