Barbecue Together
The capital Solaris's most renowned high-end barbecue joint, the Golden Boar. A place usually buzzing with wealthy merchants and high nobles was deathly silent today.
The manager and staff moved about frantically, their faces pale as ghosts.
"H-Hic…! This way to the VIP room, Your Highness! Lady Vesperia! Gr-Great Mage!"
The manager's trembling hands pushed open the door to the innermost, most luxurious private room. And who could blame him? The guests who'd stormed in today were on a level that made even top nobles look like nobodies.
Ardelia de Solarrium, the empire's sole heir to the throne. Vesperia von Edelgart, daughter of the Edelgart ducal house ruling the northern continent. And Iril, the living legend, a 9-circle elf great mage.
The manager couldn't fathom why these titans were escorting a dust-covered, scrawny commoner boy to eat meat. But he didn't dare ask.
So he just took the order in silence.
"Special barbecue for ten. The fattiest, thickest cuts."
"Y-Yes! T-Ten servings?!"
"I'll order more if it's not enough, so start grilling. Oh, it'll take time since the meat's thick—bring out some appetizers to tide us over."
Rian hadn't even sat down yet, but he'd naturally taken charge of the ordering. The manager glanced nervously at the princess and great mage, interpreting it as the boy speaking for them. With Ardelia's nod, he jotted it down.
"Cream soup and fresh-baked bread coming right up!"
The manager fled the room.
Soon, steaming soft cream soup and warm rye bread were set for four.
A prelude to endure the long agony of oak wood-grilled meat.
Of course, soup before meat.
Rian nodded solemnly at the bowl before him.
Coat the stomach lining first with carbs and creamy fats. That maximizes protein absorption.
Rian picked up the silver spoon. With elegant, refined motions, he scooped and brought it to his mouth—no clink against the bowl, perfect table manners without excess.
A habit unconsciously ingrained from studying countless languages and cultures on Earth in his past life.
But across from him, Ardelia's eyes filled with deep suspicion as she watched.
...That's commoner table manners?
Ardelia elegantly sipped her soup while side-eyeing Rian. Iril had said this boy was hunting boars and gnawing them raw until yesterday—a slum orphan.
By her common sense, a starving slum orphan wouldn't bother with etiquette. They'd gulp the bowl dry or tear into bread with bare hands like beasts.
Yet this boy's spoon work was cleaner and more graceful than noble heirs trained formally. Not their style, but like some long-established etiquette.
Maybe a bastard from somewhere?
Ardelia's mind tangled again.
Orphan slum rat, so maybe abandoned by parents. Raised as a bastard until they ditched him young—makes sense!
Clueless that Rian just had past-life memories, Ardelia sank deeper into her solo delusion.
"Waaah! It's finally here!"
Vesperia's cheer rang out as the door opened. Sweaty chefs hauled in a massive iron plate whole.
Oak-smoked special barbecue: crispy exterior, juice-packed interior, huge bone attached. The room filled with ecstatic meat aroma—violently mouthwatering.
"……!"
Rian's brown eyes flashed fiercely. Knife and fork in hand, he claimed the biggest, thickest hunk to his plate.
Slice, slice.
A few cuts, and it fell apart perfectly. He popped a piece in, eyes closing slowly.
Insane. Maillard reaction maxed out. That umami amino burst with every chew! The infrastructure around the Solarrium Academy exceeds my expectations!
Lost in meat bliss, Rian reverently devoured.
Vesperia, watching his focus, giggled with fork in hand.
"You really love meat, huh? Not a word while eating."
Rian nodded once, kept chewing. Vesperia propped her chin, eyeing him amusedly.
Then, as if it just hit her:
"Hey, Rian. Something I've been wondering."
"Munch munch… What."
"Why casual with me, but polite to Her Highness?"
The table froze oddly. Ardelia paused mid-slice, looking at Rian.
She'd wondered too. Thought him a rude wild child at first, but he was consistently polite to her. Attitude not deferential, though.
Vesperia tilted her head puzzled.
"'Cause Her Highness outranks me, so you're respectful?"
Rian wiped his mouth with a napkin after stripping every scrap from the bone, replying indifferently.
"Nah."
"Huh? Then why?"
"She spoke politely to me first, so I matched. That's it."
He jerked his chin at Ardelia across the table.
"And you hit me with casual from the jump, acting all buddy-buddy. So I go casual back."
"……."
Princess or noble—status meant nothing to him.
"Polite input, polite output. Casual input, casual output. Basic sync, right?"
Rian shrugged like explaining 1+1=2.
"Pfft!"
Vesperia burst, choking on laughter at the logic.
"Ahahaha! What? Input-output? Ahahaha, you're so weird!"
Clutching her sides, she laughed. Rian shrugged, grabbed another hunk.
Ardelia fiddled her knife in stunned daze.
Input... output...
Absurd. Couldn't follow his thinking.
"Hee hee."
A tiny, natural laugh slipped from Ardelia's lips. Not her crafted princess smile—pure, baffled amusement from a 13-year-old girl.
Vesperia's purple eyes sparkled seeing it.
"Her Highness thinks he's hilarious too, right?"
"...Yes. Quite a unique way of thinking."
"Right? Glad I came to the academy today!"
Vesperia sliced her share, beaming the world's happiest grin, then flashed a pure, bright smile at Ardelia.
"Yummy BBQ, fun new friend... and eating out with Her Highness like this—I'm so happy!"
Her innocent voice warmed the room.
Ardelia's fingers trembled faintly.
'Eating with Her Highness makes me so happy.'
That line struck deep, thawing something frozen in her chest.
Past life before regression. Never once shared a sisterly meal with her pitiful twin.
That Vesperia lived now. Munching meat, smiling dazzlingly before her eyes.
Eating together.
Yeah... this is enough.
Ardelia suppressed the sting in her nose. Her red eyes softened. She smiled back at Vesperia, full of sincerity.
"Yes. I'm... truly glad to dine with you like this, Lady Vesperia. Honestly."
"Really? Yay, I'm thrilled! Hee hee!"
Blonde and black-haired girls smiling under sunlight. Twins hiding their bond, sharing their first meal.
Cozy air swirled untouchable over the table.
But Rian ignored the vibe, laser-focused on meat.
"Sigh..."
Iril, quietly chewing in the corner, exhaled deeply. Her gaze swept the three.
Meat-mad disaster disciple wrecking norms. Pensive princess. Puppy-like duke's daughter beaming innocently between them.
...This semester at the academy's gonna be noisier than ever.
Iril was certain these three would stir up a storm.