Just because you’re cute (2)
T/N: Bonus 2~
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Their coachman decided to wait at the carriage station while the both of them walked towards the plaza without a single attendant or escort.
The street was filled with streams of people which added to the heat, making the summer feel more vivid.
The sky was clear blue.
As they walked down the lively streets, Aristine let out a subtle groan.
‘No one is coming within a ten-step radius of us…’
It was as if there was an invisible wall around the two of them.
‘Why not notice a little later? I know they don’t usually walk here, looking around like that.’
Aristine grumbled inwardly.
Right then, she heard a loud gasp. When she turned around, she saw a man standing there, with an expression that said he didn’t know if he was dreaming or not.
When their eyes met, he approached Aristine like he was possessed.
“I-Is it really the p, princess consort…oh no…sorry.”
For some reason, he looked startled, turned pale then immediately turned around and walked away.
“What was that?”
“I don’t know,” Tarkan said lightly and looked around.
Seeing the men who were mesmerized by his wife flinch and quickly turn away, he snorted and looked away.
It didn’t mean anything special, he was just doing it for the security and safety.
“There are too many people,” Tarkan said and held out his arm.
“So what. Nobody is coming close to us.”
Aristine pouted but she obediently linked her arm with his.
At that moment, a scream that sounded like a frog being crushed erupted from within the crowd.
‘What is it?’
Aristine turned in that direction, thinking something was wrong.
“Oh my God…did you see that? Their arms…mph!”
“I can’t believe I get to see it in person…”
Hnnng, an indescribable sound was heard.
“They must be on a date since they’re both in plain clothes.”
“Let’s not disturb them.”
“If you say that, why do you keep following then?”
“It’s not of my own will. My feet aren’t listening.”
The trickles of conversation flowed through the crowd and reached Aristine.
It wasn’t a date to begin with, but she didn’t get why they were so thrilled.
When she made eye contact with them, they smiled amicably and mouthed to her.
“I’m cheering for you.”
“You look good together.”
“Be happy.”
“Best wishes for a little one.”
“I’m looking forward to the honeymoon baby.”
They even added a thumbs up after that.
“…”
What is with these people?
Unlike Aristine who was perplexed, Tarkan simply pulled her closer to him.
Once again, squeals like a frog being crushed came from different corners.
“Let’s go.”
At Tarkan’s words, Aristine nodded.
Irugo seemed to have quite the unique characters.
The incognito outing she wished for, had long since disappeared so she figured it would be better to go to her original destination—the merchant company.
* * *
“Welcome, Your Highness Tarkan, Princess Consort.”
The head merchant, who had been waiting restlessly since morning ever since the royal couple said they were going to visit, politely greeted the both of them.
“I’m glad to finally meet you, Princess Consort. It is an honor,” he smiled and extended his hand to Aristine, “May I?”
Aristine gave him her hand.
The head merchant briefly kissed the back of her hand and stepped back.
He was an elegant, polite, and refreshing person. His hair, which was swept back without a single strand out of place, showed what kind of personality he had.
Aristine had never seen someone like this among Tarkan’s subordinates, so she gazed at him in wonder.
Secretly, she expected the head merchant to be someone like Umiru.
“Please come inside.”
He took the lead, politely gesturing forward.
As Aristine began to follow, he went ‘ah’, and turned around.
“I realize I haven’t introduced myself. My apologies,” he bowed gracefully and introduced himself.
“I am the Zodiac, the delegate manager of the Pink-Pink Nyang-Jelly merchant group.”
The glasses he was wearing glinted sharply.
‘…What?’
He said it so casually that Aristine reacted late.
‘Did I hear that wrong?’
She definitely heard something along the lines of pink nyang jelly or something.
Aristine looked at Zodiac with uncertainty.
He was standing there, in a composed manner, looking at her with a thin smile on his face.
‘I must have heard wrong.’
She couldn’t help but realize after seeing his face. Even if she was hearing things, she couldn’t believe she heard such a strange and bizarre name.
‘Besides, Tarkan is the real owner of this merchant group.’
Other merchant groups might give themselves such a name but definitely not this one.
“Sorry, I didn’t hear you well. What did you say the name was?”
“The pink-pink nyang-jelly merchant group.”
Zodiac’s face didn’t twitch at all as those words left his mouth.
There was no embarrassment or shame.
“Uh, hmm…I think I strangely keep mishearing the merchant name as pink-pink–”
“Enough, that is the right name,” Tarkan’s face crumpled and he spoke like he was forcing out the words.
He looked more embarrassed than Zodiac who actually said the pink nonsense.
Aristine’s eyes went wide.
“Uh, then you—.”
“I didn’t choose it,” Tarkan grit his teeth and moved ahead.
Aristine stopped walking because she was stunned, then she quickly followed after him.
Now that she thought about it, when they walked in earlier, she thought she saw a pink jelly paw on the symbol of the merchant group.(1)
“Why did you choose such a name?”
“Ask this guy,” Tarkan glared at Zodiac and said.
Zodiac still had a polite smile on his face. He opened the door to the drawing room and asked, “What do you think of it, Princess Consort?”
Aristine thought about it for a moment.
Although she was the wife of the actual head merchant, Aristine came here as a chief executive because of a business deal.
The deal had already been successful, but it was still their first meeting.
‘Is this a test?’
Her purple eyes turned serious.
Translator’s Corner:
1) The ‘pink jelly paw’ is basically a toe bean. It’s when a cat’s paw is super pink and the prints look like jelly.
