บท 17: Meeting The Fortune Teller Again
"Your Highness, you shouldn't hang out with someone like that," Aslan said as he removed his hand from Rosie's arm.
The girl took another skewer and took a bite of the grilled squid.
"Why?" she asked with her mouth full of food.
"You must maintain your reputation as a princess. It's not good for a princess to hang out with a swindler."
"But she's nice," said Rosie.
"Please finish your food before you speak," Aslan said. He frowned at the sight of the girl's mouth moving as she chewed her food.
Rosie chewed faster and faster, then she swallowed it in one gulp. "Why can't I be friends with her? She's nice."
"People who are nice to you aren't necessarily really nice people. She may have bad intentions or take advantage of you later."
Rosie took a skewer of a grilled octopus that had been cut into small pieces and gave it to Aslan. Aslan pressed his lips while looking at the skewers in front of him in bewilderment. Rosie once again held it out to the man.
"You are annoying when you're hungry."
"I'm not hungry," Aslan replied.
"You're hungry," Rosie insisted.
Aslan gave in and accepted the skewer.
"Do you know where the north field is?" Rosie asked.
Aslan didn't answer right away. He wondered whether it would be wise to allow the princess to visit there. The north field was filled with villagers from the next town.
As long as Rosie stayed by his side, everything would be safe. However, the princess's behavior was very random. Aslan couldn't watch her alone.
No. No. Aslan was a high knight who was given the mandate to become a Duke. That meant the king trusted him to guard this territory. And as a knight, he couldn't possibly lose to a little girl like Rosie.
Aslan had gone to war many times and to keep an eye on one person was definitely not a difficult job.
"Would you like to go there?"
"Yes," Rosie replied.
"Then, come with me."
The two of them passed the same market street that Rosie had taken yesterday. The market looked much busier than yesterday. The two of them had to walk hand in hand.
"Aslan," Rosie called, who was crushed by two huge men walking in opposite directions. She tried to get through both of them, but she couldn't.
A hand stretched out in front of her. "Princess, hold my hand."
Rosie immediately took Aslan's hand, and the man opened the way for Rosie. She also managed to get past the two huge men who had almost drowned her in the sea of people. Rosie gripped Aslan's hand tightly and walked right behind the man.
"It seems yesterday was not as busy as this," said Rosie, who felt strange about the crowds in the place.
"Because we have visitors today."
Aslan looked for a looser path. He was a little worried because the princess was sweating quite a lot. He turned into a narrower and darker alley.
"Where are we going?" Rosie asked. She was frightened to see Aslan take her to a suspicious place.
"Entrust everything to me," the man replied.
Rosie couldn't help but follow Aslan's steps. Her hand was still holding the man's hand tightly.
After passing through a dimly lit alley, they arrived at the northern square. Where Rosie was standing, the wind was blowing strongly. She breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, after struggling with the crowd until she was sweating, she could breathe fresh air again.
The field in front of her was a vast expanse of green land. Near the village border stood a dozen large tents.
"Why don't they just stay at the inn?" Rosie asked.
"The available lodging won't be able to accommodate all these people. I've given them permission to use this place as long as no one makes a fuss."
"If anyone makes a fuss?"
"I'm going to kick them out and tell them to look elsewhere. They're not native to the Yorkham area, after all."
Rosie looked at Aslan's dejected face. The girl pulled Aslan's hand, which was still in her grip, to look for the old woman's tent.
They passed the tents one by one. And there was one tent with the longest queue. Rosie recognized the color of the tent. The girl stopped to ask a woman who was holding her child while waiting in line.
"What queue is this? Why is it so long?"
The woman turned. "Oh, we are curious about the outcome of the negotiations in the border area. We want to read about the future. It is said that the old woman was very great. Just yesterday there was a man who won the gamble because he was helped by her. We all want to read about the future."
Rosie raised her eyebrows. She glanced at Aslan, who still looked expressionless. The girl grabbed Aslan's hand tightly and dragged him into the tent, ignoring the long line.
"Good afternoon," said Rosie cheerfully.
The old woman lifted her head. After seeing who was visiting, she touched her crystal ball again while reading the future of a man sitting in front of her.
"How is it? Am I going to have a baby boy?" the man asked nervously, squeezing his hat.
"Hm ... I see a blue color," said the old woman, making the man smile broadly.
"Long hair and skin as white as snow. Your next child will be a girl," she continued, making the man sigh in disappointment.
She held out her hand, asking for the payment.
"If you want to be sad, do it outside my tent. There's still many people waiting in line," she said, making Rosie burst out laughing.
The man gave the money with a heavy heart. He turned around with a frown on his face.
"What are you doing here?" asked the old woman.
Rosie pulled Aslan's hand to sit in front of the old woman. The girl grinned.
"I want to read the future."
"You bring money? I don't provide free services," she retorted.
"Hey, come on. We've been friends since yesterday."
"There is no friendship as long as there is no money."
Rosie laughed fondly at the old woman. The girl then pointed at Aslan, making the old woman knit her brows. She lowered her head for a moment to peek at the man in the hood.
"Ah, you really brought treasure to my tent. One question is fifty sho."
(Sho? How many dollars is that?) Rosie thought.
"I'm not going to pay and stop this bullshit. You're only making trouble by deceiving people here."
The old woman shrugged her shoulders as if she didn't care what Aslan had just said. The man stood up, but Rosie grabbed him quickly.
"Where do you want to go?"
"Princess, this is not a good place to spend your time."
Aslan's patience had run out. Rosie's hand wasn't strong enough to pull him back to sit beside her. Instead, it was Rosie who was dragged away by Aslan. The two of them get out of the tent, making the people outside look at them curiously.
"Come on… just come in for a bit. I promise I'll return your money after my brother returns…"
Aslan continued to drag Rosie to leave the field. He didn't like how naïve Rosie was, who had almost been tricked by the fake fortune teller.
"Damn it, just one question. Come on… let's go back…" Aslan ignored Rosie's whining. He kept walking straight while holding Rosie's hand tightly so that the girl wouldn't run away.
"Damn it, I'll tell my brother if you treat me bad-"
Thump!
Aslan pushed Rosie's body and pinned her against a wall of a citizen's house. Rosie was startled by the sudden closeness. Aslan squinted his eyes and clenched his jaws tightly.
(He's angry) Rosie thought.
"Princess, listen. I've tried to be very patient with you. And as time goes on, my patience is running out."
Aslan drew closer, making Rosie nervous.
"I can still tolerate some of your attitudes, but being naïve and gullible isn't one of them. If you go back to that swindler's place again, I won't care."
The two of them stared at each other. Aslan could see the frightened look on the princess's face, though she tried to look brave. Her glorious green eyes quivered. If Aslan pressed them any further, the girl might have cried on the spot.
"Do you understand?" Aslan asked coldly.
Rosie quickly nodded her head, and Aslan pushed her body away. He patted Rosie's head and said, "Good girl."
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