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Chapter 134

「Hey, I stopped him. I told him it wasn’t nice to interrupt a young couple eating privately, so we’d better stay away, but the young master just didn’t listen. I’m really sorry.」

Charles, a young man with blue hair accompanying Leon, rambled on hurriedly.

Everything Leon and Charles were donned in—shirts, pants, scarves, buttons, and even the sword at their waists—were strikingly luxurious. Yet, since they were supposed to be in disguise, these were probably cheaper items than their usual ones.

Leon, who claimed to be the third son of a knight, scratched his cheek speechlessly at Charles’s explanation. He had indeed interrupted some lovers, and he seemed to realize that he had done something tactless. I probably could not refuse him even if he summoned me later, but there was really no need for him to call out to me now.

「Charles is right. In fact, I managed to watch this year’s Magic Tournament and witnessed your victories. I was too excited, thinking that I was lucky to bump into you just as I came to have a meal, and called out to you so inconsiderately. My apologies.」

If Leon’s words were to be trusted, that meant that I was not being watched. Rather, this encounter was sheer coincidence. Leon did not seem like he was lying, or at least he was not a bad liar even if he was hiding the truth. Hence, I decided to believe his statement.

「Thank you for your praise, though this is rather abrupt. There’s probably no need for me to introduce myself, but these ladies might need a little introduction.」

When I moved to introduce Selina and the rest to these two who had clearly offered pseudonyms, Charles rubbed his hands and his face lit up in delight.

Fumu, I mused, seems like he’s keeping up with the image of being a frivolous fella. Leon wouldn’t have such a subordinate.

「Oh, that’ll be great. I can’t see the face of the lady in the white dress, though the rest certainly shine astoundingly like gems. Please share your names with us.」

In my memory, I had never encountered such a man before, and it was rather novel to watch. As for Selina and the rest who were at the Magic Tournament arena, they were evidently startled to see these young men speak to them out of the blue. Unlike Selina who was taken aback, Diodora and Dramina were merely mildly surprised.

「This is my familiar, Selina. The one in the veil is also my familiar, Dramina. As for the one in black roses, she’s Diodora who teaches at Galois Magic Academy.」

「Familiars? But your familiars are… Wait, is it transformation magic?」

Leon and Charles had probably browsed my academic results from the Magic Academy, so it was no surprise that they would know about my familiar being a Lamia. That was also the reason they were alarmed to see that Senia, a Lamia, appearing as a human. The fact that they figured out the reason for this saved me the trouble of explaining further.

「That’s right. I don’t want to cause a fuss in the Royal City. By the way, Mr. Leon, I won’t be pursued by Knights of the Royal City if I speak with you, will I?」

There was a great risk of such a situation if Leon had wandered out of the castle without telling anyone except Charles. However, from the looks of things, this was probably not their first time sneaking out, and the Knights were likely used to it.

I did not pry further into the identities of Leon and Charles, though it was clear I had already figured things out silently and had no desire to be embroiled in unnecessary trouble. Leon simply offered me a friendly smile and answered me.

「That won’t be a worry. It’ll be a problem if I stay out all night, but it’s no hassle to show you around the Royal City.」

「Seems like you’ve done this quite often. Do you wander the streets like this frequently?」

Leon simply dismissed my question with a chortle, making it clear that sneaking out was a usual occurrence for him. At the very least, he left me with an impression that he was better than a ruler who failed to observe his people’s lifestyles and only relied on hearsay from those around him.

「Do you always let him have his way?」

「I don’t, but I do close an eye to many things.」

In response to my query, Charles averted his glance with an odd gesture—one that made it seem like he was guilty about something. Perhaps he was receiving rewards of some sort for accompanying Leon on these trips.

An adaptable and serious ruler with a frivolous and quick-witted subordinate. These two seemed like a complementary pair that made up for each other’s shortcomings.

「Seems like I learned something unexpected, though this isn’t an issue I can intervene in. Our meeting is some sort of fate, isn’t it? In that case, I’ll take up your offer and rely on you two to show me around the Royal City.」

The disappointment at losing the chance to spend time with Selina and the rest alone surged within me, but this was also a rare chance for me to get to know such nobility. Since we had already wound up in this situation, it was best to make full use of it.

「Well, leave it to me. I promise to make this an eye-opening affair. Besides, let me pay for your meal since my curiosity disrupted your time together.」

Such generosity. Even though the kingdom’s funds and the royal family’s funds were separated, the money in Leon’s purse probably came from the taxes of his territories, dividends from the merchants association, and the such.

Well, Leon was supposed to be the third son of a knight, completely unrelated to the royal family. In that case, I should not be feeling any guilt for wasting taxpayers’ money even if Leon was paying.

「If it’s your treat, I’ll get some desserts too.」

I threw all politeness out the window and looked down at the menu. The moment I did so, Selina dropped all courtesy as well and started ordering dishes endlessly. Though, she seemed like she was doing this partly to vent her anger.

「Well, I want this and this and this…」

「Selina, if you eat too much, your belly will bulge. Aren’t these all packed with sugar and butter? You’ve extended your graciousness, but I’m already full. I’ll just accept your kindness in thought.」

「I share Diodora’s sentiments. Dran and Selina have already ordered that much. Looking at those dishes is enough to make me full.」

Due to the nature of Diodora and Dramina, they did not place additional orders. On the other hand, Selina and I browsed through the menu and ordered item after item without the slightest intention of holding back.

As for Leon, he had not expected such a large order when he had offered to pay. In the end, he could only widen his eyes slightly and let out a bitter laugh.

「Such eagerness sure is refreshing.」

「I do think being too courteous is also rude.」

It was clear that Charles and I were even now that we were compensated for the disruption of our tryst. Furthermore, it was hard to tell whether this unexpected and astounding Royal City tour guide was for the better or for the worse.

Hopefully, that depended on our efforts. I looked at the young man staring at the contents of his wallet and felt a little troubled.