Volume 5 Chapter 2 I'm Curious, But...
Eubarest
It's one of the top tourist spots in the Arcus Kingdom. Despite being far from the center of the country, it's a popular place that both nobles and commoners want to visit at least once.
One of the main reasons is its closeness to the border of a neighboring country with which it has a friendly alliance. This means that many rare items not often seen within the country find their way into the city, attracting visitors who are interested in such things.
There are many inns targeting these visitors, and there are also places where you can enjoy foreign cuisine. There are also many entertainment facilities, making it an attractive tourist destination.
Our carriage safely completed the journey, and we arrived at this place called Eubarest. Along the way, I was worried about encountering monsters, but that didn't happen at all. Maybe it's because we usually behave well.
There are many buildings lining the royal capital, but there are also some buildings that seem less common. Just looking at the cityscape seems enjoyable.
"Mikage, have you been here before?"
"Yes, a few times for work. But I've only stayed in the lodging arranged by the guild and traveled back and forth to the guild branch, so I don't know this city well enough to guide anyone."
Mikage said while looking at the city.
"However, it seems like there are fewer people now compared to when I was here last time. I remember there being more people around this time of day."
"I'm sure people are gathering more towards the royal capital to see Brave-sama off."
Aina said, to which Kyunei added, "Come to think of it."
"We passed quite a few caravans on the way. Anyway, it's good that we can take our time sightseeing."
I nodded in agreement with Kyunei's words.
We came here to rest, so getting tired in the crowd would defeat the purpose.
The journey by carriage also seemed promising.
I've always thought so.
Since coming to the royal capital with Relix, I've faced too many problems at every turn. There's a saying that goes, "Every dog has his day," and that's exactly how it's been for me.
Certainly, thanks to everything that happened, I ended up with three girlfriends. We had some wonderful experiences together, but still, I feel like I've faced too many close calls.
I'm really grateful to Kyunei and the others, and it's true from the bottom of my heart, but more than anything, I was feeling a bit tired myself. That's why I'm so happy that we can take a relaxed sightseeing trip.
"This time, I'm really going to rest with all my heart and soul."
"What's that? Isn't that a bit contradictory?"
Kyunei chuckled, and Aina joined in with laughter. Mikage also had a calm expression, and the atmosphere inside the carriage was pleasant.
'...Huh?'
Suddenly, a voice echoed in my head.
What's wrong, Gram?
'Oh, it's nothing... Forget about it.'
Cut it out, saying something so suggestive like 'that'. It won't lead to anything good.
'No, really, it's nothing... Anyway, I just don't want to hear it from you, partner.'
As Gram and I were bantering back and forth on Telepathy, I suddenly became curious about Mikage's demeanor. There was a calmness hiding beneath, as she gazed out the window.
When Mikage noticed my gaze, she quickly turned her eyes away from outside and shook hers head.
"It's nothing. I just rarely come to a place like this without any work-related reasons."
"What kind of work did you do when you came here before?"
"Just the usual, the usual monster subjugation."
Mikage sighed deeply as she lowered her gaze.
"In those days, I was so desperate to improve my martial skills that I had no interest in anything else. I never imagined that a day would come when I would purely indulge in entertainment without any work or anything related to it."
Mikage traveled to the royal capital because she wanted to join Brave's group. Mikage had been striving hard to catch Brave's attention by accumulating many achievements.
When I first met Mikage, she always had a very serious expression. She didn't compromise with herself or others, and focused only on improving herself.
But now, in front of me, Mikage is smiling.
"...What's with my face?"
"Compared to when we first met, you're making a much cuter face now."
When I honestly said that, Mikage's cheeks turned red. Then she said a little shyly,
"...From the first time we met, Yukina-sama, you're really good at embarrassing women."
"Haha. But you don't mind, right?"
"........."
Mikage didn't say no and just looked down. It was cute, so I ended up patting Mikage's head. As usual, patting Mikage felt really nice to touch.
"Hey, Yukina-kun. If you don't pay attention to not just Mikage, but also us, we'll sulk, you know."
Kyunei, who was sitting next to me, leaned in close with an exaggerated tone. Accidentally, her ample chest pressed against me. It was also nice and soft in its own way.
And then, Aina, who was sitting diagonally across from me, leaned forward and tightly grabbed the hem of my clothes.
"I, I'll... sulk too, you know?"
There it was. A shy, pleading look from Aina. Aina's really got some powerful charm.
"I'll pay attention to all of you as much as you want, really!"
Even though we hadn't arrived at the inn yet, we were fooling around in the carriage (while keeping it appropriate).
――side ???
"Huh? What was that just now..."
Suddenly, the person walking at the front stopped.
"What's wrong, leader? You suddenly stopped."
"I felt like I recognized someone's face... No, impossible. That stiff-looking woman in fancy clothes, happily hanging out with a guy? Even if the world turned upside down, that wouldn't happen."
The person called "leader" laughed as if finding the sight ridiculous and shook his head from side to side.
Then, he told the people following behind.
"Hey, you guys. Don't make a fuss so vulgarly. We're here for work, after all. Try to make some noise with moderation, so the guards don't come jumping at us."
The person who would usually make a retort about making a fuss excessively wasn't present at the scene.
One person timidly raised their hand.
"Leader, how much can we spend on drinks?"
"You idiot! Asking me to pay and then leaving me with the bill in the end! You should pay for your own drinks!"
"Yo," came the unenthusiastic response.
"These idiots... Anyway,"
"What's wrong this time?"
"Nothing much. Just saw a carriage pass by earlier. I'm pretty sure I saw Silver Flash on it, but besides that, there was also a pretty girl on it."
He chuckled deviously, resting his chin on his hand.
"Oh, there it is, the leader's bad habit. Despite having such habits, isn't the leader the one who causes the most trouble for us?"
"I wonder how good the drinks would be if such a pretty girl poured them for us..."
"...We shouldn't ask this guy."
As the leader seemed lost in his own world, drooling almost, everyone else just shrugged their shoulders in exasperation.
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