The Princess Who Forgot Her Wallet
I looked at Adelaide holding the bag.
"Like it?"
"Of course I do."
Thinking that every single outfit inside that bag had been bought with my money made the whole thing a little funny.
A princess who didn't even carry money around... honestly.
Adelaide looked at me with a complicated expression.
"Are you really sure I don't have to pay you back later?"
"It's fine. It's a gift."
"A gift. Hmm, a gift, is it."
I hadn't bought them expecting anything in particular. Adelaide had simply looked like she wanted those clothes so badly that I gladly spent the money.
I gently shook the bag containing Adelaide's uniform and said,
"You didn't bring your wallet, so it couldn't be helped."
"...That, well, I just forgot. That..."
Adelaide seemed to need some excuse or way to make up for it.
"Ah, right—and last time in the capital, didn't I buy something for you!"
Having finally found a reason to offset the clothing cost, Adelaide looked relieved at last.
"Then let's consider this as repaying that debt."
In reality, canceling out the clothing cost against the previous debt wasn't the end of it.
"Then what about the rest?"
"..."
It was obvious she'd be leaning on me all day today, you idiot.
"We'll have to eat and everything, right?"
Adelaide scratched her head and lowered her eyes.
"I-I can just pay you back, pay you back..."
I found that princess utterly adorable. That said, I had no intention of collecting everything from Adelaide.
"Just kidding. Don't pay me back."
The time was just past noon, the sun beginning its slow descent. The weather was cool, and it was a pleasant afternoon. We strolled through the commercial district.
With Adelaide's outfit changed, it should be fine for her to walk around Antico with confidence. But changing clothes didn't make her noble air or dignity vanish. Her confident stride wherever she went, the way she stood out so clearly from ordinary people—actually, her looks seemed to play the biggest part.
Warm gazes kept landing on us. At this rate our faces would get holes burned through them. I glanced around, checking the stares. Meanwhile Adelaide, either used to such attention or simply insensitive to it, paid them no mind at all.
Adelaide asked,
"Alice, aren't you hungry?"
I nodded. Noon had passed and we hadn't eaten once while talking. Fortunately the commercial district had plenty of places to eat. Adelaide liked salty, stimulating food.
"Shall we have lunch?"
"Mm, good. Is there a tasty restaurant around here?"
Of course there is. Before more gazes could gather, I hurriedly led Adelaide away.
Porona Restaurant. A place I'd frequented for a long time. I couldn't cook. Even when I figured out simple home cooking, I was the type who ended up ordering delivery instead of making it myself.
We took a corner table and leaned back in the chairs. The restaurant was popular, so there were quite a few people and a bustling atmosphere. Several gazes came our way too. Since Adelaide wasn't bothered, I decided to ignore them as well.
Adelaide, sitting across from me, looked around with curious eyes.
"The restaurant has quite a nice atmosphere. Just the right number of people. And plants too."
This place kept potted plants indoors. The flowers had withered now, but when they were in full bloom the atmosphere really came alive. Looking around from her seat, Adelaide exclaimed in admiration.
"They grow all sorts of things."
Not just pots—small animals caught by the retired hunter lived in little glass cases. Insects, lizards, ordinary snakes, and all sorts of things. I wasn't particularly interested, but Adelaide was overflowing with curiosity.
"It's a restaurant run by a retired hunter."
"A retired hunter, is it. What a romantic place."
Adelaide chuckled.
"Alice, when you retire, will you live like this too?"
"...I wonder."
I propped my chin on my hand and pondered her words. Would the day come when I retired? Would such a day ever find me? Would I even still be in this world by then? Adelaide's words left me feeling a little bitter.
As my mood quickly sank, Adelaide looked at me in surprise.
"Oh, is talk of retirement a bit sensitive for hunters? If so, I'm sorry. I don't know much about the hunter side of things."
"No. It's not that kind of issue. I just wonder if I'll still be around by then."
I said it quietly. Adelaide's eyes widened. After mumbling and pondering, she gently smiled.
"Of course—for someone like you, wouldn't it be possible?"
Adelaide clearly hadn't understood what I meant. No, not just Adelaide—no one would understand my worries. Noah, Pina, Matillo, Melchior, none of them...
But even though she didn't understand me, Adelaide's words brushed past and soothed my heart. Just because no one understands doesn't mean someone's words can't be a comfort.
"Yeah, probably."
Yeah. Somehow it would be possible.
Then a server approached.
"Hello, Hunter!"
"Hi."
The server at this shop hadn't changed since my first visit. The friendly server warmly greeted Adelaide, whom she was seeing for the first time.
"The pretty customer across from you is new—hello!"
"Yes, nice to meet you. I'm seeing you for the first time too."
"That's right, since it's our first meeting. Nice to meet you! Are you a hunter too? It's a face I haven't seen in Antico."
Adelaide shook her head.
"No. I'm not a hunter. Not from Antico either. Are you a hunter, then?"
"No, I'm not a hunter either. I just work here following my father."
The server seemed to be the daughter of the retired hunter who ran the restaurant. Smiling brightly, she asked Adelaide,
"Since it's your first time, shall I bring you a menu?"
"Yes, please."
Both first-timers, but they sure talked well. Receiving Adelaide's request, the server brought the menu and handed it over.
"Then please choose carefully~."
"Yes, thank you."
Adelaide waved and greeted the server. I crossed my arms and watched her from across the table. Looking at the menu, Adelaide asked me,
"Alice, do you not need one?"
"I always get the same thing."
I was the type who only ate what I always ate, so there was nothing to deliberate over. Adelaide muttered "I see" softly and stared intently at the menu. Concentrating, she slightly furrowed her brow and chewed on one cheek. It looked a bit like a sulky expression, but even that was pretty. As expected, the completion of everything is the face, huh.
Having finished her difficult deliberation, Adelaide showed me the menu and pointed to an item with her finger.
"How about this?"
Spicy Mudridon meat stir-fry. I remembered seeing Pina eat it once before; she'd kept water right beside her the whole time.
"It'll be spicy."
"A bit spicy...?"
Adelaide nodded.
"Even better. I like this kind of thing."
Adelaide had completely opposite tastes from her older brother. I gave her a warning.
"Don't come crying to me?"
Adelaide shrugged and laughed.
"Huhu, would this princess cry over something like this? Rather, I welcome such challenges. Server!"
"Yes~."
Adelaide confidently ordered the spicy Mudridon meat stir-fry. I ordered the meat set meal as always.
"Here you are~."
The meal came out quickly. The spicy stir-fry was truly red—like looking at Adelaide's eyes. Adelaide gulped. A visual that hadn't spared any spices at all. Just looking at it, it seemed extremely salty and spicy. I could never eat something like that even if I died.
Adelaide looked at the meal with a very satisfied face.
"I like it a lot."
"Really?"
"Well, in the palace they only give healthy food, so things like this are lacking."
It didn't seem like the palace chef's problem. Wasn't it the problem of the princess who liked these stimulating things?
Adelaide picked up her spoon. Then she confidently scooped a big spoonful into her mouth—and broke out in a cold sweat. Chewing the meat and swallowing, she blinked repeatedly. Moisture gathered in her red eyes.
"Sp-spicy..."
What is with this woman? She's incredibly sloppy somehow. It seemed the taste was still too early for Adelaide, who mainly ate the palace chef's healthy food, to handle. Fortunately, she finished the whole bowl without leaving any.
"It was extremely delicious. A good meal."
She refilled her water cup about four times, and the tiny tears she shed—I decided to just pretend not to notice. As for me, while Adelaide was dying from the spice, I finished off my set meal.
"Sorry for making you wait."
"It's fine."
A hunter's meal was quick and decisive. The difference in eating speed with Adelaide was inevitable. Adelaide was still exhaling through her mouth, the spiciness not yet gone. Meanwhile my eyes went to the red sauce stuck by her lips. She seemed out of it from the heat. Her lips must hurt a bit like that.
I pulled a tissue from the ones prepared on the table and brought it to Adelaide's mouth.
"Adelaide."
"Hm?"
"Stay still."
Careful not to scrape her skin, I pressed the tissue against the sauced side and wiped it off. I briefly showed her the sauce on the tissue, then immediately folded it up tightly. Adelaide touched her mouth with her long, slender fingers.
"...Ah, thank you."
"It's nothing."
I shrugged and tossed the tissue into the trash under the table.
What a careless princess.