As the sun rises high, the carriage speeds along under the clear blue sky without a single cloud.
“I can see the wall.”
Hyph says and everyone looks outside the carriage to the towering walls of the royal capital.
“Ooh! Amazing! It’s big!”
Different from the other four who are used to it, only Riheed lets out a surprised voice from the bottom of his heart.
“Hoho! It has a magic barrier over it. Hoho, hmm.”
Riheed seems to be devising something while staring at the wall from the speeding carriage.
And then he snaps his fingers as if he came up with a good idea.
Like that the attention inside the carriage gathers on Riheed.
“Let’s give a single shot as a preliminary test, I don’t know what kind of magic it is.”
When saying so, Riheed holds on to his staff which appeared from out of nowhere.
All members inside the carriage are startled and leap to stop Riheed’s act of violence.
The carriage shakes, the horse neighs, Hyph panics, everyone also panics.
The lively carriage makes its way to the gates of the royal capital.
“A bit nostalgic, my hometown.”
As a lord from the east, there was little waiting time at the gate for the carriage belonging to the Mikarune household.
When he enters inside the town Riheed let his feeling out as he spoke to himself.
Riheed looks at the town’s expansive construction and the protective wall he originally was going to demolish
“Are you originally from the royal capital?”
Mikene asks when she heard Riheed’s soliloquy.
“No, It’s my first time entering a town with such large walls. My hometown is more of a rural village, and the town I lived in was enclosed by smaller walls.”
Riheed who seems to be lonely says so towards Mikene.
Mikene starts to worry as Riheed is looking into the distance and is about to open her mouth.
“Whaat, it’s a thing of the past. I can barely remember my hometown anymore, and I don’t intend to remember it either.”
Speaking so as if to say the story is done with, Riheed joyfully looks at the scenery outside the window.
Seeing that appearance, Mikene realized she hardly knew anything about Riheed.
Before moving to the second residence of the Mikarune household in the royal capital, the group goes to Litris’ home.
As thanks for saving her, Litris invited them for tea.
And so the carriage stops in front of a grand mansion.
“Huge.”
Riheed says so while in amazement.
“So a merchant can live in such a large home.”
Discrimination based on social position was more severe in the olden days that now, you had to be careful of the home you live in.
In those days, if a commoner lived in a large mansion, it wasn’t unusual for someone of a governor cla.s.s to break in and rob them.
Riheed is still looking with such a sense of anachronism, and other than the insane, a merchant wouldn’t own the luxurious mansion before his eyes.
“Litris-san’s household has a large company in this area.”
“Merchant’s in the city live in large homes.”
“This is still a normal one, there are some gaudy homes as well.”
“Ojou-sama’s home is also large.”
The four people look at Riheed as if he comes from the countryside and seem to be misunderstanding that he has never seen a large mansion, with unanimous tender faces, the common sense of the upper cla.s.s was taught.
“Uh, unh. That so.”
Though he couldn’t consent to that treatment, Riheed couldn’t strongly refute since it was done with 100% good intentions.
“Now then Ojou-sama, Hyph and I will leave early to arrange the luggage at the villa.”
“Oh, not going together?”
“Even though the villa is small, it has been empty for close to a month so we have to prepare it to receive Ojou-sama. I will pick you up in the evening.”
“I see. I ask of you then then.”
Aryu gives a beautiful bow then boards the driver’s seat with Hyph.
After seeing the carriage off, the three entered the large mansion.
Litris’ parents were absent from the mansion.
Riheed and Mikene were invited to Litris’ room, and looked around it curiously.
Moving the two elsewhere, Litris personally pours tea and takes out rare tea cakes to entertain them.
Then Riheed silently eats up a teacake.
The two laugh at Riheed’s appearance.
“By the way, you two. No particular need to use honorifics for me, since we are going to be schoolmates!”
Already feeling like he has entered the school, Riheed says so while eating another teacake in high spirits.
“That’s fine with me. ”
Litris says so while drinking tea.
“I…”
Since her life was saved, Mikene who saw Riheed’s original figure has unconsciously talked politely to him.
The moment she was about to speak of that matter, Mikene recalls Riheed’s face which seemed to be lonely.
“Err, my best regards from now on, Riheed-san.”
Thinking about it for a little, Mikene makes up her mind and continues to use honorifics.
“Yea yea. Likewise my best regards from now on.”
Riheed nods with contentment and shakes hands with Mikene, and the arms are shaking up and down.
While shaking hands, Mikene felt satisfaction that she was able to be on good terms with Riheed.
“Then, there’s no need for honorifics with me.”
Seeing that appearance, Litris makes a proposal to Mikene.
“Y-yes. Okay then. Litris-s, Litris. My best regards.”
“Eh, likewise, Mikene.”
Due to Mikene’s bashfulness, Litris’ face also reddens.
Seeing the two making friends with each other, Riheed nods.
Afterwards stories were told.
The topic of how Riheed and Mikene met also came up.
Time pa.s.ses by quickly as the three enjoy themselves, and the sun begins to set.
It was about time to be picked up and as they were leaving Litris’ mansion, her parents came back.
The mother and father who heard of the situation to some extent from their daughter thanked Mikene and Riheed excessively, thanks was expressed many times.
They were invited to dinner, but as they had only just arrived at the royal capital today it was decided to do so at a later date. Riheed and Mikene made their way to the second residence of the Mikarune household.