At dusk, I changed my clothes and headed towards the dining room that I had seen earlier while exploring the mansion. Walking down a long corridor, I reached the door that led to the dining room. There was a maid at the door who made a small discreet gesture of reverence as soon as she saw me and then opened the door, allowing me to enter.
Upon entering the room, I was met with the gazes of people already seated at the table. It seemed like I was the last one to arrive. As I approached the chair next to Emi, a maid who was waiting for me kindly pulled it back, indicating for me to sit down.
Once I settled into the chair, a faint smile appeared on Emi's lips, which automatically drew a smile from me in response. While reflecting on this brief moment, the king clapped his hands, grabbing everyone's attention, and suddenly the sound of a door opening echoed through the room.
My eyes turned to the source of the noise, where I spotted some maids bringing carts filled with food. With delicate steps, they approached the table and began serving the dishes among the guests. As lively conversations filled the room, I noticed Anna's bright eyes fixed on the variety of delicacies laid out on the table.
Once the table was fully prepared, we all turned our gaze to the king, eagerly awaiting his words. Anna, in particular, could barely contain her excitement, brimming with impatience. Noticing all eyes on her, the king broke the silence and said.
"Feel free to help yourselves and enjoy the meal"
With a smile adorning his face, the king gave the signal for us to start savoring the food before us. Emi, in particular, had more vegetables than meat on her plate, showcasing her healthy preference.
Meanwhile, Anna discreetly attempted to reach for one of the sweets adorning the table, only to be promptly intercepted by my mother, who was attentively watching her. The siblings, along with the king and queen, enjoyed the meal as usual, with radiant smiles on their faces, relishing each bite.
"Do you have any plans for tomorrow?"
While savoring the meal, the queen suddenly posed this question, capturing everyone's attention in the room. In response to this question, one by one, we began sharing our plans for the next day, with Albert being the first to speak.
"For now, tomorrow I intend to visit some nobles in Crystal"
Albert was brief and straightforward in saying this. His words made me reflect on how even during our leisure time, he remains focused on work. While I pondered over this, my parents eagerly shared their plans next.
"We will be going on an outing with Anna tomorrow. It's the first time we're leaving Solaris, so we want to take the opportunity to buy some souvenirs"
As I listened to my parents' words, it took me some time to reflect on why I wasn't included in the plans. However, all my doubts were dispelled when I found their smiling gazes.
It seemed like they understood something that I hadn't realized yet. As I further contemplated the situation, my face blushed slightly, realizing that they were probably encouraging me to seize the opportunity to go out with Emi the next day.
Unfortunately, Emi didn't let it go unnoticed. Her face turned flushed as she kept her gaze fixed on her food, absorbed in her thoughts. The king, queen, and Aria watched us with smiles on their lips, clearly understanding what was going on between us.
Asia giggled as she observed us, while Albert maintained his composure, savoring the meal with a discreet smile. Anna and Lucas seemed oblivious to what was happening and continued to enjoy their food, unaware of the atmosphere around them.
"And you, sister? What do you intend to do tomorrow?"
The king asked as he fixed his eyes on Aria. His hand moved toward his mouth while a piece of meat remained stuck on his fork. Hearing her brother's words, Aria hummed lightly and said.
"Tomorrow, I will visit some places, trying to establish some connections. You know how it works, brother. Connections are the key to financial opportunities"
Aria exclaimed, appearing enthusiastic about the idea. At that moment, it seemed to me that her eyes gleamed like a gold coin. Upon hearing her sister's words, the king let out a sigh, observing Aria lost in her own world. While everyone witnessed this scene with affectionate smiles, Asia was the next to break the silence.
"Tomorrow, Lucas and I will visit some weapon shops. Besides that, we'll go to some restaurants and also stop by a few candy stores"
After hearing Asia's words, Lucas was the next to speak, barely containing his excitement.
"Definitely! Tomorrow, we'll have the chance to see the new sword models the blacksmiths created. I can hardly contain my excitement!"
Lucas exclaimed, with a smile plastered on his face. Then, the king took the floor, sharing his plans for the next day.
"Tomorrow morning, Anissa and I will pay a visit to the castle to greet the king and queen"
After these words, all eyes turned to me and Emi since we were the last ones yet to speak up. At that moment, I was at a loss for words. Should I invite Emi to go out? I know I should, but doing it in front of everyone is embarrassing. However, I have no other choice but to be honest.
"Umm... I also have plans to explore Crystal, since this is my first time outside Solaris... What do you think about joining me, Emi?"
I looked at the plate in front of me as I asked the question. Upon hearing Emi's next words beside me, I felt an almost uncontrollable joy, and my heart began to beat rapidly at that moment.
"Y-Yes... I'd love to!"
Emi replied, with a slight tremor of excitement in her voice. With that, tomorrow I would have a date with Emi in Crystal.