Four years had passed since Aldis had reunited with Rona.

　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one.
　There are not many people who can match up to Ardis with Rona.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for when you're ready to buy.

''Still no harvest this time?''

Yeah. That's a shame.

　The road leading to the royal capital Gran.
　Ardis answers Rona's question while walking without emotion.

　For the past four years. The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that this is a very important part of the story.
　However, he still has no clue how to get back to his home world. There is no way to hide her disappointment.
　Aldis will not be able to give up, as he has been shown that it is possible to cross the world in plain sight.

　Rona, on the other hand, doesn't seem as discouraged as Aldis.
　That's to be expected. Unlike Ardis, Rona has the ability to cross over to the other world whenever she wants.
　I'll be back for a while," he occasionally says, and then disappears, appearing about half a month later.

　Rona says that he's back soon, and it seems that the flow of time is very different between this world and the other one.
　Although I didn't measure it exactly, it seems that a year here is only a day in the other world.
　That's why when I met Rona again four years ago, there was a discrepancy in our perception of each other.

''Within the kingdom and within the city-state union, haven't we almost done our research now?　What's next?

'Yes, ....... It's about time you made a trip to the Empire, huh?

　Aldis' base of operations is Gran, the royal capital of the Kingdom of Naglas.
　The Union of City States is located in the west of the Kingdom of Naglas and has a friendly relationship with the Kingdom.
　Because of this, the traffic is thriving and a lot of information is coming in.

　However, in the case of the Ermenian Empire located in the southeast of the kingdom, it's a different story.
　The gulf between the two countries is deep, and they have been at war over territory for years.
　Aside from the mercenaries and merchants who traveled back and forth, there was virtually no exchange between the two countries.

　If there was little exchange, naturally there would be less information conveyed.
　The kind of information that Ardis seeks is difficult to obtain.
　If you want a clue, you have no choice but to go directly to the site and collect information.

''And the north?　Was it the Republic of the Bronxelles?

You can always go there. But I don't think that's going to happen with the Empire.

　In terms of distance from the royal capital, the Republic is closer than the Empire.
　But for Ardis and the others, who can travel at high speed without resorting to means such as walking or horse-drawn carriages, the physical distance is not much of a constraint.
　Although one would think that the distance to the western edge of the continent would be too far, there was not much difference between the two countries, the Empire and the Republic.

　The problem is the situation.
　The relationship between the two countries, which had been strained to begin with, has been deteriorating even further in recent years.
　The catalyst was a newly developed heavy iron mine in the northern part of the royal capital.
　Until then, heavy iron could only be extracted from the kingdom's borders with the Empire, but now heavy iron is being extracted from land near the capital.

　Heavy iron, despite its name, has a lower specific gravity than iron, and can be refined into a harder material than iron-based steel.
　Heavy iron is used in a wide range of applications, from farm tools to daily necessities to construction materials, but its usefulness is most appreciated in the equipment worn by soldiers.
　The increased production of heavy iron and the four years of its use upset the military balance between the two countries.

　It was probably the Empire that was in a hurry.
　For them, the longer they sat on their hands, the more the kingdom's strength would expand.
　There is no way they can sit idly by and watch their virtual enemy strengthen its war potential, and these days it's not a question of whether or not there will be a war, but when the war will begin.

It's not a matter of whether or not war will break out, it's a matter of when the war will begin. If this is the case, we should have looked into the Empire first.

Well, I guess it's too late to say that now.

'That's true, but ....... You deserve a little responsibility too, don't you?

　One of the reasons for prioritizing the Union of City-States over the Empire in the first place is Rona.
　The City-State Union, where trade brings in many rare foods from other continents, is a very intriguing place for the foodie Rona.
　The current situation is the result of Rona, who prioritized her appetite and insisted that she prioritize exploring within the City-State Federation.

　It is true that tensions with the empire were not that high at that time, but that doesn't mean it's too much of a worm to pretend to be ignorant of your own affairs.

I'll keep my mouth shut because the gate is getting closer.

　Rona throws out the duty of answering because of the proximity of the northern gates of King's Landing.

''Don't return to the beast only when it's convenient.

Woof!

　The golden beast passed Aldis's disgruntled gaze with a dog-like whine.





'Mr. Aldis?　Isn't that Mr. Aldis!

　Walking through the gates and down the main street of the royal capital, Gran, Aldis is suddenly stopped.
　As he wandered around looking for the owner of the voice, his eyes caught sight of a boy.

　The boy was dressed in an elegant-looking matching top and bottom.
　His pearly white hair was half a head shorter than Aldis'.

　He's not rude, but he doesn't seem to have been raised well.
　He's not a mercenary, not a nobleman, not a favela dweller. He is a boy who ends his life in the city, giving the impression that he is close to the common people of the royal city.

''It's been a while!''

...... Kirill?

Yes, Kirill. Oh, thank God. I thought you'd forgotten about me.

　A young boy works as an apprentice in a certain trade association in the city-state of Leytin. That was Kirill.
　Four years ago. Four years ago, he had accidentally saved the day in the forest of Kosus.

　After that, Ardis was assigned to conduct a defensive battle against the swarms of demons and beasts that would come to Leytin, and he was the person who led him to Leytin.

''It's been a while. It's been two years ......?

'Yes. I think it was about that long ago that we last saw each other.

　Kirill, whose voice is all grown up after the change of voice period, affirms with a smile.

''You've grown a lot taller again.

　Aldis murmured, envious of his growth.

　Kirill was twelve years old when they first met.
　Back then, the height difference between him and Aldis was large, but now it is only half a head difference.
　However, as far as the reason for the shrinking height gap is concerned, it can't be said that Kirill has only grown up. ......

'Then why are you in King's Landing?　Is it the business of the Chamber of Commerce?

　Unlike four years ago, Kirill was no longer a child.
　Even though he was only half a man, he would still be given some kind of job.
　Or maybe he was coming here as someone's chaperone.

''Actually, I'm going to attend a school in the royal capital from the day after tomorrow.

What?　School?　By academy, you mean Mariusz Academy?

Yes, sir.

　Surprisingly, Aldis questioned again.

'Attending the school?　You?

Yes, sir.

'No, what's going on at work?　I mean, do you have the money to attend the school?

　Even though the Marieles School allows commoners to enter the school, the tuition fees required for graduation are quite a bit of money.
　Unless your family is reasonably wealthy, you won't be able to send your child to school.
　And Kirill is an apprentice. You can't possibly afford the school fees, and more importantly, you will have to work for the Chamber of Commerce as a merchant's apprentice.

''The tuition fees are paid by Marida-san.

Marida?

　Aldis frowned slightly as the name came out of Kirill's mouth.

　Marida. It was the name of a woman whose attitude and strange tone of voice were characteristic of a woman who seemed to belittle people.
　At the same time, despite her young age, she was also a merchant who ran one of the largest trading houses in Laitin.

''Yes. ''When Aldis-san came to Leytin before, you told me about the story you had in the royal capital.''

　Aldis put his hand to his chin and fell silent, trying to remember what Kirill was talking about.

'............ Could it be the one that your grandfather the sorcerer told you about?　They say you have the makings of a sorcerer.

　Then I remembered that when I brought Kirill back from the Caucasian Forest, I had stopped by the sorcerer's shop.
　The sorcerer had looked at Kirill, who was only twelve years old at the time, and said something like he had magical qualities.
　Thinking back, Aldis certainly had a memory of bringing it up in front of Marida and Kirill when he visited Leitin about three years ago.

''That's right. Marida-san seemed to remember that, too, and said, 'If you have those qualities, it's better to make use of your talents there than as a merchant.'

　No matter how much he is said to have qualities, the other party is a spellcaster who is not particularly well known.
　Normally, they wouldn't take him seriously just because he was talking.
　Even if you believe in it seriously, there is no way you would let a person who is working as an apprentice in someone else's business association advance to the path of a magician without permission.

　But Marida has an ability that people don't have. It's a strange power: "Reality shifts according to the choices you make in your dreams.
　The reason why she drew Ardis and Kirill together, and the reason why Ardis was forced to participate in a defense battle in Leytin, is because of Marida's dreaming ability - or because of her ability.

　Maybe she had seen something in her dreams again, Aldis thought.
　The content of the dream can only be guessed at, since only Marida knows what the dream is about, but it could be the sight of Kirill being a sorcerer, or Kirill living in the royal capital .......

'So he convinced my husband and sister to help me pay all my tuition and boarding fees.

　To Kirill's master, Marida is a benefactor who saved the Chamber of Commerce from a crisis.
　It's not only that she's a benefactor to her sister - the only daughter of the master of the Chamber of Commerce, as Kirill calls her - but also that she's a childhood friend.
　If Marida is seriously persuaded, she won't object to letting Kirill attend the school.

''Just ....... Instead, I've been strictly ordered to bring back the silver cup for sure, but .......

　Kirill's tone dropped from his previous hackneyed tone to one of heaviness.

　The 'Silver Cup' Kirill was referring to the memento given to the best student of the graduation year of Marieles Academy.
　In other words, 'bring back the Silver Cup' was synonymous with the instruction to 'graduate from the school at the top of your class.

　It is true that Kirill was a clever kid from the first time they met, but even though he was excellent, Ardis could imagine that graduating at the top of the school was not easy.
　I can't think of any words to say to the boy who was burdened with the burden even before he entered the school, so Aldis gave him a safe encouragement.

'Good luck, that's all I can say,'

Yes ......

　Aldis changes the subject, trying to dispel the darkened air.

''So you're in the process of preparing for school now?

'Yes. And I'm looking for a job that I can do while attending the school. Even though Marida-san will pay for my tuition and dormitory fees, I still need money to buy everyday necessities.

'Work, hey ......'

　Aldis's eyebrows twitched when he heard that.
　He thought that this boy might be able to use it to solve a problem that has been bothering him recently.

'Hey. If it's okay with you, why don't you try working for me?

Is this for Mr. Aldis?

　The unexpected offer catches Kirill by surprise.

''Yeah. The details can be found at ...... Well, let's talk about it over dinner. I'll buy you a drink.

Oh, yes.

Do you have any idea where you want to go?

"I'll leave it to you. I'm still new to King's Landing and I don't know much about the shops and such.

　Aldis gives the name of the inn he was used to going to.

''Then let's go to 'Seseragi-tei'.

The Sesame Street?

　Apparently, it was a name that Kirill didn't remember.
　But even if he couldn't remember the name, an event he would never forget would soon remind him of.

'Don't you remember?　It's the inn I stayed at when I first met you four years ago.

Oh, .......

　That brought a pinprick, and Kirill's face paled in the next moment as he made a convincing expression.
　He remembered that day when he received a great welcome from Meryl's self-proclaimed 'creative cuisine' and was forced to finish the meal.

'...... Ah, that inn?'

　He looks pathetic, as if he's about to cry.

'What's the matter?　Let's go?

'Yes, yes ......'

　Kirill's mouth barely uttered a word of agreement to Aldis' voice as he urged.
　It was a word squeezed out in a voice with a more grave and subdued tone than when he had spoken of the "Silver Cup" earlier.