Aeri drags a reluctant Royo through Rahway’s amusement district, drinking spiced wine, eating sweets, and trying to get him to relax. Royo stays on alert, complaining that carnivals attract trouble, and Aeri needles him about his joyless seriousness, frustrated by how quickly he retreats from the closeness they shared earlier.

They stop at a tuhko-hoop throwing game. Royo insists the game is rigged, but Aeri spots the trick: the hoop tilts down after impact. After Royo fails once, Aeri pays for another round and quietly instructs Royo to throw rapidly and aim slightly low so the hoop’s tilt will help the final shot. Royo follows her advice, scores, and briefly shows open pride before the moment passes; Aeri claims a colorful stuffed dragon as their prize.

As they leave, Aeri reflects on how well they work together and on what she lacks with her father—love without the same protective care Royo gives her. She notes she already wrote home without mentioning the pirate attack, partly to avoid worry and partly because she doubts her father would truly care. The thoughts sharpen Aeri’s desire for a future with both belonging and someone who makes her stronger.

Walking back toward the Troubadour Inn, Aeri and Royo get turned around and argue over directions. When Aeri moves to ask two men ahead for help, Royo grabs Aeri’s arm at the wrong moment, prompting the men—king’s guard—to misread the scene and order them to stop. Aeri urges flight, fearing arrest with stolen jewels on her and whatever trouble Royo’s own secrets might invite.

Aeri and Royo sprint through the streets with the guard close behind until Royo pulls Aeri into a narrow alley to hide. Pressed chest-to-chest in the dark, they nearly kiss as Royo’s gaze lingers on Aeri’s mouth, but Royo breaks away and claims the guard is gone. They emerge to find the Troubadour only a block away; Royo avoids Aeri’s look, and Aeri steels herself for tomorrow’s meeting with the spymaster, deciding she cannot afford to trust Royo—or anyone—until the job is done.