Chapter 39: The Riverside Inn and Playing Princess
The laundry hung in the room swayed gently in the dim glow of the lamp.
When it was time for dinner, I slowly offered my hand to Rowena.
“Alright, let’s go.”
Supporting Rowena as she dragged her still-aching foot, we carefully descended the stairs step by step.
A young female attendant at the inn, who had been watching us, chuckled softly and called out.
“Oh my, it looks just like a knight escorting a princess.”
At those words, Rowena’s face flushed bright red, and she shyly hid behind me.
When we moved to the dining hall, it was far more crowded than expected.
There were only a few seats, and nearly all the tables were full.
“Excuse me, are there any seats available?”
When I asked a nearby staff member, she bowed apologetically.
“I’m very sorry. This inn is right by the river, and fresh fish is our specialty. On clear days, most people eat at the riverside stalls, so our dining hall is a bit smaller than those in other inns…”
She hurriedly added,
“But I assure you, the taste is excellent! My father’s fish dishes are superb!”
“I see. In that case, would it be possible to have our meal in the room? We don’t mind waiting.”
“Of course! We’ll bring it up to your room shortly.”
I ordered two of the day’s recommendations and returned to the room with Rowena.
“Wait here for a bit. I’ll be right back,” I told her, then headed back to the dining hall alone.
Catching the same attendant, I lowered my voice and made a small request.
Her face lit up instantly when she heard it.
“Oh my! For that little princess earlier, right? Leave it to me!”
She smiled brightly and thumped her chest as if to say she’d handle it.
When I returned to the room, Rowena was sitting at the table, deeply focused on something.
She hadn’t even noticed I’d come back yet.
(What is she doing…?)
Leaning against the door, I quietly watched without making a sound.
Rowena was repeatedly tracing something on the table with her small finger.
It was writing.
The name I had taught her—her own name.
And mine.
With clumsy finger movements, she carefully traced the shapes again and again.
Seeing her earnest effort, warmth filled my chest.
After a while, she suddenly looked up and noticed me, her shoulders jumping in surprise.
Smiling, I walked over and gently patted her head.
“Good job, Rowena. You’ve been practicing properly.”
Embarrassed by the praise, Rowena blushed and lightly pounded my chest with her small fists, laughing.
As we continued practicing letters together, there was a knock at the door.
The food had arrived.
The dishes placed on the table steamed invitingly, filling the room with a delicious aroma.
The main dish was river fish wrapped in large leaves and steamed.
The plump white flesh was filled with the fragrance of herbs and the natural flavor of the fish, melting softly in the mouth.
The side dish—a warm soup filled with root vegetables—and black bread were a perfect comfort for our chilled bodies.
After finishing our meal and relaxing together, there was another knock at the door.
The same female attendant appeared again.
“I’ve brought dessert.”
What she carried was a warm sweet made of beans simmered in sugar, wrapped in soft dough.
“What is this?”
“The river flowing by this inn is called the Apon River. So this is called ‘Apon Manju.’”
As she explained, she gently placed the plate in front of Rowena.
“Here you are, Princess. A gift from your lord. Please enjoy.”
At those words, Rowena looked at me in confusion.
I gave a playful smile and, with an exaggerated gesture, said,
“Princess Rowena, it’s a token of my appreciation. Will you accept it?”
Being treated like a princess twice in a row, Rowena’s face turned bright red.
Still, while shyly lowering her gaze, she took a small bite of the manju.
That night—
Rowena seemed unable to shake off her princess mood.
As I prepared the bed, she sat primly on hers and said to me,
“Edo… foot.”
Pointing to her sprained ankle, she was clearly asking for a massage.
With a wry smile, I knelt at her feet.
“Yes, yes, is Her Highness’s foot tired?”
Carefully avoiding the injured spot, I gently and slowly massaged her calf.
When it was time to sleep and I tucked her into bed, she looked up at me from under the covers with a small smile and made another request.
“Eo… uta.”
A lullaby, huh.
I didn’t know any songs, but I had no choice.
I hummed a vague melody—something I vaguely remembered someone singing at the orphanage long ago.
Satisfied, Rowena closed her eyes happily and soon began to breathe softly in her sleep.
After watching her sleeping face for a moment, I returned to my own bed.
I checked that the notebook on the desk had completely dried from the heat of the lamp, then picked up my pen.
As I recalled the events of the day, a natural smile formed on my lips.
—At the riverside inn. The princess seemed most pleased.