A Knight and The Flower Princess

~•|•~

"What's wrong?" asked Dante, turning to the girl who had been fidgeting in her seat since the first ten minutes of the theater.

"Pardon me?" Inez turned her head in surprise. Then she shook her head slowly. "N-no. Nothing," she replied, which made Dante raise an eyebrow.

He glanced at Anne, who was also glancing at Inez and him. It was as if they were sending signals about Inez's anxiety.

"Is something uncomfortable, Lady?" asked Anne in a whisper to the girl.

"No." Inez shook her head vigorously. She stole a glance at Dante. "Nothing, Anne."

"So, why?" asked Anne in confusion.

Instead of answering, Inez's face flushed with embarrassment, making the corners of Dante's lips twitch. Well, as Dante guessed, the girl was embarrassed because the theater was more about a captain saving a princess than a knight. And with a storyline like that, Inez was sitting next to a captain.

"Do you feel awkward, Lady?" asked Dante bluntly.

Inez immediately turned to the man with bulging eyes. There was no need for an answer, and Inez's expression represented it.

Dante chuckles amusingly. He looks at the theater ahead. "You don't have to feel awkward. What's shown in this theater and the original are only 30%."

"What does that mean?" Inez was stunned.

Dante held back his grin. He turned his head briefly toward Inez. "I mean, this theater performance and reality are very different. Only 30% is true in this theater. Well, it's just a show. So, you don't have to feel awkward watching theater next to a captain like me."

"Oh..." Inez looked down and lowered her front hat. She wished her face could be completely covered.

"Hey, Pirates! Return the flower princess to me!" shouted the captain, who was the main character in the theater, while brandishing a sword.

Dante couldn't help but laugh. He leaned toward Inez, leaving her to halt. "In reality, I wouldn't have shouted like that. I would have immediately saved the princess without further ado. If I don't hurry, a princess will killed by the pirates.

Inez snorted in pleasure at that. She glances at Dante. "This is theater, Captain."

"Well..." Dante moved his body away. "And I won't be carrying a sword as a weapon. It's too ancient. Aren't rifles and firing cannons much better?" He turned to Inez with a grin.

Inez nodded with an embarrassed smile. "Alright, alright. This is a really different theater from the real world."

"That's right, lady." Dante nodded slowly. "Besides, until now, I've never heard of a princess of a kingdom being taken captive by pirates. Then again, pirates in the real world aren't that big now."

"Oh yeah?" Inez responded.

"Yeah. Their scale is already small, but their weapon is quite advanced," Dante replied with a confident nod.

Inez watches the man silently. "Are they really that small, or in your eyes they look small and easy to defeat?"

Dante smiles broadly. "I don't know. But they look like squids to me," he said.

"Squids?" chuckled Inez.

"Yes, squid." Dante chuckled along with Inez. His gaze returned to the theater. "By the way, the time setting is a bit messy."

"Oh, that means the story Galar wrote this time is different from his other works? Is that what you mean?" asked Inez with a faint grin.

"I don't know, but—" Dante stopped as soon as he realized what he was saying. The man swallows for a moment, then turns to Inez stiffly. "It's just the timing that's messed up," he said as he nodded slowly.

Inez straightened her neck. She flashed a smile. "Well, I see, Captain." She went back to watching the theater, this time quieter than before.

Meanwhile, Dante silently cursed his words just now that exposed his own lies.

~•|•~

The theater finished with a happy ending for everyone, except for the pirates, who were sentenced to death by the king for daring to take the princess captive. The actors and actresses stood on the stage after the theater was over. They bowed together, and applause was heard to appreciate their work.

"It's been a long time since I watched theater," said Dante, who also got up from his chair and clapped, not taking his eyes off the stage.

Inez, who was clapping, glanced at him. "Do you think the theater is good?" she asked.

Dante turned his head toward Inez and smiled. "I can't judge objectively because I haven't seen theater in a long time. But the story is good enough to be refreshing. The actors and actress also have good expressions."

"Except in the time setting?" Inez added based on Dante's previous assessment, and the man nodded.

"It's a bit strange because the writer made the real-time setting, but the props used in the theater are a bit old. Swords are still used, but not as the main weapon in this era," explained Dante, who then broke his gaze from Inez.

"Maybe because of property safety issues?" responded Inez, who slowly stopped clapping.

Dante nods. "That's why I said that I couldn't objectively judge the theater performance." He watched as the audience began to leave after the actors and actresses went back behind the stage. He turned his head and looked at Inez. "Are you going home?" he asked.

Inez glanced at Anne, then smiled faintly at Dante. "I think not yet, Captain. We'll stop by the cafe for a bit."

"Alright." Dante pulled out his pocket watch. It was almost half past ten. He chuckled a little, then put his pocket watch back in. "I must to go, Lady."

"Ah, yes..." Inez nods slowly. 'I never even thought about going to the theater with the captain,' she mused.

"Want to go out together?" Dante offered.

The girl glanced at Anne, who was also glancing at her with a smile. She looked at Dante again, then nodded slowly.

They exited the theater together through the third door, which looked a little more deserted than the main door.

"Excuse me," Dante said as he approached a guard, leaving Inez and Anne to stop and watch him.

The theater guard glanced at him. "Yes, Sir? May I help you?"

"Do you know where I can rent a carriage to get to the army barracks?" Dante asked.

"Of course, Sir. Would you like me to order one for you?" The man asked again.

Dante nods slowly. "If it's okay, please."

"If so, please wait for a moment," the man said and went into the theater.

Dante looked back at Inez, who remained in place with Anne. He approaches Inez. "Lady," he called.

"Yeah?" Inez was slightly stunned.

"I wanted to say thank you." Dante nods slowly. "That was some worthwhile entertainment," he added.

"Oh Captain... what are you talking about?" replied Inez, feeling embarrassed and humbled. She looked straight at the man, then cleared her throat. "It's me who should be thanking you."

"For what?" asked Dante, raising an eyebrow. "I don't remember Lady owing me a debt?"

"Huh?" Inez was confused by Dante's words. "I mean, your help today. Thank you," she added.

"Oh..." Dante nodded in understanding.

"And... I'm sorry," Inez said again while playing with her fingers in front of her body. She glanced at Dante somewhat awkwardly. "I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable."

"Not at all, Lady." Dante stepped closer, making Inez blink in surprise. He pauses for a moment, then smiles. "It's me who must apologize to you. I was the one who made you uncomfortable."

"That's not like that, Captain," Inez squeaked, wetting her dry lips.

Dante sighed softly. "If you want me to forget what happened today, I will."

Inez immediately looked at the man in confusion.

"Sir!"

Dante looked back. The guard was waving at him. And beside him was a carriage, ready to be ridden. He looked at Inez once more, then nodded slowly.

"I should leave, Lady of Buford. Thank you, and please forgive me," he said and walked away, leaving a confused Inez behind.

"Isn't that last question too much? Why did he have to forget just because I was a little uncomfortable?" asked Inez as she looked at Dante, who was in the carriage without looking back at her. She glanced at Anne, who was holding tightly to her purse. "What do you think, Anne?"

Instead of answering immediately, Anne chuckles. She grabbed Inez's arm and turned around together. "It seems like the captain is quite a cool and sensitive person, Lady."

"Huh?" Inez raised an eyebrow. The sound of horseshoes could be heard from behind, and the carriage Dante was riding in passed them by. Even so, Dante didn't once glance at those walking on the sidewalk. "Anne," she called out.

"Yes, Lady?"

"Is it all real?" Inez asked. She turned to her maid, who gave her a grin. "Because..." she let out an exasperated sigh.

"Because you intended to avoid the captain but instead ended up going to the theater together, and now you're confused yourself? Is that so...?" Anne guessed Anne, leaving Inez shaking her head in disbelief. "Everything is reality, My Lady. Not a dream."

"Oh my God," complained Inez with a bitter laugh. "I think a cup of lavender tea will ease my tension," she said, stepping cheerfully with Anne. It seems like she's the one who has to forget about Dante and the confusion he's left behind now.

"Of course, My Lady."

———