Chapter 70

Thank you for the point evaluation.

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Inside the Duke Leingrande's mansion.

In the shade of the garden, Aleysha said with a carefree voice, "What a nice day, isn't it?"

Basking in the pleasant sunlight, Aleysha narrowed her long, slanted eyes.

A gentle breeze blew, rustling her lustrous red hair and red dress.

"From here, it seems we can watch safely."

As she murmured this, the maid standing beside her began to prepare tea.

Today, something interesting will happen.

Aleysha, looking at Bram in the center of the garden, thought this to herself.

There, Bram stood with a wooden sword in his hand, waiting for the formidable opponent to come.

The time was when the second bell rang.

It was about time for Alfrid to arrive, given the agreed morning hour.

Suppressing his racing heart, Bram waited patiently.

That boy, though only seven, is Elinora's brother. He must have some skill, thought Bram.

After all, Elinora herself recommended him; he couldn't be a mediocre fighter. Despite his age, he must possess considerable skill. There can be no room for complacency.

Bram closed his eyes and vividly imagined the duel in his mind.

As Bram sharpened his senses to a sword-like keenness, Alfrid, on the other hand, was—

---

Sleeping comfortably in the inn's bed.

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× × ×

After that, the couple next to me started wrestling on the bench, and I had to stand up for fear of being involved.

At first, people looked shocked at the sight of the couple lying down and exchanging passionate embraces in public, but they seemed to relax and look away when they saw the couple cursing and hitting each other. Some curious people even watched the spectacle.

In the midst of the whispers, I felt very regretful when I was mistaken for the couple's child and received pitying looks.

After a while, when the woman was choking the man, Eric arrived late.

"Sorry, I'm late."

"You're late, I'm hungry."

Eric, shaking his shoulders and breathing heavily, seemed to have run. He was sweating profusely, more than one would expect from just running from the inn.

It seemed he had done more intense exercise than just running from the inn.

The inn where nobles stay is in the northern part of the noble district. Even if it's at the far end, it's not that far.

"I ran into a troublesome person. As an apology, I'll treat you to some skewers from Wushi."

"Ah, I want something more expensive."

Wushi's meat skewers cost about one copper coin.

If it's free, I want something more expensive.

"What do you want to eat that's more expensive?"

"I want to try the Neo-Wushi meat I've heard about."

"Hey, that's a rare ingredient that's rarely sold. Besides, unlike Wushi, it costs one silver coin per piece. Please settle for Wushi's skewers."

"Well, Wushi's skewers are delicious, so that's fine."

I had just eaten one skewer of Wushi's meat, but I could probably eat five.

Maybe because I only ate one, I'm really hungry.

I compromised and started walking.

At that moment, cheers rose around us.

"... What's that?"

Eric looked in the direction of the cheers and spoke in a puzzled voice.

At the center of the cheers, a man was lying on the ground with his eyes rolled back, while a woman was roaring in victory.

"... I don't know. Let's go to the food stall quickly."

"O-Okay. By the way, what happened to your duel?"

"... Ah, it's over. It was resolved peacefully."

Since it was a forfeit, do as you please with Elinora. If you want, you can even marry her.

But if he becomes my brother-in-law, I don't want that. I'd prefer someone better.

"Your unscathed appearance says it all. Let's go."

On the main street of the southern part of the capital, the air was filled with sweet and savory scents.

The southern main street, lined with many food stalls, restaurants, and shops, was bustling with people, especially at lunchtime.

At a nearby stall, a large piece of meat was being grilled with plenty of spices, dripping with juices. In another, a pot was being stirred with a variety of vegetables.

Someone was wrapping various ingredients in something like naan. Others were kneading, baking, steaming, and stir-frying various dishes.

The unfamiliar and exotic dishes were likely from foreign lands.

Given that the capital is a melting pot of various races, this is not unusual.

"What a good smell."

I turned to Eric, who was walking beside me, and saw him looking around nervously.

Unlike when he was looking at the food stalls, he seemed to be seriously on guard.

"Is something wrong?"

"N-No, nothing. Just a quick check. Everything's fine."

Eric seemed a bit off, but I decided not to worry about it, thinking it was just his usual behavior.

"... Huh?"

Suddenly, I sensed something suspicious behind me and turned around.

It seemed like someone had been following me at a constant distance.

Since I gained the ability to use spatial magic, my spatial awareness has become very sensitive. If I don't grasp the space accurately, I might have an accident when I teleport.

I can tolerate a slight wobble or a fall in a safe place, but on unstable ground, even that is unacceptable. Therefore, I practice teleportation regularly. The high mana consumption also helps with mana amplification training.

I believe my ability to notice the anomaly is due to my daily efforts.

I don't want to think it's because I spent days running from Elinora's presence.

It's a bit unsettling to think that I developed such skills.

"Wh-What's wrong!? Is there something there?"

Eric reacted overly dramatically. Is he being pursued by someone?

By the time I thought this, the suspicious presence had already disappeared.

"... No, it's nothing."

"S-Sure."

As we walked down the street, I spotted something with an especially strong smell among the food stalls and muttered to myself.

"That meat is really red."

A well-built man with brown skin was mixing plenty of spices and herbs into a large piece of meat.

Even from a distance, the smell was intense. I wondered what it would taste like.

"That's probably a dish from the western kingdom of Lazure. It's known for its strong flavor and spiciness."

Lazure, one of the kingdoms far to the west of Misfit Kingdom.

It has a vast territory, but most of it is desert, with a hot and dry climate.

I know the country's name and some basic facts from my studies, but I've never tasted its cuisine.

"Wow, it sounds spicy."

"It's spicy, but it's addictive. How about I treat you to the spiciest version?"

Eric suggested this with a sly smile.

This is a very dangerous proposition.

Even the regular version is that red; the spiciest version must be something else.

It might be like eating pure spices.

"N-No, I'll pass. We agreed on Wushi's skewers, right? There it is, let's go."

"Damn, you're such a wimp."

I ignored Eric's remark and hurriedly joined the queue for Wushi's skewers.

---

After the third bell rang throughout the capital.

"... He's late!"

Bram barked in the garden.

"Hey! It's past noon! The duel was supposed to be in the morning! The morning is over! Miss Aleysha, he hasn't arrived yet, has he?"

"Oh? It's already noon? I lost track of time playing with this top."

Bram's face turned red with anger, but Aleysha's voice was carefree.

At the moment, Aleysha wasn't paying any attention to Bram.

She had come to the garden out of curiosity to see how Alfrid would fight Bram, but without Alfrid, it was pointless.

While waiting, she received something.

It was a top that Lazarus had recently started promoting.

One of Aleysha's subordinates found it and bought it.

It was interesting because anyone could play with it easily. Made from thick paper and a stick, it was simple but ingenious.

Who could have thought of sticking a stick through paper and spinning it?

Reversi and chess showed that Alfrid had an extraordinary mind.

While the top lacked some strength for collisions, it could be easily improved with this as a base. Perhaps it was already complete.

The recent busy activities of the Lazarus Trading Company suggested that the top would soon be on the market.

This might be just a part of his plans. What other interesting things or ideas does he have?

Just thinking about it brightened Aleysha's otherwise dull daily life.

"... Miss?"

While coloring the top, she was called.

A woman in black attire appeared as if blending into the shadows.

At least, that's how Aleysha felt.

"Rim, what is he doing now?"

"... He is currently strolling down the southern main street with Eric Silford."

"... The duel?"

Rim's unexpected report made Aleysha's eyes widen, and she let out a voice appropriate for her age.

Rim, too, seemed a bit uncomfortable as she reported.

"... It seems he either overslept or had no intention of going. He abandoned the duel and left the inn before the third bell, heading straight for the square."

Aleysha was momentarily speechless but then burst into laughter.

"Pfft... Hahaha! Skipping a duel to go play is ridiculous. I can't believe it!"

"Skipping a duel to go play!? What does that mean!? What do you mean!?"

Hearing Aleysha's words, Bram rushed over.

He seemed ready to grab Aleysha, but he retained his rationality.

Rim, who was a shadow, melted back into the shade, her presence fading away.

"It seems he's strolling down the southern main street with Eric."

"... What!? That guy! Then, I'm off!"

Bram, with his veins bulging and his shoulders trembling, quickly regained his composure, bowed, and ran out of the garden.

His destination was obvious.

"Another interesting thing has happened."

Aleysha, left in the garden, smiled brightly.

This time, I might have been a bit too detailed.

Next time, I want to write in the first person, as usual, in a hurried and intense manner.