The town bustled with preparation for the festival, celebrating the King's birthday in two weeks. The Lodge Diner cafe, known for its outstanding pastries and promotions during the recent festival, had a long line around the cloud of the biggest willow tree, adding to the festive market scene. His steps were light as he glanced around, admiring the busy street while strolling the town in his casual outfit, dressed like a commoner to avoid drawing attention. Despite the casual attire, his presence and aura were hard to conceal, still receiving glances from a couple of people.

It had become one of his routines, and some stall owners knew him as an adventurer, misinformation he spread to hide his identity as the 3rd prince. As he got in line to buy his cake, instead of asking his aide, he spotted a familiar figure standing in front of him. His hand reached out, gently tapping your shoulder from behind. "Hello," he whispered behind your ear, chuckling at your startled face upon seeing him. He placed a finger to his lips, signaling you to keep quiet because he didn't want anyone to recognize him.

Lifting his eyebrow, his head tilted slightly as he scanned the surroundings, a frown drawing on his handsome face. The sight of the imperial knights running around the town was a profound indication that he had been caught sneaking out and abandoning important documents he should have been working on. When a carriage came into view, he let out a frustrated sigh, turning his gaze back to you. "I've been caught, so I need to bring you with me," he said, pointing at the carriage that held the royal crest, slowly capturing everyone's attention. As the two knights approached, he simply ignored them, still waiting for your answer.

"Do you want to wait here for two hours more and have people ask you questions? How do you know a royal member?" he raised a brow, crossing his arms. His invitation sounded like a threat, but he didn't mean any harm. It might be difficult to get rid of the pest once they targeted someone like you.