Chapter 22

In the end, we decided to enter the shop where the child was.

"Welcome, please come in."

The girl smiled at us.

She was so cute, I thought she could be the heroine.

"... Girls are really great, aren't they?"

I recalled my daughters from my previous life. By the time they were five, they suddenly became like big sisters, helping with household chores and speaking in a more mature way.

Perhaps it was because I was reminiscing.

"Synthia, could it be... No, that can't be possible, right?"

I missed Lias's line.

"Lias? Did you say something?"

"No. Well... Synthia, your health is the most important thing."

"......? I'm fine."

While we were talking, we were led inside the shop.

It was a bit crowded since it was lunchtime, but we were lucky and got a seat right away.

The shop was not too large, but it was clean and felt comfortable.

The prices were a bit high, but considering the location and ingredients, it was understandable. There were a few customers who looked like nobles.

It seemed to be run by a couple, and a man's voice could be heard from the kitchen. The wife was handling the front alone.

Raising a child while running a restaurant... I couldn't help but admire them.

I ordered the stew that Lias, who had done thorough research, recommended, and asked for a child-friendly stew for Eidan.

Soon, bread and stew were brought to us.

The bread, which had a slight sourness, went very well with the rich stew.

It was so delicious that I finished it in no time.

Eidan also ate the thoroughly cooked ingredients and even asked for seconds.

While watching Eidan munch on the remaining bread, I finished my after-meal wine.

I felt happy.

Even without luxury, such a simple dish was a joy.

"That was delicious. I'd like to come again."

"I'll let the staff know. They'll be over the moon to hear that Synthia said so."

"Really, that's an exaggeration."

Lias sometimes makes jokes when you least expect it, making it hard to tell.

I tried to laugh, but his expression was serious, so it seemed he was being sincere.

It was awkward.

When Eidan finished eating and we were about to leave, a loud noise suddenly came from the diagonal rear.

Lias immediately stood up, shielding me and Eidan behind him.

It seemed that one of the customers had fallen to the floor with his chair.

Perhaps it was a sudden illness.

Judging by his appearance, he was probably a noble.

"Customer, are you okay!?"

The wife of the shop hurried over.

The customer was trying to get up but was swaying and couldn't stand.

"You... You did this!"

——Huh?

His speech was slurred.

I thought he might be sick, but his face was clearly red.

He was drunk.

"You did this to me... You think you can get away with it?"

"I, I... I didn't do anything..."

The wife took a step back to put some distance between them.

The drunk became even more agitated, pounding the floor and shouting.

"Who do you think I am!"

His voice lacked power, but he was clearly furious.

Eidan was startled and froze, staring at the scene. I picked him up to shield him from the view.

We were at a table on the side, so we were some distance from the drunk, but the shop wasn't very large, so we weren't completely safe.

Lias wasn't looking at the drunk but was exchanging glances with other customers. Two young men.

They nodded at each other and came over, apparently the two guards.

I didn't recognize them. Were there others? They had blended in with the surroundings.

"Madam, this way."

The two muscular men guided us to the wall.

They stood on either side of me, blocking my view.

Two people can make a wall...

No, that's not the point.

I wanted to see what was happening in the shop, but I could only hear voices. The noise made it hard to understand.

"Ah!"

Someone screamed, and the sound of something breaking echoed.

The angry shouts and screams made me shudder, as I was used to the quiet of the mansion.

I had to keep Eidan from being scared, so I forced a smile.

"Hey, that's enough! This is a place where nobles and commoners can enjoy meals together!"

"That's right! Whether you're a noble or not, get out!"

The other customers were criticizing the drunk, but he showed no signs of calming down.

He shouted, "Shut up, shut up!" and threw things, the sound of bottles and plates breaking filling the air.

It was a terrible commotion.

"Guards...!"

"Ha! Try calling them, it's useless!"

The drunk laughed at the voice from someone in the shop.

"Do you know who's in charge around here?"

What did he mean? This is the capital, so it should be under the king's control, right?

"Who's in charge?"

A calm voice echoed in the shop. It was Lias.

"Lias, you're not going to handle the drunk alone, are you?"

"Madam, there's no need to worry. His Excellency is someone we two can't even match."

The guards turned to reassure me, but it didn't make me feel any better.

"What if he has a weapon?"

"Let alone a weapon. You'd need a bomb to take down His Excellency."

That's not what I meant. I was asking how to deal with the situation.

I was worried, and that's that.

"What are you, acting all high and mighty? Don't look down on me!"

The drunk shouted at Lias.

"Why don't you calm down? Your case will be handed over to the guards. There's no distinction between nobles and commoners when it comes to property damage and disruption of business."

"Guards? Who do you think I am—"

"Lord Monteque, right? Your behavior is disgraceful. From tomorrow, you won't be able to call yourself a lord."

"What? Who are you?"

"I'm the head of the department the guards you mentioned belong to."

The capital's guards are under the Kingdom Knights, so it's not a lie, but he didn't seem to want to reveal his name.

"—Ha! What are you talking about? The head of the guards is—"

"Hmm. Your...?"

A moment of silence.

I leaned forward to see what was happening. Lias was the only one next to the drunk, while others were watching from a distance.

The drunk was covering his mouth, as if he had realized he had said something he shouldn't and was trying to cover it up.

He held a broken bottle and raised it, charging straight at Lias.

"I'll destroy this shop—"

"Lias...!"

Thud.

A dull sound echoed, and the area suddenly became quiet.

"Madam, the situation is under control."

"It's safe now."

I had closed my eyes without realizing it. I rarely see violence, so it was scary.

The two guards moved slightly, and I could see the front.

The drunk was lying on the floor, and Lias was walking towards us with a calm expression.

"Synthia, you were startled, weren't you?"

"... Lias, are you hurt?"

Lias looked puzzled.

"Hurt?"

"The madam was worried about whether His Excellency was hurt."

Hearing the guard's words, Lias smiled, looking a bit embarrassed.

"Thank you for your concern. I won't let a civilian outdo me."

That's right. He's a soldier.

It really is nothing.

"Let's go."

Relieved, I picked up Eidan, and Lias supported my shoulder.

He turned to the two guards and gave instructions.

"—Hand him over to the guards. Make it clear that this is about interfering with Pencilia."

"Yes, sir."

What kind of instruction was that? I was curious, and Lias explained.

"His words were a bit suspicious. I'll look into it."

"I see."

He would handle it through the knights rather than leaving it to the guards.

When we left the shop, the couple bowed deeply and thanked us repeatedly.

If a noble had made trouble, it would have been difficult to continue business. In the worst case, they could have been imprisoned.

Lias explained that the repair costs and other expenses would be billed to the drunk through the knights, and that they should send the bill to the knights.

The noble's tyranny—If this was the crisis, then the heroine's crisis was over, right?

If so, that would be good, but...

Our first outing ended on a sour note.