Chapter 310 (Self Edited) – Encountering an Unexpected Person
Although it was still a short time, it had been about ten days since Aina came to the Holy City.
She had been having a hard time, probably because she wasn’t used to the place and was nervous at the beginning, but she didn’t feel it anymore since she had already gotten used to it these days. She no longer rested after taking lessons, and she seemed to be able to have a normal conversation with Eleonora. Apparently, she decided to read books during free time, and she lived the same life as Soma and Hildegard.
There seemed to be no problem for the time being… or rather, Soma might be in a more difficult situation now. Soma was here because of this exact reason.
“Well, you’re saying that there’s a serious problem, but it’s just that you’re out of the book to read, right?” (Aina)
“Yes, you’re right.” (Soma)
While shrugging his shoulders at Aina who was looking at him with amazed eyes, Soma lightly looked at the surroundings. The sight reflected in the field of view looked familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. They were in the Holy City.
And at the moment, they were walking around because of what Aina had said. He had no books to read in his free time, so he went out looking for something new to read.
Soma had been to the city area of the Holy City for the same reason before, but strictly speaking, it was different from that time. At that time, he knew that there were books in the shrine that he hadn’t read yet, but this time, there was no such a thing anymore. To be exact, it was because he had read them all.
In the first place, Soma didn’t ask Eleonora for additional books soon after he ran out of books to read. He knew that she was busy for some reason. Soma wasn’t ignorant enough to prioritize his own desire.
However, what should be noted here was that Soma wasn’t the only one who needed books. Yes, as mentioned before, Aina had decided to read books.
Still, her official position was a guest. She wanted to be their companion and this side accepted it. Although they had treated her that way, she must not forget that she was an envoy from Demento.
Eleonora seemed to want to formally cooperate with Demento, but of course, it was necessary to have meetings and discussions for that purpose. Considering that it wouldn’t end in one night, the official treatment toward Aina remained as an envoy, and that was at least until it was over.
So, it was also Eleonora’s duty to take care of Aina. If Aina requested something as long as it was reasonable, Eleonora had to fulfill it, and if she couldn’t, it couldn’t be helped to think that she was incompetent. On the contrary, Eleonora could be treated as incompetent if she was troubled because of the customer’s request.
In short, if Aina requested books, Eleonora had no choice but to spend some time to fulfill it. If Aina went to the city to buy books, it would trouble Eleonora too.
As for that, Soma had to request Eleonora for that in the beginning. As a result, Eleonora prepared books for him as well. Soma thought that if he requested for books, he would tell the location of the books and get the permission to read it, but since Hildegard and he weren’t treated as official guests, it didn’t happen in the same way as Aina.
Needless to say, the place where they stayed was the shrine. It wasn’t a library. It wasn’t a place to read books, and the number of books was limited, regardless of sacred scriptures. It was even more so since Soma didn’t know the information written there.
Finally, Soma had managed to read all of them until yesterday.
“Hmm… it’s good that we’re going out to buy books, but I wonder where it’s sold. It would be helpful if there’s something that could be a sign.” (Soma)
“…Wait a minute.” (Aina)
“Hmm? What is it?” (Soma)
“I certainly thought that you were looking around weirdly from a while ago, but… don’t you know where to find it?” (Aina)
“Why do you think I know?” (Soma)
“That’s because you didn’t tell me that!” (Aina)
It was true, but it was natural since he couldn’t help it. Until now, Soma went around the city several times, but all of them had been interrupted for some reasons. To begin with, he didn’t know where the books were.
“Eh… really?” (Aina)
“Yes…? Didn’t I ask you whether you want to look around the city while looking for books?” (Soma)
“Well, I can only understand it as it is…” (Aina)
“That’s too much, you know.” (Soma)
Actually, Soma had said it literally, but it was hard to understand it.
By the way, he invited Aina because he had never seen her going out since she came here, and he also wondered if she could go out alone. It was too much to go out alone in a city where she didn’t know much, so it was killing two birds with one stone. In that case, Hildegard would be left alone, but since she was an adult, she could do anything by herself.
In addition, Hildegard would always accompany him even if he didn’t ask, but for today, she was forced to a.s.sist Eleonora. It seemed that there was a business that only Hildegard could a.s.sist with. Hildegard couldn’t refuse since they were taking care of her, so she decided to help them.
Anyhow…
“Well, it’s fine because I was planning to go around the city today. By the way, do you have anything you want to find?” (Soma)
“Wait…? It seems that you’ve noticed something that I don’t think about, you know?” (Aina)
“You’re right… that reminds me, I have never seen a store that sells books. Rather, is there a store that sells books in the first place?” (Soma)
“Eh…?” (Aina)
There was no doubt that books existed as products.
However, at the same time, books were quite expensive. He kind of forgot about that because books were common around him. After all, his parents’ household was a Duke household even though it was a small country, and the books in the library of the Royal Academy were originally brought from Veritas, the most prosperous in the world at that time.
If anything, those were exceptions, and usually, the general public couldn’t afford it. By that common sense, it was scary to line it up at the storefront.
“I don’t remember seeing a store selling books when I went out before.” (Soma)
“…It makes sense when you say it. I misunderstood because it was natural to see books… rather, why don’t you ask people if you don’t know? If you asked, you should already know at that time.” (Aina)
“Even if you told me that, I can’t afford to ask Eleonora.” (Soma)
“You can ask the servants…” (Aina)
He was shocked at that blind spot. Aina, then, sighed with a mixed face of fatigue and dismay. It wasn’t just Soma, she also didn’t think about it.
“Well, I should have realized that and asked beforehand. I didn’t ask because I thought you knew, but… maybe I lost focus. It’s no wonder what’s happening now.” (Aina)
“Hmm… you’re right.” (Soma)
He nodded, squinted his eyes, and let out a breath. Surely, he might have been losing focus too.
“For the time being, why don’t we move from this spot? Originally, searching for books was one of my goals, and I was planning to take a walk around anyway. Besides, it’s not decided that books aren’t sold.” (Soma)
“There are still some places to look around here, but if you want it that way, sure…” (Aina)
When they noticed, they resumed the movement of the legs that had stopped, and the two started walking from that spot. Somehow, Aina had a dubious expression, but she didn’t mind it and moved along.
Then, when Soma turned his eyes to the surroundings, the movement of people in the city of the Holy City was still the same. Most of the people, who came to the Holy City, didn’t come for holiday, but for pilgrimage. Therefore, the destination was inevitably the shrine.
On the contrary, Soma and Aina were coming from the shrine, which inevitably went against the movement. It was obvious that they were on the way, so they moved to the side road to avoid them.
At the moment, he felt a gaze piercing from his back, but he dared to say nothing. That was why he had plans. Aina didn’t say anything and just followed him.
Certainly, considering the purpose was to look around the city, it was a poor plan to enter the side road. They wouldn’t get caught up by the crowd, but they wouldn’t know what and where they were in the city. Although it was necessary to check the side road, it was normal to think that they should check the main road.
However, Soma, of course, was walking here after realizing that fact. Moreover, he went further back on the side road, to a place where even the signs of people had begun to become far away.
“U-uhmm… Soma? Wait… where are you heading? Heading out of sight means… could it be…” (Aina)
Aina called out the situation, but it seemed that her voice contained more tension than anxiety. Even so, Soma didn’t respond and he went further back.
“H-hey… could it be… how should I say it… could it be that you want us to be alone? It’s too sudden, and… there’s no need to do that, right…? W-well, it’s not that I don’t like it, you know–…!?” (Aina)
Soma never responded to Aina’s words, and eventually stopped at his feet.
It was a place that was a bit wider than the narrow roads they had been walking by until now. Although it wasn’t a square, it was large enough for two people to relax and lie down.
Then, Soma turned around, held Aina’s hand, which reflexively made her shoulders bounce.
“–Aina.” (Soma)
“Wait, Soma…!? Uhm, I… m-my heart isn’t ready…!?” (Aina)
“…Sorry. Don’t ever leave me, alright?” (Soma)
“E-ehh…? Soma, what are–…!?” (Aina)
At that moment, Aina opened her eyes wide, probably because she knew what was going on, but Soma never responded. He couldn’t afford to do it. Instead, he whispered when he increased the strength of holding her hands a bit more.
“Don’t mind it, alright?” (Soma)
Immediately after that, what echoed on the spot was the sound of broken gla.s.s. The surrounding s.p.a.ce shattered all at once, and the scenery that I had never seen from behind appeared. It didn’t look like a place Aina was in until just before, but what impressed her most was the figure of a woman who was there.
She had bluish-purple hair and eyes of the same color. She was staring at her intensely, and the eyes harbored a light that she could never forget at first glance.
The woman was the greatest in the world, and Aina had no doubt about it. That woman insisted that fact with her whole body, and what was on her face was a fearless yet joyful smile.
It was the face that Aina saw for the first time. There was no mistake.
But…
“…Is that the empress’ own way of welcoming? It’s extremely discourteous.” (Soma)
“What? You don’t have to despise it yourself. Of course, when it comes to welcoming the Demon King, I must deal directly with him, right?” (??)
With that said, the woman, the current empress of the Yupiter Empire, Victoria Y. Arcanam, lifted the edge of the mouth on her joyful face.