The sun was almost below the horizon by the time they emerged from the alley. Neither of them mentioned the strange events in the old sewer. The woman seemed content to leave the matter alone, while the wanderer had no intention of pressing her about the magic doorway or the necklace she had used to open it.

Instead, they made their way toward the grocery shop beside the alley and entered the market square. The market was still alive despite the approaching night. Merchants called out to customers, people moved between the stalls, and the scent of freshly prepared food filled the air.

They walked side by side for a while, an awkward silence settling between them. Eventually, the woman slowed.

“Wait.” The wanderer stopped. She gestured toward a spot beside one of the shops.

“Let's stop here for a moment.” He followed her without asking why.

The location gave them a clear view of the western sky. Most of the sun had already disappeared beyond the horizon, leaving behind streaks of orange, gold, and crimson.

She stood quietly, watching the remaining light. The wanderer glanced at her. There was something different about her expression. Relief, perhaps.

They had made it this far without any serious trouble. The forest was behind them. The men who had been waiting at the border were gone. And they were finally inside the Kingdom. She seemed to realize something too. After tonight, they would probably go their separate ways.

“Well…” She smiled faintly.

“We're here.”

She gestured toward the bustling market. “In the Kingdom known for its radiant beauty and thriving commerce…”

She turned toward him. “Welcome to the Radiant Kingdom.” There was a faint sadness in her voice. The wanderer noticed. He looked toward the sunset again.

“The market square?”

“Yes.”

“Isn't that near the center of the Kingdom?” She nodded.

“We're not far from the main market.” He raised an eyebrow.

“That's quite a distance from where we entered the Kingdom.”

“That's one of the benefits of the secret path. It cuts down the time it would normally take to reach the center.”

“I see.” He looked around.

“That's impressive.” He considered the journey they had made.

The path had been fairly direct, with few turns, which explained some of their speed. But that wasn't the only reason. He glanced at her.

She had walked faster than most people could comfortably manage, yet she hadn't appeared tired. So her speed isn't the only unusual thing about her. His curiosity about her grew.

Unfortunately, there were still many things he didn't understand. The forest. Her connection to it. The animals. Her strange energy. And now the secret passage. He looked at her again. Who exactly are you? She suddenly turned toward him.

“Actually…” Her fingers began fidgeting with one another.

“There is something I'd like to ask.” He waited.

“Could you please keep everything about the secret path a secret?” Her voice became softer.

“I mean…”

“There is no need to worry.” He interrupted gently.

“I understand how important it is.” She looked at him.

“Really?”

“Of course.” He smiled.

“You showed me something important. I have no reason to betray that trust.” Her shoulders relaxed.

“Thank you.” He looked toward the market.

“Although…” Her expression became cautious.

“Yes?”

“This place is a little more crowded than I expected.” She looked around.

“It can get worse during the day.”

“I believe it.”

He paused. “And since it'll be night soon, I don't think it would be wise for someone like you to walk around alone.”

She blinked. “Someone like me?”

He turned toward her. “Someone with your radiant beauty.” She stared at him.

He smiled. “So…” He extended one hand toward her. “How about I become your escort for tonight?” She looked at his hand.

“You could consider it a way of thanking you for everything you've done.” He paused.

“After all, you did tell me to stay close.” Her cheeks warmed slightly.

“But if you really don't want me around…” His smile widened.

“I suppose stalking is always an option.” She stared at him.

“…That sounded much less gentlemanly than you probably intended.”

“I disagree.” He placed a hand against his chest.

“I thought it sounded very romantic.”

“It sounded creepy.”

“That's unfortunate.” He sighed dramatically.

“I was aiming for charming.” Despite herself, she smiled.

She had a feeling he was mostly joking, but there was genuine concern beneath his words. And, perhaps more importantly, she didn't want their time together to end yet.

“Normally, I don't accept offers like that.”

She looked toward the fading sunset. “But the evening is rather pleasant.”

She glanced at him. “And walking alone isn't exactly ideal.” She paused.

“Besides, you'd probably be arrested if you tried stalking me.”

“So you'll accept?”

“I suppose I don't have much of a choice.” She smiled.

“Especially since I did tell you to stay close.” His smile widened.

“I'm glad we see eye to eye.” He leaned slightly toward her.

“Although, a simple yes would have been fine. You didn't need to decorate it with all those excuses.” She gave him a look.

“Enough with the flattery.” She grabbed his arm.

“Come on. The market is waiting.” He barely had time to react before she pulled him into the crowd.

They spent the next several minutes wandering through the market. She showed him different shops and stalls, pointing out places she knew and explaining what could be found there. They didn't buy much. Mostly, they looked. Food stalls. Clothing. Jewelry. Strange little trinkets. And various goods brought in from different parts of the Kingdom.

The wanderer listened while she explained the places they passed. Sometimes he asked questions. Sometimes she answered. Other times, he simply watched her enthusiasm. She could have taken him directly toward their destination. Instead, she kept finding reasons to stop.

One shop became another. One stall became another. Even when there was no real reason to stop, she somehow found one. The wanderer noticed. He said nothing. He simply followed. For reasons she couldn't explain, she wanted the evening to last.

She didn't want to think about what would happen after they reached the next street. Or what would happen when he eventually left. So she kept walking. Kept talking. Kept showing him the Kingdom. For a little while, she allowed herself to forget everything else.

Unfortunately, someone else had noticed her. A knight moving through the market suddenly stopped. His eyes fell upon the black hooded cape. The markings along its edge were unmistakable. His expression changed.

“My Lady…” Relief washed over him.

He had been searching for her. He started toward her, weaving through the crowd. Then he noticed the man beside her. The knight slowed. He couldn't see the man's face clearly, but the two seemed unusually close.

The woman was practically dragging him from shop to shop, showing him around as though she were giving him a personal tour of the Kingdom. The knight frowned. Who is that?

For a moment, he wondered if the man was her betrothed. But that didn't make sense. As far as he knew, she wasn't engaged. And he had never seen her this close to a man before. The knight hesitated.

He didn't want to intrude. But there was another problem. If the other knights noticed her wandering around the market at this hour with an unfamiliar man, questions would follow. And questions could become trouble. He decided to wait.

Night slowly settled over the Kingdom. The heat of the day faded, replaced by a cool evening breeze. The market remained busy, although some merchants were beginning to close their stalls. After nearly an hour of wandering, the woman finally seemed ready to leave. They headed toward one of the exits of the market square.

The road ahead would lead toward one of the more prestigious residential districts, not far from the Radiant Kingdom's palace. The knight finally made his decision. He pushed through the crowd.

“My Lady!” The woman stopped. The wanderer glanced at her. She turned her head.

“Are you looking for something?”

She looked around, trying to identify the voice.

“Oh…” She frowned.

“I thought I heard someone calling me.” The wanderer studied her.

“Someone you know?”

“I think so.” She looked around again.

“I'm not sure.” The wanderer remained silent. His senses had already spread through the crowd.

There. Someone was approaching. He could feel the person's energy. The woman was still searching.

“Perhaps we should move to the side.” He pointed toward a less crowded section of the street.

“The view is clearer there.” She considered it.

“I suppose you're right.” They moved slightly away from the main flow of people.

“If someone really is calling you, it'll be easier to see them from here.”

“Maybe.” She looked toward the crowd.

“But it could have just been the noise.”

“That's possible.”

He smiled. “Although it could also be the voice of someone you miss.”

She turned toward him. “What?”

“You know.” He gave her a teasing look.

“Someone you're secretly longing to see.” Her expression changed immediately.

“No!” She shook her head.

“That's not what I meant.” He raised an eyebrow.

“It's perfectly normal for a lady to miss someone.”

“Stop saying things like that.” She frowned.

“Besides, he's practically like an older brother to me. Thinking of him that way would be weird.” The wanderer blinked.

“I never said who you should be thinking about.” She froze. He smiled.

“You're the one who took it there.” Her face reddened.

“You're such a perv.”

“I'm the perv?” He placed a hand against his chest.

“I merely said it was normal for someone to miss another person.” He leaned closer.

“You're the one who supplied the details.”

“Why you…” She puffed her cheeks.

“Meanie.” He chuckled.

“Not a very mature response.” He looked at her.

“But cute.” She glared at him.

He smiled. While they bickered, his attention remained elsewhere. The approaching energy was getting closer. He focused. There was something familiar about it. Not identical. But similar. His expression became slightly more serious. The energy regulation pattern reminded him of the four men from the forest. Military training. That was his first thought.

The way the energy moved through the person's body was too disciplined to be accidental. Family members could sometimes share similar patterns. So could they be comrades. But soldiers who trained together often developed comparable methods of controlling and circulating their energy. He couldn't be certain yet. It was only a clue. Still, it was an interesting one.

He didn't mention it to the lady. Instead, he widened his senses. He searched the surrounding area. Then he felt something else. Malice. His expression hardened slightly.

It wasn't coming from the people around them. Most of the market was filled with ordinary emotions—excitement, exhaustion, greed, curiosity, anticipation. But farther away… There were pockets of something darker. Hatred.

It seemed to linger in certain parts of the Kingdom. He couldn't determine why. Nor did he know how deeply it ran. He withdrew his senses. Interesting. But for now, it wasn't his concern. His attention returned to the approaching knight.

“My Lady!” The voice came again. This time, much closer. The woman turned. The knight finally broke through the crowd.

He was less than ten feet away. The wanderer studied him. No hostility. No bloodlust. Nothing immediately threatening. But there it was. That same pattern. The same disciplined circulation of energy he had sensed from the men in the forest.

His eyes narrowed. “So the men were connected to the Kingdom. Or perhaps… They were knights.” His gaze moved over the man's clothing. A knight, indeed.

The realization amused him. “Well, this place might not be as boring as I thought.”

The woman had yet to notice what he had discovered. She was still focused on the knight. The wanderer smiled faintly. There was no reason for him to remain standing beside her now. If he stayed, the knight would eventually notice him. And if the men in the forest were connected to the Kingdom, drawing attention to himself would only make things more complicated.

Besides, the knight was probably the safest person to leave her with. At least for now. The wanderer stepped backward. Then again. The crowd swallowed him. By the time the woman turned around, he was gone. She blinked.

Her eyes moved across the people around her. “Where did he…” She looked toward the knight. For the first time that evening, she realized the wanderer was no longer beside her. Meanwhile, several meters away, the wanderer stood among the crowd, watching.

His expression was calm. But his curiosity had only grown. The Radiant Kingdom had just become much more interesting.