Ariha: "Uh... Um..." The boy stammered, clearly uncomfortable under the girl's intense gaze.
Ariha: "You look exactly like the 5th Prince, Senko von Minaguchi Hyōnko. Your hair and eyes look completely real. Even your costume is top-tier craftsmanship. Where did you get all this made?" she blurted out rapidly.
The boy looked startled and glanced around, as if checking if anyone else was nearby.
Senko: "Are you... talking to me?" he asked hesitantly, pointing at himself.
Ariha: "Of course I'm talking to you. Do you see anyone else around here?" she replied, raising an eyebrow.
At her words, the prince fell silent. Just then, snippets of conversation from passersby reached them:
Passerby 1: "Weird girl. Is she talking to the air?"
Passerby 2: "Dunno. Maybe she's a little... off? Let's go before she starts bothering us too."
Ariha: (Eyes widening) "Wait... Can no one else see you?"
Senko: "That's right. You're the only one who's noticed me—"
Before he could finish, a loud, whale-like groan echoed between them. The prince froze in embarrassment as the unmistakable sound of a starving stomach filled the air.
Ariha: (Smirking) "Ohhh... You're hungry, aren't you? Come with me. I'm just heading home with fresh groceries anyway."
She stood and offered her hand.
Ariha: "I'm Ariha Minori. Just Ariha is fine."
The prince hesitated, then gripped his helmet with one hand and took hers with the other.
Senko: "I am Senko von Minaguchi Hyōnko. And what exactly did you mean earlier—about my appearance?"
As Ariha helped him up, her expression shifted to shock.
Ariha: "Wait—what?! You mean you're actually the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Archivagia?!"
Senko: (Firmly) "Yes, that's me. Now answer my question."
His commanding tone left no room for doubt—he was dead serious. Ariha realized with growing disbelief that everything she'd said was completely foreign to him. But the idea of meeting the lost prince—the one whose disappearance had shaken the entire kingdom—in the flesh was something straight out of a fantasy.
Ariha: (Voice trembling) "No way... This can't be real..."