After settling the liquidation of the magic tools since then, we were out shopping again.

　We went to the slightly expensive clothing store and cloth shop in the north section, and bought tea leaves for tea.

　Mother Erna bought a bomb of sugar and tea leaves and then went into the clothing store with Father Nord again.

　I wonder how many times this has happened in the afternoon.

　Kids like me don't need fancy clothes, so for once I'm allowed to rest on a bench outside the store. I'm not even interested in it myself.

　Yes, I gave him and his wife some time alone. It's not that I'm tired or bothered or anything.

　I wanted to have a drink, but as far as I looked around, there was no such thing as a food cart.

　I wonder if there are not many in the northern section where there are many wealthy people. Even if there is, it seems to be taken a silver coin or so for a glass of juice. Then it is better to enter the cafe somewhere.

　But I don't want to leave this place right now.

　While sitting on a bench, I was wondering what I should do, when I heard a bell-like sound from the clothing store.

　When I looked up vigorously, thinking that I was finally done shopping, Mother Erna went back into the clothing store next door.

'That's where you went in earlier!

　I wonder if he heard my cries, and Nord Dad laughs bitterly as he follows Erna's mother into the store.

　Why would I go into the clothing store I just entered earlier?

　Why did you make an instant decision when you bought sugar or tea leaves, but when it comes to clothes, why did you take so long?

　I felt like a guard patrolling the capital today, going this way and that and back again.

　Moreover, it's too much to handle, because they expand their range of activities until they find a product they like.

　I've heard that women sometimes get a sense of satisfaction from the process of searching for and buying a product, if it's true, it's a terrible thing.

　It's past noon now. Will this continue until the evening........


'.........finally done.

　In the evening, I collapsed on the fluffy couch as soon as I got back to the inn.

''Well yes,''

　Dad Nord, the man who was taken around the most today, collapses on the couch across from me.

　We bury our faces in the couch and become silent. Or rather, we don't have the energy to speak.

　Erna's mother is currently checking the bags that have been delivered with the innkeeper.

　I wonder if that much luggage can be put on the wagon. There are too many jars of sugar in particular.

　It will be hard for the horse to pull the luggage on the way back.

　Also, it will be hard for Bartolo when he returns.

　As I close my eyes while thinking about this, the door to my room opens.

　Maybe it's because I'm exhausted, but neither I nor my Nord dad turn around.

　Mother Erna is still checking her bags, and Meena is probably Saara since she's stuck eating too much food from the stall.

　There is the sound of dishes clinking and tea being poured.

　And two teas are placed on the table.

"...Thank you, Sarra.

　Me and my Nord dad's muffled voice.

...no, thank you for your help.

　Saara quietly left the room, probably sensing the tired mood.

　Both me and Father Nord must be thirsty, but I couldn't put my mouth on it until it cooled down.




　◆



　And the next day. The time has finally come to leave the royal capital.

　The preparations for the carriage have already been made early in the morning.

　The guards, Roomba and Gates, are also present, and it's been a long time since I've seen them both at the same time.

　I've only seen one of them when Nord Dad and the others went to the party.

'Oh!　Al!　Did you see that one?

　As soon as Roomba sees me, he comes up to me.

　Gates seems to be manning the wagon, sorting through the luggage.

'I saw it!　Hey!　That was interesting on so many levels!　I even bought a book about it.

The book!　That's a good buy. It's a kid's job to tell his dad what he's done.

　We nodded at each other and smiled a black smile.

'This is going to be a fun carriage ride home.

'Yeah yeah. Actually, I secretly bought some of their famous dragon muffins.

　That's what a dragon muffin is. It was one of the muffins that led to Mother Erna and Father Nord getting to know each other at the theater.

　They bought them at a store that became very popular thanks to the Dragon Slayer play.

　They are now famous for the rumor that if you eat them with the person you love, you'll get married.

　There was a street that Mother Erna had unnaturally avoided, so she explored it and found the shop.

　It was supposed to be the shortest way to reach the place we wanted to go through there, but since we were taking a detour, we figured there was something to it.

'Well, let's pick it up and talk about it, shall we?

　The carriage journey is long but not boring.


　Then, ready to return home, we get into the carriage and leave the royal capital.

　We slowly make our way down the main street in the south, where all sorts of people and things are gathered in the hustle and bustle of the city.

　Normally, I would have missed this, but for me, it's a place I can come to anytime, so I don't have any particular thoughts.

　Now I just want to get back to Coriat Village.
　I can't wait to get back to the house and relax.

　Eventually the carriage will be approaching the southern gate.

　On the first day I jumped out of curiosity, but I don't do that now.

　There are predators hanging around there. I don't think anyone is going to go out there to be eaten as they please.

　Even as he went through the simple process of getting out of the gate, Father Nord didn't get out of the carriage.

　This was because the other guard had the same short hair and skinhead as the first day.

''Let me see your nobleman's insignia and also your body.

　I can't hear it. I didn't hear anything.

　Father Nord shows me the crest of his notebook without getting down from the gyoja stand.

　He stretches his hand out as best he can, trying to get a little pause.

　I don't think he was that frightened even when he was confronted with the dragon.

　As expected, the world over here seems to be unadventurous. Although, at the end of your adventure, you won't be able to come back to your original place.

''Sorry, I can't see very well.''

Huh!

　The short-haired guard, who says the aristocratic insignia is far away, wraps his hand around Nord Dad's hand and starts to check the insignia.

　Rather than a coat of arms, the guard seems to be checking the Nordic father's skin. It's also meticulous.

'Is Meena's stomach okay now?'

'Yes, I'm fine now. I overdid it yesterday.

Meena sticks out her tongue in embarrassment, "Ehehee.

'You must have had a swollen belly like a pregnant woman when you came back.

It was hard for me to get him home.

　Mother Erna and the others start laughing at the sound of Saara's voice.

　Inside the carriage it's harmonious, even though outside it's her own husband's chastity at stake.

'You are as beautiful as ever, my dear. It was worthwhile to stay here for a while. If you don't mind, I have a nice place to stay nearby.

No, no!　They're going home now!　I'm not going!

　Come to think of it, I don't see the skinhead guy.

　So I looked out the side window and saw the skinhead's face right in front of me.

''Hi!''

　I almost blasted off my magic as soon as I could, but I defended myself by closing the curtains.

　My heart skipped a beat and my chest hurt.

　Then when I calmed down a bit, I glanced open the curtains and was tempted to look out again, but I decided not to.

　But I'm sure I'm there because I can still feel the popularity of the place.

　An angelic voice descended just as I was scared alone in the harmonious carriage and Dad Nord was about to touch my butt.

'I'm done checking the wagon!　No problem!

Hey!　I told you to take it slower!

　A short-haired guard shouted angrily at the earnest young man.

''Alright, Mr. Lowe, let's get going!

Yes!

　Mr. Lowe, the guru, tweaking his whip and advancing his horse.

'Ah!　Hey!　Wait for me!　We shook off the short-haired guards who mumbled something like, "I haven't been able to check my ass yet," and left the gate.

　We passed through the demon's gate and returned to flee from the royal capital.



　◆



　On the wagon ride home, I talked with Rumba and Gates a lot about Father Nord and Mother Erna.

　Over dragon muffins.

　I laughed out loud every time I heard them talk about how they were actually like that, or how they were saying these lines at such and such a time.

　The more I got into it, the more my voice seemed to reach the carriage and the more times my dad got angry with me.

　Mother Erna confiscated my dragon muffin.

　I think it's terrible that we were just having a good time chatting.

　It took seven days of setting off fireworks in my spare time, getting pissed off again, and being banned from going to the wagon.

　Finally, I came back to the village of Coriat.

　Sitting next to Mr. Lowe, I can feel it in my skin.

　The clean, clear air and spreading nature.

　The peacefulness of the air is very calming.

　The royal capital is full of big buildings and lots of people, which makes me tired.


　The sound of horses' footsteps and the sound of flowing water, and the voices of villagers talking as they plow their fields as the carriage slowly moves forward.

　Occasionally the villagers would notice us coming back and wave to us, and I would smile and wave back.

　Then word of our return spread, and Asmo and Thor appeared from afar and shouted at us.

　I couldn't help but feel my cheeks relax at the sight of my bad friends for the first time in about three weeks.

'Oi, you bought a souvenir!

"Give us a taste of King's Landing!

　You say that out of the blue without even leaving. It's a despicable breed, isn't it?

"Oh, I have something for you...

　There it is!　I'm about to answer, "I'm just going to huff and puff.

　The food Asmo says is not a problem. It's just as I expected, and I can share it with you from the food I bought.

　However, I forgot to bring some of Thor's souvenirs.

　I thought he would appreciate something that would help him become an adventurer, and I was going to give him a suitable cheap sword.

　I forgot all about it because of the souvenirs for Emma and Elinora, and the shopping with Erna and her mother.

　What am I going to do? If he was the only one without a souvenir, he would definitely sulk.

　I should give her something, even if it's just a sword that's lying around.

　But there would be no swords in the peaceful village of Koliat. What should we do?

　--Fallen?

　The word stuck with me oddly.

　Come to think of it, I think I picked up the sword.

　........yes!　Now I remember!　I picked it up on the road!　

　--The Goblin's sword!　

　Yeah, so that means it's not a problem.

"Hey!　You don't have any souvenirs!

　Thor seems to feel uneasy about my half-heartedly interrupted words, and Thor raises his voice again.

　In response, I use a sunny voice.

'There is!　Stay tuned, both of you!　I'm heading over to Thor's house tomorrow!

　It's a goblin sword for Thor, though.

'Oh!　I get it!

　When I said that, the two of them turned their backs and walked away, as if their business was done.

　Hey, hey, you're cold, even though you haven't been back in a while.

　At least wave your hands until you can't see the carriage anymore.


　◆


　As soon as the carriage arrived at the mansion, Bartolo, Mel, Sister Elinora and Brother Silvio greeted us at the door.

''It's been a while, kid!''

　When I finished bowing and welcoming him like a nobleman, Bartolo was the first to speak to me.

It's good to see you, Bartolo! I can't wait to try Bartolo's food. I'm tired of the food in the capital and the food on the road.

　The taste of my family is the taste of Bartolo. The taste of King's Landing is not bad, but I don't want to eat it every day.

　And I don't even have rice.

'So that's why you bought that, right?

　The thing was a fire magic tool that Bartolo had told me to get for sure.

'Of course. There's a big one in the wagon.

'Oh!　Really?!

　Bartolo made his way to the wagon, as if to bounce his huge body.

　Let's not say yet that the price for that is to keep making large amounts of sweets.

'Didn't you get a little fat, Meena?'

'Yeah!　Ki, it's your imagination!

He was gobbling up food from a food truck. I must have gained at least three kilos from all appearances.

　The maids seem to be having fun, but they're having a conversation that could be very difficult if the men were to mix it up.

'Al, welcome back,'

　The one who came with a fresh smile was Brother Silvio.

　He's the one who made me a needle in a nobleman's social gathering to be compared to him.

　When I think of that, I'm beginning to think that it's okay to pull a shot here.

　No, I don't care if it's goofy.

'I'm home!　Brother Silvio.

Al?　Why don't we put those hands down, huh?　It doesn't come with a face and actions, you know?

　Oh, well. I'm planning to get back at Brother Silvio in a different way.

Isn't Brother Silvio a bit brawny?

　For brother Silvio's arms, they are a bit muscular.

　When I asked him that, Brother Silvio replied with a withered expression.



''........Brother Silvio. I'm sorry I'm late....

　Me and my brother Silvio hugged each other with tears streaming down our faces.

　It must have been hard. It must have been long.

　Three weeks of practice with Elinora's sister....

　Normally, I would use my brother Silvio as a shield to escape, but I feel sorry for him.

What are you guys hugging each other about?

　I haven't heard my sister's voice in a long time.

　I managed to resist the urge to stretch my spine.

　Don't worry, I'm not trained yet.

Oh, Elinora. I'm back. You can find a souvenir from King's Landing in my pouch.

"Three weeks of sword training in King's Landing?

..........

　You're not even going home.

How is your sword training?

No, I didn't.

Let's go.

Yes, sir.

　Sister Elinora's white hand catches my arm and pulls me to walk away.

'Hey, Al?'

What?

　What now? Can't we get serious today? I'm prepared to use transference to escape if someone says, "I'm sorry.

'........Welcome back.

I'm home!











　Needless to say, I got beat up in practice after this.