After scrub-brushing the lingering scent of sewer sludge from their skin and enjoying a quick, hearty meal back at the estate, the Legends returned to their booth. The afternoon sun was beginning to mellow, casting long, lazy shadows across the square. They were ready for one last request to finish the day, but they didn't have to wait long.
The rhythmic clop-clop of high-quality hooves echoed through the street, followed by the appearance of a carriage that looked like it had been dipped in gold and polished with vanity. It stopped directly in front of their humble booth, effectively blocking the view of everyone else's stalls.
The door swung open, and out stepped a boy who was the definition of flamboyant. He was round, draped in silks that looked too tight for his frame, and wore a feathered hat that looked like it had claimed the lives of three different species of exotic birds. He stepped onto the cobblestones with a sneer, walking with a puffed-out chest as if he owned the very air people were breathing.
He marched toward the booth, his nose wrinkled in distaste. "What is this… architectural disaster?" he demanded, gesturing toward the wooden planks. "The proportions are offensive. The paint is amateur. Who gave you permission to—"
Emilia's eye twitched. Her fist clenched at her side, her knuckles turning white. She began to lean over the counter, her voice a low, dangerous hiss. "Listen here, you walking marshmallow, if you don't—"
Suddenly, the boy froze. His complaints died in his throat.
The world seemed to slow down. From his perspective, the dusty square vanished, replaced by a radiant, shimmering glow. Petals of imaginary flowers began to drift through the air. His gaze was locked onto Lili, who was sitting elegantly on a crate behind the counter, holding a porcelain cup of tea and a small biscuit. She was staring blankly at a passing butterfly, completely oblivious to his presence.
The boy's hat fell off. He hit his knees with a heavy thud, sliding across the dirt until he was right in front of the booth.
"At long last," he gasped, his voice trembling with a dramatic, operatic vibrato. "I have found you… the star of my soul! The love of my life!"
The entire square went silent. A donkey pulling a cart stopped mid-step to stare; a group of pigeons landed nearby as if waiting for the punchline. Kirian dropped the hammer he was holding. Emilia's fist stayed frozen in mid-air.
Lili blinked slowly, her tea cup halfway to her mouth. She looked down at the sobbing noble, then at her biscuit, then back at him. "Huh?"
"Three years ago!" the noble cried, clutching his chest. "The Capital! The festival of the Crown Prince! I saw her—a fierce, tiny goddess with energy that could set the sky ablaze! She was so magnificent that the people couldn't help but lift her onto their shoulders, carrying her through the streets like the royalty she is! I vowed then I would find her again!"
Gaius looked at the noble with a look of pure, unadulterated judgment. "Is he having a heatstroke? Or is he just an idiot?"
Lili tilted her head. "I don't remember being a goddess. I remember… a sandwich."
Kirian rubbed his chin, a look of profound confusion on his face. "Wait… the Capital festival… three years ago… I remember the parade, but…"
"Oh!" Diana suddenly clapped her hands together, a bright, knowing smile breaking across her face. "I remember now! That was the commemoration of the Crown Prince being named heir. It was absolute chaos."
The noble looked up at Diana, his eyes wet with tears. "You! You were there? You saw her radiant power?"
"Well," Diana said, her voice dripping with suppressed amusement. "I remember that Lady Liliana wasn't actually at the festival. She spent the entire three days inside the palace guest wing with a terrible stomach ache because she tried to eat her weight in cream puffs during the welcoming banquet."
Lili nodded solemnly. "The puffs were worth it."
"However," Diana continued, pointing a finger at Kirian, "Master Kirian was very much present. And if I recall correctly, the two of you decided it would be 'tactically advantageous' to swap roles for the day. Master Kirian, you were wearing Liliana's spare silk dress and a matching sun hat."
Kirian's eyes widened as the memory hit him like a freight train. "Oh… oh no."
"He was causing such a scene, shouting about 'conquering the world' and demanding more juice," Diana laughed. "The crowd thought he was so charmingly eccentric that they hoisted him up and carried him through the square. Since you two are twins and were even more similar-looking back then…"
The noble boy's face went from red, to white, to a sickly shade of green. He looked at Lili's bored expression, then turned his gaze slowly toward Kirian—who was currently standing there in a dirty tunic, sweaty and holding a hammer.
"So… the goddess…" the noble stuttered, his voice cracking. "…was a boy in a sundress?"
"I looked great in that dress," Kirian muttered, crossing his arms defensively. "The airflow was excellent."
The noble boy let out a strangled, high-pitched noise that sounded like a tea kettle reaching its limit. He clutched his head and began to babble incoherently about "betrayal" and "the lies of beauty." His panicked attendants quickly rushed from the carriage, grabbing him by the arms and dragging him back inside while he shouted at the clouds.
The carriage sped off, leaving a cloud of dust behind.
Gaius turned to Kirian, his expression deadpan. "Why? Why would you even do that?"
Kirian shrugged, completely unfazed now that the secret was out. "Lili and I just wanted to see if we could pull it off. It was an experiment in undercover operations! A legend must be versatile!"
"It was fun," Lili added, taking another bite of her biscuit. "The dress was itchy, though."
Emilia sighed, finally lowering her fist. "Well, that's one way to get rid of a customer. Diana, remind me never to let Kirian wear a dress near any potential investors."
"I make no promises, Miss Emilia," Diana winked. "He actually has quite a collection hidden away."
"I do not!" Kirian shouted, though his blushing ears told a different story.