CH 30

I hear the third bell of the day.

It is about three o’clock in the afternoon in Japan, but it is summer and the sun is still shining brightly.

Master took away my favorite prosciutto, but I was able to get a set of food stalls as a replacement.

Ginjiro’s next stop is Sophia’s place.

He came to report that he would be opening a food stall tomorrow.

He asked the same soldier who was the gatekeeper the other day to call Sebastian, who immediately came to pick him up in a horse-drawn carriage.

“I’m sorry for coming so suddenly. I’m going to open a shop at the morning market tomorrow, so I’m here to report it.”

I thanked Sebastian for going out of his way to accommodate me.

He said he would pick me up if I told him in advance.

It would be handy to have a cell phone at a time like this.

I was about to have coffee with Sebastian, but soon Sophia seemed to want to see me and I was taken straight to her room.

When the door opened, there was Sophia and her maid Amelie, who greeted me with a wonderful smile today.

“I’m sorry for coming so suddenly. I came here to report that I’m going to open a food stall at the morning market tomorrow. I thought I’d try it out as a practice for the stall I’m going to open at the summer festival.”

Then Sophia said, “That’s great, it’s a surprise,” and she was delighted.

I think the meaning of surprise is slightly different, but there is no man who is not happy to be complimented by a beautiful girl like Sophia.

I sincerely say thank you.

“Ehehe, I have a surprise for Ginjiro, too.”

Sophia took out a white handkerchief with Ginjiro and her name embroidered on it.

It also has the coat of arms of the Mainz count family on it.

“I made it for you. Use it, Ginjiro.”

Ah this is a real surprise.

I was smiling so much that I couldn’t believe I could make such an expression on my face.

The woman in front of me is genuinely trying to please me.

And I am surprised at how pleased I am.

“Then, I’ll give Sophia a surprise gift, too.”

I put the royal blue sapphire necklace I bought at Net store on the table.

“I thought it’s pretty, it has same color as Sophia’s eyes.”

Amelie, the maid, is making strange noises.

Sebastian, who is always calm, is also surprised, I don’t know why.

I wondered if she would be pleased, but then I noticed something strange starting to happen.

What is it? Sebastian coughs deliberately as I think about it.

I look at Sebastian and he signals me to (put on) (the necklace).

I wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to put a necklace on a young woman, but it might be common practice in the aristocratic world, so I stood behind Sophia with the necklace in my hand.

I tried to put my hand behind Sophia’s back so as not to touch her body, but it did not work.

After several attempts with trembling hands, I was finally able to put it on.

“I’m so happy …… I will treasure it forever.”

Ginjiro, who was glad that Sophia was pleased, told her about his original goal of setting up a food stall at the morning market.

He told her that his drinking buddy, Hartman-san, had built a table for the stall, but he had lost the cured ham logs that Ginjiro liked.

He also told her that Harry is in love with Milia-san, a member of the commercial guild, and that he wants to support Harry.

Sophia is volunteering at the orphanage tomorrow, so she is going to visit the food stalls around noon.

She want to try the hamburger steak that Harry-senpai likes.

Summer vacation will end in a little over a month.

The three good friends will get together again next time and asked me to host a tea party for them.

—

“Coffee really makes people feel relaxed~”

Ginjiro and Sebastian drink coffee while standing in the kitchen break area.

I give Oliver, the head chef, some pound cake for his employees.

It somehow doesn’t suit Oliver, but since he is the head chef, I also gave him a konpeito.

Upon receiving the konpeito, Oliver opens the Japanese paper bag and looks at the glass jar.

But what is the little thing inside?　He did not seem to be interested in it.

“It’s a candy made from sugar and it’s fashionable, so it’s good as a gift.”

I told Oliver, the head chef, and he said, “Then, take this,” and I was given a large quantity of sausages.

The young chef gave me a thumbs-up and a smile, saying that the sausages tasted good, although they were a little misshapen because they were made as a practice run.

After I received the bag full of sausages, Oliver left the place.

Ginjiro whispered to Sebastian next to him while seeing off Oliver’s big back.

“I like sausage.”

Sebastian, the butler, told me that sausages are popular in this city, but they are seldom eaten because they use a lot of salt.

It’s true that many adventurers like ale, so the sausages as a drink companion cause a salt shortage.

“Thank you, Ginjiro-sama, for giving Sophia-sama a necklace. Sophia-sama was very pleased.”

Sebastian and I are standing next to each other drinking coffee, so our eyes don’t meet.

I remember that Sebastian, who is usually so calm, was surprised at that time.

“It was just a coincidence that I found it, but I’m glad she liked the jewelry. It has the same color as Sophia’s eyes, so I thought it would look good on her. But a large jeweled necklace is something that makes the other person’s eyes lower, so maybe Sophia didn’t need that.”

Sebastian then takes a sip of coffee and goes silent.

Ginjiro feels a different atmosphere than usual, though he doesn’t mind the silence because he enjoys drinking coffee with Sebastian.

“Ginjiro-sama may not know this, but a long time ago, there was a man named Emperor Beckenbauer III who saved this country. When the emperor learned that his fiancee had been taken hostage in a war, he single-handedly entered the enemy lines and rescued her. The emperor’s action moved the hearts of his soldiers and people, and the whole nation joined hands to fight and win the war. The emperor gave the princess a necklace with a color matching the color of her eyes, and they were married. So, in this country, giving a necklace with the same color as a woman’s eyes means a marriage proposal.”

Ginjiro freezes.

He could not hide his surprise to find that he was acting the same way as the emperor.

It is true that when I played the story of Emperor Beckenbauer III with Elvis and Manny, it was very exciting.

Well, I thought it was an usual thing for a man to give woman a gift, I dont know it was a proposal.

Ginjiro made up his mind and turned to Sebastian.

“I do like her, but I didn’t know it was a proposal. She’s my benefactor who saved my life in the first place, and since we’re different in age, I honestly still don’t know if I really like Sophia.”

I’m embarrassed, but my actions caused it, so I tell Sebastian honestly.

“It’s all right. Actually, Sophia-sama told me that Ginjiro-sama might not know the meaning of giving a necklace that matches the color of the eyes, so she asked me to ask Ginjiro-sama about it.”

Sebastian sips his coffee and turns his eyes toward the kitchen.

“The other day, Ginjiro-sama mentioned that Ginjiro-sama friend gave a necklace to a woman. When a man gives a woman a necklace, it means he likes her. And when he gives her something that matches the color of her eyes, it means he is proposing to her. We somehow knew that Ginjiro-sama did not know that, so there was no problem there. However, since Sophia-sama has allowed Ginjiro-sama to put on the necklace, Sophia-sama herself is willing to marry Ginjiro-sama. In fact, giving an embroidered handkerchief is a sign of goodwill. It also has the Mainz family crest on it, which means that if anything should happen to Ginjiro-sama, the Mainz family will be there to help.”

Did the handkerchief also have a meaning…

Ginjiro can’t stop sweating.

“Ginjiro-sama didn’t know the meaning of giving necklace, but is it okay if I just tell Sophia-sama that Ginjiro-sama have a feeling for Sophia-sama?”

Ginjiro wiped the sweat on his forehead with the handkerchief and told Sebastian “Please do so and thank you very much.”