episode_0030

In Norstone, there is a restaurant famous for its pizza.

Located in Market Square, Toulouse.

Not only is the location great, but the taste as well, attracting many regardless of status.

However, my reason for choosing this place was not just the taste.

With many customers and spacious surroundings, it was also safe for Lydia from her perspective.

It was a kind of consideration for the Eastern Knights watching over her from afar.

“Over here.”

Thinking so, I confidently opened the door to the shop.

But…

Contrary to my intentions, the shop was very quiet.

Eerily quiet for a popular spot.

“It’s unusually quiet for a popular eatery, isn’t it?”

Lydia remarked while surveying the shop with a puzzled expression.

I agreed with her.

“That’s true. It was bustling just a few weeks ago….”

I entered the shop first and examined the tables.

And soon I realized why there were no customers.

Eight men occupying the center of the restaurant.

They sat grim-faced, each with a beer in hand but no appetizers.

‘The Thor Tribe…?’

A fierce minority group with past punitive experiences.

Such individuals were drinking beer in the heart of the imperial capital.

Of course, there was no issue with the Thor Tribe drinking in the empire.

The biggest problem was….

That these men were part of the loan shark organization tightly gripping Norstone.

Although they hadn’t committed any crimes, dealing with them like this was bothersome.

“Your Highness, it seems we should dine elsewhere.”

“What? You brought me all the way here, and now you want to move again?”

Lydia looked at me with an irritated expression.

Arms crossed, she seemed unwilling to move any further.

“No, didn’t you bring us here based on your word? I can’t go on like this anymore.”

Lydia glanced towards the terrace.

Shaded and far from the Thor mercenaries.

She walked gracefully towards that spot.

“There are no guests here, isn’t the quiet nice? Let’s eat here.”

She sat confidently on a chair.

Perhaps because she usually led the unruly Eastern Knights, she showed no fear even in front of the Thor Tribe.

It should be fine. They might have just come for a simple meal.

Maybe I’m needlessly sensitive about escorting the princess.

Eventually, I sighed deeply and joined her at the opposite seat.

The shop owner approaching from a distance.

He seemed more nervous compared to when I saw him a few weeks ago.

“May I take your order…?”

“Yes, I’ll have a herb-topped pizza and apple-infused sparkling water, please.”

“I’m sorry, but that menu seems impossible. We seem to be out of ingredients….”

Out of ingredients?

It’s still lunchtime.

Strange that the most popular dish in the restaurant is out of stock.

“So, what other menu items are available?”

“….”

The owner pondered in front of the customers for a while.

Then, with a forced smile, he said, “A basic pizza without toppings seems possible.”

“Alright, let’s start with that then.”

The shop owner hesitantly went into the kitchen.

Soon after, he returned to the table with a freshly baked pizza.

A steaming hot pizza.

Lydia’s eyes widened at the sight.

“What kind of food is this…?”

“It’s called pizza.”

“Do commoners eat this regularly?”

The princess pressed the dough with her finger.

Suddenly, she withdrew her hand as it was hot.

“Yes, this is how you eat it by hand.”

As I held up the pizza confidently, Lydia’s lips parted in surprise.

She looked shocked at the informality of eating with hands.

“Are you saying people eat food so uncouthly?”

“Eating it this way is the most delicious.”

Despite my persuasion, Lydia maintained her disapproving expression.

She then resolutely tried to slice the pizza like a steak with a fork and knife.

“You can’t display such behavior in a place like this.”

However, no matter how much I sliced, the cheese didn’t cut easily.

“Well then, please enjoy it like that, Your Highness.”

I chuckled as I looked at her pouting.

Then, as if to show off, I took a bite of the pizza and stretched the cheese out.

“I will eat it crudely like a commoner.”

Lydia stared intently at the stretching cheese.

Me, who had been expressionless until now, eating the pizza deliciously.

Perhaps intrigued by that sight, the princess stared with sparkling eyes.

“Is it… delicious?”

“Yes, indeed. It’s not for nothing that this is the most popular place in Norston.”

Lydia looked proudly at the pizza in front of her.

Then she cautiously lifted it with slender fingers.

“…”

Soon our eyes met.

She started rambling in a firm voice.

“Don’t misunderstand. I’m just doing my best to experience life as a commoner!”

The princess slowly bit into the pizza.

The cheese stretched out gradually.

When it started to flow towards the plate due to its excessive stretchiness, Lydia hurriedly chased after it and ate.

Watching that scene, I almost chuckled.

At times cruel and lordly, at times like a girl of her age.

Truly an intriguing princess.

“What… what is it? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It’s nothing. Your disguise as a commoner is just too perfect.”

Lydia, looking satisfied with the compliment, proudly said while holding the pizza.

“As the Eastern ruler, there’s nothing I can’t do.”

The princess began eating the pizza with determination.

It’s surprising how much could fit into her small frame.

She quickly finished three pieces.

As she started to feel thirsty, she looked around for the drink that hadn’t arrived yet.

“Excuse me, is the drink still far away?”

Upon my call, the shop owner hurried over to the table.

However, instead of the drink, he only brought water in his hands.

“I’m sorry, but we seem to be short on supplies, so… making drinks might be difficult.”

He bowed apologetically.

“Is there some issue with the shop?”

When the princess asked, the owner briefly glanced at the men sitting at the table.

“They’ve been blocking the delivery of supplies to the shop for weeks now…”

“Why are they interfering with your business?”

When Lydia asked, Nobu quietly replied, patting his chest.

“They are loan sharks threatening to sell the shop.”

Loan sharks.

At that, Lydia furrowed her brows.

“They want to buy the shop, demolish it, and build a new building…”

Eventually, Lydia drank the water on the table.

Then, she sighed and asked again.

“Why did you choose to endure without reporting this to the knights here?”

As Lydia stared at me intently, I dumbly replied.

“Because it’s not illegal.”

“That’s right. They are harassing our shop without blatantly breaking the law…”

The shop owner sadly looked at the beer and basic snacks the men had ordered.

“As you can see, they have only ordered the minimum and have been occupying the seats for hours.”

The shop owner let out a deep sigh.

Upon which Lydia calmly said, resting her chin on her hand.

“Why go to such lengths to acquire the building?”

“It’s probably going to be a gambling den.”

Knowing about them, I casually remarked.

“Hah, entertainment is something the East is famous for. How dare they try to set up a competing establishment?”

Lydia placed her hand on her hip as if astonished.

I watched her with a sense of unease.

‘Something seems off about her being angry.’

Narrowing her eyes, Lydia looked up at the owner.

“Innkeeper, come here.”

“Yes….”

The owner, called out by someone much younger and bluer than himself.

However, with an unbiased face, he approached.

“You said you have no intention of selling this shop, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Is it because you don’t want to close the doors of a shop passed down through generations?”

“That’s right.”

Lydia rested her chin on her hand.

Then, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, she said something amusing.

“If you can sell the building and still maintain the store?”

The elderly owner furrowed his eyebrows for a moment, then nodded.

“It doesn’t matter who becomes the owner of the building. Just as long as I can keep my shop intact…”

“Is that so-?”

Lydia chuckled.

Then, she took out a necklace she had left aside when she entrusted her laundry earlier.

“This shabby, smelly building—do you think it’s worth buying?”

A beautiful red ruby.

And surrounded by dazzling diamonds.

Not just a simple royal treasure, but a necklace once worn by a princess.

“This… this is…”

An expensive item that even a commoner could quickly recognize.

The owner, upon seeing the item, sent a look of disbelief.

The mercenaries watching from afar did the same.

Their eyes widened as they faced the crisis of losing the building they had worked on to a mere girl.

Lydia soon gazed at those rough men.

Then, she smiled slyly with a reddish glint in her eyes.

“Well, as a guarantee before the deal, take care of this.”

Lydia casually placed the precious jewel on the table as if it were nothing special.

The mercenaries’ eyes followed the gem as it landed with a thud.

“Why would you want to buy the building?”

I asked with a serious expression.

To which the princess replied with a mischievous smile.

“Well, isn’t it your favorite restaurant?”

The girl tilted her head, resting her chin on her hand.

Then she sent me a playful wink.

“From now on, every time you have lunch, you’ll owe me, so it’s a big gain for me.”

Indeed, Lydia’s way of thinking was different from others.

I clicked my tongue at her behavior.

“Will you really take over the building and keep the store running?”

“Yes, this Lydia… No, as a promise from the empire’s princess.”

The owner bowed gratefully with determination on his face.

“T-Thank you…. Miss!”

“Yes, yes. Let’s discuss the clear contract when my secretary arrives later.”

The owner quickly raised his head.

Then, with a revived expression, he confidently spoke to her.

“O-Of course! Is there anything else you need? I will go to nearby stores myself to get the materials.”

“Then, please bring me the sparkling water infused with apple that we talked about earlier.”

The rejuvenated owner descended from the terrace.

He found a fruit stand nearby and disappeared from sight.

“This town of Norston has nothing proper. It’s all a mess.”

Lydia yawned while observing the outside scenery.

“I’m sorry; I should have paid more attention.”

“No, no. How could a mere common knight handle such things? Let me, the capable one, take care of it.”

Lydia smiled brightly at me.

However, her smile soon faded.

The Torrman mercenaries who had been watching us stood up.

The red-haired man who seemed to be their leader entered the shop.

He approached Lydia with an uncomfortable expression.

“May I join you for a moment?”

We didn’t respond, just stared at him intently.

The leader grabbed a chair from a nearby table.

Confidently, he placed it in front of our table.

“Vale, is this also a custom among commoners?”

Lydia maintained a calm expression even when faced with the fierce man.

She seemed rather intrigued by his actions, tilting her head slightly.

“No, even among commoners, demanding to join with such a menacing face is close to being impolite.”

I responded stoically, matching her tone.

“Judging by your hair color, you must be from the eastern outskirts of the continent.”

The leader’s lips parted, revealing his beast-like teeth as he snarled.

“Seems like you don’t know much coming from the borderlands, but there are rules even here.”

Borderlands.

Lydia burst into laughter at the mention of calling the capital’s east side the borderlands.

“Did you just call my homeland a frontier…?”

She stared blankly at the leader of the tribe.