Chapter 20: “Dragon Cradle,” and to the Beastmen Village 16
Following Marianne’s lead, we arrived at what could only be described as a restaurant rather than a simple dining hall—a place of refined elegance.
It was the kind of establishment where a staff member greeted you upon entry. Moreover, they had a private room that could accommodate eleven people, so we were shown there.
“Soushi-sama, this place seems quite upscale. Many of the other patrons are also very well-dressed,” Freynil remarked, and Sphenia and the others nodded in agreement. However, Lani and Karma seemed subtly uncomfortable. I couldn’t help but share their sentiment.
“Frey is right. Marianne, what kind of place is this?”
“It’s owned by a prominent merchant in town. My parents are in charge of the dining section.”
“I see… that’s quite a position.”
In my mind, a department head was a position one couldn’t attain without ability. Marianne’s parents must be skilled not only in cooking but also possess managerial prowess.
Still, in terms of social standing, they were much closer to commoners than the parents of Sphenia and Sakurahime. As a former office worker, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of kinship.
The private room was spacious enough to accommodate up to sixteen people. We took our seats at the tables arranged in two rows. The menu featured familiar items, so we each ordered what we liked.
As the waiter left, a couple entered in their place. They appeared to be a married couple, slightly older than me. The man was a bearded gentleman in a suit, and the woman was a beautiful woman in an elegant uniform. Both bore a resemblance to Marianne, so they were undoubtedly her parents.
After a polite bow, the man spoke first.
“Thank you for visiting our establishment today. We are deeply honored to welcome the esteemed Guidance of Sol. I am Ramber, Marianne’s father.”
“I am Ariana, Ramber’s wife and Marianne’s mother. We are very grateful for your care of our daughter.”
The woman followed with a bow.
It was surprising that the manager himself would come to greet us without us even introducing ourselves, but perhaps one of the staff members recognized Marianne.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Soushi Okuno, the leader of the Guidance of Sol. We are equally indebted to Marianne-san.”
When I instinctively stood up to respond, drawing on my past-life habits, Dorozitte chuckled softly, and Sphenia stifled a giggle.
Ramber and Ariana looked surprised at my bow. They straightened up in a hurry and then bowed deeply, almost ninety degrees.
“Y-Your Excellency Marquis Okuno, thank you for visiting such a humble establishment! We are deeply honored!”
“We were completely unaware that a Marquis-sama was present. Please forgive our rudeness!”
Their reaction reminded me of my position.
In the Imperial Capital, the shops were accustomed to dealing with nobles, and I could use them without being too conscious of my status. But this kind of reaction was the norm.
Or rather, it was considered unconventional for a Marquis to visit a place like this? It seemed like a fairly high-end restaurant to me.
“Ah, no… please don’t worry about it. I’m here incognito, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t make a fuss.”
“Yes, sir! If there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Understood. For now, we’re just here to enjoy a regular meal, so you don’t need to worry about anything else.”
“Yes, sir!”
Well, a Marquis was indeed a high-ranking noble, so it was probably a bit intimidating from the perspective of ordinary people. It would take me a little longer to understand the social hierarchy.
“Soushi-san, let me talk to them for a moment. Leave it to me here.”
Perhaps feeling sorry for her stiff parents, Marianne stood up and left the room with them. Her parents’ eyes widened when she called me “Soushi-san,” but… well, Marianne would handle it.
As I returned to my seat, Dorozitte laughed gleefully.
“Hehe, Marianne’s parents were so surprised by Soushi-san that they didn’t even notice Princess Maricier. If they had, they might have fainted.”
“I often experienced this when traveling. I used to hide my face, but the Guidance of Sol is too conspicuous a party to disguise,” Maricier said, removing the cloth she had wrapped around her mouth. Her face wore a wry smile that seemed to convey resignation.
“How do nobles usually dine in situations like this?”
“They mostly eat at inns. They generally don’t go out on their own. It’s partly for their safety, but especially for high-ranking nobles, walking around town causes various inconveniences for the citizens.”
“I see… should I start hiding my face and using a fake name from now on?”
“That might be wise. If you give the impression that you’re concealing your identity, they’ll likely pick up on it and pretend not to notice.”
“Is it impossible to go unnoticed?”
“Hehe, that’s impossible. The Guidance of Sol and Soushi-sama have become too famous.”
“…I guess so.”
As I replied, I looked up at the sky.
I would have to talk to Marianne’s parents later, which made me even more uneasy. I wasn’t used to having casual conversations with people of that status, and I didn’t know how to act.
“Should I speak more grandly…?”
“I think you should just be yourself, Soushi-sama. Even without trying to change your speech, your personality, power, and position will naturally be conveyed,” Freynil replied immediately to my almost rhetorical question.
“Well, yeah. It’s not like there aren’t nobles who speak politely to commoners, so I think Soushi-san should just be himself,” Dorozitte added, and Sphenia nodded deeply.
“That’s right. Soushi-san should just be natural. Otherwise, you’ll get tired eventually.”
“It would be really weird if Soushi suddenly started talking grandly. So, I think you should just be yourself, right?” Lani said casually, and everyone agreed.
“Okay, I’ll do that. I should try not to think too much about it.”
When I said that, Freynil looked pleased. The other members seemed to feel the same way, so they probably didn’t want me to act like a noble.
Personally, I would gladly give up this position if it weren’t necessary. As long as it wasn’t necessary, I would continue as before.