CHAPTER 2

BLESSINGS, REUNIONS, AND PROMISES

1

—Subaru Natsuki’s heart was beating at a fever pitch.

“Um, Emilia-tan… I’m a little conflicted saying so, but shouldn’t we cut this out?”

Subaru wore an amicable smile, but cold sweat ran down his face as he made the suggestion. The point of concern was how they firmly held hands.

They were in the royal capital. Specifically, Market Street, an exceptionally congested thoroughfare. No doubt, two people holding hands amid the constant bustle would look like an intimate couple.

So long as no busybodies overheard scraps of their conversation, anyway.

“Absolutely not. This is you we’re talking about, so you will do something strange as soon as you’re out of my sight. I won’t permit a single step unsupervised while we’re in the royal capital. Understand?”

“I’m really sorry for my stupidity in the dragon carriage! But this is treating me too much like a little kid!!”

The gaze Emilia leveled at Subaru was sharp and cold. Her trust in him had plummeted to rock bottom levels. Even if he was reaping what he had sowed, the treatment was extreme from Subaru’s perspective.

—Following his close call with an “unscheduled stop” from the dragon carriage, and the tragedy of waking up to a Roswaal lap pillow, the subsequent conversation created a plan to limit his activities in the royal capital. This situation was the result.

“I’m deeply aware that I was rash but… Could we at least not do the holding hands thing?”

“Hmm, so that’s what you’re complaining about. We did this plenty in the village when it was a ‘date,’ didn’t we?”

“Back then I was fully prepared in mind and body, but I’m totally not right now. My hands are sweating!”

Even though his hands were sweating from the exceptional tension, Emilia looked completely at ease, which only made him more nervous.

And as for what the at-odds couple was actually doing in the royal capital—

A coarse, manly voice interrupted their cute little argument.

“—Hey, can you stop flirting in front of a man’s shop like this?”

Emilia’s face stiffened. Well, that’s sensible, accepted Subaru. After all, the voice of the scar-faced man carried an irrefutable argument.

“You’re driving my customers away. Buy something or get moving already.”

“Well, that’s rude and inconsiderate. Here I came all ready to keep my promise. The shock alone could’ve made me forget completely, you know? Makes me wanna cry.”

As Subaru slumped his shoulders, the man, resting his elbow on the counter, indelicately snorted back at him.

Subaru thought the shopkeeper’s foul demeanor toward his customers was a good indicator that he’d picked the wrong profession. The shop, with a sign reading CADMON in I-script with bright colors, was a fruit vendor with colorful produce on display. The shop had a deeper significance for Subaru.

“Here I am returning the favor to the first guy I met in a new world, and this is the thanks I get?”

“That’s overstating it. It was almost a month ago, and we only spoke a few words, right? I mean, I vaguely recall it, but…”