He was crying!
He was actually crying!
Cecilia: 'i-is my food taste that bad!?'
Her head started spinning as she didn't know what to do. But while she opened and closed her mouth and fluttered her hands in a bewildered manner, Yoro finally opened his mouth.
Yoro: "n-no...it's….its actually delicious" He said, which made her confused even more.
Yoro finally came back to his senses when he heard her voice. And when he realized it, his eyes were already wet with tears. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve, disregarding his manner as a noble at how unexpected the thing in front of him was.
Yoro: 'how long has it been….since I eat a food as delicious as this'
While having such a thought, he then continued his eating with a bittersweet feeling in his heart. His eating was clearly more spirited than before, and his face was brighter when he did so.
Cecilia didn't know what kind of thing that possessed her young master today, but her confusion about what to do had died down, replaced by the confusion at what he was thinking right now.
As long as she knew him and was with him, she never saw him cry, not even once. Even when she saw he was tortured mentally by the treatment of all the people giving to him, he never cried. As his personal servant, she naturally knew the details of his condition, and she might be the person who knew him the best when it came to the mental tormention he was going through all this time. From that, she grew to respect him for how hard he endured all of those.
But now was the first time she saw him cry like this.
Cecilia: 'ah well….as long as nothing wrong then it all that matters.'
With a smile on her face, she then grabbed a handkerchief and put it in front of Yoro. Then took some step back and got to her previous spot, looking slightly happier when she remembered his compliment of her food.
There was no way she could know what made Yoro react this way.
Yoro was living a very poor life since the last month in his life, until the very last bit of a second he died. All he did and thought at that time was working and getting money for the debt alone, completely disregarding his health and body.
His morale and conscience built up from the good influence of his family since he was a kid was only making him even harder to get money, which was why he didn't do crime and sell his organ illegally even when such an option was possible.
In short, he already forgot what real food actually tastes like.
All he was eating since last month was instant food, noodles, and sometimes he didn't even eat at all for a whole day. When he ate the real food in front of him now, it was creating a big shock to his heart and sentiment, and he couldn't help but to have an emotional burst at this moment.
Adding more to the bittersweet feeling he was having right now, the food in front of him was more delicious and better than any of the food he ever tasted in his life before, making him act like now.
With a grateful emotion, he opened his mouth and said to Cecilia behind him
Yoro: "hey Cecilia…"
Cecilia: "yes, your highness?"
Yoro: "I… I acknowledge your good will! B-but just a little, don't you dare to get carried away by yourselves!"
Wait, I just wanted to say thanks?!
Why the hell it sounded like words from some tsundere girl in anime!?
Cecilia, hearing his sincere gratitude, closed her eyes. But when she opened it, her eyes turned to a crescent and her lips curved into a smirk. It would be accurately right on the spot if you call it ultimate teasing expression
Cecilia: "your welcome young master, your welcome" she said, strangely understanding that Yoro wanted to say thanks to her.
* * *
Then after that event, the breakfast passed quietly and peacefully, until Yoro had done eating to his full and ready to start off his first day in isekai.
Today was a weekend, so it was a holiday from his homeschooling and also the day when he could spend his time freely to how he found it pleasing.
Cecilia: "what are you going to do today, your highness?"
Yoro: "I will go to the city today. You shouldn't follow me, I will be back at dusk."
Cecilia's face turned into a frown one when she heard that.
Cecilia: "but your highness, your body-"
Yoro: "don't worry, I will bring guards with me. You can be at ease and wait for me in the mansion in the meantime."
Cecilia's frown got deeper and it was clear that she was about to retort and forbid him from going.
Yoro: "And! I will bring some gifts to you later, so you can look forward to it while you wait here."
But Yoro's mouth was quicker in his words as he hurriedly cut whatever Cecilia wanted to say. He also didn't give her any bit of a chance and stormed out of the room, leaving her there flabbergasted.
And so, he went to the guard post to meet someone he knew from the sea of memories as an Yoshiro Ehren.
Yoro didn't inherit all of his memories as Yoshiro Ehren, rather, he only inherited some that were being displayed in the sea of memories from before. All the memories he inherited were only all the memorable events in his life, so he couldn't recall all the details of those.
And that was the reason why he didn't know exactly the layout structure of the mansion, and needed to ask here and there for the right place. Until finally, he could find the guard post and meet the person who should be able to grant him permission and guard him in the city.
???: "Absolutely cannot"
Yoro: 'as I thought it wouldn't be that easy.'
Right now, Yoro was standing inside the very guard post from his memories. But honestly, it would be better to call it an exhibit for how many gazes that were locked into an object.
And unfortunately, Yoro was in that very center of damned exhibition.
In the guard post, it was normal to have this much of a guard resting in it around after they had done their shift. But what was not normal here was the son of their liege currently entering that place, wearing a casual piece of clothing and a hat. If one wasn't stupid enough, then it should sufficient to guess that Yoro was ready to get a trip, or some kind of sightseeing around the city.
Which was right on the spot guess.
But as clear as it is, confusion and questions came out of their head upon seeing this. They knew their young master was weak, sick, and needed extra attention and care, especially when it came to stamina-draining activities.
But now he wanted to go out to the city?
Was he bumped his head somewhere?
???: "you can't do it young master. Your body is weak, it will definitely give in if you really go there."
A man, wearing a shiny helmetless metal armour was standing in front of Yoro right now.
He was tall and intimidating. His face had a long scar that fell from his left eye to his lower lips. With a bald head, he had a cleanly shaved beard and body packed with muscles that looked bulging even from outside of his armour.
Yoro: "Chad-san, It's just a small stroll in the city. Nothing bad can be happening, right?" He said.
Chad: "Haaaaa….It's not like I want to prevent you from going there, but your father has specifically ordered me to not let you out, or letting anyone in."
Chadrac here, or most of the people prefer to call Chad, was a man trusted by his father to be the head guard in this big mansion. Yoro didn't know for sure about his skill, but Yoro knew his father was holding Chad in a fairly high regard
Yoro: "then please let me out"
Chad: "Didn't you hear what I just said?" said Chad with furrowed eyebrows, making him increasingly intimidating and scarier.
Before the Marquis went to the western lords meeting, he had repeatedly requested Chad to take care of his son. Not only to Chad actually, but also to other staff in this mansion.
Even when the marquis was in there and busy tending his business with the other lords, he still sent a message via magic to them, asking if his son was doing okay or not and if there were some issues in here.
All these things were just showing how much the marquis truly cared about his own son, and how worried he was to not see Yoro around him to be monitored on a daily basis.
And that was the very reason why Chad was standing here now, forbidding his young master to go out of this place.
Yoro: "I heard what you said, and I understand" said Yoro with a sigh.
Chad: "If so, then please go back-"
Yoro: "But my father said that it only until he was back isn't it? Then please let me out, Chad." He insisted while squinting his eyes dangerously.
Chad: "you…"
Now that Yoro said this, Chad finally understood that Yoro knew the marquis was on his way back now. Chad could retort Yoro by saying his father's order was until he took a step back to his own estate, and saying that he was pushing his luck a bit too much. But then again, if he denied his request now, what Chad feared was the idea that Yoro would stealthily go out by himself.
It would lead to a more grave and worse danger later on.
Yoro: "For once, can't you at least give me some leeway in here, Chad?"
Chad: "...." Chad furrowed at him when he heard those.
Looking at the determined eyes of his young master yet his fragile and harmless looking self, Chad could only sigh in exasperation at his stubbornness and give in. At the very least if the worst came to the worst and Yoro really passed out, he was there to give him some safety for that time.
Chad: "Alright, at give me one good reason for letting you do that."
Yoro raised his eyebrows as he heard Chad's demand. And fortunately here, he coincidentally had one in mind right now.
Yoro: "This is actually a secret, but I want to give some gifts to my parents when they come back later."
He looked right at Chad's eyes as he said that as if he was saying: 'you can't possibly forbid me to do that, don't you?'
As a head-guard in here, Chad naturally knew about the news that Marquis will be back tonight and had been informed in advance even more early than Yoro. But that was also the reason why he forbade Yoro to go out in the first place.
Chad: 'while Ehren-sama is away, it then becomes my duty to protect this brat from the danger, either from inside or outside.'
But obviously the danger from the outside was more apparent this time. And he couldn't take a chance if something problematic befallen this boy, not when he was in charge at the moment.
Chad: ".....alright fine"
A promise is a promise. And Chad already promised to let him out if he gave him a good reason. And there he has it.
"But! I will be coming with you along until we are back! not any less than that."
Albeit with some terms to be held, Chad was finally given in, making Yoro in front of him to grin in glee as he heard those.
Yoro: "Alright Chad, but you must take off that armour while we are going off, okay?"
Elated with Chad's approval, Yoro finally could imagine himself seeing the otherworld city with his own eyes. With all it's difference either in culture or architect—
Chad: "Hm?? Why???"
But then Chad interrupted his thought mid-way in a sudden. On his face was a confused complexion adorning his whole expression.
With a strange face, Yoro stared at this brawn man in front of him while his expression basically screamed 'Isn't it already obvious?'
Yoro: "sigh...you know wearing armour will attract even more bad attention to us, right?" He stated the matter of fact.
Now Yoro has known what was the actual meaning of brawn but no brain the people used to say. Talking with this guy in front of him was giving him all of these unnecessary experiences after all.
All while in there, Chad was just standing in silence at his statement.
Because even if Yoro was right, he couldn't possibly bring himself to voice out his agreement to a nine years old kid, so he could only stood there in a silent agreement,
And Yoro, seeing this big guy was not gonna reply, was just taking his silence as a yes.