Chapter 40

After preparing for our journey, Reia and I headed to the courtyard of Senrin Academy.

There, a large royal aircraft was already waiting for us.

(…It’s even bigger than the president’s private jet.)

Indeed, this is a royal aircraft; the scale is different from anything privately owned.

In front of the aircraft, a group of five people dressed in black formal attire bowed their heads as soon as they saw Reia.

Then, the woman at the head of the group spoke.

"---We have been waiting for you, Reia-sama, Maggot-sama. The takeoff preparations are complete, please come aboard."

Maggot-sama, huh...

(The title is there, but only as a formality...)

It’s immediately clear that we are not welcome; it was a very good greeting, indeed.

Then,

"Hey, if you keep saying such ridiculous things... I won’t go, you know?"

Reia, clearly displeased, said this with a sharp look.

"…I apologize. Reia-sama… Allen-sama, please this way."

After a long pause, she finally called my name correctly.

"Hmph… Let’s go, Allen."

"Ah, yeah."

And so, I was led by Reia and boarded the aircraft.

■

During the journey from Senrin Academy to the Kingdom of Vesteria, Reia told me a lot about the tourist attractions in Vesteria.

The Hill of Hope, where it is said that any wish can come true.

The National Vesteria Museum, which displays various historical artifacts, antiques, and relics.

The Grand Arena, where swordsmen compete in their skills, and fierce battles take place every day.

She must be proud of her country.

Reia looked very happy when talking about Vesteria.

"After the meeting with Father, we’ll definitely go sightseeing together!"

"Yeah, let’s do that."

As we made this promise, the aircraft gradually descended and slowly landed on the ground.

"---We have arrived at the capital, Arond. Please follow this way, both of you."

And so, after getting off the aircraft and leaving the airport, I was struck by a great shock.

The air, the smell, the people—everything was different.

Of course, it’s a different country, but for me, who had never left my country and crossed the sea, the shock was immense.

As we left the airport, the woman in black formal attire spoke.

"Reia-sama. The meeting with His Majesty the King is scheduled for 8 PM. You still have about an hour and a half, so—"

"---I’ll eat with Allen, so it’s fine. Just for the two of us, please."

"…Understood."

She nodded reluctantly, clearly not pleased with the idea of Reia and I acting together.

"…Then, we will take our leave here. Just to remind you—your meeting with His Majesty is scheduled for 8 PM. Please do not forget."

"I know. We won’t skip it after coming all this way."

"No, it’s not that… Reia-sama has always been a bit clumsy, so I just wanted to make sure you check the time and act accordingly…"

"Z, I’m not clumsy at all! Ugh! Hurry up and go!"

"---Understood. Please be careful."

And so, after parting ways with the group in formal attire, we walked down the bustling main street, blending in with the crowd.

"Really… calling me a clunker and clumsy… that’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?"

"Ah, ahaha, yeah…"

To be honest, Reia does have a bit of a clumsy side, and she is definitely a bit clumsy.

I know this well from living in the same room for the past few months.

However, I couldn’t say that to her face, so I just laughed it off.

Then, I shifted my gaze to the main street we were walking on.

(…Unlike Orest, there aren’t many large stores here.)

Instead, small stalls lined the street densely.

The total number of stores here is probably much greater.

(And it’s already past six, yet there are so many people.)

Swordsmen with swords at their waists.

Women with shopping bags.

Men walking with a bottle of alcohol, whistling.

Various people were walking down the street with bright faces.

A city of merchants—Drestia—was just as vibrant.

As I was looking around the street,

"Hey, Allen. We don’t have much time, so let’s have dinner, okay?"

Reia patted my shoulder and said this.

"Yeah, that’s a good idea."

It was 6:30 PM, and I was starting to feel hungry.

"Do you have anything you want to eat, Allen?"

"Hmm, well… if I had to choose, something meaty, I guess."

"Really? Then I know a great place! It’s a favorite of mine since I was a kid!"

"Wow, let’s go there then."

"Sure! This way, follow me!"

And so, following Reia, we arrived at a restaurant that I remembered very well.

"T, this is…!"

"Hehe, surprised? It’s a real Lamzak shop!"

Lamzak is a traditional Vesterian dish.

It’s a triangular pastry filled with a beef stew, packed with beef.

(Lamzak is definitely delicious. And with plenty of beef, it matches my preference…)

However, the problem is the quantity.

The last time Reia, Rose, and I ate here, we both raised the white flag due to the sheer amount.

(W, what should I do… should I refuse?)

As I was thinking this,

"This shop is run by a family, and it’s really, really delicious! The pastry is so crispy! The beef stew inside is incredibly rich! And the meat is so tender it melts in your mouth!"

Reia, excited by the real Lamzak, spoke enthusiastically with shining eyes.

"S, sounds great… I’m looking forward to it."

I couldn’t say, "Sorry, but can we go to a different place?" to her, who looked so happy.

I nodded with a slightly strained smile.

(…If it comes to it, I can just let her eat my share.)

It’s not good to overdo it—this is something I learned from the last meal.

If I get too full, I’ll give the rest to her.

"Let’s go in."

"Ah, yeah."

And so, as we entered the shop,

"Here, here, welcome… Oh, it’s Reia-sama! When did you come back?"

A short, elderly shopkeeper hurried over to Reia.

"Hi, Grandma Lam! It’s been a while! I’m back for a short while due to some circumstances."

"Oh, that’s great, that’s great! I’m glad you’re doing well! By the way… you’ve brought a handsome guy with you. Is he your boyfriend?"

"E, eh… Well, that is…?"

Reia suddenly became hesitant and glanced up at my face.

Apparently, she didn’t want to answer this kind of question herself.

(Come to think of it, Pola said something about this…)

"Listen, Allen? Girls are delicate creatures. So if a girl is in trouble, you should be considerate and help her!"

Reia is a girl of a certain age.

And now, she’s struggling with how to answer the question.

I, as a man, should be considerate and answer for her.

"Ahaha, just a friend, a friend."

And so, I lightly answered the question.

"…I see. …Still just ‘friends,’ it seems."

For some reason, Reia’s shoulders drooped, and she let out a big sigh.

"Hehe, that’s great, that’s great! Oh, it’s sweet… I feel young again!"

On the contrary, Grandma Lam, for some reason, seemed very happy and laughed joyfully.

"Alright, the usual order, right?"

"Ah, yes, two extra-large Lamzaks, please."

"Sure thing, take a seat wherever you like!"

After that, Reia and I savored the authentic Lamzak.

■

After eating our fill of Lamzak, we paid the bill and left the shop.

"Yum! It was delicious, Allen!"

"Yeah, the real thing is definitely different. It was much better than what I had in Orest."

"But you didn’t eat much… are you okay?"

"Ah, yeah…! I’ve been trying to slim down a bit recently!"

That’s right. This time, I didn’t overdo it.

I stopped after eating five, feeling about 80% full, and gave the remaining fifteen to Reia.

(Still… Reia’s appetite is really something.)

The sight of her finishing a total of thirty-five Lamzaks was almost divine.

(Well, now… the real challenge begins.)

Lamzak was just a preliminary battle.

The main event—talking to Reia’s father, the King of Vesteria—was about to begin.

"Reia, you understand, right? If you’re asked if you’ve become a slave, you must absolutely say ‘No.’”

"Don’t worry, I’ll answer correctly this time!"

"Good, can you guide me then?"

"Yes, this way. Follow me."

And so, following Reia’s lead, we turned right and left, and arrived at a castle that towered above us.

There, the five people who had traveled with us on the aircraft were waiting.

"---We have been waiting for you, Reia-sama, Maggot… Allen-sama."

She started to call me a maggot but, after a long pause, called my name with a bitter expression.

"His Majesty the King is waiting. ---Please this way."

And so, we passed by the guards who were glaring at us sharply and entered the castle.

(…I’m definitely nervous.)

A meeting with the king of a country—this is far too much for a mere student.

(Just a few months ago, I was a failure at a rural swordsmanship academy…)

How did I end up here…

(I’m not good at negotiations, but I’ll do my best…)

And so, I sighed, a habit I’ve developed recently, and proceeded into the castle.