After my conversation with Joseph, several thoughts started swirling in my mind, many of them centered around a question for which, unfortunately, I didn't have an answer. The idea that another continent, apart from ours, was planning something gave me a headache.
If those hooded figures are indeed from another continent, I suppose we won't receive a very friendly reception. Moreover, the fact that I didn't know how technologically advanced their society is made me even more anxious. However, deep down, I acknowledge that maybe this is just my paranoia, or at least that's what I want to believe.
In the end, Emi and I returned to Liam's mansion with more questions than answers; however, it wasn't a fruitless trip. Just knowing that the first sighting of those men was here already widens the spectrum of possibilities. Ultimately, I decided to make the most of the rest of my time in Belfri alongside Emi.
"I apologize for the wait, here's your order"
The voice interrupted my thoughts as I looked to the side. A woman dressed in simple clothes was placing a strawberry pie on the table where Emi and I were sitting. At that moment, we were in a restaurant in Belfri, suggested by Liam. Speaking of which, even though we had invited Liam, he declined, mentioning that he still had some tasks to complete.
"Thank you"
Upon hearing my words, the woman smiled gently and walked away. As she left, I turned my gaze back to Emi and noticed that she was staring at the pie on the table with fascination, almost as if it were food from the gods.
"Alright, how about we eat? Honestly, I'm famished"
I said with a gentle smile to Emi. She looked at me with a sparkle in her eyes and nodded. We began to eat the pie piece by piece. However, I felt it was a bit too sweet for my taste.
But for Emi, who loved strawberries, it didn't seem to be a problem. On the contrary, every time she took a bite of the pie, her lips opened into a mesmerizing, beautiful smile.
Seeing this scene, a small smile crept onto my lips. Looking at my spoon, I noticed a piece of cake. A sudden idea struck me, but, to be honest, I didn't know what Emi's reaction would be. Would she like it? Or hate it? I honestly didn't have the answer, but I also knew I would never find out if I didn't try.
"Emi"
As soon as I called her name, Emi looked at me curiously. When her eyes met mine, a sudden wave of embarrassment washed over me. For some reason, just the gesture itself made me feel self-conscious. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Emi was still watching me, her eyes shining with even more curiosity.
Taking a deep breath, I gathered my courage and began to move the spoon toward Emi. Slowly, she began to realize what I was trying to do, and a light blush spread across her cheeks. However, to my surprise, she leaned forward and ate half of the pie in one go.
As she did that, I was completely taken aback because I didn't expect her to eat on her own. While I watched her, I noticed she was looking at me with a shy smile on her face.
"It wouldn't be fair if only I ate"
Upon hearing her words, I couldn't help but let out a laugh that escaped from my lips. Upon noticing my reaction, Emi looked at me in surprise before also starting to laugh. In the end, after we left the candy store, Emi and I continued to explore the city together as we walked.
Since Emi had only visited Belfri once when she was younger, almost all the shops and tourist attractions she remembered were different or no longer existed. Additionally, we also enjoyed some meals at local restaurants, savoring Belfri's delicacies.
It was a kind of spicy stew with pieces of fish, and when Emi and I tasted it, our eyes widened in surprise as it was incredibly delicious. Unfortunately, I had to finish the soup alone since Emi couldn't eat more after the fourth spoonful. Personally, I was fine with the spiciness, as I had always been a fan of spicy foods since my past life, and it seems like that hasn't changed in this life.
We continued with this until nightfall and returned to Liam's mansion. Upon arriving there, we were greeted by him, who was already preparing for dinner. Somehow, Liam seemed to realize that we had no intention of having dinner and simply suggested that we take the time to rest.
With that, Emi and I headed to our room and started talking for a while. During our conversation, one of the maids came to our room and kindly informed us that the baths were ready. Liam's rented mansion had two bathrooms, one for men and one for women.
In the men's bathroom, I found myself with Liam, and we had a conversation about various topics, including romance. Surprisingly, Liam revealed that there was someone he had feelings for, although he didn't know if this person shared the same feelings. In fact, Liam was almost certain that this person didn't reciprocate his feelings because they had only met once, and she had a higher social status than him.
Listening to these words, I really didn't know what to say to help him gain more confidence. I understood that our situations were very different, and we had different ways of dealing with things. In the end, all I could convey to Liam was that if a commoner like me could marry a princess, he had an even better chance than I did. All he needed to do was be sincere in expressing his feelings.
After this conversation, Liam and I said our goodbyes and returned to our respective rooms. It was probably already past eleven at night, which was a strong indication that we should call it a day. Internally, all I could do was pray that these days of peace would continue.