Sidewalk stall food!
I had the carriage stop near the stagecoach stop and told the driver to wait for a while. As I was about to get off, Miria stopped me.
"Cristea-sama, if you're going to make a detour, at least remove the lace on your sleeves and collar and put on a robe before you leave."
"Huh? Oh... right, thank you."
At Miria's suggestion, I hastily removed the detachable collar and cuffs and handed them to her.
That's right. Even though I have to wear my uniform, I should remove any obvious high-ranking noble embellishments, like the lace and gem-adorned buttons.
Once I removed the decorative pieces like the collar and cuffs, my uniform should appear simple at first glance.
Well, if someone looks closely, they’ll definitely notice the highest quality fabric and intricate embroidery done in the same color, but that’ll mostly be hidden by the robe, so it should be fine.
Mariel-chan also removed her decorations and stored them in her inventory before putting on a robe. Ruby slipped into the shadow at Mariel-chan's feet.
Apparently, she said it's easier to guard us by hiding in the shadows when we're in a crowd.
"Alright, now that we're ready, let's go."
"Yes."
"Yeah, let's go!"
At my words, Kurogane and Mashiro moved swiftly, opening the carriage door and escorting us.
After walking for a while, guarded by Kurogane and Mashiro, through the crowd of people getting off the stagecoach and searching for their destinations, we arrived at a corner filled with food stalls.
"Whoa..."
The area was bustling with hungry adventurers and travelers biting into meat to satisfy their hunger, as well as people buying provisions for their journeys, including preserved foods.
The smell of sizzling meat wafted from various stalls, and the aroma of soup drifted from somewhere, tickling my nose.
As expected of the Royal Capital's kitchen district, the sheer number of food stalls was incredible.
Unlike the rich, overly-decorated noble dishes, the street food here was simple—like grilled meat seasoned with just salt or hearty vegetable soups.
Among these stalls, the more inventive ones seemed to draw crowds, with people lining up everywhere.
"Wow, everything smells so good. I wonder which stall I should buy from."
I suppressed my small growling stomach as I glanced around, trying to decide on a stall.
"Well... I'm not sure if it'll suit your taste, Cristea-san, but that crowded stall over there is selling wild boar skewers, and that one is popular for its herb-grilled killer rabbit. Oh, and that one has a luxurious soup made with cockatrice breast meat."
Mariel-chan, you're surprisingly knowledgeable! I bet you've been snacking here a lot!
But everything looks delicious!
Maybe we should buy a bit of everything, share it, and then stock up on the favorites in my inventory.
"Mariel-san, let's try that stall first..."
"Whoa, wait up, Ojou. I know an even better place than that one."
"Eh? Ah, L-Leo... mmph."
Someone grabbed my hand, which I had raised to point at the stall, and spun me around. When I looked up to see who it was, there stood Leon-sama.
I almost called out his name, but quickly bit my lip, and Leon-sama grinned at me.
"Ou, just call me Leo around here, alright?"
"Hey, you... let go of her!"
"Don't touch Cristea!"
Kurogane and Mashiro, recognizing who had grabbed my hand, spoke in hushed but agitated tones to Leon-sama.
It's a big improvement that they're now able to avoid drawing attention by yelling, but they still can't seem to suppress their possessiveness, an instinct of the Sacred Beasts.
"Yeah, yeah. You two never change. You need to learn how to protect her a little more calmly.”
Leon-sama said, letting go of my hand with a sigh. Mashiro pulled me close and glared at him.
"Shut up. This has nothing to do with you."
"Exactly. You shouldn't touch her so lightly."
Kurogane stepped in front of me to block Leon-sama's view.
Honestly, they don't get this worked up with Byakko-sama or Ruby, but when it comes to Leon-sama, they get super wary.
"Come on, both of you. You're being rude to Leo…-san. Thank you, Leo-san, and sorry for their behavior."
"Making your Lord apologize? That's a fail as bodyguards. But no worries, I startled them, so it's my bad. No hard feelings.”
Leon-sama said with a wink at me.
"W-Wait, Cristea-san! Who is this handsome guy?!"
"Huh?"
Mariel-chan, looking flustered but too shy to speak up, whispered to me in a panicked voice.
Wait, doesn't Mariel-chan know who Leon-sama is?
During the entrance ceremony... oh, right, back then he was dressed as a bodyguard, and usually, he doesn't show his face.
And now he's dressed casually, blending in perfectly with the town's atmosphere, looking like an adventurer on his way home. He’s so handsome, it’s hard to recognize him.
"Uh, well... this is..."
"I'm Leo, a friend of the young lady here. Nice to meet ya."
"Wow, so handsome... I mean, m-my name is Mariel M-M-Mayor. N-N-Nice to meet you!"
She stuttered.
"Ma-M-Mayor? That's an interesting name."
"Leo-san, it's Mariel Mayor. She's just a bit nervous."
"Huh? You've got some interesting folks around you, Ojou.”
Leon-sama said, glancing curiously at Mariel-chan's feet.
… Wait, does he already know Ruby's hiding in her shadow?
Mariel-chan also noticed Leon-sama's gaze and started acting suspiciously, fidgeting.
"L-Leo-san, you mentioned a good stall, right? Where is it?"
I quickly diverted the conversation, and Leon-sama looked up at me.
"There's a skewer shop ahead. They've recently changed their seasoning, and it's been getting popular."
With that, he started walking, leading the way.
It seemed he was no longer interested in Ruby's presence, so Mariel-chan let out a sigh of relief and followed after him beside me.
After walking for a while behind Leon-sama, I noticed a slightly different scent in the air. Mariel-chan, who had been walking next to me, suddenly stopped, sniffed the air, and looked up, her nose twitching.
"... Wait, this smell... Could it be...?!"
Huh? What? Mariel-chan's reacting strongly to this strange but somewhat familiar scent!
What do you think about this chapter?
