CH 232

A feast was held.

To welcome His Majesty, we had a lavish dinner.

Normally, our dinners consisted of one main dish, three side dishes, and one soup, but today, dishes covered the entire table in traditional left continent style.

「Hmm, this is very delicious」

His Majesty was wolfing down croquettes with gusto.

「I had the country's cooks make them according to your recipe, but they turned out differently」

「It must be the oil. It's important to have enough to submerge the ingredients in and to regulate the temperature of the oil」

「The oil, huh? Ah, that was a blind spot. I hadn't realized it was such an expensive dish」

Oil is a precious commodity on the left continent.

Using an entire pot of oil for deep-frying is probably unthinkable there. I'm guessing they had fried the croquettes in a frying pan and that's why they turned out soggy.

「Croquettes in the alternate world………」

Yukikaze was staring at the croquettes with an uncomprehending look on her face. Apparently, Ea had forcibly dragged her over to join us.

『A newbie associating with advanced adventurers could cause problems? What are you saying? It's fine as long as it doesn't get out』

And with that, she had half-abducted the objecting Yukikaze back to our home.

Having dinner together after saying our goodbyes at breakfast is just……I have no words.

But it doesn't feel bad. Well done, my sister.

「Your Majesty, try it with this sauce. I believe it's also delicious this way」

「Hmm, let's see……………… Ohhh!」

His Majesty dipped the croquette into cutlet sauce until it was covered in sauce then took a bite. A smile crept onto His Majesty's face.

「Ashtalia-sama, the pork ribs of this country are quite exquisite They were marinated in a special sauce Souya made」

「Oh-ho. Let's give it a try……… Ohhh, it's so rich in flavor. There's a touch of sourness and sweetness, but the flavor of the meat comes through strongly」

「The sauce has some fruits mixed in. Isn't it a wonder? Who'd have thought that meat would be so tender and delicious when paired with fruit? Speaking of which, would you like some mead? We have wine as well if you'd prefer」

「Hmm, I'll take both」

「Well then……」

Lanseal poured mead and wine into two glasses. In this way, she played host and attended to His Majesty tirelessly. Normally, that should be my role, but I had my hands full at the moment.

With Maria, who was sitting on my lap.

「Souya, I want the pork ribs too. And fried rice. Then I'll have some omu-rice」

「Yeah, yeah」

She wasn't feeling well, so she was in full spoiled brat mode. Well, it was her reward for her hard work.

「Hey, Souya」

「What is it?」

Yukikaze was looking at me with a strange expression. Leaving that aside for the moment, I grabbed some meat with my chopsticks and fed it to Maria.

「C, could it be that she's your kid?」

「No, she's not」

She's way too big for that, isn't it? Putting aside her actual age, she looks about the same age as Yukikaze.

「Mnya mnya no mua」

「Hey there, no talking with your mouth full」

I chided Maria gently. After swallowing her food, she turned to face me.

「By the way, Souya, who's this girl?」

「She's from my homeland」

「That's all?」

「That's all」

Maria looked at Yukikaze and me in turn.

「You two look alike. Are you two not related?」

『That's ridiculous』

Yukikaze and I denied it in perfect unison.

「Hmm? I thought for sure you two were siblings, but you're not?」

「No way, even Your Majesty?」

I took another look at Yukikaze's face.

Do we look alike? I don't think I have such stern eyes――――― Oh, she turned away.

「I also think you two look alike」

Even Rana pointed that out. She was gobbling up the fried rice I had made.

Princess-sama, you've even adopted the table manners of the left continent, I see.

Yukikaze seemed to be the one most mystified by everyone saying that we resembled each other. Incidentally, she was also only eating the fried rice, perhaps because it was to her liking. Even though she could have as much of this stuff as she wanted in the modern world……

「Well, I think it's just a racial thing」

「Yeah. There you have it」

Yukikaze and I agreed, and that was the end of that topic.

「Yukikaze, you're staying over today, right?」

「I've already paid for lodgings though. Oh………Ea, is it dangerous at night here?」

「By yourself?」

「Well, yeah」

Yukikaze apparently doesn't know it, but Gunmerry is actually on the roof.

They really are acting separately, huh? They really should at least keep in regular contact.

「It's dangerous for a woman to walk alone regardless, isn’t it?」

「How bad is it?」

「Something like suddenly being grabbed and taken into a back alley and stripped of everything is――――――」

「I’ll stay over」

That's what will happen if you go out in the middle of the night like one might when in Japan.

I was relieved to know that she wouldn't run into any trouble.

「In that case, tell me about Nihon(Japan). In exchange, I'll teach you all sorts of things about adventuring. As your senpai」

As my sister put on a smug expression, Yukikaze seemed to hesitate for a moment. But her eyes immediately lit up.

She must have just done all kinds of calculations regarding the benefits and drawbacks associated.

From what I can tell, she's not the kind of person who blindly follows the rules. She’s a tough girl.

「Your Majesty, this pasta is made with wheat from the left continent. The white meat there is fish」

「Hmm, Regure tried making this but failed」

「………She failed, huh?」

Even though Lanseal had worked so hard to teach her………she’s too much of a klutz outside of combat.

「But fish, huh? I've only eaten fish once when I was a child. This is truly a luxurious dish. Mmmm, it’s delicious」

His Majesty ate the pasta with white fish and tomato sauce with great relish.

If His Majesty likes fish so much……

「Then let's have fish again for breakfast tomorrow. There are many ways to cook fish, but I think that fresh fish grilled with salt is the best」

「Dear, I'll make onigiri(rice balls)」

「Yeah, I'll leave that to you」

The eyes of Rana, the Onigiri Minister, lit up.

「Like, where's the alternate world feel?」

I ignored Yukikaze's retort.

In my home, as long as the food tastes good, it doesn't matter what country or world it comes from.

「Fish in the morning, huh? And I really appreciate your wife's offer to make food for me, but I simply can't」

「Your Majesty, is something the matter? Are you not staying the night?」

Oh, right, my home is pretty cramped, so it might be better to rent a room at a high-class inn for His Majesty.

「Hmm, Souya, I've got some business to attend to」

「Oh, okay」

I got what he was hinting at.

His Majesty must have his own plans.

「Ashtalia-sama, would you like to try our country's ramen? It's a dish that has become very popular in Lemuria primarily due to the flame religion. It has been nominated to be declared this country's specialty in the near future. Of course, it's created by Souya as well」

Lanseal made a compelling argument and urged His Majesty to try the ramen.

Oh-ho, said His Majesty before digging into a bowl of ramen. Needless to say, he showed how delicious he found it on his face.

「Souya, do you have ties to the flame religion?」

「Well, I help out in their soup kitchen from time to time, but that's about it」

「Good, very good, you're truly a good vassal for a Myriad King」

「?」

I don't know why His Majesty is so impressed with me.

「Oh, that's right, you don't know the history of the Myriad Kings, do you? I would have shared it with you, but you left so abruptly, you see?」

「Y, Your Majesty, that's……」

His Majesty took a subtle jab at me. Even though my stomach still hurt a lot……

「Many years ago, when the left continent was hit by a severe cold wave, us Myriad Kings received much aid from the flame religion. It's no exaggeration to say that all who have any connection to the Myriad Kings owe them a great debt of gratitude」

「Even if it was just a coincidence, I hope I was able to repay a little of that debt」

「What you're doing is a good thing」

「It's my humble pleasure」

Yukikaze was paying close attention to the conversation between me and His Majesty.

Since a while ago, I've been feeling the frequent glances she cast my way.

「………What?」

「Eh? Well, I just thought you seemed pretty respectable」

Seriously? That makes me happy for some strange reason.

「That girl there, I'll have you know that my vassal is a distinguished man. Let's see, he's no less impressive than this delicious feast. Let me regale you with stories of Souya's exploits」

His Majesty, who had been drinking, began to recount my exploits.

From being summoned by His Majesty's daughter, the sudden encounter in the burned-down Ashtalia, entering the Forbidden Forest and bringing back food, feeding frog to the Myriad King of Myriad Kings, bidding farewell to his beloved horse and Zamonglass, to the formation of the new Vindoobunikuru army.

And then, he spoke of how Rana had stormed the castle and went on a rampage, and the part her fog magic had played in defeating Elysium's expeditionary force.

Lanseal, Ea, and even Yukikaze were all listening intently to His Majesty's recounting.

The two parties involved, me and Rana, were hiding our faces due to intense embarrassment.

「Souya, I want ramen too」

「Yeah, yeah」

Maria was the only one who was unaffected by it all.

After the feast was sadly over, His Majesty and I went out into the night streets.

His Majesty had something planned and was taking lodgings alone in the city.

He asked me to show him the busiest lodgings and bars, so I was showing him around and seeing him off.

His lances and great-sword had been left at my home.

Well, he can deal with regular hooligans and the average adventurer just fine bare-handed. I'm just a tad worried though.

「Oh, Your Majesty, I'll leave this with you. Please use this to contact me」

「Hmm」

I unhooked Yukikaze from my belt and handed it to His Majesty.

An arm came out of the A.I. pod and saluted His Majesty.

『Good evening, Your Majesty Ashtalia. Yukikaze will act as an intermediary for communication. Yukikaze can also guide you around the city, so please feel free to ask Yukikaze anything during your stay』

「You've got yet another odd piece of equipment here」

「It's the perks of being a foreigner. She's like family to me」

「Then I shall take good care of her」

His Majesty hooked Yukikaze to his belt.

「Souya, Regure told me in her report that the beautiful young lady, Lanseal, is of royal blood」

「Yes, she's the illegitimate daughter of the king of this country」

「You go pretty big, huh? I'm impressed」

That's a misunderstanding.

I'm not the type of person who would proactively woo women.

「No, it was simply the result of a series of coincidences」

「The ability to draw people to you is proof of your talent」

「Thank you very much」

It's hard to be happy about accomplishments I hadn't consciously worked for. But if I get praise for it, then I should be grateful.

「So, what kind of a person is the king of Lemuria?」

「Hmmm, in a nutshell, he's a very ruler-like ruler. He never takes a gamble that he might lose, but always gets behind the winning horse. He's the type who's very calculating and devises all sorts of schemes behind the scenes」

「Is he strong?」

「He isn’t weak, I suppose」

That said, he had defeated the knight-companion who had lost his mind with a single blow. His sword swing is that powerful even in his old age. I wonder just how strong this First Hero, whom he was helpless against in his prime, truly is.

「Hmm, I don't like him」

「I'm not surprised. I don't like him either」

King Lemuria is the type of person the Myriad Kings hate. I wonder what his two sons, who are with the Myriad Kings’ armies, feel about their parent.

「But it's all the better for me that the person I'm dealing with is a schemer」

「So, what will you be doing in the city, Your Majesty?」

The large predator next to me grinned.

「I'm going to go on a bit of a rampage」

How interesting. I wonder what His Majesty is really doing in Lemuria and what his plans are. It seems that he’s got something planned against King Lemuria though. Well…I don’t see good things in King Lemuria’s future lol. Stay tuned!