Chapter 138 (1/2)
In the center of Celestia's busy center square, a statue of the country's founding queen was erected
With the tiave off ascent
Steamed food see steaetables topped with meats and sauces
Other than that, the people alked as they ate a food wrapped in white dough that let offthem in brown paper, their forms as their mouths let off steam as they ate left quite an impression
The slight differences he could find fro to Rudel
Though that was also due to the fact Rudel's group had disguised themselves to play the part of tourists
”Are they different from what you can find in Courtois? They're sweet pastries, aren't they?”
As Rudel put his iirl side him She didn't knohat sort of food the townsfolk ate either
”I can't think those are sweets…”
They let off steam, and the contents were filled with meat
Once she voiced that, one of their guards, Passan explained
”What Boss Rudel's talking about 's steah 'n steam it, so it's a proper meal and not a sweet”
”Is that so? You're surprisingly knowledgeable”
As Rudel nodded in acceptance, a booth selling soht Cleo's eyes
There, Pono cautioned her
”Prin… ah, no! Young lady, you shouldn't touch those They exceedingly easy to break, and the sort of souvenirs that force whatever tourists pick them up to buy them”
Cleo swiftly drew back her hands
The old rim face as he saw that
”It's not like I'm tryin' taprocess, see When you ile”
Hearing the words from the shopkeeper, Rudel simply…
(Then do so about it)
Thought from a customer's viewpoint In truth, if she picked one up and broke it, they would likely be forced to buy it Millia, who had reached out in a similar fashi+on, now looked truly relieved
”In the first place, that's our guardian deity, who should be treated with care It's their fault for breaking them”
On the old man's opinion, Rudel looked at its form, but it was much too crude, and he could only barely s stuck on; the only part of the doll colored in was an eye-like red point
He could only see it as a rip-off
(Was it et the feeling whoever makes them easy to break and puts them up for sale is also at fault)
Rudel took a side-glance at Izumi
She was keeping alert of their heavily crowded surroundings And under the robe she wore as an escort, her hand was placed on her katana
Rudel also directed his attention around
There, Emilio took one of the clay dolls in hand and lifted it up
His subordinate Ben warned hihed and returned it to its original place
His eyes were terribly cold
”Now that we've seen the crude dolls that are this area's specialty, let's ht be a little late, but how about lunch?”
Eested lunch to Cleo
She curiously turned her eyes to the food stands While there was so herself to say it
Rudel called out to Passan Producing his wallet from his inner breast pocket and handed over Celestian currency he had exchanged for
”Passan, use this to buy so It seems milady is interested in the food stalls”
”Y-you don't need this much!”
Passan declined to accept such a fortune, but Rudel forcefully had hi, instead giving a nod
”Don't worry about that, just buy enough for everyone Take Pono with you”
Saying that, Rudel moved to stand on the opposite side of Cleo from Izumi
”U-um, it's a bother, then…”
While Cleo sounded apologetic, Rudel shook his head to the side
”No, I wanted to try it as well, so don't worry I deeply apologize for having you keep me company in my meal”
When he spoke in a phrasing tactful towards the princess, Izumi and Millia made tired faces
Millia even blatantly glared at him
”… What's wrong?”
”Nothing really I just thought you were being refreshi+ngly thoughtful”
When Millia lifted her hair and said it, perhaps sensing the atmosphere, Passan and Pono headed off towards the stalls Ben enviously saw off their backs
As always, Cleo looked apologetic, so Eh
”I'd appreciate if you left your spats for once you've returned to your own country Right now is milady's time”
Millia turned to Cleo
”My apologies, Milady”
Hearing that, Cleo gave a bit of a lonesoh
”No, it's' alright”
At that moment, Passan and Pono returned, both their arms full of food
”We're back!”
”Passan, you bought way too much”
Ben sighed And Emilio naturally started off towards a place in the square where chairs and tables were lain out
”Then let's eat Over here”
(He's used to this Meaning the knights eat here? Despite that, I don't see any around)
Rudel couldn't see any knights eating around
He spotted quite a few soldiers on lookout, and he could see sohts
(Is it a problem with the timeslot?)
Rudel watched Cleo take a seat as he called out to Passan
”Passan, do the knights eat in this area too?”
Taking a sidelong glance at Eht confir to Cleo how to eat the various foods from the stalls
Ben and Pono's eyes were sparkling at the feast before their eyes
Passan as well, and when Rudel struck up conversation, he troublesomely looked between Rudel and the food
”There's no way they'd coet freeup at these measly stalls”
”But this is a sight-seeing spot, right? They never stretch their legs in the area and eat at the stalls?”
”Yeah, this hts eat 't proper restaurants This place is just right for the penniless soldiers to fill their stoet to be a knight, it's looked down upon, er rather…”
Seeing how he struggled to say it, the knights likely avoided eating at the lo food stalls
(Do they look down on the food eaten by the ly delicious, but…)
Rudel's wariness towards Es stood, he didn't have any evidence Even if he had his doubts, they were at a level where they'd clear up if the ave an excuse
A little suspicious, was all he thought
”Passan, you can have mine I'm fine with just one”
Saying that, Rudel took one hted Passan brought the re but over to Ben and Pano
”Boss, I got this from Boss Rudel!”
”Thank you!”
Giving a bitter s three, Rudel went over to Izumi and sat down by her side While he kept wary of his surroundings, he took care not to direct that towards Emilio
Millia glared at the two of thenored her for now
”Did so happen?”
Hearing Izuave as a preface as he whispered back Rudel hi at best
”It's E feels off about him”
”… I see”
Withouther eyes, she lent an ear to his words
”This ht not be so simple a request Just keep that in mind”
Saying that and standing, Rudel uard Cleo
Though they were in theinto theirfun as she watched them
She held a yearning towards plebian… things of differing status, to be more specific
It wasn't as if Rudel didn't understand the feeling
(Perhaps every royal family is complicated)
There were plenty of strange points in this matter He honestly couldn't believe the reason they were called over was because the country's own knights weren't trusted
(No use digging too deep into it That's not our job)
Rudel changed his train of thought to focus on nothing but the h as she listened in to Ben's party's conversations, he grew just a little curious
Turning his eyes to Emilio, Rudel noticed
(He's s?)
Aleist had cli the center square
To be more precise, Nate had led him there
They both wore robes, weapons at the ready as they waited on standby
Keeping her body low, Nate used her telescope to check the surroundings When the sun was so high in the sky, the reason they didn't stand out was because of the
Aleist recalled the ame
(All the ht were useless, to think there were such convenient uses for the?)
He had still yet to hear the reason Nate had come to Celestia But Aleist had been led off frouard
There had been some combat with those he suspected to be soldiers of the Gaia Empire
(There's no doubt it's so at?)
Nate peered into the lens as she called over to Aleist It was alhts in the palm of her hand
”Are you curious about me, senpai?”
… But that was quite evidently aThere was no way Nate could understand how Aleist felt
(Well, if she's noticed, I'd best not beat around the bush)
Giving a bitter smile, Aleist offered Nate a correction
”I'm pretty sure what I'n nation to do so like this In the first place, you've yet to explain e had to run away froe bunch”
While she heard out his take, Nate continued observing so at what seemed to be the central square of the busy main road
Perhaps she had found the target of her surveillance, as she didn't remove her eye
”You're asking that now? I'd really prefer it if you either asked earlier, or stayed silent and showed some stoicism as you silently watched over me”
”That's not in my character If you don't like that, hurry up and find a boyfriend, and raduation”
”Uwah… senpai, you're terrible After you did such a thing to me”
Such a thing,when Aleist was pushed down It was in his student days Dropping by the graduation party, Aleist ran s out drinks, and she ended up pushi+ng him down
”I was the victim there, wasn't I? And It really was hell back then”
Recalling his school days, Aleist breathed out a sigh as he slumped his shoulders
”Senpai, I don't want to be the one to say it, but there aren't many students out there who enjoyed their school life as irls, with friends and rivals… it was the best, wasn't it? If that's whatto punish you”
Aleist had an a of Nate's words
It was a fact he truly did have some fun He was fulfilled
But…
”I confessed to the girl I like, and I still haven't gotten a response No, that's already, how should I put it, yeah, hopeless, but see…”
”Hah, are you so unsatisfied with a cute girl like me?”
As Nate called herself cute, Aleist averted his eyes and muttered
”I think the part where you praised yourself is no good Are you overly self-conscious?”
Nate lifted the telescope up and hit it into Aleist's head Was it really alright to use an expensive article in such a ht as he robbed his head
”It's e for me to say it too This sort of, I'd like if you were more mindful of a maiden's heart It's just the two of us, so shouldn't it be fine if there was a bit of a better atmosphere between us? Like, when I call myself cute, you could at least say, 'You definitely are cute, Nate'”
Nate's face reddened in embarrassment, but…
”That sounds like a pain”