Chapter 24 (1/2)

Leaving the weapons shop behind us, we killed time until noon by browsing the trade district.

As before, country mouse Aira looked every which way, asking all kinds of questions, while Rupert went along with her and answered all of them properly.

Palmira carried her newly-purchased, cloth-wrapped shortsword in both hands, looking content. At first, she said she would wear at it her hip, but after being persuaded that her dress lacked the necessary features, this was the result.

When I looked up, the sun was just about midway through the sky. Timewise, it’d be fine to go to the guild now, but first, food.

Because it was exactly the right time, delicious smells wafted into the air from down the street.

“Rupert, let’s grab something to eat soon,”

I said to Rupert, who was being dragged ahead by Aira.

“Ah, that time already…? You’re right.”

As if I were interrupting his happy date, Rupert looked suspiciously up into the sky.

You haven’t forgotten about escorting us, have you?

Well, it’s alright.

“You guys have anything you want to eat? Me, I recommend the fish around here.”

“In that case, fish sounds good to me.”

“Me too.”

“Fish it is, then.”

Oi, what about my opinion?

Maybe Rupert already had a place in mind, because he turned around before I could finish my thought.

I’ll go along with fish for now, but he’d better get a good grip on where he stands.

–

–

“After all, it’s not your first time here, is it? First-timers get priority.”

Rupert took us to a stylish restaurant that made me wonder, ‘There was a place like this around here?’ After we took our seats, Rupert responded decisively to my criticism.

…And —

“…how did you know that this wasn’t my first time?”

The waitress came over to take our orders. As Rupert rattled off whatever he felt like, I looked at him warily. I could tell that next to me, Palmira had similarly turned rigid.

“Great, thanks… now. There’s no way I’d miss it. It’s in the way you walk, y’know?”

I thought he was just enjoying a date with Aira, but it appeared that he’d kept his eyes peeled, surprisingly. Sure, now that he’d mentioned it, I might have been walking like I knew where I was going. I was careless.

That said, I knew Telaberan like the back of my hand. Even if I’d put on an act, I probably would’ve been found out in the end. I was lousy at that sort of play-acting to begin with.

But, while some people already knew, I wasn’t too eager to reveal my real ident.i.ty. It might be a good idea to be a little more careful.

“And to start with, nothing’s gonna come out of giving special treatment to a girl who already has a man.”

Before I could finish processing his last statement, Rupert said something I wouldn’t let slide without a fight.

“Huuuh?!”

What the h.e.l.l is he talking about?

I looked at Aira and Palmira. Both of them looked down, unable to say anything. Their eyes glanced over at me from time to time.

What’s with this mood? It’s like I’m the only one in the dark.

“I mean, sure, you are pretty easy on the eyes. Even the boss wants to take you back to the capital.”

“Wait. Are you referring to Leon, maybe?”

There were two people who had the qualifications to be the ‘boss’, but since Leopard seemed way too unlikely, that left just the one. I cut Rupert off to ask.

Now it was Rupert’s turn to gape in disbelief, and he turned to face me.

“Just who else is there?”

‘And don’t throw the boss’s name around,’ he added. Well, didn’t you just call him ‘boss’, all casual-like? What about all the times you called him ‘boss’ earlier? Isn’t he a n.o.ble?

Even so, for some reason I place my hands on the table and lean forward to quietly mount my defense.

“…Why would you think something like that?”

Rupert also put his hands on the table and leaned forward. We were opposing each other face-to-face over the table. What the h.e.l.l is this?

“I mean, everyone in the estate knows about it.”

“What? What the h.e.l.l are you talking about?”

“‘What I’m talking about’ is how the boss goes to your bedroom every day. What’s more, whenever he talks to you, he looks like he’s in a really good mood. Like people didn’t even know he could make that expression.”

…I was left at a loss for words.

Strangely enough, Aira said something almost identical yesterday.

What the h.e.l.l? How did we even get here?

“Thank you for waiting.”

While I was still leaning forward, distressed, the waitress’s voice reached my ears. I couldn’t get out of her way, so I straightened up and prompted her to serve the food.

“Oh my, everyone at this table is so good-looking. Is this your first time in Telaberan?”

With that timing, the waitress said something rather excessive. Looking at my unconsciously sullen expression, Aira hurriedly played along with a [Yes, that’s right].

The dishes lined up before my eyes weren’t as polished as those at the estate, but they still looked mouth-watering. While I stared, I turned over Rupert’s words in my mind.

s.h.i.+t. It’s all true.

“Woooow, it looks so delicious!”

“Well then, please take your time.”

“Thanks.”

By the time I noticed, the waitress had finished laying out the food, and Rupert was tipping her with a sort of familiarity.

“Well, let’s eat. Even my guys think this place has great food… If you’re not careful, Chris, your face will get stuck that way.”

“Uh — right.”

At his prompting, I picked up my fork with a feeling of contentment. It really did look tasty.

In the center was some kind of fish pie. Followed by grilled fish fillet.1 Piccata. Simmered tomatoes.

“Hey, lend me your plate.”

I pa.s.sed my plate over as instructed, and Rupert deftly cut and served me a slice of pie. Then it was Aira’s turn, followed by Palmira.

“Th-Thank you, Mister Rupert.”

“Thanks.”

“Of course. How is it?”

Taking his own portion last, he started eating. Seeing him, we dug in with our forks too.

“Sooo delicious.”

Immediately, Aira spoke up in admiration, with an expression of heartfelt happiness.

I had the same thought every time, but Aira devoured her meals like they really were delicious. She seemed so carefree, I was envious.

Encouraged by her reaction, I took a mouthful of pie too.

…Oooh yeah, that’s G.o.dd.a.m.n good.

“Oh yeah, and today, the boss stops by my place and says, [Really, it’s a pity that I can’t go, but I need you to show Miss Chris and the others around]. With this look like he’s disappointed from the bottom of his heart, y’know.”

“‘Miss Chris and the others’, was it?”

…Are we still on this topic? Even Aira was talking like there was some deeper meaning.

“Rumor even has it that he’s taking you back to the capital with him so you can make your debut before the wedding. It’s the hottest topic around the estate right now.”

‘No, I refused, so — ‘ …I couldn’t say that. It was pretty complicated business. Not exactly something I could blurt out on the spur of the moment.

But why did the rumors turn out that way? The source was Irene, wasn’t it. Had to be.

“If you didn’t have those kinds of feelings in the first place, all I can say is that the boss is just too pitiful. I won’t come right out and ask you how it happened, but if you haven’t noticed after all that, how heartless are you?”

Rupert said, apparently astounded.

It seemed like the only thing he didn’t know was that I was a man. Even Irene would’ve kept that a secret, I guess.

That was just fine by me, but conversely, wasn’t it because she kept it secret that such rumors got started? Wouldn’t I be better off, maybe, shouting ‘I’m a man!’ from the rooftops?

As I sank into thought, I felt a tug on the hem of my dress.

I saw Palmira, her cheeks stuffed with some kind of food, looking at me and shaking her head.

I could read what she wanted to say in her eyes.

‘It’s hopeless.’

–

–

“Pheeew. I’m full, I’m full.”

“That was delicious, wasn’t it?”

“I’m satisfied.”

Three people, three expressions of satisfaction. Leaving me to my complex feelings and lost appet.i.te, they walked out of the restaurant with content looks on their faces.

In the end, Rupert covered the bill.

[Today, it’ll be~my~treat~], he said. Gross. But for now, I’d make ruthless use of his hospitality.

Let’s have dinner too. On you.

“Well, we’re going back before sunset, y’know?”

Perhaps sensing my thoughts, Rupert made a preemptive strike.

“Once the sun sets, it’ll get quite a bit more dangerous. Much as I’d like to, if something did happen and we returned after staying out all night, the boss’ll beat me to death.”

…Well, I can see that.

‘Much as he’d like to’, huh? Yeah, he did seem like that kind of guy, but it looked like he knew the difference between right and wrong. Though it was common sense.

“Well, let’s go to the guild for now. It’ll empty out before long, won’t it?”

“Probably.”

Walking toward the guild during the exchange, we arrived relatively quickly.

As far as I could tell, the morning chaos had already subsided. From what I could see from the outside, it even seemed kind of deserted. I mean, relatively speaking — there were still several people inside.

We opened the door and entered.

Just like the weapons shop, it was a nostalgic place for me.

The tables and counters in the sprawling hall. At a glance, it even looked a bit like a tavern, but there was hardly any foot traffic in the afternoon. Later in the day, it actually did do business as a tavern.

At the moment, a few men — adventurers, looks like — were sitting at a table. Perhaps failing to find work, they were day-drinking and rolling themselves some smokes. Though it seemed that those men were now staring at us, these out-of-place intruders who just suddenly appeared.