<Author’s Notes>
I’m a bit busy, so today’s chapter is a bit short.
At a tea item shop, since we’re here anyway, I bought myself a teaspoon, and seemingly having found something nice, Aria-san also purchased a teaspoon before we left the store.
After that, neither of us had a particular place we wanted to go, so we opted to enjoy some window shopping. I don’t get a chance to come to the Western District that often, so the streets around here are rather new to me. I know a fair amount of food establishments from Kuro’s Eating Tour in its Entirety Guide, but other than those, I know almost nothing about the area.
As I walked down the street with Aria-san, scanning the shops to see what was around, Aria-san suddenly seemed to have spotted something and a mischievous grin appeared on her face.[……Kaito-sama, while we’re at it, why don’t the two of us do something…… a little naughty?]
[Eh? Huh?]
Calm down, she probably doesn’t mean anything weird. Although we have only known each other for a short time, I know that Aria-san isn’t the kind of person who makes such jokes, so what she’s talking about here…… isn’t about something lewd, but definitely something more about manners. That’s why, don’t imagine anything strange…… Let’s calm our minds.
Telling myself this, I looked where Aria-san’s eyes were looking and found a single stall.
[……Stick snacks huh.]
I have had them before, so I know what they are. As the name suggests, they’re rod-shaped…… No, let’s stop making it weird. They’re what we call “churros” back on Earth.
Of course, they aren’t exactly the same because these stick snacks have slightly different textures and shapes, but they’re about 85% similar to churros.[Yes. Walking around while eating kinda feels like we’re doing something naughty…… but don’t you think they’re delicious exactly because they’re fit to eat while walking around?]
[Yes, I agree. Indeed, chur…… stick snacks are just right for walking while eating.]
It really is as I had expected. She’s from a remote village, so she probably had few opportunities to walk around while eating, and of course, working as a maid in Archlesia Empire would have instilled in her the notion that walking around while eating is improper.
Come to think of it, I remembered Olivia-san also hesitating quite a bit in regards to eating while walking, so Aria-san probably also saw it as an immoral act. Well, in Aria-san’s case, I have a feeling she also enjoys how immoral it is……
I move with Aria-san to the front of the stall. Actually, this stall moves around various parts of the Royal Capital depending on the day, so I’ve eaten in their stall before in the Southern District, and I’m somewhat familiar with them since they’re also featured in Kuro’s food guide.
They had four flavors of stick snacks, which I believe were plain, chocolate, caramel and strawberry.
[T- These are…… quite the enchanting line-up. Chocolate would be nice, but caramel also…… but we’ve just eaten earlier, so my stomach isn’t free enough to eat two…… I’m not sure which one I should have.]
Perhaps because the people I know, like Alice or Kuro, can instantly convert what they eat into magic power and eat as much as they want, Aria-san’s reaction feels quite fresh to me.
Well, that being said, since Aria-san seems to be having trouble picking between two flavors, I’ll teach her a little secret here.
[……Fufufu, it seems that Aria-san doesn’t know the trick in times like this. Actually, there’s a hidden ordering technique that solves Aria-san’s problem.]
[W- What did you say…….? W- Was such a dreamy technique really possible……?]
When I tried saying that with a slightly mischievous tone, Aria-san joined along without hesitation. It seems like she’s the type who’s good at playing along.
Seeing her reaction, I couldn’t help but smile wryly, but upon glancing at the shopkeeper, I saw him looking at us with an empty smile.
[……Hou, you have a very sharp eye, laddie. However, at such a young age, I wonder if you really understood the existence of our hidden menu?]
……It seems like this guy’s also someone good at playing along. Wait, doesn’t this feel like you’re gonna make this topic continue!?
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [How heartwarming. Lately, I’ve been able to tolerate the heartwarming stuff…… Unnn, this does feel better than sweet stuff anyway.]
? ? ? : [After this arc ends, I feel like the author’s gonna write a short story involving his lovers……]
