The Compass Points to You
Anyway, Einy was a kid who just didn't mesh with me at all. The fact that she actually wanted to watch that cringeworthy play—the kind that made my hands, feet, and every internal organ shrivel up in secondhand embarrassment—was proof enough.
Lox kept praising her as a little lady with refined tastes, but I couldn't see what was so elegant or sophisticated about that hobby. I couldn't empathize with it, and I sure as hell didn't want to acknowledge it.
I usually try to respect people's tastes, but when the star of the play is a ridiculously glorified version of me, all that's left is pure humiliation.
While Einy and Lox were off watching the performance in the square, Chad made some excuse about needing to sharpen his blades and bolted for the forge. That left just me and Ash.
Ash said he didn't like that kind of play either.
We wandered into a nearby leather workshop. The two of us ended up crouching side by side in the cramped shop, picking out a sheath for my dagger. It felt... strangely natural.
Still, given how deliberately we'd shaken Lox off, I had a feeling Ash wanted to ask me something.
“This one seems good.”
If I had to describe Ash's vibe, it was that—aside from his incredibly ordinary face—his gestures were gentle and elegant.
I took the small gray leather sheath he held out to me.
“Let me try it on.”
The workshop sold every kind of leather good imaginable. They did custom orders too, but I was hunting through their ready-made stock for something I could use right away. One particularly large box was filled entirely with dagger sheaths.
Rummaging through it required serious patience and focus. If I liked the look of one, the size wouldn't fit my dagger. If the size was right, it was either ugly or completely impractical. I was starting to get annoyed.
“The quality is excellent and the price is reasonable. You can attach it to a belt, too.”
“Oh, this fits perfectly.”
“It suits you as well.”
At my feet, a pile of rejected sheaths had accumulated—ones I'd slid on and off because they didn't fit right.
“Not bad. Is it because you're a swordsman? You actually know what to look for.”
In contrast, the one Ash picked fit my dagger and my tastes almost perfectly. It had moon and star patterns carved deeply into the leather, and it was sturdy. Best of all, the way it settled into my hand made me think, This one belongs to me.
The gray leather had a subtle blue tint that made it even more appealing—it wasn't a common color.
“Is this all right?”
“I like it. I'll take this one.”
After crouching in the tight space for so long, my body wobbled when I tried to stand. But Ash smoothly caught my elbow and helped me up, making it easy.
Ash was the type who had manners ingrained in his very bones. People like that usually came from noble bloodlines.
“They have these, too.”
“What is it?”
“A dog collar.”
Rai was currently waiting outside the shop after I'd told him to “stay.” He'd been grumbling that it was easier to follow me around when he was in snake form.
“If you try to put something like that on him, he'll throw a fit like an actual dog.”
“He's already wearing a necklace, though.”
“That's not a dog collar. It's a person's accessory.”
“But it looks too delicate. If you're going to do it, something like this would be sturdier...”
“No, Rai isn't really a dog—he's more like my friend. So that's not necessary.”
“...If you say so.”
The fact that you accept that explanation so easily is weird in its own way.
Ash set the collar he'd been fiddling with back on the shelf. Right beside it, I spotted something that made me think, I need this!
This was exactly why workshops were dangerous. There were just too many tempting things.
“I needed one of these too! And this, and this!”
It might have looked like I was grabbing everything in sight, but every item was genuinely useful.
“For a watch strap, wouldn't a chain be better than leather?”
“No, I'm using it for my compass strap.”
“I see.”
“Which one do you think is better? Help me choose.”
I acted however I wanted, and Ash was the type to follow along obediently instead of complaining.
What kind of prince listens this well?
“This one would be best. The knots are sturdy, so it'll last longer. The dark color won't show dirt as easily, either...”
“Wait a second.”
I pulled out the compass I'd tucked into my pocket to compare it.
The compass had tiny scratches on its face from knocking against coins.
It was common to attach these to a strap to prevent that, but since I'd left on this journey so suddenly, I was missing a lot of basic items.
The dragon's lair had every rare treasure imaginable, yet it was completely devoid of everyday necessities. The Silver Wolf village hadn't had anything to satisfy my cultural needs either.
Come to think of it, there were more than a few things I needed to buy immediately.
“I want to get another belt, too. The one I'm wearing now doesn't have enough spots to hang things. Hmm... Should I get a thin belt or a thick one? There are so many types.”
Travelers' clothing varied wildly depending on where they came from, but there were some common elements. Namely, wearing multiple belts.
People carried most of their belongings at their waist—attached to their belts.
“Belts are important. Shall we pick one together?”
“Please do. I have no idea what's good.”
“Everyone's like that at first.”
The more experienced the traveler, the more belts they tended to wear. They'd hang everything from daggers to potions, whips, ropes, compasses, watches, drinks, food—literally anything.
It was convenient because the items were within easy reach, and since they were pressed close to the body, it was harder for thieves to steal them. Of course, things still got stolen even on belts, but the loss rate was much lower than with bags.
Multiple belts were also a way to distinguish travelers from locals. Travelers usually wore at least two, and those with lots of luggage might wear three or four. I only had one, which basically screamed “beginner traveler.”
It was like a white belt in taekwondo—total amateur hour. I decided I should buy another one quickly.
“Something like this would be comfortable. It distributes weight well.”
Out of the dozens of belts hanging from the ceiling, the one Ash carefully selected was a looser style that sat across the hips.
It had several loops for hanging items and felt secure around the waist. The fit was perfect.
I started attaching my various belongings to it to test.
I have to buy this!
“You have two compasses?”
“Yeah. One isn't for finding directions.”
“It looks a bit unusual.”
There was one ordinary compass that properly pointed north, south, east, and west. And then there was Lubao's Compass—the magical one.
After Arnel gave me the regular compass, I'd stopped looking at it much and had almost forgotten about the other one. But now that I checked, it was pointing directly at Ash.
That was why he'd noticed it. The single needle was stubbornly fixed on him.
“Stay right there for a moment, okay?”
Since the thought had occurred to me, I decided to test it immediately.
I left Ash standing in one spot and wove through the maze of stacked merchandise, circling around him.
I watched how the compass needle reacted as I made a full loop.
The result was obvious. The compass kept pointing at Ash with absolute certainty, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Even after walking a complete 360 degrees around him, the needle didn't waver. It felt like I'd become the moon orbiting Earth.
What Lubao's Compass pointed to was the person closest to the owner who missed them the most.
What reason could a man I'd met just a few days ago have to miss me?
It was a fact I could no longer deny. I'd had no reason to doubt it from the start, but now I felt completely relieved.
You haven't forgotten me. Ash, you wonderful bastard!
How much must you have been thinking about me for the needle to react like this!
“What... exactly are you doing?”
“Ash.”
“Yes?”
“Is there anything you want? I'll buy it all for you.”
“Where is this coming from all of a sudden...”
“I just suddenly feel like buying you stuff. Just tell me! What do you need?”
Since I owed him from the past, I could even tell him where Magi's house was if he wanted. No, that might be too much.
I probably shouldn't tell him about Magi's house, but I could tell him about Rai's true identity!
My gaze must have been too intense, because Ash looked down at me with a slightly embarrassed expression.
“Miss Jeanie... it seems you like me quite a bit.”
Since he didn't know the full story, that was probably how it looked to him. It wasn't entirely wrong, so I readily admitted it.
“Yeah, I do like you.”
Why does he look so shy about it?
Ash's cheeks flushed like a bashful country girl. He covered his mouth with the back of his hand, clearly flustered.
“Do you dislike me?”
“...You're very direct.”
“I don't mean I like you romantically. It's just that you remind me a lot of a friend of mine.”
“You do the same for me.”
“Really?”
“Yes. You remind me... of someone. Even though that person is no longer alive, I keep thinking about them.”
It would be nice if we could just confess everything to each other.
That I was Jeanie Crowell—the girl currently being passionately celebrated across the continent as a symbol of sacrifice. And that he was the Second Prince, working to become the crown prince.
But those truths were too enormous, too heavy to reveal easily. Even for me, it felt difficult.
To explain, I'd first have to convince him how I was still alive, then go into detail about how distorted the rumors were, why I was here now, and how I'd recognized the disguised prince.
Where on earth would I even start?
There was no guarantee he'd believe me right away. The biggest problem was that the core truths we both had to keep secret were precisely what mattered most.
What would happen to a prince who revealed his identity during the trial?
I didn't know for sure, but it definitely wouldn't be good. At the very least, it was clearly against the rules.
The most strictly demanded condition for princes undertaking the Path of the Trial was to hide their status above all else.
I held back the urge to acknowledge him and instead stared into Ash's brown eyes for a long time.
Then I simply reached out and drew his right hand toward me.
I opened his large palm and gently traced the scar there with my fingertips.
Ash let me do it without pulling away.
Even though he'd grown much bigger, he was still the same gentle boy he'd always been.
I thought about how we hadn't really changed that much.
Even if our appearances had changed, we probably still carried the same essence we'd had as children. If that was true, it made me happy.
“Miss Jeanie.”
When we stood close together in the narrow space, holding our breath, it felt like I could sense the sound of each other's hearts and the warmth of our bodies.
It was almost as if those things were becoming more like mine.
“Yeah?”
“There's something I want to ask you.”
“What is it?”
His expression was stiff, so I couldn't tell what he was thinking. But the fact that he was letting me touch him seemed like a good sign.
He flipped over the hand I'd been tracing and grasped mine, applying a gentle pressure I could understand.
A man's hand felt larger than necessary.
“Have you... ever been to Elan?”
Looking into someone's eyes really did carry a certain power.
“...I have.”
“Did you ever attend a festival there?”
“I did. I was ten years old.”
“Then... at that time...”
“I was kidnapped by slave traders. Not exactly a pleasant memory.”
The grip on my hand gradually grew stronger. But it didn't hurt, so I found myself smiling a little.