Eat Up and Press On

After Yohane and the others had left, the maids who'd been standing by tidied the room with practiced efficiency.

In no time at all, it was back to its original state. The maids bowed to Tianis and exited.

The only one who remained was Kanon.

"Say, Kanon. What do you think of those two?"

"The alchemist Ramiza was her usual self. Accomplishments aside, that manner of speaking is unacceptable. And excusing herself in the middle of a conversation was the height of rudeness."

"She's fine as she is. Trying to collar someone like her is a lost cause."

Tianis wasn't particularly bothered.

She knew Ramiza wouldn't conduct herself that way in a more public, formal setting.

As long as she did what was needed, that was enough.

"As for the other one, the merchant named Yohane… he's unremarkable. I looked into him thoroughly to be safe, but he runs a small trading company. He currently operates one shop and appears to be running some sort of adventurer agency."

"Adventurer agency?"

"Yes. He seems to employ his own adventurers and have them carry out quests on his behalf. The two standing behind him were likely part of that."

"They were about my age. What an interesting thing to be doing. You spoke with him directly, didn't you, Kanon?"

"Briefly. He seems to have nerve, but that's about it. This assignment will be too much for him. I wouldn't be surprised if he comes pleading to Tianis-sama before long."

"Oh my."

Tianis couldn't help a wry smile.

It was a harsh assessment, colored by Kanon's dislike of men.

But the intelligence she'd gathered told a different story.

"But there's some interesting information too. After traveling to the Empire, he apparently obtained a spirit."

"A spirit? Even sighting reports should be rare in the kingdom."

"Yes. That part is still unconfirmed. But it's certain he possesses the Earth Elemental Stone, even if only a fragment."

It had already been established that the ducal house had acquired the Earth Elemental Stone.

If the benefits of even a fragment could be harnessed, that alone made the relationship worthwhile.

"… Duke Baroba is a problem as well. His recent movements are beyond overlooking."

"Uncle doesn't place much trust in the royal family."

The ducal house that bore the same family name as the crown. A deeply complicated relationship.

The damaged crown that had appeared at the Triwright Auction. That was something rightfully belonging to the royal family.

But it had been lost in a past incident.

That incident was also the reason the Deiancle ducal house had come into existence.

The result: the royal bloodline split in two.

She'd heard that relations had deteriorated to the brink of civil war at one point.

While the ducal house and the crown currently maintained cordial relations, the current head, Duke Baroba, acted as he pleased, and her father the king couldn't fully rein him in.

The ducal house's military might had swelled alongside its economic power, and the fear was that it might once again be turned against the throne.

If the Earth Elemental Stone improved farmland and, by extension, the food supply, the population would grow.

The already robust economy and military would gain further momentum from that population increase.

Eventually, a small nation might form within the kingdom itself.

There was also the concern of the duke mobilizing his forces against the Church of the Sun God.

"And Uncle recognized that man. He is no ordinary merchant."

"… Understood. I will evaluate him with my own eyes."

"Please do."

Tianis sipped the tea the maids had prepared before leaving.

It was a little on the bitter side.

Yohane was walking toward the inn where Alexia and the others were waiting.

"Achoo."

"Are you catching a cold, Master?"

"What a cute sneeze. Need a healing miracle for illness?"

"I don't. Just got a bit chilly."

He told the two concerned girls as much and blew his nose into a handkerchief.

Ramiza-san walked up beside him and jabbed him with her elbow.

"You all get along well."

"Well, sure. I've made a point of looking after them properly as family."

"He takes very good care of us."

Elza watched the proudly beaming Azu with a fond smile.

Ramiza-san observed the scene and gave a thoughtful nod.

"The boy's all grown up, huh."

"What's that supposed to mean? And I'm hardly a boy anymore."

His protest was deflected by a hearty laugh.

They headed not for the inn, but for the portal.

"I'm going straight home. I've been overworked lately. Besides, I've got orders from the princess herself."

"Understood. If there's anything I can help with, just say the word."

"I already told you, I'm fine. Focus on your own plate."

With that, Ramiza-san was gone.

"Big sister type" was probably a phrase made for someone like her.

Her actual age was anyone's guess.

"She left."

"She was a very dependable person."

"Yeah. She's been looking out for me since I was young."

After seeing her off, they returned to the inn to find the other two still out.

Nothing had happened, so they were probably sightseeing.

"We won't head back to the shop until those two return. I'm exhausted, so I'm going to lie down for a bit."

"All right. One of us will stay nearby at all times. Sleep well."

"Good night, Azu."

He collapsed onto the bed as if falling face-first into the blankets.

Despite being a young girl, she'd left him more drained than facing a seasoned merchant.

The tension had knotted his shoulders and sapped his energy.

He caught a glimpse of Elza gently pulling the blanket over him before surrendering to sleep.

The savory smell of meat woke him.

He hadn't even dreamed, apparently.

Following the scent, he found Finn and Alexia eating grilled meat stuffed into bread.

A mountain of meat sat on a platter.

No wonder the smell had woken him.

Finn licked the sauce off her fingers and looked his way.

"Awake? You were out cold with the dopiest face."

"Who's dopey? Are you two back already?"

"You were sleeping so soundly, we didn't want to wake you."

Alexia said deftly, all while eating at a steady pace.

Her table manners were elegant, but she ate fast.

"Where are Azu and Elza?"

"We ran out, so they went to buy more."

"Buying it by the chunk is surprisingly cheap, you know."

So this feast had apparently been going on for a while.

"I'll have one."

"Go ahead. It's your money anyway."

Bought with the funds he'd left them, it seemed.

No complaints there.

He grabbed some bread, used the tongs to pile in meat, and took a bite.

The meat was tender and gave way easily, and the sauce and juices nearly overflowed, only for the bread to catch them.

"This is good."

He found himself licking the sauce off his fingers just like Finn had.

"Right? My nose never lies."

"Aside from your looks, I really have to wonder if you're actually a noble…"

Finn said with exasperation, but she was already eating her next piece of bread.