The moment the elevator opened and my eyes met the girl's, I couldn't help but raise one hand and open my mouth.

'Good morning,'

Huh.

　A girl who reflexively hides behind A1. And A1, who looks at me in silence.

　It's not like I startled her, but for some reason I feel as if I'm being blamed by A1.

　Hmm? I didn't ask him to bring the girl to the diner, so why is this guy here with the girl?

　No way, he's probably a feminist, not a gentleman. It's quite possible that he listened to the girl's request rather than his master's order.

　When I was staring at A1, the girl appeared with a fearful look on her face.



'Oh! Japanese! Seriously!

　When the girl's words made me cheer, she quickly hid again.

　She is frightened.

　I've been living peacefully as a humble but harmless human being, but I never thought I'd be frightened by a girl who was about a high school girl.

　This is a heartbreaking case.

　As I was quietly depressed, the girl showed her face again and looked at me with a superior look.

''Wow, what do you intend to do to me...?

　What are we going to do?

　What?

What do you mean by that?

　I ask back softly. Softly. Softly.

　But the girl's face is full of urgency. Why?

''W-well, I'm just a town girl I don't have anything, I don't know anything...''

　When he said that in a muffled voice, I finally understood.

　'Oh, they think I'm a kidnapper.

'Wow, I see. That's right.......you're being taken to an unknown place while you're unconscious. I think so........

　I must do something to clear up this misunderstanding.

　I looked at the girl with that in mind, but she was still in a state of bare alertness.

　I let out a sigh, laugh, and open my mouth.

For now, let's get some food. Follow me.

　As I tell her that and turn away, I feel the girl's confusion behind me. But as A1 and I start walking, the girl's footsteps follow us.

It's a good thing that my belly is full of positivity. Right?

　I said that in a small voice to A1, who was walking just diagonally behind me, but A1 remained silent as usual.





[Red-haired girl]

　A young man with black hair and black eyes. His age may not be much different. He might be about twenty years old.

　The young man, who is a head taller than me, was wearing slender, unusually shaped cloth clothing that was typical of a magician. It's gray on top and black on the bottom.

'Follow me.'

　A surprisingly gentle voice said so, and I followed the young man and the golem.

　The young man was speaking something to the golem with a calm face. I knew he was one of the people who made the golem, I guess. Don't let appearances deceive you.

　Nevertheless, it's a strange space again, even though it's different from the one we were in earlier. I don't know what kind of fur is on the floor, but it's probably carpet. But what are the lights shining on the walls on either side and between the ceiling and the walls?

　The walls are hard and slippery, and the lights do not appear to be magical white light. However, I don't think it's a lamp or something else because it doesn't appear to be wavering.

　The sliding doors on the left and right sides closed on their own, and the scenery drifted upward to a different place, but it seemed that the magicians who created that golem army could do anything they wanted.

　The young man and the golem walked into a room with bright light leaking in and stood in front of a long table.

''Sit there.''

　There was a simple chair in the direction indicated. It wasn't fancy, but maybe it wasn't an ordinary chair either.

　When I sat down in the chair, it was a little soft and comfortable.

　Feeling uncomfortable, I looked around and saw that the young man was doing something with a fire in a fairly tidy room.

　Suddenly, a nice smell wafted through the air.

　As I fidgeted, the young man brought out a clean white plate and a clear cup.

　The plate and cup are placed on the table in front of me. The plate was covered with humble noodles. The noodles are amazingly uniform, but they look like they were just boiled in salt.

　But I guess I'm extraordinarily hungry, and the smell is terrific.

　And then I see a clear glass next to the plate. I thought it was glass, but I wonder if it's not. It's really a transparent vessel with not a single color on it. The shape is impossibly neat.

　I touch it with my finger and lift it up.

　When I was looking at the vessel carefully, the young man was tilting his head in wonderment.

''I'm sorry...''

　He hurriedly put the bowl down and turned back to face the food on the white plate. There was a fork by the plate, so I picked it up and twirled the noodles.

　I hesitated a bit, but I took the plunge and brought it to my mouth.

　I chewed through the slightly firm noodle and tasted it in my mouth.

''........Delicious.''

　I couldn't help but let those words escape my mouth. It's a spicy taste, but with a hint of sweetness. The slightly strong flavor also seems to add to the flavor.

　The taste was supposed to be simple, but it was deep, and I couldn't stop moving my hands and mouth around it.

　The noodles on my plate disappear and I unconsciously look up to look at the young man.

'More?'

　The young man tells me this with a wry smile, and my face heats up.

　I've exposed myself as shallow as a dog. I'm embarrassed.

　As various words swirled around in my head, I elegantly placed my fork next to the plate and picked up the bowl, after all this time.

　The clear liquid bobbed in the bowl.

　Let's get some water and chill out.

　As I brought the bowl to my mouth with that thought, a refreshing, sour aroma tickled my nostrils.

　It's fruit water. I remember I used to like it and drink it a lot.

　I sipped the fruit water, feeling nostalgic. It had a gentle, faintly sweet and sour taste.

　When I was drinking the fruit water slowly and reluctantly, the young man opened his mouth.

''I'm Shihara Taiki. What about you?''

Eira, sir.

　When I said my name, the young man who called himself Sihala Taiki smiled happily.