As I turn around, I see Reinhard also coming behind us with a smile; he seems happy to see us as he approaches, greeting us casually.
Felt is dressed more casually, wearing a beautiful long yellow dress that contrasts with her previous thief attire. Although less ostentatious, this new dress suits her well.
"Good evening, everyone," Reinhard greets courteously.
"Good evening to both of you," I respond sincerely, as does Emilia, who also greets them.
Felt approaches Emilia, who has lowered her hood, and gives her a thumbs up in approval.
"You were amazing during the selection!" Felt exclaims with a genuine smile. She probably held back from saying it in the coliseum.
"Are you looking for a place to go?" We nod, and Reinhard guides us to a bar. It's more luxurious than other bars, but not extravagant.
Its stone construction with wooden edges creates a warm atmosphere. Soft music escapes through the cracks in the walls.
"We can have private rooms here if it doesn't bother you," Reinhard announces, considering the situation.
We enter without hesitation, and I realize it's different from what I expected. The tables are simple and made of wood, but the people present are dressed in sophisticated clothing, indicating that this is not just any bar.
In the background, there's a stage where someone plays the harp while another accompanies with a hurdy-gurdy.
I had expected the music to be more folkloric, but this choice pleases me as well. Emilia seems happy as she watches people chatting animatedly.
I think we'd enjoy ourselves more if we were among the crowd, although that would attract too much attention. Besides, I'm sure Emilia wants to take off her hood.
Reinhard leads the way, and we are quickly guided by a waiter to our reserved table on the second floor.
The room is furnished with several sofas arranged perfectly around a central table where we can place our orders.
"Have you already eaten?" Felt asks, to which we nod. I quickly review the menu.
The paper is thinner and shows small wrinkles compared to Anastasia's luxurious restaurant. They probably use heat or change menus daily.
The menu offers a wide variety: cakes ranging from silver to gold coins, vegetarian options, and dishes made with meat. Regarding drinks, they have juices, beers, wines, and meads.
Emilia is next to me, so I point out the meads to her.
"They're delicious drinks; you should try them," I suggest, encouraging her to explore the drink section.
Emilia immediately nods and chooses a mead called melomel, which contains an exquisite blend of fruits. I don't know how strong it is, but I hope it has a low alcohol content.
The price is high, making me wonder what to expect from it.
The soldiers, on the other hand, opt for juices due to their military service that prohibits them from consuming alcohol. It's a bit sad, but at least they have good salaries.
Perhaps I'll buy them some drinks to take back to Irlam or even give them the day off in the middle of the morning to enjoy shopping as they please.
Felt eagerly looks at the menu while Reinhard seems distant and subdued. I wonder what's going through his mind. Felt smiles at the waiter and loudly places her order.
"Give me a bottle of the best wine!" Felt exclaims, disregarding Reinhard's disapproving looks.
Reinhard is surprised by Felt's bold request and looks at her disapprovingly, but she decides to ignore him.
"I'm an adult, and I have the right to make my own decisions," she asserts confidently.
In my opinion, it's not appropriate to drink alcohol so early in life as it can lead to future problems. But here, there's mana; people can live up to eighty or seventy years without major difficulties, even if they lack hygiene and sanitary elements.
"Nevertheless, it's not appropriate to do so in front of another candidate," Reinhard comments, causing a reaction in Emilia as if he's also addressing her.
"We're all friends here. Let's forget our differences for today and just be friends gathered together," I intervene, trying to ease the tension. We're nothing more than that.
My words make Felt smile broadly. She points at me joyfully and exclaims, "Exactly! What little brother says is true. Can't you see we're all friends?"
Those words precisely hit Reinhard's weak spot. He looks at both of us with surprise before sighing in defeat. Who would have thought that the strongest knight in the world would be defeated by a fourteen-year-old girl?
"You're right, my apologies to both of you and also to you, Miss Felt," Reinhard apologizes as Felt delivers a surprising kick that even startles the waiter, who probably thinks we're about to cause trouble. Obviously, Reinhard effortlessly stops her.
Emilia is delighted and laughs at Felt's performance. Meanwhile, Beatrice ignores the rest and suddenly teleports next to the waiter, thinking I haven't seen her. She stares at him and whispers, "I suppose I want the same, a melomel, indeed."
The waiter is frightened by Beatrice's unexpected presence beside him. His eyes roam the place until making eye contact with me.
I highly doubt a spirit can actually get drunk. She probably just wants to taste it without any complications, so I decide not to say anything. If Emilia notices her, she'll likely scold her, but I can afford to be a bit lenient since Beatrice lacks physical organs susceptible to harm.
After informing the soldiers that they can order any dish without alcohol, they all request exquisite culinary delights.
Money is not really an issue in this regard; Roswaal left us enough money, and I brought some personally to cover extravagant expenses if necessary.
I also order an appetizer to keep my stomach satisfied while enjoying my drink. Reinhard finally gives in to Felt's insistence and orders the most expensive wine available for thirty gold coins. Well, I doubt the Astrea family lacks money.
Reinhard and I order beers; in fact, he requests the exact same beer with a blend of spices and essences that I ordered earlier. Additionally, I ask the waiter for a plate with salt and lemons, as well as extra glasses and a pitcher to serve the beer.
The waiter seems intrigued by my unconventional request but doesn't show any annoyance. He nods politely and leaves, saying he'll knock before re-entering the room.
Emilia takes off the hood of her coat while Felt extends her hand towards her in a friendly gesture.
"Let me see..." Felt's curious gaze seems to slightly surprise Emilia. Emilia hands the hood to Felt, who puts it on.
As she does so, Felt's face is hidden by a mysterious shadow that affects my perception, but it doesn't make me feel uncomfortable. It's as if it's the most natural thing in the world.
It's a strange and fascinating effect. I asked Roswaal how he did it, but he only mentioned relying on one of the ancient books in his library. According to him, it was a complex and costly process, though due to the loss of the books, he no longer remembers all the exact steps, according to him, of course.
Now, there's only this hood and an additional copy as a backup.
"I don't notice anything unusual," I comment as I carefully observe Emilia explaining the workings of the spell, arousing our growing curiosity. Even Reinhard shows interest in the topic.
After several minutes, our order arrives, and I watch as they carefully pour the beer into transparent crystal glasses. Emilia and Beatrice are served glasses of mead, while Felt gets a generous cut of meat along with a jug of the prized wine.
Other waiters come in to serve the present soldiers, and then they withdraw, leaving us alone again in our lively conversation. I decide to try the beer as it is, without mixing it with anything else.
A heady scent fills my senses as I observe its dense foam, indicating that they haven't carbonated it properly—probably a fermentation issue. I need to research more about this topic sometime. Perhaps I could even open my own alcoholic beverage factory.
As I bring the bitter liquid to my throat, I feel its strength being mitigated by the added spices. It's a potent but not overly effervescent beer, making it somewhat challenging to drink.
"It should be colder," I murmur as I slightly freeze the jug with a touch of magic, causing frost to shimmer under the dim light.
"Allow me to prepare it properly," I add before taking my glass and starting to mix the ingredients to make micheladas and enhance its flavor.
After serving Reinhard a michelada, he thanks me and takes a sip. However, I can tell from his expression that his mind is wandering to other thoughts.
Felt watches Reinhard closely and mischievously adds, "The strong guy can't get drunk." She points to Reinhard, who remains calm throughout.
It's surprising how well Felt handles this situation. Although it's been a short time since we've known each other, I highly doubt she has the same level of understanding about Emilia as Felt seems to have about Reinhard.
"Unfortunately, my body has the ability to suppress any kind of poison," Reinhard confesses with a hint of sadness in his words.
It's as if he's destined to be the perpetual designated driver, unable to enjoy the intoxicating effects that accompany social gatherings.
"I understand completely. The important thing is to have a good time with friends, regardless of whether one drinks or not," I respond calmly. After all, true companionship and fun reside in human connection.
Emilia savors her drink slowly before finishing it quickly in one gulp. I sincerely hope that this fruity drink is smoother on the palate than the strong liquor provided by Roswaal. My hope lies in finding something more delicate and refreshing.
Felt begins to recount her experiences from the moment she arrived at the Astrea mansion: the constant fights with Reinhard due to Rom and how she even took under her protection the three thieves who tried to rob me that day.
Amid jokes and laughter, Emilia perfectly adapts to the festive atmosphere while Beatrice wears a satisfied expression.
The present soldiers also actively participate in the conversations while enjoying their dishes with enthusiasm. I can't help but notice how they have been graced with much better meals than mine throughout the time.
Reinhard also becomes more involved as I share stories about our battles against the cult and how we ultimately defeated Petelgeuse.
I can't help but mention the invaluable support of Beatrice and Emilia in those crucial moments. While I pet Beatrice, who has comfortably settled on my lap, I realize that alcohol has no effect on her.
On the other hand...
"Hehehe, then Marco spoiled me," Emilia adds with a playful giggle as her cheeks are already colored by the effects of alcohol. Felt also smiles mischievously, clearly showing signs of the drink starting to affect her.
Both of them gaze at me with mischief, sparking my curiosity and instant intrigue.
"My little brother is quite the charmer—smart and strong, not to mention he's not bad-looking at all. Surely, you have several girls sighing over you," Felt comments with a playful smile, but I shake my head, trying to avoid the uncomfortable topic.
Rem is the only one who has shown interest in me so far.
As for Emilia... it would be best if she doesn't get involved in that way, at least I hope so.
I wouldn't want to hurt her heart too.
"Marco always attracts attention in the village," Emilia complains with a hint of annoyance reflected in her expression. "The women there always talk about him, whether he's handsome, if he has a wife, and he's always friendly with them, so it's a hot topic among the women."
Unexpected information reaches my ears and takes me by surprise.
Reinhard laughs lightly before returning to his formal and serious expression, while Beatrice grips my hand tightly, as if that information were vitally important.
"I'm the mayor; it's normal for people to talk about me," I explain, downplaying the matter.
Emilia doesn't seem convinced by my argument and responds defiantly, "Hmpf!"
Reinhard glances at her before speaking, "It seems like you two get along well." He observes as Emilia comfortably rests on my shoulder. I nod slowly as I look at Emilia, who has been smiling for a while now.
At this moment, I perceive her existence more like that of a younger sister to me—someone close and precious like a sister of my own.
I must become even stronger to protect everything I consider important, including my own ambitions. No matter how terrible the fate or difficulties we face, I must strive to find beauty in the midst of chaos and not let the negative overshadow my vision.
"I must be strong for both of them, as life hasn't been kind to them," I murmur to myself as Felt suddenly falls silent and falls into a deep sleep on the sofa, leaning against Reinhard's legs.
"It's amazing how you've grown. Although you lack formal fencing training, I noticed an unfamiliar fighting style during our encounters," Reinhard comments, admiring my progress with a mix of astonishment and curiosity.
"Muay Thai and boxing are fighting styles I learned in my lands, but currently, I'm the only one here with knowledge about them. I also know a bit about knife combat, but nothing about fencing," I confess to Reinhard in a whisper, trying to make sure only he hears.
I clear my throat and lock eyes with Reinhard, rubbing Beatrice's head while he looks at me seriously.
Now is the time to seize the opportunity; there is no other moment.
"I don't come from this world, I'm sure you know that" I reveal.