Mary skipped through the shopping district looking at the stores lining the road. She stopped when she caught sight of a luxurious boutique. She looked in the window with a longing expression.

A store clerk came out, "Hey you! What are you doing staring into my windows?!"

Mary pulled away and frowned, "I-I am sorry Madam. I just wanted to-"

The woman shouted, "Do you even have the money to shop here?! No! So go away you filth! You are scaring away my customers!"

Mary bowed, "Ah, I am sorry! I will leave!"

As Mary scurried away quickly she heard the woman shout, "We don't want your kind here!"

Mary sighed as she continued to walk down the lavish street. Around her she could hear the merchants whispering, "What is a commoner doing here?"

"Doesn't she realize that this is the upper class shopping district?"

"How shameless. She is probably looking to sell herself to someone rich."

Mary blushed as everyone around her criticized and laughed at her. She puffed out her cheeks and mumbled to herself, "When I came with Dante, these merchants didn't even mutter a word of disapproval. How come they will not gossip when he is with me, but they will as soon as I am alone?"

Mary looked ahead with a pout, "I should have asked Dante to come with me... Maybe then they would have taken me seriously." She sighed as she looked at her coin purse, "Even though I have money thanks to Seri's novels, they still don't consider me worthy enough to shop at these stores."

As Mary stared at her coin purse with a glum expression, she ran into someone covered in a dark cloak. She flushed in embarrassment, "Ah! I'm terribly sorry. I was not paying attention."

The cloaked figure turned to her, "It's fine- Mary?!"

Mary squinted her eyes and tried to see under the mysterious figure's hood. Her eyes lit up, "Prince Wil-MMF!"

William quickly covered her mouth, "Shush! I'm under cover!"

Mary nodded in understanding and William withdrew his hand. Mary spoke, "Why are you under cover?"

He frowned, "I'm the Prince. I can't just casually walk around town."

Mary looked around, "Where's Dante? Doesn't he usually follow you around?"

William clicked his tongue, "It's not like we are married or anything. He doesn't always have to be around me."

Mary tilted her head innocently, "Well how else will you be protected? Isn't he your personal knight?"

William spoke through his teeth, "I have other knights you know. Plus, I do not want Dante to know that I am out shopping today." He shook his head and sighed, "Anyway. Why are you here?"

"I am trying to find Seri a birthday present."

William looked surprised, "I'm also trying to find Seri a birthday gift."

"Maybe we can find them together!" Mary pouted, "None of the store owners will let me in their stores."

William raised an eyebrow, "Do you have the money to shop here?"

Mary nodded quickly. She pulled out her coin purse to show William, "Thanks to Seri's book sales, I was able to save up a lot of money. Now I can use it all to buy Seri an incredible gift."

William frowned, "But isn't this your entire savings? Why would you spend it all on Seri?"

Mary looked up at the sky with a dreamy expression, "Because Seri is worth it."

William sighed, "I understand what you mean. However, what do you plan to get her?"

Mary pouted, "That's the problem. Not only can I not look around in any stores, I also have no idea what to get her."

"I also don't know what to get her." William glanced at Mary, "Perhaps you know what she would like. You're a girl."

Mary frowned, "I may be a girl, but Seri is not your usual girl."

William sighed since he completely understood that. "You don't think she would like jewelry or flowers or something? Maybe chocolate?"

"Well, I think she would like food... But what kind of birthday gift is that? She is always eating chocolates and other sweets. I want to get her something more substantial..."

"I agree... I guess we can walk around and look for something. The clerks will let you in if you come with me."

Mary looked at William in surprise and smiled warmly, "You will let me tag along?"

"Why do you look so surprised? Didn't you go with Dante shopping before?"

Mary sighed, "Well that's because he needed help and he knew my size was similar to Seri.... Well, almost."

They both knew that the chest area was the only difference. And a major difference that was.

She continued, "Not to mention the entire time he kept mentioning that he would kill me if I kept trying to hug Seri." Mary shivered, "Good thing he was just joking..."

William gave Mary a pitying expression, "Mary... I do not think he was joking..."

He was definitely serious. Dante never made threats unless he was willing to go through with it.

Mary's face paled, "N-No... I am sure he wouldn't do that."

William shrugged, "Whatever you need to tell yourself..."

They made their way into a few boutiques looking for the perfect present. The shop clerks did not try to stop Mary this time even though the figure was cloaked and disguised. The figure was disguised, but anyone would know he was of high status. There were a few knights following him while others hid undercover to provide extra protection.

Unbelievably, no one could guess it was actually the Prince.

They searched for the perfect gift for several hours until they got sleepy. Mary noticed William making an aggrieved facial expression. She nudged him, "How about we take a break? We can go to a nice coffee shop to relax and think about a new plan."

William glanced at Mary surprised by her suggestion. He nodded, "I guess that sounds like a good idea."

"Prince William likes cake, right? I think I saw a coffee shop that sold some delicious looking cake."

William blushed slightly and turned his head, "A-Alright..."

They walked into the store and asked for a private room. The hostess showed them to a private room and took their order. The two knights who had been following William stood by the door for protection. After taking their order, the waitress bowed before leaving, "I will bring that back to you right away. Feel free to get comfortable while you wait."

After she left, William removed his hood and stretched. The two began to brainstorm on what to buy for Seri. Mary fiddled with her glass, "You grew up with Seri. Surely you know what she would like."

William groaned, "That's the problem. Since I grew up with her, I know how hard she is to buy for. She does not seem to like a single thing except for food. I've bought her necklaces and dresses before. She accepts them graciously, but you can tell it's never the thing she really wants."

"What if we just try asking her what she wants?"

William shook his head, "I've tried that. All she ever says is food."

Mary sighed, "Well... Do you know what the others are getting her?"

"No. Dante is keeping it a secret. Millie is too scary, so there's no way I could ask her. Actually, everyone is keeping it a secret from me. Even Lucius plans on getting her something, but he wouldn't tell me. He said it would make her truly appreciate his greatness."

Mary giggled, "I bet it is a portrait of himself."

William went to disagree, but hesitated. He clicked his tongue, "Actually, that is very likely."

Mary groaned, "But why is everyone being so secretive?!"

William shrugged, "It's probably because it's her 16th birthday. It's such an important birthday in society that there is a superstition that if you give a bad present, then you will be followed by bad luck until the day you die."

Mary turned pale, "T-There really is such a thing?!"

William looked at her with a deadpan expression, "Mary. It is just superstition. It is not real."

Mary gulped and glanced around anxiously, "R-Right."

William rolled his eyes. Then he suddenly thought of something, "Once Millie told me that Seri doesn't like jewelry or clothes. More so, she hates decorations and knick-knacks even more."

Mary made a serious expression, "Oh, I know. She tossed all of my decorations out of the window."

"Ah." William didn't know whether to apologize or comfort her.

The waitress came back in and William abruptly hid his face to avoid detection. The waitress put the order down not paying it any attention. She spoke politely, "If you need anything else, please feel free to ask."

She left and William turned back to the table. William and Mary both stared at their cakes with watering mouths and twinkling eyes. He stuttered, "I-It doesn't seem awful..."

Mary nodded, "It looks so delicious." They took a bite simultaneously and both melted in their seats. Mary wanted to cry from happiness, "It's truly delicious!"

William blushed slightly, "I-It's not bad..."

Mary giggled, "You don't have to pretend. I know you like sweet things."

This made William blush more, "I can't like sweet things. I'm the Prince. It will look bad if I eat them. Sweet things are considered girly, and as the Prince I can't act like that."

Mary glanced at William and noticed his troubled expression. Mary smiled, "What does that matter? If you like it then you should eat it. Plus, I don't think it is girly... It is just food."

William blushed slightly feeling a bit moved by this. He looked away and caught his reflection in the decorative mirror on the wall. He sighed as he tugged on his ponytail, "Mary... Do you think my long hair looks bad?"

Mary reached over and tugged William's ponytail playfully. William looked at her in surprise at her sudden action. She met his eyes with an innocent expression, "I don't think it looks bad. In fact, I think it's very handsome and charming."

He moved backwards and she stopped tugging at his hair. He could feel his face heat up substantially as he looked at Mary. He looked away from her innocent expression feeling flustered, "W-Why would I care what you think?!"

Mary furrowed her brow in confusion, "But... Didn't you ask me?"

Mary tried to ponder the meaning behind his reaction, but she couldn't figure it out. She looked down at the table and her face lit up from an idea. She shouted, "I KNOW!"

William almost fell out of his seat from her sudden exclamation. "What?!"

She smiled at him, "I know what we can get Seri."