The Crimson General Desires no Prince! (GL)
Chapter 31 - 29: Their First Date (IX).

Chapter 31: Chapter 29: Their First Date (IX).

Chapter 29: Their First Date (IX).

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Main Road: Food District

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The party spent their morning hearing the princess’ instructions.

Apparently their date will require the bodyguards’ assistance.

Jonathan was definitely having questions after hearing that they’ll become the princess’ servants after. They should’ve brought in some maids or butlers for this...

"Ahem, my apologies if I had everyone going around in certain places. I would like some help for my next... list of things I want to do before I leave my home." (Princess Camille) takes out a few gold coins from the pouches, counting them each. "Gentlemen and Rowan, do form a line for me."

All the guards including Rowan formed a line.

"Hey, you holding up okay? Man sorry we had to tag along on your date. I bet it’s awkward when you’re trying to get to know a person and you have almost fifteen people following you around." (Jonathan) who was beside Rowan asks if she’s alright.

"I’m fine, Jonathan, no need to worry. I get to see her highness do the things she’s been wanting to try all this time, I got to know her better because of it too. This has been really fun." (Rowan) waits for her fiancé’s instructions, eagerly wanting to help.

"Pfft I think I can imagine this will be your married life from now on. I heard from our brothers that their wife is the boss, kinda like now. Look at your obediently being on line, don’t make your future wife angry~"

Rowan didn’t mind the others joining their date because as long as the princess is having fun she’s happy.

"Each of you will be given money to spend on a few items that I need. I don’t know the area of the capital city so I was hoping to ask for your help. For these items we don’t need much, just the right amount for at least more than thirty people." She instructs them, giving ten gold coins each.

Everyone that was in mine was confused by her words. This was a lot of money and she was just going to give it away just like that?

"Your highness, if I may ask. What is it that you want to achieve here?" A guard raises his hand in question, he eyes the princess with great interest with whatever her goal is.

"...I want to help my people before I leave, that’s what I want. I just know I can’t do it alone."

Rowan held the list that was in her hand and read number twelve with a big smile on her face.

List #12: Help people.

"Food, water and clothes... that’s all that I need. We’ll be going to [The Dregs] to give them all that we can."

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Local Jewel’s Bakery

-A local bakery in Polma City owned by a man named Jewel.

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Jonathan was tasked with getting food, he decided to go to the local bakery that he was eyeing out before and with the heavy gold coins in his hands he knocked on the door and went in.

"Hello." As the doorbell rings, a baker immediately gets out to help him.

"Oh hello! How can I help you?" The baker wipes the flour in his hands on his apron and warmly greets Jonathan who was staring at the glass display.

"How many loaves of bread do you have right now?" He asks, surely if there’s an easy to carry food that’s going to be bread.

"Ah, sir for our loaves of bread available, we just got fifty of them freshly cooked from the oven. It’s about twenty silver coins for one loaf of bread." The baker explained.

Jonathan nods seeing that it was probably an enough amount that the princess needs he takes out five gold coins and gives it to the baker with a grin on his face. "I’ll take every loaf of bread you got then!"

’Not going to lie, I sounded really cool at that moment.’ (Jonathan) praises himself as the baker worriedly stares at the Lieutenant.

"Um... everything?"

"Everything."

The guards were having their own stuff to buy too.

"Two barrels of water, bring it here please."

"Clothes we definitely need some children’s clothes, if possible some that are on sale but make sure they’re good quality. Both children and adults."

"I’ll go buy some candy, if we’re going to the Dregs a lot of stray kids that’s roaming there would like this."

"We have to buy toys too, right?"

The party decided to separate for a whole hour, the royal guards were reluctant but came to an agreement that half would do the princess’ bidding while the rest stayed.

Jonathan waits for the baker to pack the loaves of bread. Honestly, he’s starting to regret saying all of it because well- "This is all of the loaves of bread, sir."

"O-Oh." He was met with three boxes of them, he doesn’t know how he’ll be able to carry that much without breaking his back. "T-Thank you I think I’ll manage carrying these boxes by myself... I am a strong man after all."

His voice was rather unsure on the last part but hey, it’s hard asking for help. The baker after settling everything out excuses himself to continue making bread. "I have collected your payment sir. I hope you have a nice day ahead."

"Wait-" (Jonathan) stops the man from leaving looking a bit anxious. "I have a few questions if you have time."

The baker scratches his head, this young man did buy all of the loaves of bread that he has so might as well entertain him while the bakery is still empty. "I have time. You can fire away those questions, young man."

Jonathan inhales, calculating everything.

He’s happy about his bestfriend for scoring a princess, but as his best friend he must make sure that Rowan is safe from any possible dangers surrounding the princess. He needed to get information and get to know Princess Camille’s true colors. "About the crown princess, what can you say about her character? I mean... as a civilian living in the kingdom she’s supposed to rule. Do you have any idea about her character at all?"

"Hmm... to answer sir, in my opinion everyone in the city is rather grateful to her."

"What do you mean by that?"

"My family has been living here since forever hahaha! I was once an adventurer for ten years, travelling around. I only retired because of an incident, leaving one of my feet eaten by a monster." He shows him the wound, taking off his shoes and indeed- he doesn’t have a foot.

"I’m sorry for your loss"

"Aye, all in the past. I never expected my city to change a lot since then I even managed to set up my bakery by taking out a loan at the bank- as long as I paid my fees I’m good. A few things here improved for the better. New trade routes have been opened, you never see dwarves and elves around back then don’t you? Now they’re practically everywhere setting up their businesses and living life." There was a lot of prejudice between races so it was understandable. The Kingdom of Polestin is one of the only few kingdoms that has accepted other races inside their territory and have them legally become one of the kingdom’s citizens. "It was a new decree upheld by the King... but we all know it was all thanks to the crown princess."

"How are you sure that it was all thanks to her?"

"Rumors fly around, the nobles threw a fit when that new trade route was opened because it was too risky, humans mingling with other races was a very risky move. Apparently it was the crown princess that supported the idea and even made sure it was approved by the king." He shrugs. "Now there are still some difficult people to deal with but with time, things smoothen out. If she’s to be the new Queen, I believe this kingdom will have the most prosperous era we’ve ever seen."

...

Meanwhile...

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Random Bench in the middle of the City

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Rowan sat down on a bench with Princess Camille holding out a cold delicious treat made by an elf running an... ice cream stand is what she called it.

Elves are the only races capable of doing magic, that and the human born mages with special blood running through their veins. The last human mage or witches have been spotted over decades ago due to the hunt. They’ve been forgotten, and called to be a blood of sin.

"So... what exactly is The Dregs, your highness?" (Rowan) asks, giving the princess her ice cream.

The Dregs. A name that could scarcely disguise the truth of what it was- a sinking pit at the heart of a city that had long since abandoned any pretense of grace. The streets were a labyrinth of crumbling buildings, each one leaning toward its neighbor as though seeking solace in its decay. The air hung heavy with the scent of sweat, soot, and something less identifiable, a pungent mixture of despair and survival.

Broken windows were more common than intact ones, their jagged edges serving as grim reminders of the violence that had once torn through these narrow alleys. The ground beneath was slick with muck, a dismal cocktail of rainwater and refuse, the remnants of lives tossed aside like discarded garbage.

"I suppose we’ve only been to a good part of the city. I’ve been stuck in that castle for my whole life, being preached that we have the most successful city where the poor don’t exist. Nobles can boast too much about such lies, they turn a blind eye to such- someone opened my eyes before I could believe such a fantasy." (Princess Camille) licks her ice cream clean as Rowan looks at the sky.

The slums... she hasn’t been in one of those in a while.

"...I have encountered many like The Dregs as I travelled to villages in my line of work. Truly, it is not an easy thing to watch people become lost and consumed by poverty whether it was by choice or to be born in it. I commend her highness for deciding to help them today." (Rowan)

"We’re going to bring everything that we bought today into the shadows. The war is over but... life isn’t. I’m sorry if our date suddenly felt like it’s become a whole errand. If I need to leave with you in two days, I must make the best of it."

"I’m having fun, your highness you don’t have to apologize. Though I wonder how Jonathan is doing though, he volunteered to help but I do hope he doesn’t get lost."

The two finished what they were eating, the princess stretches looking a bit bored not knowing what they should do to kill the time before half the knights will be back to deliver the goods.

"Waiting for the guards to finish getting our things is taking them a while. I should’ve brought a few of my servants to make this much easier. Well we have a whole hour to kill, let’s see what else we can do- oh my goodness that’s a pretty dress!"

A boutique was tucked away in a narrow alley, its wooden sign swaying gently in the breeze, adorned with intricate carvings of silver vines curling around a single moonlit star. Inside, the air smelled faintly of lavender and aged leather, a welcome reprieve from the chaos of the street outside.

Immediately, Princess Camille felt that she had found a gem.

"Ah! A boutique! I’ve always wanted to go shopping without any servant’s help~!"

"...?"

"And you’re coming with me!"