As the meat grilled on the wire mesh, its fragrant smell wafts through
the air.
As if it's drenched in sweat, its beautiful red flesh is soaking in its
lustrous fatty juices, whetting the appetite of the people looking at it.
[Hagfuu, ahmm… Awhhhh!? Kaito-san, I was the one who was cooking
up that meat…]
[You still have lots on your plate, you know? I mean, whose money do
you think is used to buy these… Don't you even know what being
reserved is…]
[Food bought with other people's money is the tastiest!]
[You…]
Right now, in front of me, Alice is wearing her usual opera mask and
continues to eat meat at a terrific speed.
How did this happen? As I recall, after we finished that conversation in
Lilia-san's garden, Alice told me she had something she needs to talk to
me about and asked me to follow her, so I followed her but…
For some reason, I ended up buying her grilled meat (yakiniku) for
dinner… How the heck did this happen?
[Omnom… I mean, look, I've sworn my loyalty to Kaito-san… Omn…
That means, I'm your subordinate and Kaito-san is my boss. On these
occasions, the boss should be treating his subordinates!]
[...…]
…You f*cking b*tch. She started saying things that sounded quite
convenient. For her, that is.
I was quite surprised but… Well, I'm sure most of her money is gone
again anyway, and she's helped me with all sorts of stuff and I asked for
her help just now… I guess treating her is fine.
[…Even so, there are yakiniku restaurants in this world huh~~ I guess
this was also passed down by one of the people who held the role of
Hero back then?]
[Yes, they were partly why these restaurants exist. Of course, the
culture of eating grilled meat already existed in this world, but thanks
to the introduction of the previous holder of the role of Hero of the
sauce, it became something major for the populace.]
[Heehhh… So this world really is quite influenced by the world I was in,
right?]
[…Hmmm. ]
Hearing my question, Alice stops her hands from eating meat for a
moment before she thinks about it for a bit.
[The world that Kaito-san was in and this world… With the difference
between science and magic, our worlds have tread upon different
histories, and it may be hard to say which one is more developed… But
when it comes to food culture, the world Kaito-san came from was far
more advanced than here.]
[…Fumu.]
It's true that the magic and magic tools in this world can do things that
are impossible with science, and since our cultures and histories are
different to begin with, it would be impossible to decide which world is
better, and there is no point in deciding that anyway.
But when it comes to food, the world I lived in seems to be superior, as
especially regarding the food culture, it was greatly influenced by the
previous people that held the role of Hero.
[Well, it's not like everything the previous people who held the role of
Hero passed down became popular though. I think they also tried
spreading that white rice food? That is, how should I say this… For us
who are used to eating bread, eating that as the main dish feels
uncomfortable.]
[I see, I certainly felt uncomfortable when I was just eating bread all the
time, so maybe it's a difference in environment…]
[Yes, well, the people who play the role of Hero are very happy with
eating white rice, so we grow a small amount of them in each country.
It's a status symbol for a country to make a good impression on those
people who hold the role of Hero.]
[Unnn… I know exactly how they feel.]
It certainly makes me want to eat rice. When Neun-san gave me that
rice before, I was deeply moved… and I'm still feeling grateful to her as I
eat rice.
Then, after hearing Alice's words, I suddenly remembered about
someone.
[Speaking of which, Alice… There's something I'd like to ask you.]
[What is it?]
[Mitsunaga -kun… The child who now holds the role of Hero, do you
know how he's doing right now?]
Alice is the Phantasmal King who holds all the information in the world,
so she may know any information about Mitsunaga-kun.
He's close with Kusunoki-san and Yuzuki-san, and he's also someone
from the same world. I've met some good people and I'm having lots of
fun with them now but… What about Mitsunaga-kun?
I knew it would be difficult to be alone in a place with a different
culture, so I'm a little worried about him.
[…You're really kind, aren't you, Kaito-san? Yes, well, if it's something
like that… I'll get the latest information for you.]
[Eh?]
Hearing my words, a smile appears on her lips, and Alice snaps her
fingers.
Thereupon, the woman who was serving us comes up to our table and
places a stack of papers that she took out of nowhere on the table.
[Here you go.]
[Thanks for the help.]
The waitress just slightly bowed and went back to work as if nothing
had happened, while Alice flipped through the stack of papers she had
received.
[…Hey, Alice. That person just now…]
[Eh? Yes, she's my subordinate. Well, my subordinates are in most
places, so this way, I can get the latest information right away.]
[…Does that mean she also know who Alice is?]
[Ahh~ No, I've given all of my subordinates a magic tool that only
responds to my magic power, so if I were to give them instructions,
they'll know where I am.]
The Phantasmal King's subordinates exist in every part of the world… I
think I felt a part of Alice's power as I realized once again the meaning
of those words.
However, Alice's behaviour doesn't particularly change, and after she
flipped through the documents for a while, she then put the papers
away somewhere and turned towards me.
[It looks like he's staying in the eastern part of the Archlesia Empire
right now.]
[…How is he doing?]
[Yes, it seems that he was quite brazen in the beginning.]
[…Eh?]
Hearing Alice's words as she told me that as if she wasn't interested, I
remembered what Yuzuki-san had said about him "getting cocky".
Mi- Mitsunaga-kun… Is he alright?
Perhaps sensing my concern, Alice lightly sighed before she spoke.
[When he was first invited to the royal palace, it's as if he really feels
like he's the king… and I heard that he's being egotistical all the time.]
[Ehhhhh…]
[Even asking if there are no sl*ves here… Geez, from what era is he
from?]
[...…]
Mitsunaga-kun… No, well, it's true that sl*ves are staples in isekai light
novels… But there's no such thing as sl*ves in this world, and if you
make a statement like that, no one would look at him kindly…
No, but well, I guess asking something like that should be fine to some
extent? He was invited as a guest of honor to play the role of Hero, and
I'm sure he felt like he was the protagonist of a light novel, so perhaps,
he thought he could do what he wanted.
[Well, I heard that the kingdom only warned him with a bitter smile on
their faces at first, but their relationship hasn't been mended for a
while.]
[I- I see… And?]
[Shortly before the Sacred Tree Festival, in a city in the Symphonia
Kingdom… The Second Princess, who was accompanying them at that
time, finally snapped… Duchess Albert directly slapped him in the face.]
[Eeeehhhh!? W- Wait a minute… Lilia-san really did that…? If she really
did that, Mitsunaga-kun would have died…]
[…I think I have some idea… of how Kaito-san perceives Duchess Albert
in your mind.]
Because Lilia-san's slap would be… No, it was perhaps actually not done
by Lilia-san personally, since we're talking about being directly slapped,
right?
If I get seriously slapped by Lilia-san… My head would probably fly
away. I'm not metaphorically speaking here, but my head would literally
fly away…
After receiving such a blow, Mitsunaga-kun…
[Well, that certainly slapped away his pompous attitude. I think
everyone would see some improvement in his behavior.]
[…I- I see… That's good.]
[Then, I think it was just three days ago… It seems that the person who
holds the role of Hero proposed to the Second Princess?]
[How come!?]
[No, it seems like he has been spoiled all his life… He was talking about
how it was a bolt of lightning that suddenly came or how it felt like
fate.]
[Eehhhh…]
Mi- Mitsunaga-kun!? Could it be he's a masochist…
N- No, let's leave it at that for now. Everyone has their own hobbies and
tastes, and it's not something I should be talking about.
I'm more interested in the results though.
[So, how did it go?]
[Yes, it seems that in response to that confession the Second Princess…
gave him another slap in the face.]
[Eeehhhhhh!?]
[Well, I have also received information that they were touring the cities
they visited together today… so it doesn't sound like they're on bad
terms anymore.]
What the heck is with that situation!? No, I'm really curious about it
but… W- Well, does that mean Mitsunaga-kun is doing well too?
For now though, I've heard what I wanted to ask… No, I've got more
questions I'd like to ask about other things, but it would boorish to
intrude in someone else's love life, so I'm not going to ask anymore.
[…Anyway, thanks. Alice.]
[No, no.]
[Speaking of which, I think it's already quite late… but I thought you
wanted to talk to me about something.]
[…Ahh~~ you're right. What should I do? Hmmm.]
I ask, remembering why we went here in the first place, but Alice
crosses her arms and looking as if she's finding difficulty to think of
how to say something.
[…Let's talk about that some other time. It's no use being in a hurry, and
lots of things had happened to Kaito-san today…]
[…Unnn? Well, if Alice is fine with that…]
[Yes… Well then, with that said. Can I ask for more servings!?]
[…Suit yourself.]
[Yes! As expected of Kaito-san, you're so dreamy! I love you!!!]
[...…]
Looking at Alice who's already completely returned to her usual tone,
wondering where the earlier Alice went to earlier, I let out a big sigh.
[…Why is an idiot like this one of the Six Kings?]
[Oiiiii~~, Kaito-san? You spoke out your inner thoughts out loud, you
know? It's all whole wide and fully opened, spoken with your ikemen
voice, you know!?]
She's boisterous and irritating… She's really like what Chronois-san
said.
And such a person is one of the strongest beings in the world… She's
really quite the eccentric.
Dear Mom, Dad——- I was able to hear about Mitsunaga-kun's present
circumstances from Alice. For the time being though, I'm glad to hear
that he's in good spirits. And even though Alice is still the same
eccentric and strange person she is… For some reason, I'm enjoying
being with her, so perhaps—– I might also be an eccentric person.
It might be a bit early for me to say this, but isn't that a yakiniku date?
And also, this might be a bit earlier than planned, but here's an update
on Mitsunaga-kun.
Now then, next chapter… The most awaited chapter by your almighty
God! The date with the God of Creation!!!