[You brought Arthur to a tavern.]
[Cautiously, he asked a question.]
"How much can I eat?"
[It was the first time you had ever heard such a question, but out of courtesy, you assured him that he could eat as much as he wanted.]
[And so, you witnessed the sight of Arthur clearing every dish placed before him with an astonishingly refined technique.]
[It was a miracle akin to magic.]
"Can I have another plate?"
Arthur held up an empty plate, looking completely serious.
"You can."
Saying this, Rei glanced at the mountain of empty plates stacked beside them.
"But… can you really still eat?"
"This plate… should still be fine!"
"But you said the same thing after the last one."
"Eh? Did I?"
Arthur's eyes turned into little dots, looking rather embarrassed.
"Forget it." Rei took Arthur's empty plate and set it aside.
"A promise is a promise. I said you could eat as much as you wanted, so you can."
Arthur's eyes lit up with gratitude.
"Thank you so much!"
"Once I sell my apples, I'll definitely pay you back for everything!"
"That won't be necessary."
"No! It's absolutely necessary!" Arthur shook his head firmly. "As you just said, a person must keep their word!"
[Arthur's determination left an impression on you.]
[But it did nothing to curb his appetite.]
[You found it hard to imagine how such a small body could consume so much food.]
[You even started to wonder if Arthur's body weight could even match the sheer amount of food he was taking in.]
[Still, despite your curiosity, you had not forgotten your original intent—to kill Arthur.]
[You could not allow anyone to ruin Morgan's carefully constructed reality.]
[However, before that, you felt the need to get more information.]
"Arthur."
"Hm?"
Hearing Rei call his name, Arthur—despite his clear attachment to the food before him—paused with perfect manners.
"Is there something you need, Sir Rei?"
Hmm. He even switched to formal speech.
Rei rather appreciated that.
"Where are you from?" he asked.
"A small village," Arthur answered quickly. "It's a bit far from here."
"I see." Rei nodded. "No wonder you seem a little different."
[You and Arthur continued to talk.]
[Out of gratitude for the meal, he answered every question seriously.]
[You learned about his family background and that he wasn't the only child. Above him, there was an older youth named Kay.]
[You also found out that Arthur had made a promise to return home within three days.]
[You realized that his situation was entirely different from that of the knights you had killed. You couldn't simply kill him now.]
[After all, if Arthur didn't return as promised, it could cause unwanted complications.]
[You began considering a more suitable approach.]
"Um, Sir Rei."
Arthur's throat bobbed as he swallowed.
"May I continue eating?"
"Oh…" Rei, snapping out of his thoughts, nodded. "Of course, go ahead."
With Rei's permission, Arthur resumed eating with an elegant yet unstoppable enthusiasm.
Watching him, Rei couldn't help but ask, "Arthur, you seem… really hungry."
"It's not just hunger."
"Rather, it's necessary to store as much as possible." Arthur finished off another plate.
"The land's yield has been growing weaker. If I don't prepare myself like this, when the enemy comes one day, I might not have the strength to pick up a weapon and fight back."
This answer surprised Rei.
He hadn't expected someone who looked so young to be thinking about such matters.
"So, does that mean you want to become a knight?"
"Not necessarily a knight," Arthur replied.
"But at the very least, I want to do what I can for Britain—just like you, Sir Rei."
"..."
Rei felt something stir inside him.
He smiled slightly and reached out, ruffling Arthur's hair.
As expected, his golden locks were even softer than they looked—like the finest woolen tapestry.
The only flaw, perhaps, was that one stubborn cowlick that refused to be smoothed down no matter how many times he pressed it.
"Then eat to your heart's content."
"Hey, bring us a few more plates over here."
[In the end, it wasn't until another towering stack of empty plates formed on the table that Arthur finally stopped eating.]
[Watching his satisfied expression, you weren't sure if what you did was right or wrong.]
[But at the very least, you could confirm one thing.]
[Arthur now trusted you completely.]
[And you realized—this trust might just make it easier to kill him.]
[You tossed two heavy pouches of gold onto the table before leading him out of the tavern.]
[You bought all his apples and arranged for him to stay in the best inn within the capital.]
[Of course, this wasn't out of kindness.]
[You gave the innkeeper strict orders to keep an eye on Arthur and report to you immediately if anything seemed unusual.]
[Though, deep down, you had a feeling this might not be of much use.]
"Sir Rei."
Arthur's voice reached him.
Rei turned around.
Arthur had tidied up his appearance, washing away the dust from his travels with fresh water.
His delicate features made it hard for Rei to believe he was a boy.
That absurd misconception bloomed once more in his mind.
But since he had already verified the truth himself, there was no point in doubting it any further.
"Arthur, what is it?"
Arthur bowed deeply before him.
"I wish to express my gratitude."
"Your generosity has left me at a loss for words."
"Arthur, you're being far too formal." Rei maintained his usual friendly smile.
"You needed to sell apples, and I needed apples. All we did was skip a few steps in between."
"If anything, I should be the one thanking you."
"But the kindness of food and shelter is still a debt I owe to you."
Arthur clasped his hands together in front of him.
With his petite frame and refined demeanor, he truly carried an air of elegance—almost like a young lady.
Then, after a brief hesitation, he spoke.
"If possible—"
"Sir Rei, may I return the favor by treating you to a meal tomorrow?"