Rheanne reached into her spatial storage and pulled out a small, leather pouch.

She placed it gently into Brandon’s palm.

"Here..."

Brandon took the pouch, feeling its surprising weight.

He opened it and saw a modest collection of silver and gold coins.

"Oh, thank you," he said, genuinely appreciative as he closed the pouch and slipped it into his pocket.

Rheanne gave him a small smile, "You’ll need it if you’re going out with the princess tonight. The city can be expensive, especially if Amelia wants to explore the night markets. Don’t let her pay for everything."

Brandon nodded, "I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks again. Feels like having a sugar mommy." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Hm? Rheanne tilted her head slightly in confusion "Sugar... mommy?"

Brandon panicked "Uh, never mind that. You sure you don’t want to come with us?"

Rheanne shook her head gently, though her smile remained soft "She already looks up to me too much. So she might be nervous if I am there."

"So you three go and enjoy the night."

---

The evening had fully settled over the castle of Eurasania.

Lanterns flickered along the stone pathways and outer walls, casting warm pools of golden light.

Brandon, Amelia, and Freya walked together toward the main castle gates.

Freya had insisted on joining them, both as a chaperone and to ease her brother’s worries.

Brandon walked on Amelia’s left, wearing the plain but well-made clothes Freya had provided earlier.

As they passed through the gates and stepped into the bustling streets of the capital, Amelia let out a soft, awed breath.

Narrow cobblestone streets split between buildings, their windows glowing with lantern light.

Merchants were closing their stalls, but street vendors still called out, selling roasted nuts, spiced meat skewers, and warm honey cakes.

Musicians played lively tunes on lutes and drums near small squares, drawing crowds of laughing citizens.

Children darted between adults, chasing each other with wooden swords.

Amelia let out a deep breath "Haa... it feels good to walk around freely like this instead of sneaking around."

Freya smiled gently beside her, "Enjoy it, dear. But stay close."

Brandon walked on Amelia’s other side, keeping a protective eye on both women while staying alert to their surroundings.

They turned onto a wider main street lined with taverns and shops.

Lanterns hung from every post, and the sound of laughter spilled out from open doors.

His gaze softened faintly ’This era looks amazing too...’

Amelia’s steps quickened with excitement as she spotted a street performer juggling colorful balls while telling jokes.

She tugged gently on Brandon’s sleeve "Look! Can we watch for a moment?"

Brandon smiled and nodded.

"Sure. Lead the way."

They stopped at the edge of the small crowd.

The performer was skilled, keeping the balls spinning while delivering punchlines that had the audience roaring with laughter.

Amelia watched with a genuine smile spreading across her face.

Freya watched her niece with soft affection, then leaned closer to Brandon "Thank you for this," she said quietly.

"She hasn’t smiled like that in a long time."

Brandon gave a nod.

They continued walking after the performance with Amelia chattering excitedly about everything she saw, like the different foods, the way people bargained, and the colorful clothes of traveling merchants.

She pointed out a small stall selling candied fruits and looked at Brandon with hopeful eyes.

"Can we...?"

He chuckled and bought three portions without hesitation.

As they ate the sticky, sweet treats while walking, Amelia’s initial nervousness melted away completely.

She even laughed when a street cat darted between their legs, nearly tripping Freya.

The three of them moved deeper into the city, away from the main thoroughfares and into the lively heart of the night market.

Amelia stopped at a stall selling handmade jewelry and picked up a delicate bracelet with blue stones and turned it over in her hands.

"It’s beautiful," she murmured.

Freya smiled "Would you like it?"

Amelia hesitated, then shook her head "I shouldn’t. Father would say something."

Brandon reached into his pocket and paid the vendor before either woman could protest. He took the bracelet and gently fastened it around Amelia’s wrist.

"Consider it a gift from me," he said with a small smile. "No one has to know where it came from."

Amelia stared at the bracelet, then up at him, and a faint blush caressed her cheeks "...Thank you."

Freya watched the exchange, and her gaze condensed slightly.

’Wait a minute... they both look good together as a couple. Hm... is it too soon? Maybe I can talk about this with brother.’

’Amelia is already 20, so she should also get a partner soon.’

They continued wandering, stopping at food stalls, listening to musicians, and even watching a group of children play a game with sticks and a ball.

Amelia joined in for a few minutes, laughing freely as she ran with them.

Brandon stayed close while enjoying the simple joy on Amelia’s face.

He doesn’t know why... maybe because her face is similar to Florence’s, so he enjoys seeing the smile on her face.

A soft sigh escaped his lips as he remembered about his wives.

Freya who was standing beside him, frowned slightly "What happened, Mr.Kael?"

With a shake of his head, he replied "Nothing."

As the evening grew later, Freya gently reminded them of the time "We should head back soon. Your father will worry if we’re gone too long."

Amelia’s face fell, but she nodded.

"Thank you," she said to Brandon as they turned back toward the castle. "This was... more than I ever imagined. I felt like a normal person for a while."

---

Lying on the bed, Brandon glanced up at the celing "Today went well..."

He lifted his hand and looked at his palm, flexing his fingers slowly.

’Tomorrow we are going to the dungeon and I don’t have much ether on my body.’

’I wonder when the other women will start to awaken...’ he thought, a faint frown creasing his brow. ’I’m sure it’s going to be chaos when it happens.’

The modern era he knew had been shaped by that very event, the mass awakening of women with ether abilities, the formation of guilds, and the entire social and power structure that followed.

As those thoughts swirled in his mind, a soft noise came from the balcony.

creak

Huh?

Brandon turned his head toward the sound.

Amelia?

The balcony shutters opened quietly, and Rheanne stepped inside.

The cool night breeze followed her for a moment before she closed the shutters behind her.

She walked over to the bed without hesitation and sat down on the edge.

A faint, golden glow passed through her sky-blue eyes as she looked at him "You have low ether in your body. You would need more for tomorrow’s raid."

"So let’s sleep together. Because you can absorb ether from me."