CH 32

Warning: Mentions of the bloodiness and evil of aristocratic conflicts. Yurisha is no stranger to just how extreme the nobles can get.

We arrived at the Fuyou Chinese restaurant in two black luxury carriages.

Wow, it’s China, it’s China, the receptionist is wearing Chinese clothes and has black hair.

The storefront has a high-class feeling, seems the people responsible for this background went to Yokohama Chinatown for research.

I think the model is Manchinro or a Chongqing Hotel.

When you go inside, it’s very bright.

It seems that Yuri-Yuri-senpai had made a reservation for us, so we were sent to a private room.

Oh, it comes with a serving platform that rotates around the table.

Wow, I rea~ally feel like I’m in Chinatown.

Let’s sit next to Carol, next to her is Melissa-sama, and next to her is Corinna-chan.

Or rather, why did you follow us, Corinna-chan?

“Why are you looking so confused, Makoto?” Corinna asked.

“Why did you come with us?” I asked.

“Curtis-sama didn’t let me go,” Corinna said.

“Didn’t you want to join the Saint’s Faction, Kounago?” Curtis said.

“Who’s Kounago?” I said.

He can’t mean this girl?

“It seems to be my nickname given to me by Curtis-sama,” Corinna said.

“Omae, you’re not supposed to say that,” Curtis said.

“Ahaha, I’m sorry about Curtis, Corinna-chan,” I said.

“But about magic class in the afternoon, ueehn,” Corinna whined.

“Don’t cry if you lose a day, you can still make it back,” Yurisha said.

“Corinna-sama’s attribute was Earth, right?” Carol said.

“Yes, it was Earth, Albright-sama,” Corinna said.

“Then, as an apology, I’ll let teach you what I know later,” Carol said. “We’re truly sorry.”

“You-You don’t have to, Albright-sama. That’s too much,” Corinna said.

Corinna-chan is a small-time citizen.

Did Curtis mistake her wanting to join the faction and forcefully pulled her along?

It was a disaster, right?

A dignified gentleman who seems to be the manager of the shop came to our table.

“Welcome, Appleby-sama, what would you like for today?” he said.

“It’s lunchtime, isn’t it? Please bring us the lunch course,” Yurisha said.

“Understood, what would you be having to drink?” the manager said.

“Put in a bottle of aged Shaoxing wine, please,” Yurisha said.

“Understood.”

Drinking in the daytime?

I’m still underage, so tea is fine.

Zhu-zhu-zhu.

Oh, Jasmine tea.

“It’s a tea with a… strange taste…” Elmer muttered.

“Is this your first time having Fuyou cuisine, Elmer?” I asked.

“Yeah, it’s my first time… I’m not really… interested in, fine dining,” Elmer said.

“There are many delicious things in the royal capital,” Yurisha said.

“For me… as long as I have that mayo-corn bread… I don’t need the rest,” Elmer said.

“How much do you like mayo-corn bread?” I asked.

“That… was the Truth,” Elmer said.

A waiter in Chinese clothes brought a plate of appetizers.

Wow, the char siu, jellyfish, shrimp, etc. are all beautifully arranged.

“Makoto-sama, would you like some alcohol?” Yurisha asked.

“No, I’ll have tea,” I said.

“Well, I’m feeling lonely, how about you, Caroline-sama?” Yurisha said.

“Sorry, I’ll have to pass as well,” Carol said.

“You’re still in your 1st year, so I thought you’d like to get a little used to drinking since they’ll be in night parties from now on,” Yurisha said.

The alcohol served at evening parties is pretty strong, like wine and cocktails.

Hmmh? So, what will happen to alcohol if the saint’s natural poison nullification activates?

Is psychological harm a trigger condition?

If it’s fully automatic, I can’t even drink potions, let alone alcohol.

Ah, Melissa-sama and Corinna-chan got some Shaoxing wine.

That’s a pretty strong drink.

If it’s beer or shochu highball, I’ll go drinking with someone for a while.

“Please give it to the gentlemen as well,” I said.

“Understood,” Yurisha said.

She gave Melissa-sama and Corinna-chan a drink, but we have to get the boys like Curtis and Elmer some, too.

As expected, Yuri-Yuri-senpai is the one who doesn’t waver.

Let’s have an appetizer.

Mogyu, mogyu.

Yeah, it’s the same as what I ate in Yokohama Chinatown.

The food there is quite Japanized.

It’s really weird.

Course dishes are brought one after another.

Shrimp chili.

Mabo tofu.

Crab balls.

Bone-in beef stew.

Fried chicken.

Shrimp fried rice.

Chinese steamed dumplings.

Corn soup.

Ah, nostalgic, nostalgic.

I feel like crying while eating.

Also, I wonder if they have ramen and gyoza.

They do not have it.

It is a luxury store.

“It’s a strange taste, but it’s very delicious, Appleby-sama,” Melissa said.

“I’m pleased to hear that,” Yurisha said. “Please, enjoy the best Fuyou cuisine in the royal capital.”

“Yes, thank you very much,” Melissa said.

Melissa-sama feels like she’s become enamored with Yuri-Yuri-senpai.

Corinna-chan is silently eating.

“Makoto, you’re good at using chopsticks, aren’t you?” Carol said.

“Leave them to me,” I said.

Everyone was given chopsticks, but I’m the only one using them.

The others are using knives and forks.

“Makoto-sama, how do you use chopsticks?” Melissa asked.

“Watch me for a moment, Melissa-san,” I said.

I teach Melissa-sama how to use chopsticks and enjoy the meal.

“Fuyou cuisine has a strange taste, but it’s delicious, right, Elmer-sama?” Yurisha asked.

“Yes… it is. I mean… eating together, with everyone… is fresh, fun, and delicious,” Elmer said.

“I agree wholeheartedly, Fuyou cuisine is served on a round table, and it’s fun to share and eat dishes from the same plate,” Yurisha said.

“Indeed,” Carol said, nodding.

I see, there are many aristocrats who generally eat alone.

I guess Carol is also lonely eating the food Anne-san cooked alone in her room.

Yuri-Yuri-senpai clapped her hands with a bang when we had eaten most of the food.

“Now then, everyone, we have some leftover spots for House Appleby’s yorikos, let’s get some suggestions,” Yurisha said.

“I don’t really know who to put up,” I said.

If I had to mention someone, it would be Mike’s younger sister, Cattleya-sama, but if I put his younger sister in, her brother will follow without exception, so sorry, we have to pass.

“I want Marilyn Gogol,” Curtis said.

“Are you… out of your mind, Curtis?” Elmer said, his eyes peeled back as he stared at Curtis.

I mean, who is Marilyn?

“I’m serious, Elmer, she has talent,” Curtis replied, “if you take her into the Saint’s Faction and train her, she’ll become an excellent addition to our military force.”

“Ah, so that’s why,” I said.

“As you might have already imagined, I don’t want her to just be another noble lady,” Curtis said. “Also, Kounago, you should join the Saint’s Faction.”

“I don’t want to,” Corinna said.

“Tch, you calculating bitch. Alright, I’m going to make House Ceverus a yoriko of House Browright, so there shouldn’t be any problems there,” Curtis said.

“I’d rather not,” Corinna said.

Curtis stared at Corinna-chan in astonishment, as if lightning had struck him.

“Wait, what?” Elmer said.

He and Carol were also shocked.

For a baron’s daughter to refuse an invitation from the margrave’s son to become the latter’s yoriko is probably an exceptional case.

“Oh dear, then let’s have you become House Appleby yoriko, then?” Yurisha said.

“Ah, that excessive generosity hurts me, but I have to study hard, so I don’t have time for faction conflicts,” Corinna said.

“Studying? Kounago, aren’t you in Class B?” Curtis said. “No matter how much you study, you know how far that’s going to take you.”

“During the entrance exam, I got sick and my test scores were terrible!” Corinna said. “That’s why, I’m going to study hard during my 1st year, get into Class A next year, and then get the top ranks so that I can join the Finance Office of the royal government!!”

Woah, that’s some serious upward mobility.

The royal government’s executive branches are the highest rank for civil servants.

Good on you, Corinna-chan.

“It’s respectable… quite the dream, Corinna-chan… I’ll support you,” Elmer said.

“Thank you, Clayton-sama.”

“That’s cheeky, Kounago,” Curtis grumbled.

It’s cute.

“Corinna-sama, you should join the Saint’s Faction,” Yurisha said.

“I hate to be throwing your words back at you, Appleby-sama, but I…” Corinna started.

“I can’t just sit back and watch the cute Corinna-sama be murdered,” Yurisha said.

“Wh-Why is someone going to try and kill me…?” Corinna asked.

“You’re Makoto-sama’s roommate and friend, if you can’t join the faction you’re a prime target,” Yurisha said.

“Ah……”

“If it were me, well, I’d put pressure on Corinna-sama’s house, so I’d invite you into my faction as a spy,” Yurisha said.

“Ah—-”

Woah, factional conflicts are nasty.

“If it was a lesser conspirator just a few steps below me, they’d kidnap you, Corinna-sama, and threaten Makoto-sama using you as a bargaining chip. They’d mail her your severed finger, or something,” Yurisha said.

“Hiih,” Corinna squealed.

That’s terrifying, don’t say scary things!

“It doesn’t matter what the threat is about, and even if you stay quiet. And if it’s to scare Makoto-sama, they might just send your severed head in a box of salt.”

“””Scary!!”””

“If they go this far, the Temple will not hesitate to initiate a holy war, which is a terrible move, but it’s hard to consider that if you’re an idiotic mastermind who can only think of what will happen if they succeed and have no contingency for the opposite,” Yurisha said.

Corinna-chan is sweating profusely.

Or rather, when I think about the lethal poisoning at the dormitory’s welcome party and how that was possible, this is also possible, so I hate it.

“Corinna-chan, don’t die,” I said.

“Wawawah, I don’t want to d-d-d-die, Makoto.”

“That’s why I’m offering to make you a yoriko in my house, Kounago, you just don’t understand how small you are,” Curtis said.

No, Curtis, I didn’t understand it earlier, did I?