Together with Aria-san, whom I happened to meet in the city and ended up guiding, we aimed towards the street in the Western District by heading towards the plaza in front of the Royal Castle first.
However, I wonder why? Regarding Aria-san…… I feel like I’ve met her somewhere before.. It’s just, I can immediately recall where I met her, so I guess even if I did encounter her, it was only just a brief exchange of words?
Hmmm, I can’t really pinpoint her voice to anyone in particular. Perhaps we never actually spoke, and I just saw her somewhere…… If her face were clearer, maybe I’d recognize her, but with her bangs covering about half of her face, it’s hard to tell.
[Aria-san, you mentioned not having come to the Royal Capital often, but have you come from another city?]
[Ahh, no, I live in Archlesia Empire, and it’s Symphonia Kingdom itself that I haven’t been to much. Well, I’ve certainly visited a few times, but I can’t say I’m familiar enough with the area to recognize places on the map immediately.][I see, you’re from Archlesia Empire huh.]
[Yes. Occasionally going on the streets…… Nhnn, ahh, no, going on small trips is a hobby of mine.]
She really gives off the vibe of a noble going around incognito. Even the way she says “on the streets” feels noble-like, and there’s this elegance in the way she walks that doesn’t quite match her attire.
It’s just, hmmm…… Even though my name is known among the nobles, I don’t really have many connections among the nobles. As I had been avoiding gatherings where nobles gather, my interactions with them were limited to casual greetings when attending parties or events, and that’s especially the case with Archlesia Empire, with the number of my interactions with them even fewer…… I can hardly say I have any acquaintances there.
Was it just my imagination that I felt like I’d met Aria-san before then?
It’s just my baseless gut feeling anyway, and if she’s capable of disguises or shapeshifting, then it’d be even harder to tell. With Shiro-san’s blessing, I can dispel such magic if I touch her, but if I don’t touch her, I wouldn’t be able to see through it.
I can’t just suddenly touch a woman, and besides, if she were an acquaintance of mine, I wouldn’t understand why she’d change her appearance or name. I guess I really may have seen her somewhere by chance.I mean, if she really were an acquaintance of mine and were falsifying her appearance or name, there must be some reason for it, and it’s not something I should delve into deeply.
Unnn. Alright, let’s not worry about it.
[Come to think of it, I apologize for asking so late, but how should I address you? From what I feel from your name, you seem to be from another world, so should I address you by your given name or your family name?]
[Ahh, you can just call me by my name Kaito.]
[Well then, I’ll address you as Kaito-sama. Still, I’m grateful that Kaito-sama called out to me. Since I had been mistaken with the district itself, I would’ve wandered for quite a while without your help.]
[No, no, I just happened to see you. Besides, it would be best if everyone helps each other in times of need, and all that.]
[Is that so? Kaito-sama seems to be a kind person.]
She exudes a refined aura in her words and gestures, so as I thought, she really should be a noble. Although she was lost, she seems calm enough to think she’s accustomed to walking on main streets like this, and when people approach from ahead, she naturally and smoothly moves aside, so it feels like she’s used to walking in crowds.
[By the way, if it’s not okay to ask, I apologize. However, what kind of shop is this one marked on your map?]
[It’s a restaurant. Not a high-end or particularly exotic place, just a restaurant that serves deep-fried food like fries.]
[Heehhh~~ fries huh, sounds delicious.]
[Yes, simple fried food like that is quite appealing…… No, really, I usually keep image in mind…… but they’re my favorite……]
[Unnn?]
[Ahh, no, it’s nothing. Ah, I know! If Kaito-sama is alright with it, would you like to have a meal with me? As a token of gratitude for guiding me, please allow me to treat you…… Well, I’m sorry it’s nothing fancy though.]
[Thank you very much. Well then, since you’re offering, I’ll gladly accept…… It’s been a while since I’ve had fries, so I’m looking forward to it.]
Aria-san looks apologetic for what she thinks is a cheap thanks, but I actually prefer something casual and easy to accept like this rather than being offered some unnecessarily fancy cuisine.
Despite there still being a distance from the said restaurant, since I’m really just guiding her, receiving excessive thanks would only make me feel apologetic.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [① Resides in Archlesia Empire, ② Kaito, with his Sympathy Magic, feels like he’s seen her, but he doesn’t recognize her voice (They may not have talked with each other?), ③ Elegance of a noble sensed in her every gesture, ④ The name she almost said before “Ale……”…… Isn’t she that Super Maid?]
