Kaze left his room for lunch once the estimated time of an hour had passed.
While he could have left his luggage to be unpacked at night as he did not have much to bring with him and joined the rest of the group, Kaze decided to remain alone and read up the pamphlet. It was rather humorous that the dragonkin's way of providing guidance to them was through a pamphlet, which was like they were truly tourists on vacation than national guests.
Still, he heeded Luniel's advice since Kaze knew better than to not pay attention to dragonkin culture. Lunaria had already made sure of this from day 1 of school. Since they would be residing in Aravel for the next 2 weeks, it was crucial for him to get familiarized with their culture, at the very least.
Quickly, an hour flew by due to the extensive details imprinted on the pamphlet. Kaze had certainly not expected to read it for so long, though it was mainly because he took his time exploring the palace map. For safety reasons, not much was listed on the map, despite the rough outline of the palace. Other than a few mentions of places like Main Hall and the Ruler's Chambers, there were a few other additions like describing the rooms of each of their friends. Still, it intrigued Kaze to imagine what the palace would look like from the outside.
There was also the curiosity over the pamphlet given. Instead of the classical paper design that was commonly used, the pamphlet was made of a certain type of rectangular cloth not smaller than a novel size. Its texture felt smooth and silky, like super thin metal strings woven together to form the fabric. Yet, it was as flexible as any cloth and foldable while being lightweight. Kaze felt as though he was holding a few pieces of papers stacked together rather than a metal plate.
How the pamphlet worked was that it activated from the moment Kaze rolled it open. The display would appear as if printed on any paper in an illuminated manner. From what Kaze could tell, the fabric must have taken in magic particles from the atmosphere to power it, allowing for various actions to be performed according to what was encoded in it by the creator. Without needing to ask, this was definitely one of Luniel's inventions.
Moving about the pamphlet map as if he was moving a page on a book, Kaze felt both astonished by level of technology that Luniel had created and overwhelmed by the level of information he was receiving. Map aside, Luniel had said there were a few notes that required going through. Simply scrolling past the number of pages had made Kaze wonder if he was reading an instruction booklet instead. Still, he obeyed and made use of his time to look through the pamphlet.
Around lunch time, Kaze tested his recently learnt knowledge on the structure of the palace and left his room, dressed in something more casual. Thankfully, his skills of direction didn't let him down and he quickly found his way to the main atrium. From there, the guards stationed by the doors simply pointed the way for him, leading him down the right path to the dining hall.
"Ah, there you are," Sera was the first to notice Kaze showing up by the entrance to the dining hall.
"Sorry, I stayed back in my room for a light read," Kaze made a wry smile as he greeted his friends, all dressed for the occasion. "How did you all arrive?"
"After you got out, the carriages brought us straight to the palace," Yuuji explained. "Were you able to see the palace when we got here?"
"No. I was brought by Luniel in a separate carriage and ended up in a short talk with Laevia," Kaze sighed when he heard Yuuji's part. "At least you all were treated decently."
"Nothing was explained to us since we didn't have a familiar guide like you did with Luniel. We were simply led to our rooms and the… guide? Cloth? I don't know what you call this," Chris shook the pamphlet in hand as if examining a tablecloth for dirt. "Whatever it is, we found instructions on it and quickly met up using the map function."
"Yeah, I got one too," Kaze gestured to his pocket. "That was what I spent my time doing upstairs."
The group entered the dining room once the doors had opened. Instantly, they found themselves in a large room, way larger than the one they ate at in Tristania. It was at least twice the size in terms of space, with the height of the room a little higher. A long table spread with white cloth was found down the centre of the room, presumably adjusted to fit the number of people dining there for the day.
At the very end of the table sat a male dragonkin, one that they were familiar with. It was Reginsleif, the Emperor of Aravel. By his left was Laevia, the Empress, both dressed in formal attire that one could tell was their day-to-day outfit. It showed off the essence of dragonkin culture, reflecting a different history and fashion compared to that of Czech. It was not worth going into details of the outfit, since it would be hours before they managed to get a grasp of what made up the fabric alone.
Alternating on the first left, second right, second left and so on, sat Lunatea, Lucentia, Lunaea and Luniel. Each were acquaintance already known by Kaze and the group, for they already met during the Festival. The only strangers were the two dragonkin maids standing on each side of Reginsleif. On his left was a dragonkin with long blonde hair, stretching all the way down below her waist in a single neat strand. The maid on the right contrasted this with her brown hair, tied in a ponytail leaning towards the left side of her head. Both dragonkins stood out in their beauty and dignity, proving them worthy to serve the Emperor and his family.
"Welcome, friends of my daughters. I hope the carriage rides weren't too rough," Reginsleif addressed them in a mild but powerful tone, one acquired from decades of experience as a leader. "This is not the first time we met, but it certainly won't be the last. Please, take a seat. Lunch will be served immediately."
Everyone obliged to the request and took their seats, with Kaze sitting next to Lunaea since only Sera, Rena, Shoko and him were brave enough to seat that close to the Emperor and Empress. Kaze glanced at the Empress, who simply smiled at him. This caused him to avert his eyes at the reminder of what sort of 'talk' he had with her earlier, one that he knew would continue when Laevia requested of it.
"Allow me to introduce these two. They will be guiding you for the rest of your stay, so please don't hesitate to reach out to them for any inquiries, be it regarding the palace, or even Aravel itself," Reginsleif proudly stated. "This is Tuarle. She is the head maid of the palace, so she answers directly to me and lead all the palace stuff. To my right is Ilesta, my wife's personal maid. While I say personal, she is second-in-command to Tuarle so she holds a great position too."
Ilesta, the maid with blonde hair, and Tuarle, the maid with brown hair, both bowed in unison once they were introduced. Right after, they left their pose and headed to a door a few metres behind where the Emperor sat, presumably the kitchen to get their lunch.
"Please, feel free to talk to any of us. Try not to get too nervous," Reginsleif laughed, defusing the tense mood. "So, how was the ride here?"
"It was good, Reginsleif-sama," Rena answered with a smile. "The wyverns did a great job as always."
"That's good. As long as you are satisfied," Reginsleif nodded with a satisfied look. "It had been so long since we last had guests, it made me a little nervous over the whole trip. Plus, the decision to get your group to stay was a rather sudden request, so I am most pleased everyone accepted."
"We had to, wouldn't miss it for the world," Irene swooned, looking around the dining hall. "This is Aravel, after all."
"Ah, interested in the architecture?" Reginsleif noticed her gaze and waved his hand. "Please, feel free to look. This place is centuries old, so we tried preserving our culture when renovating to ensure that it is still a place to continue living in, to carry out our legacy as the new generation of the dragonkin race."
Everyone began talking gradually. Since there was much to talk about, the mood quickly allowed for them to assimilate and discuss about any activities or thoughts they had on the palace. This quickly led Kaze to feel as though everyone was forgetting about something.
"Excuse me, Lunaea," Kaze turned to his side and addressed the dragonkin sister, who was waiting patiently for food to arrive. "I don't seem to see Lunaria. Is she not turning up?"
"… Lunaria-nee? Were you not informed earlier?" Lunaea asked, feeling a little surprised by his question. "She isn't feeling well."
"Sorry, I must have missed it then. I was in my room the past hour," Kaze sighed, shaking his head at his own mistake. "Would you care to elaborate?"
"Mm… what is there to elaborate about not feeling well?" Lunaea tilted her head at his question. "She won't be joining us for the time being, nor will you be able to see her until she wants to see you. As simple as that."
"… Shoko, do you know what's going on?" Kaze turned to his right side this time to ask Shoko about it. "Lunaea told me everyone here knows that Lunaria isn't feeling well."
"Huh? Yeah," Shoko frowned at his question and nodded. "What about it?"
"Aren't you concerned for her? You know, she is your close friend. Do you know why she isn't feeling well?"
"Many reasons come to mind. She could still have been weak from the devil attack, since we both know that the devil usurped her strength. I don't know anything beyond what the effects are to her body, but I do know Lunaria. If she doesn't want to see anyone, she won't."
"Ah… right. Maybe she invited us over while she is still recovering then," Kaze remembered the orb at Shoko's words. "Sorry for asking."
The door to the kitchen opened and in came a steady stream of dragonkin maids. In their hands were bowls upon bowls of food, served in various proportions since dragonkins and humans had different appetite. For Kaze and the rest, they were served the amount that was normally enough for them while Reginsleif and his family received the portion that Lunaria would consume. It was a rather ridiculous sight for those who were seeing this for the first time, since dragonkins could eat massive amounts of food without difficulty. In other words, the addition of a few human guests for 2 weeks barely dented their food budget.
After lunch was over, the group remained in the hall for socializing purposes. This time, everyone got to their feet and walked around conversing with the royal family and some of the maids. After all, there were no borders when it came to being tourists, for the maids were most helpful.
"I know Lunaria is super beautiful, but no one told me that all dragonkins look just as good," Irene marvelled over Ilesta's beauty with an envious look on her face. "Mou~ why do dragonkins have such good genes?"
"You look pretty yourself, Irene-sama," Ilesta giggled at this. "But I suppose it is true when you say that Aravel is filled with dragonkin beauties."
"What is your opinion of Lunaria and the royal family then? Are they all beauties too?" Mitsui asked. "Or is there a hierarchy of sort?"
"Hmm, in my honest opinion, there is no such hierarchy, but I have to admit that Lunaria-sama, Lunatea-sama, Lucentia-sama, Lunaea-sama, Luniel-sama, and Laevia-sama are the cream of the crop," Ilesta smiled. "If you wish, I may escort you to look at the previous generation of rulers. You will understand where our rulers got their looks from. In fact, Lucentia-sama is regarded as an idol here in Aravel. She dances, sings, and even models."
"Ehhh??? This was not mentioned to us before!" Irene and Mitsui gasped at this.
"I think Lucentia-sama is shy about admitting her profession," Ilesta guessed. "Each of our princesses have their own hobbies and work other than… royal duties."
"You made this?" Albert and Yuuji's jaws dropped, gesturing to the pamphlet.
"Yep," Luniel grinned and pointed at her elder twin, Lunaea. "Both of us, that is. We are like inventors."
"Wow… father is going to KILL for this sort of technology," Yuuji joked, the admiration still remaining, nonetheless. "Don't worry, I don't plan on stealing anything."
"If you did, we would know," Luniel confidently stated. "Feel free to take back an idea or two, I'm sure Czech has the capacity to reach what Aravel can achieve in an even shorter time."
Lunaea, the elder but shyer of the twin, simply nodded at her sister's words. She was introverted by nature. While introverted didn't necessarily mean she was bad at interaction, Lunaea was in that sense, introverted. Even with people she was close with like her sisters, she didn't speak as much as the rest would.
"Kaze-sama, Reginsleif-sama would like to have a quick word with you," Tuarle came over to Kaze's side as he was relaxing by himself at the table.
The Emperor, following up behind Tuarle, caused Kaze to quickly get to his feet to address him out of respect.
"Reginsleif-sama."
"Mm, sorry for how things turned out previously, Kaze. We couldn't have done anymore considering the circumstance we were in."
"No, that was perfectly understandable. I was grateful enough that you managed to rescue Lunaria…"
"Please, she's my daughter. There was no way I could have sat by idly and allowed her to go on a rampage and hurt innocent lives. That is my responsibility as an Emperor and a father. On the other hand, you…"
Gulping nervously at this, Kaze wasn't sure he liked where this conversation was heading. He just remained silent and braced himself for what came next.
"… risked your life for my daughter, whom you had no real ties with. You and your friends, that is. Think of this trip as a way of repaying your deed."
"… Eh? Ah, um, I mean… we humbly accept it."
"Good, good. I was beginning to worry if we were missing anything. Your travelling expenses would be covered too, among other things. I will have to discuss this with my wife…"
Thankfully, Reginsleif seemed to be genuine in expressing his gratitude, unlike what happened with Laevia. While chatting happily with Kaze, who had remained slightly rigid due to being unsure how he should actually respond, Reginsleif was interrupted by calls for their next activity.
It turned out that the bathrooms had been prepared for the group. With the boys and girls splitting up, Ilesta and Tuarle guided the separate groups to where they could shower if needed. Unlike in Tristania, where they had to take turns with limited water, this time they had the luxury of showering in the grand bathroom of the palace only reserved for the royals. This was not something they had done, even in Tristania.
Among the most excited were Irene, Mitsui and Noel, who were happily led away by the princesses. This left Kaze, Yuuji and Albert to join Reginsleif. It would have been rather awkward if not for Yuuji's natural ability to converse with another royal and Reginsleif's openness.
"I read that dragonkins are open to common bath… but showering with the Empress wasn't what I expected," Noel sweatdropped.
Indeed, even Laevia had joined the girls. The Empress was not shy to bond together with their guests. This had caused the three human girls to feel rather intimidated, since bathing together when they were at their most exposed state was already embarrassing enough if not for the towels provided to wrap around their body.
The bathing space of the men and women were not too different. There was a changing room outside of the bathroom, provided with sinks for simple washing and shelves for putting their clothes. Maids would remain at the entrance at all times for security reasons, so they need not fear their stuff being stolen. On the inside, another ridiculously large room with an in-floor bathtub was provided. The design of the walls was made of white marble, coupled with a few large mirrors and isolated showering stalls at the side before joining together in the large bathtub.
"I can't imagine the cost required to even build something like this in the first place," Mitsui added in Noel's astonishment. "This bathtub could easily fit a dozen people."
"Dragonkins, you mean," Laevia smiled at the group. "We dragonkins, unlike most races, have our ridiculously large and long wings and tail to take care of. The reason for the large design, while having a luxurious look, is also designed for the reason of our anatomy. Arguably, we don't need this much space but as royalty, we are obligated to at least this much."
"I'm not sure whether we will get the chance, but we should try to get Lunaria-nee to show you her bathroom," Lunatea added with an enthusiastic tone. "Lunaria-nee has always been picky. While she does shower here occasionally, there are times where she loves her personal space. As such, she created a new bathroom for herself."
"Wouldn't it be too small for all of us then?" Irene asked.
"Nope. I assure you that it is at least half the size of this bathtub you are in," Lucentia shook her head. "If all of us sisters could soak in it without it being squeezy, then you know that Lunaria-nee outdid herself with the bathroom design."
"Come on girls, wash yourselves off first before entering," Sera beckoned the trio over to one of the side stalls. "Let us teach you how to use the stalls."
"This here is where the water comes out of. Think of it as a showerhead that dispels water out," Shoko started off by gesturing to a silver ball hanging from the top. "It is imbued with water and fire magic, so depending on the temperature and volume of the water, you can adjust it by simply using your magical power."
"Now, moving on to the type of soap," Rena pointed to the three different containers by the side of the stall. "The left one is for your hair, middle for your body, right for enhancing the softness of your skin specifically for females. Each are manufactured in Aravel, so it's a local product you won't find anywhere in the world."
"Once you are done, join us in the bathtub and we will give you a more thorough explanation of the water there," Lunatea stated proudly. "Unlike what you will be showering with, this is no ordinary water. It is extracted from deep underground as spring water that has been filtered and enhanced through both magic and science. There are various other features you can choose to add or vary to change the nutrients in the water…"
While this was going on in the females' bathroom, the four males in their isolated bathing space were engaged in a casual talk about the differences of their nations. Albert, in particular, had quite a number to speak on this subject. As a noble, he was able to relate to this subject through his parents' business which he would inherit one day. Reginsleif, likewise, was able to give various opinions of his own as an experienced person who handled the internal and foreign affairs of Aravel for centuries. Kaze chose to listen and occasionally request clarification on certain topics he was unfamiliar with, being the sole commoner there.
By the end of bathing session, every one of them had a valuable time engaging with the royalties of Aravel. Unfortunately for them, Reginsleif and Laevia had to leave since they only had so much free time on their hands before they needed to tend to work. So was the life of being rulers of a nation, one that Yuuji in particular sympathised with.
The group were escorted to the part of the palace where it was deemed to be the guests' space. There was a living room for them to gather and talk, which was convenient since bathrooms for their personal uses were also located within the same space. They need not traverse through the massive palace grounds in search of a toilet to relieve themselves. It also helped there were other accommodations that increased the convenience of their stay, with their rooms located so closely to each other and to the common room.
"Reginsleif-sama was really friendly," Chris told Irene, the two sitting together. "We managed to compare muscle sizes and my god, you can't tell the man is centuries old."
"It was the same with Laevia-sama," Irene nodded excitedly. "She was soooo pretty! I would say she gave her daughters a run for their beauty, considering that she looked like she hadn't passed 20. Even her chest size…"
Laughing at the remark made, the group began chatting excitedly about their first impressions with the dragonkin royalty family, lunch and bath. Now that they had some privacy without any of the royalties present, they felt free to express their thoughts without being afraid of offending anyone. There were still maids and guards nearby, but that was hardly their concern since they were already used to taking care of guests.
All in all, it was a very satisfying experience thus far.