We moved together, visiting the shops one by one. Our first stop was the bookstore. Cece and I immediately approached the clerk behind the counter and asked if the second volume of The Northern Duke Is Obsessed with Me had been released. Thankfully, the two knights had chosen to wait outside, making it easier to speak freely.

  “Yes, it’s on the shelf—two rows down, in the corner,” the clerk replied, pointing in the direction.

  We headed over, and as we walked, I noticed Eri already cradling three thick encyclopedias in her arms. Her attendant, Cherry, was still combing through the corner shelves, likely searching for more titles Eri might want.

  Cece and I easily spotted the book we were looking for. Without needing to be told, Melody and Jane stepped forward and grabbed a copy for each of us. With a bit of time left, Cece and I browsed a little more, hoping to discover something new.

  The air inside the shop carried the comforting scent of old paper and fresh ink. There was something serene about being surrounded by towering shelves full of stories, waiting patiently to be opened.

  Cece picked up a romance novel with a rose-colored cover and flipped through the first few pages. “This one looks promising,” she murmured, passing it to Melody.

  I wandered toward a dispy of fantasy books and spotted a title I didn’t recognize—a castle suspended in the clouds was featured on the cover, its title etched in elegant gold foil. I passed it to Jane without a second thought.

  A rge clock hanging above the counter caught my eye. Only six minutes remained.

  Just then, Cherry hurried over to Eri, holding up a slender hardcover. “Miss Eri! I found a rare volume about spiders!”

  Eri’s eyes sparkled with excitement, the event from earlier seemingly forgotten. “Perfect. Thank you, Cherry.”

  With our arms full and time ticking away, we gathered at the counter. Melody and Jane handled the purchases swiftly, already familiar with our pace. Cece lingered near a dispy of bookmarks by the register, her eyes lingering on a gold-ribboned one shaped like a key.

  I gently nudged her toward the door. “We still have two more shops. If we don’t move now, the knights will start counting seconds.”

  She sighed but didn’t argue. Eri followed, clutching her spider book as though it were a priceless artifact.

  Outside, Sir Preston raised a brow but said nothing. Sir Cane gave us a knowing half-smile, clearly entertained by our frantic dash.

  Without a word, we pressed on to the next destination—every minute counted now, and we had no time to lose.

  Our second stop was Sweet Anomaly. The moment we arrived, my heart dropped—a line had already formed outside the shop. I frowned, silently pleading that my favorites hadn’t sold out yet, and quickly made my way toward the end of the queue.

  “Wait for us, Lady Nia!” Sir Preston called, catching up as I slipped into line.

  I gave Cecil a subtle nod, and without missing a beat, she darted inside to check the dispy. I kept my gaze fixed on her through the shop’s wide gss window, anxiously watching her movements as she wove through the crowd.

  She scanned the shelves with practiced speed. After a few tense seconds, she turned back and fshed me a discreet okay sign. Relief washed over me like a tide.

  Cecil emerged a moment ter, slightly winded but composed. “Young Lady,” she said, “mont bnc and ecirs are still plentiful, but the cream puffs are almost gone. There’s still a good amount of chocote cake avaible as well.”

  “Perfect,” I said, stepping aside and motioning for her to take my pce in line. She already knew exactly how I liked to pce my orders.

  Just then, Cece and Eri arrived.

  “Please tell me they still have carrot cake,” Cece said, slightly out of breath.

  “I’m sure they do. You’re the only one who ever orders it,” I replied with a teasing smirk.

  Cece rolled her eyes and gestured for Melody to join the line. “Get an apple tart too, if it’s there.”

  “I’ll just have a slice of the chocote cake,” Eri murmured, still clutching her spider encyclopedia like a precious gem.

  “Yes, Young Lady,” Jane replied as she joined the queue beside Melody.

  Sir Preston, now standing just behind us, added with a casual tone, “Could you pce an order for me too? Four mont bncs, three ecirs, and two cream puffs—if they’re still avaible.”

  Jane gave a polite nod, committing it to memory.

  Since Eri’s attendant Cherry had rushed off to her favorite pet store with a written list of items, Jane was now handling both their orders. It was clear this stop would take a few minutes, and we were using every second wisely.

  From the window, I watched our attendants move through the shop with ease, pointing at dispys and confirming selections. The warm glow from inside made the pastries shimmer—golden mont bncs dusted with powdered sugar, perfectly glossy ecirs, and a nearly empty tray of cream puffs. I couldn’t help smiling.

  A few minutes ter, they emerged carrying pastel-colored boxes tied neatly with ribbon. Cecil handed mine to me with a pleased smile. “Everything’s here, Young Lady.”

  “Awesome,” I said, hugging the box gently to my chest. It felt like holding pure happiness.

  As we regrouped outside, Sir Cane leaned against a mppost with a zy grin. “Mission accomplished?”

  “Yes,” I said with a satisfied smile.

  With our boxes in hand, we walked back to where our carriage was waiting. All that was left was to wait for Cherry to return—and hopefully, we’d still be within our one-hour time limit.

  With five minutes left on the clock, Cherry finally returned, looking thoroughly exhausted from running. She was holding two rge sacks, and her face was flushed with the effort.

  “Miss Eri,” she said, still catching her breath, “the shopkeeper mentioned that you can also feed this to your tarantu.” She raised one of the bags in her left hand.

  Eri’s face lit up with surprise. “Oh, so it can be shared with my tarantu? I thought it was only for my centipedes!” she excimed, clearly pleased by the news. “Good job, Cherry!” she added, giving her a pat on the shoulder. Cherry smiled warmly, clearly proud of a job well done.

  Cece and I exchanged a quiet look and silently agreed that it was best to simply let this conversation unfold without asking any further questions.

  With Cherry's timely return and their conversation now wrapped up, Sir Cane grinned and announced, “Alright, looks like we made it just in time! Everyone, get ready to board the carriage.”

  “I can’t believe we made it,” Cece muttered, her voice a blend of relief and satisfaction. “I thought for sure we’d run out of time.”

  “Never doubt our efficiency,” I replied with a confident smile, though I shared her relief. We had gotten everything we set out for, and that was more than enough.

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