Chapter 65
“The chauffeur sent by Mayfair should be arriving soon.”
“Oh, really? They’re sending a car too?”
I was wondering how I was supposed to get there, but if they’re sending a car too, that makes me happy. It feels like I’ve become a real celebrity? I am a little famous in real life too, you know! I’m an Instagram influencer!
“The area around Heathrow Airport is in the suburbs, so there aren’t many places to eat. They’re saying they’ll help us get a proper meal after the ride.”
“What are the suburbs?”
“It means the outskirts of the city.”
“Ah.”
Come to think of it, I was so excited that I even forgot I was hungry while I was on the plane. I was really nervous during the immigration process and everything.
I said I’d eat inside the airport, but before I knew it, we were already outside. In the end, we decided to wait a little until the chauffeur sent by Royal Mayfair arrived.
It wasn’t like we waited long; I was just looking around the area, and he arrived right away.
ㅡScreeeech....
“Ms. Ophelia?”
“That’s right. Are you Ms. Eleanor Hayes?”
“Yes, that’s right. Seems I found the right place. Then the little lady next to you is....”
A tall blonde woman wearing sunglasses even though it’s not that dark, with heels that click-clack loudly. Thanks to the dog on top of my head translating in real time, I can at least make out what she’s saying.
“H-hello! I’m Eve.”
“Nice to meet you, Eve. You look much cuter in person. Please call me Eleanor Hayes. If you need any help while you’re in the UK for the next week, you can contact me.”
“A-alright!”
“Do you have any favorite foods or anything? If we’re in London, we can get just about anything.”
“Hmm... I just want something delicious. What about Ophelia?”
“I will eat whatever the princess wants.”
“Something delicious... there are too many choices. You’re not vegan, right? Come to think of it, you said you even ate macarons.”
“Ah, yes! I like meat.”
This older sister...? Ms. Hayes? Ms. Eleanor? Maybe Eleanor is the first name? Ms. Eleanor seems like my fan. Looks like she read my Instagram thoroughly.
“That’s a relief. Beef is delicious in Britain. Starting with something too heavy would be a bit much, and we need to keep up appearances too, so I’ll guide you to somewhere you can have a light meal.”
Ms. Eleanor’s way of speaking, even through the translator, had that London high-society feel. Not Ophelia’s strict, solemn, serious royal vibe, but something more relaxed and gentle. Not that Ophelia is bad or anything—they’re just different.
After about 20 minutes of driving, I noticed that Ms. Eleanor was sitting in the front seat on the right. So... the steering wheel is on the opposite side from Korea, which feels really strange, so I kept staring at it.
[Insenganmanghaetda : British cars have the steering wheel on the right << something only people who’ve been to Britain would know
I’m insanely smart, how about that
(mint twin-tail icon wearing a crown)]
-ㅇㅇ : Wow, I really didn’t know that
ㄴ Insenganmanghaetda : Right? Told you;;
ㄴ ㅇㅇ : @Insenganmanghaetda (♿♿♿)
-Ellel : Lee Hwang is insanely smart
ㄴ Insenganmanghaetda : Lee Hwang sounds like someone elseㅡㅡ
ㄴ Ellel : The doujinshi GOAT
ㄴ Insenganmanghaetda : Lee Hwang made doujinshi too;?
ㄴ Ellel : @Insenganmanghaetda ugh
ㄴ MacHamTong : @Insenganmanghaetda wow
ㄴ Gyahong : @Insenganmanghaetda Princess...
ㄴ Gagyeolipdan : @Insenganmanghaetda This is a bit much
ㄴ Insenganmanghaetda : I’m kidding, please spare me
“Young miss, are you very hungry? It might take a little while.”
“A-ah, no! I’m fine!”
“Princess, it’s fine if you speak without worrying.”
“I can really hold out. I’m fine because I ate bread.”
So after driving for about 40 minutes, we left suburban London (the word I just learned) and headed to Mayfair. Following Ms. Eleanor’s guidance, we went into a restaurant, and it had a very upscale feel. It didn’t have the chandeliers you imagine when you think of a luxury restaurant, but because of that it felt a little more comfortable.
If I walked into a place like that wearing a white long puffer coat, wouldn’t I get kicked out for being rude? You’d have to be wearing a dress or something, and then it’d be like, hmm, okay, you pass.
“Do you have a reservation?”
“It should be under Eleanor Hayes.”
“I’ll escort you this way.”
As we moved quietly, my long padded coat was the only thing rustling. Feeling self-conscious, I walked very carefully. After we sat down, they asked what we wanted to drink—of course there was no cola, just still water or sparkling water, and I chose still water.
“The menu... roast chicken is the safest choice. What do you think?”
“Oh, chicken. Sounds good.”
“Then... I’ll have the braised beef. Ms. Ophelia, what will you have?”
“White fish, pan-seared style, please.”
“That’s a good choice.”
As expected, Ophelia ordered like a complete pro, radiating that expert vibe, like, “Make this and bring it out. You know what I mean??”
We waited about 15 minutes for the food, and during that time Ms. Eleanor and Ophelia chatted cheerfully about all kinds of work-related topics. They somehow seemed like a good fit; their back-and-forth was excellent.
“I see. Then you’re a hunter, young miss?”
“Y-Yes! I’m A-rank..!”
“Oh my, that’s a high rank. You’ll protect me if things get dangerous, right?”
“I-I’ll try....”
Actually, I wasn’t really the one fighting; the golems were the ones doing all the fighting, but whatever. As long as I give the orders properly, that’s enough.
After that, the food came out: the roast chicken, Ms. Eleanor’s beef, and the white fish Ophelia ordered. They said it was white fish, but I don’t really know what kind it was.
“Eat comfortably. It’s fine.”
You know that Western-style dining etiquette thing? Like if you hold a fork wrong, they kick you out of the restaurant. You have to eat in order, and if you spill sauce, the chef comes out and hits you with a frying pan—but apparently all of that was a lie, and you just eat normally.
ㅡGlance
Still, grabbing it with my hands and tearing into the chicken leg would be too much. I was cutting it up with a fork and knife as best I could when I met the eyes of an elderly couple at the neighboring table.
ㅡNod nod
ㅡGrin
“E-Ehehe..?”
For some reason, the grandfather nodded, and the grandmother smiled at me.
* * * * *
“C-Claridge’s....”
“It’s Claridge’s.”
“Ah.”
Hey, you alphabet people. Make it pronounce things the way they’re written. Do you want to get scolded??
“It’s room 517. Would you like me to escort you to the door?”
“That’s fine.”
“I see. There’s no other schedule for today. I’ll come pick you up tomorrow around 11 and contact you then. That’s not too early, is it?”
“Princess, will that be all right?”
“Yes! I’m fine.”
11 o’clock is a pretty leisurely morning, anyway. Besides, I’ve been going to bed really early and waking up really early lately. If this were before, it’d still be time for me to be asleep, but these days I wake up at 9 on the dot.
Ms. Eleanor took the card for the reserved room at the luxury hotel, checked it, and handed it to Ophelia. The hotel lobby was carpeted too, so it was so quiet you could barely hear footsteps.
Afterward, Ms. Eleanor left, but a hotel attendant escorted us to room 517, and Ophelia and I went in together.
“Whoa.”
It was a truly, incredibly luxurious room. I mean, it felt like I’d become some British princess? Western-style rooms just have that sort of feeling, don’t they?
At mealtime, I brought the luggage I’d left in the car back and slowly unpacked it. Inside were a slightly simplified version of the toiletries I use at home, plus pajamas and other things I could sleep in comfortably.
“W-Why did you bring this outfit..?”
“Just in case.”
I don’t know what kind of “just in case” that was, but Ophelia had packed the princess outfit into the suitcase too. If I wore this in England... hmm, come to think of it, maybe it wouldn’t be that embarrassing in England?
Still, I didn’t really feel like wearing it.
“Princess, are you tired?”
“Hmm... I think I’m still okay.”
“Then shall we go for a little walk?”
“Should we? Hehe.”
It’s almost 6 o’clock now. That’s the time when the sun is just setting and the streets get incredibly beautiful. Cities are prettiest at night anyway, so I wanted to see London a bit too.
ㅡBeep!
“What, Doggo, you want to come too?”
ㅡBeep-beep!!
“Okay! But if you get pickpocketed this time, that’s the end of it, okay?”
ㅡBeep, beep-beep..!!
Doggo nodded with a solemn expression, but Mayfair is such an upscale street that there are hardly any pickpockets inside. Ophelia also changed into her maid uniform, and I put on something a little lighter too.
It wasn’t terribly cold, but the air was chilly, so just a coat, scarf, and gloves. A long padded coat is a bit too Korean.
* * * * *
“So pretty....”
ㅡBeep..!
“Doggo, how much is this? What’s 4 pounds?”
ㅡBeep!
[₩7,800]
“Whoa, expensive. That’s 500 Robux.”
London’s streets were incredibly pretty. Mayfair itself has such an old, elegant feel, and being a winter night probably added to it a little too.
“By the way, what was that thing again? Ben-ten? Where is it?”
“Do you mean Big Ben?”
“Ah, Big Ben. Benten is a cartoon name.”
“Unfortunately, you might have a hard time seeing it from here. It could take about 25 minutes on foot, but would you like to see it?”
“Hmm... farther than I thought.”
Then that’s fine. We’re not going home tomorrow anyway, and we’ll be here for about a week, so we can look at it later.
“Haaa... nice.”
We slowly looked around the streets and even smelled the food as we walked.
“Oh right. Should I take a picture and post it on Instagram?”
“I’ll take pictures, but posting them on SNS would be better after we return home. It would expose our location.”
“I see.”
If Instagram won’t work, then I’ll have to talk about it on the gallery.
[Insenganmanghaetda : Me << a Londoner
Pretty impressive, right]
-ㅇㅇ : What’s a Londoner?
ㄴ Insenganmanghaetda : Someone in London
ㄴ ㅇㅇ : Why is that a Londoner?
ㄴ ㅇㅇ : You mean New Yorker, right?
ㄴ Insenganmanghaetda : Right
ㄴ ㅇㅇ : Wow..
ㄴ Gyahong : Protect the princess, damn it. Mod, delete this post, hurry
“Princess.”
“Yes?”
“...No, it’s nothing.”