The next morning, Natsu once again earned a good amount of coins with his entertaining fire tricks using the ring. This morning's haul was particularly impressive, as one of the coins was made of purest gold.

"Breakfast is going to be fantastic," he thought as he entered the marketplace with Happy.

As usual, the marketplace buzzed with activity, filled with merchants eagerly promoting their wares.

"Buy a pot! A fine pot in brass or silver!" one shouted.

"Sugared dates and figs! Pistachio nuts and melons!" another called out.

"Fresh fish! We catch 'em! You buy 'em!" chimed in a third merchant.

To Natsu, this was all routine, and he barely paid the merchants any mind—unless, of course, they were selling meat. However, for a newcomer who entered the marketplace that morning, it was an intriguing spectacle. She paused to inhale the fragrant spices at one stand and then admired the pottery at another. It was all so simple, yet so exhilarating to her.

"So, what should it be this morning, Happy?" Natsu asked his cat as he strolled down the street. "Eggs? Sausage? Or both?"

As he walked, a newcomer approached from the opposite direction, her attention captivated by the sights around her. Natsu, preoccupied with his rumbling stomach, was equally oblivious. Their paths converged, resulting in a sudden collision.

"Oh!" they both exclaimed, startled.

"Please excuse me," the girl said, regaining her composure.

"My bad," Natsu replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Are you alright?" she asked, concern in her voice.

"I'm fine. Nothing to—"

But as Natsu recovered from the mild crash, he found himself face-to-face with the young lady. He couldn't help but stare. Perhaps it was her big brown eyes, her cascade of silky blonde hair, or simply... her. He was captivated, and a strange feeling stirred within him. He had seen many beautiful girls before—peasant maids often outshone the wealthy and royal—but none had ever made him feel this way. There was something undeniably special about her.

"Why do you stare at me so strangely?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Natsu suddenly blushed. "Oh, was I staring? Sorry!" He quickly shifted the topic. "First time in the marketplace, huh?"

"What makes you think it's my first time here?" she replied, a hint of challenge in her voice.

"Well, the solid gold earrings are a bit of a giveaway," he chuckled. "No one from around here can afford those."

The princess in disguise instinctively covered her ears, realizing her mistake. "I guess it is kind of obvious," she murmured, avoiding eye contact.

"Lucky for you, I know this place like the back of my hand. Mind if I show you around?"

"Not at all. I'd like that very much," she said, a smile breaking through her initial shyness.

"But Natsu, what about breakfast?" Happy whined from Natsu's shoulder.

Natsu brushed aside his cat's attention and led the striking young woman on a tour of the bustling marketplace.

"Over here, we have spices, nuts, melons, figs, and dates," Natsu explained, gesturing to a vibrant stand. "Speaking of dates—"

"This isn't one," Lucy quickly interjected.

"And over there is the jewelry stall where locals can actually afford to shop. To the left, you'll find a fish stand, and to the right, you can watch guys lying on beds of nails and sleeping on hot coals. Crazy, if you ask me."

"Have you lived here long?" she asked.

"I was born and raised here. What about you?"

"Nowhere important."

"Okay, so you're not local, you're hiding your face under a cloak, and you don't want to share where you're from. I'm guessing you're a runaway?"

She looked down at her feet, a hint of shame in her posture.

"A perceptive one, are you?" she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Not always. Just with things and people I like."

"Does that mean you like me?" Lucy teased, a playful giggle escaping her.

"Maybe," he smiled back, his eyes twinkling.

Happy rolled his eyes at their banter.

"So, if I may ask, what are you running from?" Natsu inquired.

"My father," she answered, her voice trembling. "He's forcing me into a marriage against my will."

"That's awful. Sounds like you have the same problem as the princess."

Lucy's heart raced. Oh no, did he recognize her? Had she crossed paths with him before, only to forget while he retained the memory?

"Do you know the princess?" she asked, anxiety creeping in.

"Yeah, right," he laughed. "I'd be lucky to even catch a glimpse of her, let alone meet her."

She let out a breath of relief.

"Are you okay? For a moment, you looked a little pale."

"I'm alright. But out of curiosity, what do you know about the princess?"

"Only what the palace guards have said: she's expected to marry soon, has rejected every suitor, and all men are forbidden from looking at her without the sultan's permission."

"I didn't know about that. Is it really true?"

"Yep. Apparently, the princess is so pure and virtuous that no man outside the palace is deemed worthy to see her face. The sultan decreed that anyone who looks at her without permission would face severe consequences." He mimed a throat-slitting gesture.

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! The sultan must be mad!"

"Shhh! Don't let anyone hear you say that. You might lose your head."

"I can assure you the princess herself would not approve of such a law. In fact, she'd probably say it's the dumbest decree her father has made."

"Sounds like you know her pretty well."

"I... I am a royal handmaid to the princess," Lucy lied. "We talk frequently."

"What's she like?"

"Stifled and very unhappy with her life."

"Really?" He sounded surprised. "I mean, I know everyone has their problems, but I thought someone like her would be happy living in a palace."

"Someone like her?"

"You know, someone who has servants and valets."

"You mean people who tell you where to go and how to dress?" She sighed.

"Hey, it's better than scraping for food and sleeping in a cramped hovel."

"But you'd never be free to make your own choices. Being in that palace can make you feel..."

"Living on the streets always makes me feel..."

"Trapped." They said in unison.

Their eyes met, and they smiled.

"He loves you!" Happy, the cat, taunted, earning a glare from his human companion. Lucy followed Natsu's annoyed gaze and finally noticed the cat.

"Oh, you have a kitty!"

She bent down and extended her hand. Happy sniffed her fingers cautiously, and once he sensed she was kind, he rubbed against her and purred.

"He likes you," Natsu said.

"He's so cute!" She scratched under his chin and rubbed his ears. "Is he yours?"

"Not exactly," Natsu replied. "He lives with me, I feed him, groom him, and we hang out a lot, but I don't own him. We're just friends looking out for each other."

"He's a beautiful cat," she said. "And his coat is so fine. You'd never think he was an alley cat."

"People have said he's good-looking enough to sell to the palace as a royal pet, but I could never part with Happy."

"Happy? That's his name?"

"I named him that because he always makes me happy. He's my best friend in the world, you know?"

"Animals can be a wonderful source of comfort. The birds in the royal gardens have lifted the princess's spirits many times. Sometimes, she'd rather listen to their songs than hear arrogant princes boast about her beauty."

"Eh, she's probably not that pretty anyway."

She shot him a look, clearly offended. "How can you say that? You've never even seen her, and many say she's the most beautiful woman in the land."

"You have a point, but I don't need to see her to know she can't be as pretty as you."

Now she was blushing, gazing at him coyly.

"You're probably ten times more beautiful than the princess could ever be."

"Oh, stop it. I bet you say that to all the girls you meet."

"Not really, considering you're the first one I've ever actually talked to."

A confused expression crossed her face. He had never met another woman? How could that be? He was poor but polite, funny, and dashing—more so than any prince or nobleman she had seen. There was something about his humble good looks that she found very attractive. She appreciated his simple attire over ostentatious clothing.

"So, what do you like to do?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" she replied.

"What do you enjoy for fun? Any hobbies? Do you study anything specific?"

"You really want to know?"

"Isn't that why I asked?"

Lucy was taken aback. For once, someone was genuinely interested in her as a person. None of her suitors had ever bothered to ask about her likes or dislikes; they only spoke of how they would rule Lazan and what kind of wife she was expected to be. This man's approach was refreshing, exactly what she had longed for.

"Alright," she said with a pleased smile.

And so, Natsu and Lucy talked long into that morning, enjoying each other's company immensely.