Chapter 89

The cafeteria that Shilri Lea led them to was a cute little shop with large windows and a bright interior. Each table had a small vase with delicate flowers, and pastel-colored tablecloths were laid out. The dishes were served on plates with a variety of small portions, and the bread was said to be free for refills.

Cain and Shilri Lea ordered different plates, while Julian ordered a large piece of meat.

"Is that enough? We are in our growing years, aren't we? Don't men eat meat, Cain?"

"Since we are in Yuum, I want to try a variety of things."

"Lord Cain, would you like to share different items on our plates? That way, you can try twice as many dishes."

"Shilri Lea, is that okay? I'll take you up on that offer."

"Hehe, then let's swap plates after eating half."

"Me too! I'll give you a slice of my meat, and in return, you can share the best side dishes!"

The cuisine of the Rimuto Break Kingdom generally emphasized the natural flavors of the ingredients. To put it simply, they were boiled, grilled, or cut. Some dishes were creamy, cooked with milk. Salt and pepper existed and were not expensive, but that was all. The idea of making a dressing with oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper had never occurred in that country.

The cuisine of the Syairium Kingdom, on the other hand, often involved mashing, kneading, and shaping. The plates were filled with meatballs, seafood dumplings, mashed potato balls, and mashed pumpkin balls. There were also salads with torn vegetables and decorative fruit slices, making the dishes look very colorful.

After the meal, they wandered around the area near the school. It was then that Cain realized something.

"By the way, this is my first time shopping on my own."

"Lord Cain?"

Cain had been living a life of shuttling between the royal guard training ground, the western orphanage, and his home. Anything he needed was prepared in his room the next day if he told Irvaleeno or Parepantur. Because his life had been centered around Dian, he had never asked his parents for things he wanted. Dian sometimes went out with her parents, but Cain had no such memories.

"Cain, you were a pampered boy. Aren't you more naive about the world than I, a royal?"

"Do you have money? If not, I can cover today's shopping for you."

Julian and Shilri Lea looked at Cain with worried faces.

"I brought money, but I might not know the value. If something is too expensive or too cheap, please let me know, Lord Julian, Lady Shilri Lea."

Today, I want stationery to write letters to Dian. I also want to give her something cute from this country.

Seeing Cain's troubled face, Julian and Shilri Lea nodded and smiled.

"Leave it to us. Although I am a royal, I often shop in the city. I'll teach you how to shop and the prices."

"The stores Lord Julian frequents are often high-end. If you want popular and affordable stores for girls, I can take you there. Let's go shopping together today."

Both of them agreed to accompany him shopping. Cain bowed in gratitude.

"Then, where should we go first? Cain, is there anything you want?"

"I want stationery. I want to write letters to my family... and maybe a bookstore. Are second-year textbooks sold in bookstores?"

"Stationery, then let's go to a stationery store or a general store. You might find used textbooks in the city's secondhand bookstores, but if you want new ones, you can buy them at the dorm supervisor's office."

"There's a possibility that a third-year student might give you their used textbooks, but as the eldest son, I don't know any third-year students."

Cain found it strange that both of them, being royalty and a duchess's daughter, would consider secondhand bookstores and hand-me-downs from upperclassmen as normal options. When he asked them about it, they both answered matter-of-factly.

"Old things have value. For example, third-year students' used textbooks have notes from their classes. Used leather shoes from a secondhand store are broken in and won't cause blisters. Of course, if they are too old, the information might be outdated and unusable. Old shoes might also carry the risk of athlete's foot. But, the ability to identify good secondhand items is a skill."

"A few years ago, an ancient book was discovered. It contained records of techniques that had been lost. Of course, the latest items made by skilled craftsmen are invaluable. But, there is also a value in recognizing that something old can still be good."

Cain thought the nobles of Syairium might have a more flexible mindset. He decided to visit a stationery store and a general store, followed by a secondhand bookstore.

The first stationery store they entered had a lot of practical and sturdy items, and the stationery was mostly plain white or gray. Cain wanted something a bit brighter, so they left without buying anything and headed to the next general store.

The general store had stationery with floral patterns, bird illustrations, and rabbit illustrations. While Cain was indecisive between the bird and rabbit designs, Julian suggested a bear, and Shilri Lea recommended the floral pattern. Cain ended up buying stationery with a rabbit illustration in the corner.

They then went to the secondhand bookstore, but unfortunately, there were no second-year textbooks. While browsing the store, Cain found a picture book titled "Why Do Rabbits Have Long Ears?" It was a book Dian loved when she was young, written in Syairium.

Cain took the book to the owner to purchase it. When he paid with a small gold coin, the owner said he didn't have change, so Shilri Lea exchanged it for him.

"Cain, why are you buying a book for such a young child?"

"I'm sending it to my family. There's a child who loves this book. I thought it would be rare in this language."

"Hmm."

The dragon rider station was not near the school, so they couldn't go there today. Cain and the others returned to the dorm with the stationery and the picture book.

The picture book about the young knight Nina was not available.