The Happiness of Sharing a Meal

"We'll deliver them to the Imperial Castle once they're finished."

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

After changing back, we requested finishing touches on the dresses Azu and the others had chosen, as well as my formal attire, and left the shop.

"Can't we buy them right away?"

"Shops like this do made-to-order by default. What we tried on were just samples. From there, they create something tailored to make you look your most beautiful. You were asked all sorts of measurements and preferences, right?"

"Now that you mention it, they did ask a lot of questions. I just assumed we'd take them home."

Azu looked a bit dejected.

Perhaps she felt like she'd been told to wait.

"The dresses they deliver will be even better. Waiting is part of the fun."

I consoled the downcast Azu.

Still, dresses really cost a fortune.

As expected of the Empire's finest shop.

The dresses I had prepared for Alexia in the Kingdom were decent, but these were even more expensive.

But I don't regret it. Spending money on your partners is a legitimate investment.

I'll just earn back what I spent.

Thinking of how Azu and the others looked in their dresses will keep me motivated.

Now then, we've left the shop, but what should we do from here?

Since we have the opportunity, I'd like to look around a bit.

With Crown Prince Kelves's coronation approaching, the imperial capital is currently flooded with people hoping to catch a glimpse of it.

It's not the best time for sightseeing.

"Ah."

A small yelp from Orleans came from behind, accompanied by the sound of her stomach growling.

With a wry smile, I decided we should get something to eat.

Walking around eating food from street stalls would be difficult in this crowd, and regular diners had long lines.

Even the somewhat upscale restaurants were packed, but we managed to get in.

We were shown to a larger table and placed our orders.

The specialty here seemed to be noodle dishes.

Before long, a salad, stir-fried meat, and fried foods were laid out on the table.

Then came the main noodle dishes.

A broth-soaked type and a sauce-mixed type were brought out on large plates and placed in the center with a thud.

The broth one was sprinkled with red chili powder and looked spicy.

The large table was filled up in no time.

The aroma of spices wafting through the air stimulated my appetite.

Truth be told, since being rescued, I'd only had fruit and porridge, so just looking at this made my mouth water.

"Looks delicious. Let's eat."

Elza served me a bowl of noodles.

Plenty of broth too.

I took it and had a bite.

Despite looking bright red, it wasn't as spicy as I expected.

After the slight tingle came an umami that flooded my mouth.

When I followed up with a sip of the broth, this one was as spicy as it looked.

I drank some water and ate salad and meat dishes to calm the spiciness.

"I think I like this. It reminds me of taste-testing poisons."

"Don't say dangerous things during a meal."

Finn seemed pleased with the spicy food.

She was even biting into the peppers served on the side.

I hope her taste buds aren't messed up from all that poison tasting.

Despite the cool weather, I was sweating from the spiciness.

The deep-fried chicken was crispy on the outside, and when I bit into it, meat juices and oil burst out, flowing down into my stomach along with the spiciness.

This place is a winner.

Azu and Orleans seemed unable to handle spicy food, as they weren't touching the broth noodles and were eating the other kind instead.

"Azu, serve me some of that."

"Sure. I'll get it right away."

I asked Azu to get me some of the mixed noodles.

Perhaps because the thick sauce had cheese mixed in, the sauce stretched when she picked up the noodles.

"Here you go."

"Thanks."

I took it and had a bite.

This is… ground sesame.

It had a gentle flavor that seemed to soothe my mouth after being stimulated by the spiciness.

The seasoning was sweet enough to be considered child-friendly.

But when I ate the root vegetable pickles served on the side, it hit just the right balance, making it enjoyable for adults too.

"This makes me want a drink."

"No. It's still daytime."

"I know. Too bad."

"Elza, sometimes I really wonder if you're actually a priestess."

The meat dishes had a good amount of salt and oil, and they did seem like they'd go well with alcohol.

If it were evening, I might have ordered a little.

Getting drunk in the middle of the day and returning to the Imperial Castle would look terrible.

Elza ordered extra rice instead.

Everyone else followed suit.

As always, everyone eats a lot.

Even the staff seemed a bit surprised.

And the dishes that had been crammed onto the table were polished off in no time.

"I'm so full."

"It's been a while since I ate this, but it was delicious. The sweating is the only downside."

The tea served complimentary after the meal had a refreshing aroma.

It felt like even my mood was clearing up.

One sip and the oiliness was gone.

They must have matched it to the rich food, but this aroma was quite something.

I immediately asked the staff for details.

They told me it was made from dried herbs picked in the Empire's southern region.

Apparently it's fairly well-circulated within the Empire.

I don't recall seeing it in the Kingdom.

Most people there probably haven't drunk it.

I sense a business opportunity.

After paying, we first went to a public bathhouse to wash off the sweat.

Then I had everyone except Alexia head back first.

Bringing a whole crowd to a business meeting doesn't make a good impression.

Alexia is from the Empire and has a refined look when she keeps quiet.

She's the perfect person to have standing by my side.

When I asked around for a major trading company in the area, it turned out to be one of the ones I'd contracted with for soap and fragrances.

In a way, that made sense. I met them through Crown Prince Kelves's connections, so of course they'd be a large trading company.

"Oh, Yohane-san, isn't it? What brings you here?"

"Sorry for the sudden visit. Actually, I had a very delicious tea with my meal just now…"

Despite showing up without an appointment, the representative came out to meet me.

I apologized for the rudeness and asked about purchasing that tea.