The vehicles passed down the road along with other vehicles like a herd of sheeps. Elliot, who was fighting the headache he is having at the moment, found himself entranced at the view outside the window.
Even with his eidetic memory, he forgot how many times he was mesmerized at the architecture of the modern world. Especially the high-rise buildings and store fronts whose insides are as bright as day.
Everything reminded him that he didn't belong in this world, an outsider or an outcast perhaps.
Not to mention, the vehicle he was riding was convenient, comfortable, and fast. If only they had this technology in his world, heading from one distance to another will be a short one.
The whole journey took ten minutes and the vehicle pulled over to the side of the road.
The coachman of the vehicle stepped out and went around to open a door for the passengers.
Akari was first to step out, followed by Elliot and Suzune. Elliot looked at the store in front of him. Just as any other store, the interior was bright, shining in golden radiance. It evoked a sense of exquisiteness and luxury in him.
"This is where we'll have our dinner," Suzune said, facing the two. "Akari-chan, have you tried eating at one of these restaurants before?"
"This is my first time, Suzune-san," Akari rubbed her head while chuckling shyly.
"Then let's go," Suzune turned around and led the way.
The three of them entered the restaurant. The hostess welcomed them at once. "Welcome to the Tokyo Steakhouse. We hope everything is going well here. Is it your first time eating here?"
Suzune nodded. She explained their purpose of visiting and requested a table for three. The hostess nodded and led them through the spacious dining hall and to a table near the windows.
Elliot could smell the aroma of a freshly-grilled steak wafting from the steak kitchen. He inhaled and breathed it all in. He couldn't help but drool and his mouth was salivating.
The three of them sat down on a table and the hostess placed the menu down on their table.
"Okay what do you want—" Suzune paused as she noticed Alexander's bead of saliva trickling down in the corner of his lips. She giggled inwardly, amused at the spectacle before her. It was not long before Elliot realized that Suzune was looking at him. The line of sight of her eyes is to his mouth.
Elliot wiped the saliva off his lip then cleared his throat awkwardly. He didn't know why he was embarrassed because of what happened just now.
"Are you familiar with steak, Sir Elliot?" Suzune politely asked. This time, she spoke in English.
"I do. I love them cooked medium rare," Elliot replied.
"How about you, Akari-chan?" she turned her face to Akari who was sitting next to Elliot.
"I would love to try it," Akari said.
"Three orders of steak, medium rare. As for the drinks...we'll have water."
"Understood, please wait for a while as we take your order," the hostess smiled and bowed.
As they waited for their meals, Suzune struck a conversation.
"So, Sir Elliot. I have a lot of things to ask. I hope you won't bother," Suzune said using a translator app.
Elliot gave a prompting nod indicating for her to proceed.
"Do you have a passport with you? Or any other documentation that proves your identity and everything you claimed," she asked with a serious tone.
"Passport?" Elliot tilted his head to the side. "What's that? As for other documentations. Unfortunately, they were all in my bedroom chamber, hidden in the drawers."
"So you don't know passports?"
"I don't, not even heard of it," Elliot replied simply.
"Elliot-san is getting more and more weird and strange…" Akari voiced her thoughts.
Suzune sighed. She can't still tell whether what he is saying is true or not. Well, there's one last surefire method for her to take, but it'll have to do later.
"I see no reason as to why I must bring documentation if I'm only going to read in the royal library, which is located in our palace."
Suddenly, a waiter with the plates for each of their meals over his shoulder. Elliot watched as the server served the food and poured them water to drink. Once done, he left.
Akari and Suzune clasped their hands together as if holding a prayer and uttered a word.
"Itadakimasu."
Elliot's eyes narrowed. They must be doing that because of their culture. Nevertheless, he didn't bother to go deep in that.
Suzune took a forkful of steak and placed it inside her mouth. As she chewed, her face scrunched up and a satisfied smile appeared on it.
"Umai~!" she moaned softly.
"Hmm?" Akari hummed, noticing Elliot staring at the food and not touching the fork and the steak knife. "What's wrong? Is something the matter?"
"I have said this before, I don't eat food made by strangers and that wasn't tasted beforehand. Who knows, it could be laced with poison," Elliot said. His statement was met with silence. Suzune continued to chew her steak while looking at him in disbelief.
"If you know we are eating in a restaurant whose food is going to be cooked by a chef you don't know of, then why did you come?" Suzune asked.
"Because it would be rude to decline your offer. And what's more, the gratitude you have shown me was enough for me to come here," Elliot said.
"So are you saying you aren't going to eat your food if no one will taste it for you?"
"The aroma of the food is appetizing I must say, but I have to maintain the strictest rule the royal family has placed. A lot of members of the royal family were killed through food poisoning. I don't want to be the next person to be added on that list, as I already developed a phobia to it," Elliot stated.
"I see, I'm fully understanding it now," Suzune sat her fork and knife down. She stood up and grabbed Elliot's silverware to have a bite. She chewed the steak as she looked at Elliot. "If there is poison in your dish, I would've been dead by now. Besides, no one knows exactly who you are in this world so why would they bother putting poison in your food in the first place?"
Suzune raised a good point. If the food they are eating has poison on it, then the customers who ate in this restaurant would have died and their families or relatives would be demanding to close the restaurant. It's a simple logic, but Elliot failed to realize it as his mindset was still stuck to his original world.
Seeing that nothing happened to Suzune, Elliot grabbed the fork and knife from Suzune and sliced a biteful size of steak. After that, he ate the steak and he moaned in satisfaction.
"The taste of this steak is excellent. The water is also not poisoned right?"
"Yes," Suzune confirmed.
Elliot took a sip from his glass of water and the refreshing coldness felt so nice in his throat, "The water here is also good."
"I'm glad that you are now enjoying the food, Elliot-san!" Akari said.
Ten minutes later, they finished eating at the steakhouse and exited the establishment.
Before hopping inside the limousine parked in front of them, Suzune spoke. "I'll be taking you to one of our hotels. You can stay there whenever you like until you find your way back home."
"Lady Suzune, do you believe in my words now? That I am from another world?"
"Not completely," Suzun admitted. Her gaze shifted away from Elliot and faced toward the night sky in the distance. She thought for a moment then turned and faced the limo. "Let's go."
***
In the hotel penthouse, Elliot stood in front of the wall made of windows. It gave a view of the Tokyo skyline. He looked down and a tingling sensation appeared in his feet and legs. It's too high! The people walking down below looked like ants. He quickly moved his foot and the ticklish feeling vanished.
He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. He then opened his eyes again.
"My goodness…this place is indeed tall. No architect in our world would be able to build as grand as this. How tall are we specifically?"
"We are on the fiftieth floor," Suzune answered.
"Fiftieth floor?" Elliot muttered under his breath. Amazed by the fact that it stood so tall without collapsing under its own weight.
Elliot looked around the room. Exquisite furniture and floorings is the first thing he noticed. The ceiling was high and the air was chilly. The design may be different from his world but it's beautiful.
"I have to go home now. If you need anything, there is a telephone by the door. You use that to contact the reception. The instructions are written in English so you won't have trouble using it. I'll return tomorrow to see how you are doing."
"Very well," Elliot nodded affirmingly.
"Then, if there's none? We'll be leaving. Let's go Akari-chan."
"Goodbye Elliott-san!" Akari cheerfully waved at him which made Elliot wave back to her. Then she ran off to catch up with Suzune.
After watching their figures disappear into the distance, Elliot turned and faced the window again.
"What should I do now?"
***
Two hours later.
"Hello, uncle. This is Suzune. I'm sorry for calling you this late. I know you are busy with your work."
"Don't say that, Takenaka-sama. How can I be of service?"
"There's a man staying at our family's hotel. He had his fingerprint recorded in the database as I used his fingerprint to serve as a biometric lock to his room. I want you to look up everything about him."
"Uhm...Takenaka-sama, may I ask why?"
"Just do it, uncle. I have to know," Suzune urged.
"Well...fine, but I hope you will tell me after the result is revealed."