The Unlucky Bride Is Loved by the Fortunate Desert King - Chapter 20 – Mastern Lantern

—Once the Thousand and One Nights Festival (Alf Layla wa Layla) ends, I will leave this mansion.
Now that I’ve decided that, there are a few things I must do. (Secure travel funds, and then… hmm…)

To cool my head, I wandered through the rows of stalls that had sprung up around the estate. Starting about a week before the festival, a grand market had already opened—gathering rare goods from countries all over the world.

Exotic fruits from foreign lands, minerals in colors I’d never seen before. Of course, there were familiar sweets too—like Al’s favorite nuts preserved in honey. In another section, even birds, mules, and other rare animals had been brought together.

(Amazing… so many foods and creatures I’ve never seen before…)

When I saw a large, colorful macaw, I felt as though I had wandered into a fairytale kingdom.

The market was only open to the public on the day of the festival, but those connected to the vast mansion were apparently free to shop at this pre-festival market.

Since goods had not yet been snatched up, and the selection was abundant, the servants, too, seemed eager to make their rounds in search of rare treasures from abroad.

Then suddenly—a breathtaking sight spread before my eyes.

Inside a drab, temporary tent, crammed together almost to bursting, was a dazzling array of Turkish lamps.

The vibrant colors—blue, red, yellow, green, white, and violet—shimmered like gemstones,
and the intricacy of their craftsmanship was truly exquisite.

The sight of countless lamps hanging from the ceiling was overwhelming. As dusk deepened, they gleamed ever more beautifully against the dimming light, as though that small tent alone had captured the essence of radiance itself.

“Wow… so pretty…”

Before I knew it, I found myself drawn toward the tent. The shopkeeper was an elderly man, breathing heavily as he struggled to hang the lamps.

“Ugh… my back hurts…”
“Um, would you like some help?”

When I spoke up, the old man peered at me from between the lamps. He wore a white turban and round glasses, his skin tanned by the sun. He had a gentle, kind face.

The old man blinked his round eyes. “Well now, lad, you’d lend me a hand with my shop, would you?”

“Yes! These lamps are so beautiful—I was really moved. I have plenty of free time, so if there’s anything I can do, I’ll gladly help.”

The old man’s face broke into a wide grin. “Oh-ho! Thank you kindly. I didn’t bring an assistant this time,
so I’ve been struggling on my own. You’re a lifesaver.” “If you’d like, I can come help every day. I really do have the time.”

“Then I’ll take you up on that. I’ll make sure to pay you properly too. Would you come and help me tend the stall?”

For a moment, Al’s face came to mind. If I could give him one of these beautiful lamps…

“Um, this may be a bit presumptuous, but—for my payment, would it be possible to receive one of these lamps? I’d like to buy one as a gift… for someone very dear to me.”

“I don’t mind. If you help me tend the shop, you can pick whichever one you like. These lamps are indeed beautiful, but they’re not so expensive that it would be a problem. I can still pay you a little on top of that.”

The old man chuckled softly. Looking at the price tags, the lamps ranged from around two thousand to over five thousand yen in Japanese currency.

“Um… once the festival ends, I need to go to the House of Aziz. How long would it take to get there from here?” “Hm? The House of Aziz, you say?” The old man tilted his head curiously, glancing toward the palace behind me.

“I believe it’s not too far from here, but…”

“Perhaps you mean the Aziz family’s villa, hmm? It’s about a two-day journey by camel. If you’re leaving after the festival, I could give you a ride on my wagon. As it happens, I have business in that direction myself.”

I hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly. Nothing in my life had ever fallen into place this easily.
I bowed deeply before I even realized it.

“Really!? Thank you so much!”

“No, no, think nothing of it. You’re doing me a favor by helping with the stall.”

“My name is Yuzu. Um… if you don’t mind, may I ask yours?”

The shopkeeper was old enough that calling him “grandfather” wouldn’t have been out of place. He stroked his white beard and chuckled softly.

“Well now… since we’re surrounded by lamps, you can call me Master Lantern, if you like.”