After buying out the Behemoth, I didn't feel like going back to the race
venue, so I walked with Alice through the capital of the Archlesia
Empire.
The Behemoth isn't particularly violent, nor is he threatening the
people around us. He's just calmly following behind me.
[He's a docile one huh.]
[No, they aren't usually this docile… It just might be because he was
really emotionally attached to Kaito-san.]
[Ah, speaking of which… I should give it a name.]
[Guruu?]
It's pitiful just calling him Behemoth, so I thought I should give him a
name… but honestly, I'm not confident in my naming sense.
[Alright, the one known as the authority in terms of naming sense, this
Alice-chan will give him a name!]
[...…]
I don't remember her having such a reputation, but Alice looks like
she's in high spirits as she puffed out her small chest.
And after putting her hand to her chin and started thinking for a bit…
[How about Bellfreed… in short, Bell?]
[…I'm surprised that you really gave him a pretty decent name.]
[What do you mean by that!?]
To my surprise, Alice suggested a pretty good name.
I honestly thought she would definitely give a weird name… so I was
really surprised.
[Is it alright if I call you Bellfreed now?]
[Gaooo!]
The Behemoth seems to like that name as well, as he greatly nodded his
head when he heard what I said.
Smiling at his cute movement, I stroked his head, while Bell
comfortably rubbed his face against my hand.
Then, after being stroked by me for a bit, and after standing on his hind
legs, Bell raised his paw and pats Alice on her shoulder.
[Guru.]
[…Oi, you damned beast. What the heck is with that gaze of your, as if
you're praising your subordinate for a job well done!? Your attitude is
clearly different than when you're talking with Kaito-san!!! Let me show
you how frightening humans are…]
[Gaooo!]
[Gyaaahhh!?]
Alice, angered by Bell's actions, raised her fist at Bell… but she was
blown away by Bell's slap.
A- As expected of a magical beast, it has quite an outrageous physical
power, an ordinary person would have broken his neck if they received
such a slap.
Well, it's a good thing that the other party is Alice, someone who I think
won't die even if she's killed, but I have to be careful so that he won't do
it to any other person…
[Wait a sec there!? Kaito-san! Aren't you too rough on me!?]
She revived real fast huh… Bell didn't even make a crack on her mask
with that vicious slap…
Alice continues to shout at me while spreading her arms wide.
[I grow up when I'm loved, you know!? Please love me more! Please
hold me close! Now, come on!]
[…Bell, go!]
[Guruuaaahhh!!!]
[Gyaaaaa!?]
Towards Alice who had her arms spread wide, messing around again in
the middle of the road, I sicced Bell on her.
Yep, Bell, great job. My tsukkomi power against Alice increased, and I'm
really grateful for that.
[Wait, Kaito-san!? What's with you nodding on your own there,
nggyaaaahhh!? S- Stop with the horns, don't point them at meeeeeee!?]
[Bell, come here.]
[Gaooo!]
[…I- I won't say stupid things again… A Behemoth's attack really tires
me out.]
Rather than that, for you to just say it tires you out being attacked by a
legendary magical beast, this person really has some kind of monsterlike spec in her huh…
Then, I suddenly remembered about that game Alice and I was playing.
[Speaking of which, Alice. In the end, what's the result of ouor game?]
[Ahh… no, well, it's completely my loss. I feel like even if we goes back
to the racing venue, I don't think I can beat Kaito-san… It can't be
helped, I'll obediently listen to one thing you'll say.]
[Hmmm.]
For me, I was just going along with the flow, but Alice seems like she
will really listen to one thing I say, just like she said in the beginning.
However, it's not like I'll be able to come up with anything, so I'll just
hold off on that.
As I was thinking that, for some reason, I felt that Alice was fidgeting,
and although I couldn't completely see her face due to her mask, I felt
that she was looking at me with upturned eyes.
[I- I guess it can't be helped… I- I'm also prepared for that too.]
[Unnn?]
[The inn is that way… Now, let your beastly instincts run wild in my
body…]
[Bell, go!]
[Gaaaahhhhh!]
[Gyaaaahhhh!? Can you please not send a real beast my waaaayyyy!?]
Alice, who was about to say something stupid again, was struck by bell
again.
[…No, seriously… Please stop using the Behemoth as a tsukkomi. I
might get injured at this rate.]
[It's amazing how you're still not injured from that though.]
Amazed, I threw a tsukkomi at Alice, whose shoulders were rising and
falling with her breath. Seriously, how sturdy are you?
Anyway, it seems like Alice's antics are over, so I talk to her while
patting Bell for doing a great job.
[Anyway, it's still a little early but… Do you want to go eat dinner?]
[Eh? You're going to treat me!?]
[…You earned enough money for that though…]
[Food that comes from other people's money is the tastiest!]
[You really have a good personality huh…]
Wryly smiling at Alice who isn't shaken at all, I was thinking of eating
somewhere… when Bell looks up and lets out a low growl.
When I noticed this and moved my gaze, a group of people wearing
beautiful armor… knight-like people are approaching my direction.
When the knights come up to me, they all bow deeply on one knee at
the same time.
[You are Miyama Kaito-sama, right?]
[Ah, yes… errr…]
[Archlesia Empire, First Knight Order's leader… My name is Bard.
Please forgive us for our abrupt impoliteness. His Majesty, the Emperor
of Archlesia wishes to see you… So if it's possible, it would be our
delight to have you visit the castle…]
[Huh? Eh?]
I can't help but freeze at the really sudden event.
His Majesty, the Emperor… The top of this country wants to see me?
Why? I don't understand the situation at all.
Just as I'm unsure of how to reply, Alice dashes in front of me.
[Whoa there, if you want to invite Kaito-san, you have to go through me,
his partner, first.]
[...…]
Since when did you become my partner… Though I frantically gulped
those words down my throat.
I won't be able to answer them well at this point, so if Alice can
negotiate with them, it will really help…
[The first thing we require is a fancy dinner!]
[…Bell, shut her up.]
[Gaaruuuaaahhh!]
[Hyyaaaahhhh!?]
I take back what I said before, leaving this to Alice won't settle the
conversation at all.
For now, I put Alice aside and after turning to Bard-san, I apologized.
[I'm sorry for being an idiot but… errr, why me?]
[Yes. His Majesty, the Emperor said that "he has met Miyama-sama
before", and when he heard that Miyama-sama is here in this country,
he said he would like to meet him again.]
[We met before? E- Errr, sorry for being uninformed. What is his
Majesty, the Emperor's name?]
[Hahh, His Majesty, the Emperor's name is Chris… Chris Dia von
Archlesia.]
I don't remember that name at all though!? Have we met before? Where
would that be?
I've never been out of Symphonia Kingdom, so there's no way I would
be familiar with that Emperor Chris' name.
However, this is an invitation from a monarch… If I refuse this, I feel like
I would trouble Lilia-san.
[…U- Understood. I'll be intruding upon him.]
[Thank you very much. Well then, we have already prepared a carriage
to bring you there.]
Bard-san bows deeply upon hearing my words, and then, leads me to a
carriage a short distance away… an incredibly luxurious carriage.
Going inside with Alice, as expected, Bell can't get into the carriage, so I
asked him to run after us.
[Kaito-san… You're acquainted with His Majesty, the Emperor?
Seriously, who are you…]
[No, I don't remember meeting him at all though…]
In response to Alice's question, I just merely tilted my head.
After being rocked by the carriage for more than ten minutes… We
arrived at a really, really large castle that anyone would definitely call a
royal castle.
I thought I would be greeted in something like an audience room, but I
was led to a large reception room instead, where several maids and
butlers were neatly lined up by the wall.
Puzzled by being treated like a state guest, I waited for His Majesty, the
Emperor to arrive… And after a few minutes, the door on the far side
was opened and a figure dressed in luxurious clothing appeared.
[Welcome and thank you for coming, Miyama-sama. it's a pleasure to
meet you again.]
[…Eh? Arehh?]
Looking at the Emperor who has a radiant smile on his face, I am
stunned.
…I certainly met this person before… His face looks really familiar.
However, eh? That person is his Majesty, the Emperor!?
No, no, that's impossible… I mean, he was…
[…"The coachman who brought me when I went to eat barbecue?"]
[Yes.]
[Eeehhhhh!?]
Dear Mom, Dad—— For some reason, I was invited by His Majesty, the
Emperor to visit his royal castle, and to my surprise—– I'm reunited
with someone I didn't expect to meet.