Chapter 113
The clothes Hera usually wore were traditional elf attire, the kind of clothes woven from fabric one would typically imagine. It wasn’t just her; all elves wore similar clothing.
However, the clothes she was wearing now were human clothes that could be seen anywhere. Of course, that was just the design; it wasn’t actually the kind of clothing you could commonly see. It seemed to be quite a high-quality item.
“It feels a bit awkward, but it suits her well.”
Putting those thoughts aside, Franz spoke.
“Alright, if you two haven’t eaten yet either, let’s eat together.”
He had been just about to have a meal anyway, so there was no particular reason to refuse. Besides, eating with others was better than eating alone.
Soon, the three of them left the Magic Tower and headed for the city streets.
Darkness had already fallen over the world, but the streets of ester were not dark at all. As a city that had developed around the Magic Tower, it was filled with light-emitting magic tools.
Walking down that street, Arian spoke.
“Magic Tower master, is there anything you’d like to eat?”
“Not really.”
Franz answered like that and shifted his gaze to Hera.
“Hera, what about you? Is there anything you want to eat?”
“M-me? I am quite fine with anything…”
Hera’s eyes widened as if surprised, and she spoke in a low voice like a scolded child.
Franz could only find her behavior puzzling.
“Is something the matter?”
There was definitely a reason, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. Even so, he couldn’t just ignore it; as the one who had brought her here, he didn’t feel at ease.
After pondering for a moment, Franz suddenly realized an important fact. Hera’s long ears were completely exposed.
It would be one thing if they were in the Great Forest where there were only Elves, but wasn’t she the one who always covered her ears with a large hood anywhere else? It was definitely strange.
That was surely the reason for her current reaction. She couldn’t calm down because her ears were exposed.
Once he realized that fact, he began to notice the gazes coming from his surroundings.
Fortunately, there were no impure gazes, but just harboring curiosity might be a burden to Hera.
Franz spoke quietly.
“Hera, are you okay?”
“About what?”
“Your ears. I’m asking if it’s okay not to cover them.”
At Franz’s words, Hera only opened and closed her mouth, unable to easily give an answer.
A brief silence flowed like that, and Hera looked at Franz as if she had made up her mind.
“It is embarrassing, but to be honest, I am not okay. I cannot calm down.”
“Then it might be better to just cover them…”
“No, that is not it.”
Before Franz could even finish his sentence, Hera shook her head in denial.
Following that, she continued speaking in a serious tone.
“I cannot hide them like that forever, can I, since I’ll be living with you someday? Today is practice for that day.”
“Well, if you say so…”
If it were the usual Franz, he would have retorted at least in his mind, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so right now.
It was because she was far too serious, and because he wanted to support a friend trying to adapt to human society.
Even though it was still hard to get used to the fact that he was the reason for it.
Well, he could at least cheer her on to do her best.
Only in his mind, of course.
It was when Franz was cheering Hera on in his mind like that.
“We’re here. This is the place.”
They had finally arrived at the restaurant Arian recommended.
The three of them went straight into the restaurant and ordered this and that.
Before long, the table was filled with food, and the three, who were quite hungry, immediately began their meal.
The taste of the food, the service - the meal was quite satisfying. The exterior was a bit shabby, but as expected, there was a reason Arian had recommended it.
Soon, having finished their meal, the three came out onto the street again. The cool evening breeze blowing felt quite pleasant. It seemed that being full made even ordinary things feel special.
Who on earth coined the phrase that even the grandest vista is best viewed after a meal? Regardless of the century or the world, it was practically the truth.
As Franz was walking down the street lost in such thoughts, Arian suddenly spoke.
“How was the meal for both of you?”
“It was delicious. The atmosphere was good, too.”
“I enjoyed it as well. The mushroom cream soup, in particular, was excellent.”
Since the two gave good answers, a smile naturally spread across Arian’s face.
After that, the three continued to walk down the street while conversing about things like funny incidents they had seen recently, or rumors circulating in the world. It was just ordinary, unimportant conversation.
How much time had passed like that? Before they knew it, the three had arrived in front of Arian’s House. It was slowly becoming time to part ways.
“Magic Tower master, we will head in first. Have a safe trip back.”
“Alright, see you tomorrow.”
Arian said her farewell with a satisfied smile, and Franz accepted it.
He thought they would part ways naturally like that, but wasn’t Hera hesitating as if she had something else to say?
Franz decided to wait until she spoke first. It would be troublesome if he asked first and ended up making her feel pressured.
Did she know his feelings? Soon, Hera let out a short sigh as if bracing herself, and opened her tightly closed mouth.
“Franz, by any chance, do I look strange…?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Franz couldn’t understand Hera’s words. There was nothing strange about her no matter how hard he looked. He couldn’t figure out what part she was worried about.
“Ah, it is nothing. That is enough. I am sorry for saying something strange.”
“Right…?”
Franz answered as if it were nothing, but he naturally couldn’t help but be bothered by it. For him, who still found such indirectness truly unsettling, it was a truly uncomfortable situation.
But even so, he had no intention of prying. The fact that Hera didn’t say it meant she had a good reason for it.
Anyway, if Hera’s business was done, there was no reason to stand around any longer.
“Then I’ll get going. See you both tomorrow.”
Franz, who was about to turn around after finishing his farewells, suddenly thought of something and looked at Hera again.
“Hera, the clothes you wore today suited you well.”
Don’t they say a little praise goes a long way? It would take a lot of effort to adapt to human society, so he wanted her to muster a little more courage.
Unfortunately, he ended up turning away without hearing an answer, but it didn’t really matter. He hadn’t said it expecting an answer in the first place.
Like that, Franz left for the Magic Tower.
Hera stared blankly at his retreating back, repeating the words she had just heard over and over again.
Even though the lips of Arian, who had actually lent her the clothes, were jutting out in a pout.
* * *
The deep night passed, and the sun rose over the world.
In tune with that, Franz naturally opened his eyes.
Until he fell asleep, he had wondered if he would toss and turn from worrying about the banquet, but once he actually lay down, he fell asleep immediately. It seemed that fighting the cultist had taken its toll.
“I could take my time getting ready, but…”
The banquet started in the afternoon. Using teleport, they would take less than a second to reach the Imperial Palace, so there was no reason to get ready early.
Yes, that was definitely the case, but…
Franz, who had been dawdling in bed, eventually got up. Regardless of the time of the banquet, staying still felt terribly stifling.
Well, he could just do some work. After all, getting ready only meant changing his clothes.
Thus, Franz went to work looking the same as usual, even if going to work just meant crossing a single door.
How much time had passed since he started flipping through the small pile of documents one by one and approving them?
Suddenly, a knock was heard.
“Come in.”
With his permission, the door opened, and someone came inside.
“Ah, I knew you’d be doing this.”
The ones who entered the Magic Tower master’s office were none other than Arian and Hera. And they were already fully prepared to attend the banquet.
“Is it already that time?”
Thinking that, Franz looked at the clock, but ironically, there was still quite a bit of time left until the banquet.
So he could only be puzzled. There was no reason for them to come to the Magic Tower master’s office this early.
“Magic Tower master, hurry up and change your clothes. You need to get ready.”
“There’s still quite a bit of time left until the banquet, isn’t there?”
“By any chance, were you planning to just dress up and go…?”
“Yeah, that was the plan.”
At Franz’s matter-of-fact response, Arian slightly opened her mouth and put on a blank expression. She looked as if she was too flabbergasted to speak.
Soon, she snapped back to her senses and spoke.
“Who is the main character of this banquet?”
“Well, is there a main character…?”
“Argh! You’re receiving a ducal title at the banquet, aren’t you?! Then of course the Magic Tower master is the main character!”
Is that how it works…?
Franz was flustered but couldn’t exactly deny it. It was far too true.
“If you understand, hurry up and go change your clothes. We’ll help you get ready.”
At Arian’s threat, Franz ultimately had no choice but to get up.
Anyway, what kind of preparation were they going to help with…
He had absolutely no idea what was about to happen.