The Crimson General Desires no Prince! (GL)
Chapter 32 - 30: Their First Date (X).

Chapter 32: Chapter 30: Their First Date (X).

Chapter 30: Their First Date (X).

List #17: Shop for Clothes.

"Princess..."

Rowan was a little intimidated even by just the door of the shop. The moment Princess Camille opened the door, they were welcomed by the smell of fabrics and a delightful lavender scent of someone’s perfume.

"Excuse me!"

The shopkeeper, a tall woman with flowing auburn hair and sharp, bright eyes, greeted customers with a soft smile as she moved between the displays.

"Bonjour, welcome to my boutique." Her boutique was a treasure trove of elegance, its shelves and racks overflowing with goods that seemed to whisper of otherworldly craftsmanship. The walls were lined with tapestries depicting landscapes of forests bathed in moonlight, and in the corners of the room, potted plants with glowing petals filled the air with a soft, ethereal light.

There were cloaks embroidered with feathers of magical birds, the stitches barely visible unless the fabric was caught in the right light, as if the cloaks themselves held secrets.

In the center of the room, a carved wooden table displayed a collection of exquisite jewelry- rings shaped like entwining vines, necklaces set with crystals that pulsed faintly in time with the heartbeat, and bracelets forged from the silver scales of creatures long thought extinct. Each piece seemed to carry an aura of enchantment.

The back of the boutique held shelves of rare perfumes, the bottles ornate with swirling designs that seemed to shift and change as you stared at them. Scents filled the air- spicy and sweet, floral and woody- each one capturing the essence of distant lands, as if to transport the wearer to another place and time. A small bell above the counter jingled as a pair of leather boots, polished to a high sheen, were slid forward. Their soles had been crafted with runes of speed, and the leather, dyed a rich, deep brown, was soft as silk.

"Bonjour, nous sommes ici pour choisir quelques-unes de vos plus belles robes." (Princess Camille) introduces herself, after getting transmigrated into another world as a princess she of course had to learn the other kingdom’s languages which to her surprise were similar from her old life.

The shopkeeper was impressed with the princess speaking their language with much fluency.

"Ah it’s been a while since I’ve met someone with our own native tongue. Did you just come here for a vacation, milady? I haven’t seen you around." She spoke in her language and the princess shook her head in reply.

"I did not come here for a vacation, I live here. I want to shop for my fiance. I am in awe of what you had on the display of your boutique that I couldn’t wait."

"Fiance?" The shopkeeper looked to find her companion and was surprised to find another woman standing beside her but soon found herself smiling, "Vous avez une fiancée charmante. You best be careful though, this kingdom isn’t exactly friendly to people like ourselves."

"Oui, in any case I would trouble you to find all the clothes that you have that’s available in her size. I plan on spoiling her a lot today, it’s our first date."

"Leave it to me, milady."

The shopkeeper got to work finding all the clothes that she has on her size.

"While she’s finding some clothes, how about you browse a bit and tell me if you see anything that caught your eye." (Princess Camille) tells Rowan who shifts her gaze into the rows of amazing dresses displayed in front of her.

She didn’t know what to pick, more like... she doesn’t want to.

"P-Princess... I don’t think a General should wear dresses." She holds the sleeve of a dress, having a few memories of where she needed to wear the corset just to please others for their sake.

It doesn’t bring a lot of good memories.

A suit of armor is more comfortable than these ever will be.

’I haven’t worn a dress in almost a decade now. I haven’t been taking care of my figure... the princess might not like me in it.’ (Rowan) feels bad that the princess brought her here to have fun but she just can’t stand dresses.

"Nonsense even if you are a General it doesn’t change the fact that you’re still a girl. Well then again if you don’t want dresses we can find you a really nice formal suit to wear."

"...you’re okay with me wearing them?"

Princess Camille throws a dress into the stockpile of things that would look good on Rowan with a nod as she replies, "I never got to tell you this but you looked really dashing and charming the first time you came into the palace, you chose a really good suit."

She was like a princess charming any girl could dream of having honestly.

"..."

Rowan prays in the heavens above, hoping that may Jonathan live a long life to give her fashion advice. She plans on giving her friend a hug, thankful that he chose a really good formal wear for her to use at their first meeting instead of her armor.

’Jonathan I owe you so much now. Thank you for persuading me not to wear my armor that day.’

"Lets see what goes well with your physique... the color should match your skin tone, hair and maybe even eyes. Or maybe I can ask what your favorite color is?" The princess was serious about finding Rowan clothes that she’ll like.

Honestly with her life right now the topic of clothes has never arrived, it’s all uniform and casual wear for men. "I never thought about that much."

She looks down at the ground and her attention travels to the princess’ beautiful green eyes, she couldn’t help but turn red at the thought. "But I have always loved her highness’ eyes. The color of Jade green is becoming my favorite color as of late."

Thunk!

Princess Camille hearing this let go of the hanger on reflex, "...!"

"If there is anything like that color, I would love to try. Um... if her highness is not comfortable with it, my friends told me black suits me well." (Rowan) requested and she doesn’t notice the effect that love had on the princess.

The princess picks up the hanger and laughs nervously, also feeling red. "A-Ahem... I mean if you would like to try green I suppose it’s not a bad combination with red."

"Excuse me, shopkeeper! My request has been changed. If you’re not too busy I’ll be requesting suits for my fiance, anything with the color green- oh and black if you have any." She calls upon the shopkeeper who was thrilled to hear that.

"I have the perfect ones in her size!"

The two shopped for the whole hour, it really did feel like a date now.

"How about that one? Do you feel comfortable in it?" (Princess Camille) asks Rowan who was now wearing a sleek black suit with deep emerald-green accents. Hee tailored jacket is single-breasted with a sharp, structured fit, the lapels edged with a subtle green satin trim that catches the light as she moves. The crisp black dress shirt underneath is buttoned up to the collar, where a dark green tie, embroidered with a faint swirling pattern, adds a touch of elegance.

Her polished black leather shoes gleam, accented with a hint of green stitching along the soles.

To complete the ensemble, she wears a pocket square, a folded piece of silk in a striking shade of emerald, peeking just slightly from his breast pocket. Her cufflinks, shaped like small obsidian stones, hold tiny flecks of green, like frozen sparks of jade within the dark depths.

Rowan takes a long look at herself in the mirror and smiles. This suit has been handpicked by the princess herself, "Mm... I like it. You picked it for me after all."

"...please add that to the pile."

The shopkeeper nodded and was given one gold coin for her wonderful service.

[Wallet: -10 Gold Coins].

...

The newly bought clothes were placed inside the carriage temporarily.

"Your highness, why was I the only one that you’ve bought clothes for? Shouldn’t you shop for yourself as well?" (Rowan) was the only one who got ten kind of formal and casual wear today.

The princess had fun dressing her up like a doll and ended up spending so much.

"Well I wanted to spoil you today, you’ve been doing everything that I wanted this was the only way I could give my thanks. You could say my love language is gift giving. When I love someone, I try to give them a perfect gift or spoil them rotten."

"Love language...?" (Rowan) wonders what her love language was.

Does she even have one?

Before she could even think, Rowan notices Jonathan’s figure in the distance and the rest of the guards carrying their bought items.

Thud!

Food, water, clothes and other essentials have been bought.

"Ugh... I bought at least three boxes of bread with these manly... hah... arms." His knees and arms finally gave in. "Yeah... I’m a... man."

Rowan laughs going over to his good friend and patting his back, "Well done, Lieutenant."

"So... hah... can we... take a break before we go anywhere... hah... your highness." (Jonathan) turns to the princess who smiles in understanding.

"Why of course, you must be famished. Thanks to all of your hard work I would like for all of you to keep the change, use it for whatever you’d like."

"Really?!"

"Yes, really."

The other royal knights smiled happily just as Jonathan did, they all counted their change and wondered what they should spend it on.

They all left for departure, taking the things that they bought and placing it into the carriage.

"..." One royal guard walks forward giving the princess his change. "I do not need this, your highness."

"You’re giving it back?" (Rowan) questions the royal guard who nods. "May I know the reason why?"

"I would rather have it given to the people of The Dregs. I lived there as a child, I didn’t have anyone helping me just like her highness is doing now. If this will help even one family for the better, please take it and give it to them."

Princess Camille takes the change out of his hands. "That is very kind of you, thank you. I will do as you wish."

The royal guard’s hand was a map of countless battles with the wild- most likely scarred, calloused, and weathered by years of gripping bows, knives, and the coarse hides of prey. His fingers, thick with muscle yet nimble as a shadow in the underbrush, bore the pale ghosts of old cuts, a testament to fletching arrows by firelight and skinning game in the cold dawn.

The royal guard nodded and was about to leave but he was stopped by Rowan who wanted to know his name. "What’s your name sir?"

The royal guard eyes the crimson general carefully before giving his answer. "...It’s Sir William Marshall, General Bonheur."

William Marshall, a good fitting name for a kind royal guard like him.

"I like where your heart is. I know the royal guard is an outstanding job but if you’re ever thinking of finding other careers... I would like to have someone like you in my army."

Sir William Marshall’s eyes widened in the sudden proposal but he didn’t accept. "...I will think about it, General."

"Mm."

"He’s a good man, no wonder you want him to work for you." (Princess Camille) praises him for his kindness but Rowan shakes her head.

"It’s not only for that reason, his eyes... They have the eyes of a hunter yet he has a kind heart. You rarely see that nowadays..." (Rowan) could tell by his hands, he is much more than just a kind man.