A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor

Chapter 482 Comparing Prices - Part 2

Of course, Oliver hadn't bought any of those yet. He was feeling the cold, though less so than the rest. The padded jacket that he wore was good enough for his purposes, at least for now. It didn't seem to get quite as cold within the Stormfront centre as it was back in Solgrim, amongst the Black Mountains.

He'd arranged this particular afternoon for the inspection of the Academy's Marketplace, a place that he still had yet to check out personally, despite the many times that his retainer and Blackthorn had told him that he should.

Unfortunately, despite having agreed to show him around, Verdant had been quickly occupied on the afternoon that they'd committed. He'd been searching for a way to make Oliver's planned expedition that weekend a reality – and the faculty had reacted even more harshly than they'd anticipated. He'd been forced into a meeting, and despite Oliver's questions, the man hadn't told him who it was with.

Instead, he'd say. "Do not worry, my Lord. I will see this completed, as I told you I would. Enjoy your afternoon."

He'd delivered that line behind a false smile, like a soldier going off to war, trying to convince his family that he'd be fine.

What Oliver had not anticipated was that Verdant had already found a replacement for him. The priest was competent in ways that were almost unfair. Not only did he have the power and position that came with being the heir to the Idris house, but he was also impossibly diligent.

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Intelligent in some ways, but oblivious in others. Sort of like Oliver himself. Though, he supposed it was likely his own fault. How could he expect others to understand how he felt if he didn't voice such feelings out loud?

"Hm," Blackthorn said, frozen and unsure, yet she was the one meant to be guiding him.

"Here you are, my Lady," Pauline returned, carrying three fruit sticks, topped with apples, and strawberries, and grapes – a fruit that he only recognized by description. He'd never seen it in person before.

Oliver hadn't even noticed that Pauline had disappeared until the moment that she returned. Blackthorn accepted the fruit stick eagerly, and then daintily began to nibble on the end of it, as happy as a rabbit given a carrot.

They'd been walking together since the Red Castle –the market was situated between the Green and Yellow Castles - but he hadn't heard Blackthorn express for even a moment that she'd wanted a fruit stick. In fact, she'd barely said anything at all.

"You do a good job reading her mind..." Oliver noted, as the girl also handed off a fruit stick to Amelia who accepted it with a grateful thanks. Pauline blushed at the compliment.

"We've been together for a few years now... It's only natural, isn't it? Also... for you," she said, offering him the third fruit stick.

"For me? What about you?" Oliver asked.

The girl shook her head, going even redder. "I've already eaten, and uhm... It's not my favourite," she said.

"Hm... Well, thanks, then," Oliver said, taking it off her. He took a bite – delicious. He wondered how they managed to keep the fruit so fresh despite it now being well into winter. That seemed to be a mystery worth solving, should he ever decide to open a food stall himself.

As they walked further down the cobblestone path, he noted a fruit stick stall, where he assumed that Pauline had likely gotten them from. He glanced at the sign, checking the prices. 3 coppers for a fruit stick...