I probably should have taken better looking cloths…I mean the girl in front of me just radiated from glamor and elegance with a tall white dress the same color as her hair with sky-blue colored flowers here and there it looked elegant and really pretty she did have a hat on her head that moved slightly with every gust of wind.
While me on the other hand wore a black tight pants with a black T-shirt on top. Quite the assortment as I was wearing black and she was in almost full white.
"You look beautiful." Are the words that came out of my mouth until I realized…did I just blurted that?
While I knew I was blushing I saw the same was happening to her as she tried to cover her face a bit with tucking down on her hat saying
"T-Thank you"
Stunned for a few seconds I then asked
"S-so where should we go first?"
Answering me she fixed her hat and said
"Umm I have an idea."
We took a carriage that was powered by magic. They have those close to the school as means to transportation between the city and the school…I should have noticed them when I first came to this school that was a long walk.
After about 30 minutes the first signs of civilization were apparent. Glamorous buildings here and there well organized and paved ground. The city was magnificent spotless with a Victorian décor. The people were minding their own business and shops were open for all. I saw few people wearing different colored attires with a cape on the back that held the name of their clans. The rest were normal people just about everywhere. Yuna-san said that they were clan members doing their job at patrolling the city and there are different faction within the capital but they hold a competitive nature between them and not one of hostilities.
You can see some shops holding the banner of different clans. We got off the carriage at a center square.
There was a big fountain in the middle of the square with a statue of a maiden in the middle.
She was wearing full plat armor and holding her sword to the heavens.
There was a signboard in front of the statue says 'in tribute to Alsa the Everlasting Might.'
Alsa was the name of the capital and also the name of the city named after the hero that liberated the lands of a great demon that threatened its future.
"Meh, people do love to tell tales… to believe there ever was an Everlasting… what a load of c--…"
Before I could continue I remembered that I was in the presence of a girl and I stopped my words halfway seeing the sour expression on her face…probably I shouldn't have said this…
She said after hesitating a bit
"Well it is true that the existence of the Everlastings is doubted…but you can't help but believe. and what right do anyone have for taking the hopes of the people that there will be a liberator that will one day help purge the blight and destroy the demons…people have right to dream…"
I answered
"I know…and I have seen a lot of those demons and blighted multitudes but I can assure you that one man no matter how strong cannot destroy the entirety of those things alone…I think that people should not follow blind hope…and if they truly want liberation they should bond and fight for it instead of waiting for someone to do their job for them…"
Seemingly defeated she tried to open her mouth to rebuke my statement but decided to remain quit and contemplate a bit. So we walked to the next area.
It was a small temple with different banners held high at its surrounding walls.
There was a marriage ceremony that was happening so we decided to take a look.
A simple yet awe inspiring wedding. The groom was wearing the red cape of the blazing fire dragon clan atop of his black colored suit was being wedded to a member of the earth golem clan that she wore a brown cape with the name of her clan on the back atop of her eastern styled wedding dress.
The relationship between the clans was very amicable and mixed families were not a problem for any of them. This was explained by Yuna that looked hyped for seeing this wedding…probably all girls are like this huh.
We decided to continue our walk for a bit. We passed by the grand library it was …grand. I mean enormous… the size of it was larger than the school main building by three folds. It had a doorway with pillars made from marble and a signed in the entry that said The Sea of knowledge is only feared by the ignorant.
It probably contained a magnanimous amount of information…I took a mental note to myself to come back and study the books here later.
It was becoming a bit dark so I decided to go to a restaurant after hearing the sound of Yuna-san's belly growling I played it cool and made it look like I didn't hear anything…a gentlemen must not be tactless
I turned to face her to notice that she tried to avoid my gaze with a bit of embarrassment showing on her face. I tried to ask her to grab a bite only to be surprised by my own belly making sounds that could scare off a king boar.
Giggling and cracking up we both understood that we needed to eat so without words we entered the first restaurant we encountered.
It was nothing short of a high class restaurant the type that you need to reserve days before you get to enter. In short it was full to the brim.
Without losing hope I still went for the clerk and asked him if there was a table for two available. The man in question snorted as he looked at me and said casually and in an undermining tone.
"Sorry…but we do not accept beggars please leave."
…I took it from his words that my cloths did not go on par with the dressing code of this restaurant.
Squinting my eyes and really wanting to break this smug smile off his face I was stopped by the ever beautiful Yuna-san. That placed her gentle hand on my shoulder tagging in on the mental conversation between me and the rude clerk.
She looked directly at the clerk that had a sudden change of facial expression.
She calmly said
"We would like to have dinner here is there a vacant table?"
. The smug on his face changed to a sour almost frightened expression and gently said...
"Uhhh…ah my lovely lady I was not aware that this young man was in your company…I believe that there is still an empty spot at the balcony if you are interested in dining here."
…what a jerk…people are still judge based on their looks…anyway at least I get to eat…but let's make him regret his actions.
The table near the balcony was magnificent. As the view was showing the city under the magical street lights it almost looked like a romantic dinner between a couple that was just getting to know each other. Not that I have experience regarding that but at least I know that it accounts for something.
Grabbing the menu I initiated my little revenge. Taking a look at the most expensive item in the menu I decided to order the Drudish Sea monster's tong soup with Grigan mountain dear stake and a bottle of aged Grinnain sake that I remembered Ousay rambling about that day.
As for Yuna she decided on some salad and a boar king rib meat.
When the waiter came he was shocked to see the ordered items that I decided on and Yuna seemed perplexed on the reaction of the waiter. She probably hasn't noticed yet.
When the waiter entered the kitchen I heard a rambling inside and a gentleman hastily came in toward us he seemed of high authority as when he was getting closer most staff stopped their work and took notice of our table.
He stood near us then said.
"Dear Sir. I would like to make sure that if you had fully took in consideration the price of the items you have ordered. I am afraid that I will require a proof of your ability to pay the amount of the food you requested. Because as you can see they are not easy nor cheap to come by."
I answered haughtily
"So you and the clerk at the door have the same judgmental view of people. People who do not dress the part are not able to pay the food they want. Well I can tell you one thing Mr.?"
He nervously and hastily said. "I Am Barkiss Levoro the owner and a titled Master Chef of Alsa."
I said "Ok Mr. Barkiss so as I was saying you do not have to fear anything. Just bring me what I have ordered as you can see I am pretty hungry and I was yarning for some exotic food."
He then said... "Sir…that exotic food you are talking about costs more than 20million Crona it is only served for kings and the highest of nobility even clan heads rarely order it…are you sure about this sir?"
Yuna looked at me with questioning gaze but her eyes spoke as if saying what the hell did you order?
"…you are beginning to taste my patience…will this prove that I can pay for the food I ordered?"
I grabbed a small spherical green rock from my pocket and threw it toward him.
He grabbed it jumpily and started inspecting it. His eyes widened for a bit then he bowed deeply saying
"I have greatly mistreated you young Lord this will not happen again. And as a sign of my sincere apology I will be the one to make this food for you. Please excuse us for any short comings that I or my staff members have produced."
The entire room went silence then some chatter was going on here and there the staff scurried and the Master Chef quickly went to the kitchen. I took a glance at the clerk that was having spasms instead of facial expression and also bowed deeply in deep regret.
The expected question then came up.
"What was that all about? And what is that stone?"
"Well that was a little revenge on the clerk that was looking down on me. And that stone is a sacred beast core. It belonged to a lesser wyvern I hunted when I was with my Master. it should fetch more than 20million Crona if I remember."
With shocked expressions she said.
"You were Hunting Sacred beasts???"
I answered.
"Not exactly hunting but that wyvern was just an unlucky guy that ended up meeting us at the wrong time in the wrong place. If it had decided to keep its distance and go away I wouldn't have had to kill it."
"…you are weird. Brushing off sacred beast hunting as a normal day activity…no wonder you are that strong."
"Hah…that is just your imagination I actually almost lost my life twice to it. Imagine being impaled by hundreds of steel sharp feathers and getting dropped from a 300meter distance. I actually ended up with a few broken bones but that was the reason that Master decided to give me the stone he said that it was me who took it out so it's me who should get the loot."
"…but isn't that a fortune couldn't you use it for better things than a silly pride contest?"
I answered
"Well I don't see myself using that much money in the future anyways" laughing it off and trying to change the subject."
"So what brought you to Albion?" I said trying to start up a conversation.
She hesitated a bit as if to think of what to say then.
"Euh…well I come from a family that is well versed in magic. My mother is the clan head's sister the raging water dragon clan. And my father is a nobleman of the Vind house. And I have an agenda of my own hens I went to Albion. "
"Oh I didn't know that" I said then added. "But hang on a second I knew from Shiki that Kaori-san is the heir to the water dragon clan shouldn't that be you considering that you are much stronger than her?"
She frowned a second and turned her head facing the balcony and said
"Normally that should be the case. But my parents' marriage was outside of tradition as the Vind family is not associated with any of the four great clans my position as an heir candidate was revoked."
I honestly thought that was unfair and said.
"Shouldn't your parents have a say in this I mean you are partially family to the raging water dragon clan"
A silence that was too heavy was what followed my words then she spoke only to make me hate myself for my rudeness
"My parents passed away when I was young. You see this is the first time I tell anyone about this, I am actually Kaori's cousin but she and the rest of the clan heirs don't seem to remember me, not that I mind but when I was young I once visited them with my parents. And we got in all sort of trouble" she smiled remembering her past. an innocent smile with a hint of sadness but that was beyond beautiful. At that moment I knew I was smitten.
I hastily answered back.
"I am sorry. I didn't mean to make you remember that."
She then said
"Don't worry about it it's been a long time…"
At that moment a ruckus was being stirred as the doors to the kitchen have been opened. The Master Chef was wearing a full white apron and dress with his toque atop his head. He walked in pride taking long strides followed by two servants at the side. Each of his hands was carrying a plat with the countries' best delicacy. One of the other servants was holding a bottle of Sake over his arm while the other servant was carrying the rib dish and the salad that Yuna ordered.