While Rishe pondered, Arnold, who seemed to have no real interest in the matter, said, “Then next time, you should dye your hair. Not only you but I should do that too.”

“You too?”

“Not as much as the coral color, but there aren’t many people with black hair. If your mixture of herbs can temporarily change the color of my hair, that will be fine.”

“…”

After a while, Rishe rejected the proposal.

“That’s no good”

“Huh?”

“The dye from the herbs is very weak, I’m sure it won’t dye black hair.”

Black was the strongest color of all.

Unlike Rishe’s hair, Arnold’s hair wouldn’t be so easy to dye.

“If you want to remove the color instead of dyeing it, it might be possible with some trial and error, but… you won’t be able to recover it right away, so you’ll have to live with that hair color for the time being.”

“It doesn’t really matter what my hair color is.”

That being said, Rishe screamed involuntarily.

“That can’t do!”

“!”

She almost shouted louder than she ought to.

She whispered the latter, but the people around them didn’t seem to think she was strange.

Even so, the man in front of her, Arnold noticed that she was acting strangely.

“Why are you so…?”

“N-Nevermind.”

Rishe cleared her throat and said in a hurried, mended tone.

“I’ll think of something to do next time. We’d better get going, Your Highness. There are buttered shellfish for sale over there!”

“Wait. You’re not still planning to eat them, are you?”

Although she took him aback, that seemed to have diverted his attention successfully.

Rishe gently stroked her chest, but mutterd why she rejected Arnold’s proposal.

Because I’m sure that black hair suits Your Highness best…

Changing that color with medicine for the time being would be more sinful than hiding his eyes with goggles.

Anyway, next time.

By the time the next opportunity arrived, she’d have to come up with some good ideas.

Rishe decided to do so.

****

――Then, after watching Kyle enter the country and locating his lodgings, they were on their way back to the Imperial Capital.

“But now I’m finally convinced.”

The hidden passage back to the castle was dimly lit. Rishe muttered as she illuminated her feet with the lantern.

“What do you mean?”

“The reason for today’s sneaking around. When you said that you were going to give me a ring at that jewelry store, I was surprised, thinking that you brought me out of the castle for that purpose.”

“…”

“I was mistaken. It was for Your Highness to personally see the Koyor carriages that arrived.”

Rishe first thought it was for a sneak peek of public affairs, but it was for her ring.

“…I thought it was really for official business. I’m relieved to find out that the Crown Prince had a reason to go all the way out to the city.

However, Arnold, who was walking ahead, looked back at Rishe with a smile.

“I didn’t say that the carriage was the main purpose, did I?”

“…Huh?!”

What did he mean?

Arnold seemed satisfied when he saw the confusion on Rishe’s face.

There was no way to find out his true intentions as he immediately turned and started walking again. Rishe reluctantly followed after him.