CH 56

“Hey, Saintesses. Give me some soup.”

“Don’t call me Saintess. I’m Maki.”

“I’m Chiharu.”

Maki and Chiharu said as they served the soup.

“So, the long and skinny one is Maki. The small one is Chihaaru.”

“Long and skinny!”

“I wish that at least one person would say my name right.”

Maki and Chiharu grumbled. But they preferred to work as cooks than to stay around Edwy and the others. There was no need to disguise themselves now. And so they left their black hair out and wore a simple one-piece dress with an apron. The soldiers and Adventurers all thought that they looked cute and pretty, but were too shy to say it.

It was also determined that there was no more need to socialize with the nobles here, and so the princes and Aeris all waited in line with their bowls. It was a nice atmosphere, where rank no longer mattered.

“Ahhh. It seems we’ll have to stop by Kaider’s castle on the way back after all.”

“And we’ll have to visit some mayor on the way.”

“Well, it will probably look bad if we passed them by without visiting.”

Maki and Chiharu said.

“It’s just a little official business. And then you can eat delicious food. Wouldn’t you two like that?”

Kaider said.

“How rude. We’re not just obsessed with food.”

“I’m sorry. I should have said drink.”

“Yes, yes. As long as there is drin-, that’s not it at all!”

Maki-chan. Well done!

“There are so many people that want to talk to us that it makes it difficult to eat. And they only ever serve wine at these fancy dinners. I do like wine, but I want to drink the local stuff. Like that apple cider that Maki got. It was really good.”

“Well, we drank it in secret. So I felt a little guilty.”

“You two…you did that when you were with us?”

“Huh? I didn’t say that…”

Maki looked a little uncomfortable. Nyran chuckled.

“I don’t see why it’s a problem. They are adults.”

“But you…”

“So Maki and Chiharu were really enjoying themselves.”

Edwy said.

“I don’t know about that. We had to wear wigs and disguises and couldn’t talk much. The only fun we had was smuggling alcohol up into our room.”

Chiharu said thoughtfully.

“Compared to not having to wear a disguise and being able to drink as much as you want as a part of socializing…”

Maki added.

“Well, we have to do it all of the time. I’m used to it.”

“I see. Good for you, Edwy.”

“Hey, don’t treat me like a child.”

Still, Edwy looked a little proud. See, he was childish. Chiharu thought with a chuckle.

“Well, we would actually prefer it if you just stayed in the castle.”

“Aeris?”

“The elves aren’t that interested in other people. Even if princes from another land come to visit, they will only be moderately curious.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Oh, I see.”

“So…”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

Aeris coughed.

“I think you will be able to have some freedom in the elf lands.”

“Huh?”

Maki and Chiharu looked surprised. After all, they had been told,

“The monsters become more active when you two come near the dungeon. So you should stay near the human lands to be safe.”

“We can go?”

“Why not? Just stay away from towns that have dungeons.”

“Aeris, we cannot decide such a thing until we return to the castle.”

“Hmm. However, I think they deserve to have some fun.”

While it may not be soon, eventually. The day may come when they could visit the elves.

“Well, you haven’t been to the south yet. You know, they make rice and beans there. And it’s quite warm, so there are lots of fruits.”

“Rice! I haven’t eaten rice since we left the castle!”

“Fruits! Yes!”

Nyran told them.

“The dwarves mainly use wheat. I don’t really like rice and their individual grains.”

Kaider scowled said this with a scowl. Maki was amused at the idea that he was a picky eater.

“What about fried rice?”

“What’s that?”

“It’s when you fry rice with meat and eggs.”

“What? I never heard of such a thing.”

Said Nyran.

“Maybe the last Saintess didn’t care about such things. But it’s really good.”

“Fried rice balls and rice soup.”

“Doria. Chicken and egg bowls. Beef bowls.”

“What’s all that? Do they all use rice?”

Kaider and Nyran asked.

“They do. It’s delicious!”

“Uh. I don’t want to go to the dungeons. We can go south and have Maki and Chiharu cook for us.”

“Saintess Cooking. That sounds good.”

They all started to think about the food that they liked.

Of course, none of them had any intention of running from their duties. Not these people.

“It’s only been two months since we came to this world.”

“And now we know that we don’t have to run away.”

Everyone had been kind in the dwarf lands. Even though they were humans, or boys, or young women. People were nice to them. It had nothing to do with being Saintesses.

“If you are talking about going somewhere, you cannot exclude us from it.”

“Sauro. Saikania!”

“Are you finally going to cross the ocean?”

“No, we aren’t. I don’t want to be carried for three hours!”

While their first meeting had been horrible, they were now very good friends with the birdfolk.

By the way, you’ll need to fly high or the merfolk will knock you down. Just like with the gazers.”

They also knew the merfolk. And the monsters.

Maki and Chiharu looked up at the sky.

They had really just been bearing it. They couldn’t understand why they had been brought here and it seemed unfair. Even though they were treated well, they couldn’t always accept it as it was.

But now they started to feel like they fitted in.

Good food, good drink, and pleasant companions. What else did you need in life? Maki and Chiharu took in a deep breath.

“Romance! It’s romance!”

“Romance! It’s romance!”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

Kaider looked at them suspiciously, but they ignored him. In any case, they would go to the elf lands. To the south.

“Ah, Zynis.”

“I had forgotten.”

Or the beastkin lands? They wouldn’t run anymore. So where should they go to find more good food, good drink, and wonderful people? Under which sky would they go next?

The journey of two Saints who were forced to travel- no, the wandering journey of the two saintesses will continue.