Volume 1 - CH 23

Going down the stairs to the subterranean sector, their destination was the plaza outside the underground palace.

Even today, the underground shopping area, where the dim light of the fire magic stone lamps sways, has a suspicious and mysterious atmosphere.

After navigating through the maze-like intricate roads, they reached a wide staircase. Descending those stairs, they saw the plaza of the underground palace.

The plaza has a large space that one would not expect to find underground. Magic stones crystals are scattered on the ceiling, glittering like stars in the night sky.

The palace, built within the stone walls, was beautifully illuminated by magic stone lamps.

Coming down to the stone floor of the plaza, Falk looked around and was impressed.

“I didn’t know there was such a space in the underground. The lights in the palace are so beautiful.”

“There will be a festival coming up in exactly one month, so the lamp lights are added during this time of the year. Normally the place is more dimly lit, but now the lights are lively.”

The city of Luorio holds a big festival four times a year.

Since the land is warm all year round, they seem to have the intention of at least separating the seasons with festivals, but unfortunately no one in this city cares about the four seasons. However, they enjoy the extra income the festivals bring.

That’s why the palace square is relatively bright now. Even still, it’s just enough light to be able to make out a face when you get closer.

Since the place is usually another level darker, it is a good place for a secret date. Incidentally, the occasional casual soirées held in the square have become a hotbed for illicit encounters…

She explained to Falk as they walked toward the plaza.

“There are food stalls in the plaza and restaurants inside the palace.”

“Are there shops inside?”

“There are various places. The palace is built by hollowing out a rock wall, so it’s surprisingly wide inside. Restaurants, souvenir shops, general shops, etc. There’s also a police station.”

“When I heard that it was a historic palace, I was expecting a protected building. It’s kind of interesting.”

The underground palace is made of solid stone and looks majestic, but it is actually something like a commercial facility.

It is an interesting building that is operated in a secular manner, but the interior is made from the ruins, so it retains its dignified atmosphere.

“Then, since we’re here, let’s have our meal inside. Shall we take a tour of the palace?”

“Of course, let’s go, let’s go.”

For the second time today, after meeting Julio, Alme had to raise his voice. Also because she spotted a familiar face not too far away.

But this time it’s not a bad encounter. The figures she found were probably Ena and Aiden. It’s dark, but it has a familiar silhouette.

It seems that they have just come out of the entrance hall of the palace. They were in a different shape than they were.

Falk worriedly peered into Alme’s face.

“Do you know each other? Shall we run away?”

“No, it’s okay this time! Because we’re good friends.”

After answering in a hurry, Falk softened his expression. It seemed that she had alarmed him with her earlier incident. She should apologize for causing him concern.

Ena and Aiden seemed to have noticed her as they stepped towards the entrance. The two of them waved their hands in the same way.

“Oh, Alme! what’s going on here, eh, oh my gosh, a date!”

“Oh! You got a partner! That’s great!”

Ena was surprised when she noticed Falk walking next to her, and Aiden smiled cheerfully. Alme should correct it immediately.

“No, I’m friends with him. I’m giving him a tour of the city.”

“Hello, my name is Falk.”

Falk introduced himself lightly. He had asked Julio to identify himself first, but now he would simply identify himself first. He has an inconsistent attitude and is difficult to read.

(…Maybe he was posing as a nobleman to get away from the scene earlier? It seemed familiar to me, but…)

Alme tilted her head and Aiden did the same.

“Huh? Have we met somewhere before?”

“No, I don’t think I know anyone in this city.”

“Oh yeah?…Well, my bad, I’m mistaken. I’m Aiden, this is Ena. Nice to meet you!”

Perhaps Aiden stopped thinking about it, and changed the subject. He turned to Alme and smiled.

“I heard from Ena that you cut your hair. You look great! –Oh, well, thanks for the military send-off the other day. I heard you got to see Shirotaka too. How was it?”

The moment Aiden spoke fluently and brought up the subject of Shirotaka, Falk stiffened greatly. He shifted his eyes and looked at Aiden’s face.

Falk also seems to be a fan of Shirotaka, so Alme wonder if he just reacted to the story.

She responded to the story, smiling at the situation.

“Mr. Shirotaka was a very beautiful person. Just as the rumors said. How was Aiden in the field?”

“I actually talked to Shirotaka!”

“……eh!?”

When Aiden proudly answered, Falk let out a loud voice. “I can understand how surprised you are when you heard that he’s talked to a famous person.”

Ena added to the dumbfounded Falk.

“He’s a soldier. He had a chance to speak on the battlefield the other day.”

“Opportunity to speak…Oh…perhaps Mr. Aiden is a soldier?”

“Oh! Usually I only get a chance to talk to priests when I’m injured, but this time I happened to be able to talk to Shirotaka because he was hanging around at the scene. I don’t know if he was bored or what, but he was playing with dirt balls.”

“Hey, the way you said it ……! That’s not the right way to put it!”

Falk replied with a flustered look and covered Alme’s ears with his hands.

“Miss Alme, don’t listen! The image of Shirotaka will be destroyed…!”

“Haha, I’m sure it’s all right. He’s just embellishing his stories.”

“Don’t talk to me like I’m a liar! Well, I didn’t get to say much this time, so I’ll try to say a little more next time I get a chance.”

After Aiden made a sulky face for a moment, he ended the conversation. He hugged Ena’s shoulder and said goodbye while walking.

“Well then, I’m off! Have a nice day, you two!”

“Alme, I’m looking forward to our upcoming lunch meeting!”

Ena and Aiden walked away while laughing happily.

After seeing off her two friends, when she turned her attention to Falk, he was still flustered and unsettled. He seems to be completely upset after hearing bad news about Shirotaka.

She decided to smooth things over and took his hand.

“You really don’t have to worry about Aiden’s story. He’s a person who talks roughly. I’m sure Mr. Shirotaka was just killing time by poking dirt, or something like that.”

“Poking! Even if you’re on the battlefield, you don’t play with dirt like a child…Ouch!”

A gruff, dull sound came from the talking Falk. He seemed to have hit his head on the ceiling of the palace. He grunted briefly, holding his forehead with his hand.

This palace has a cave-like structure that cuts through the stone walls, and there are places with low ceilings in passageways.

Women can easily pass through, so she accidentally neglected her attention. Even though she’s accompanied by the tall Falk, she…

Alme hurriedly pulled Falk’s arm in panic.

“Oh, no! I’m sorry ……! The ceiling is so low here! I should have told you before ……! Are you okay?

“No, it’s my fault I was making so much noise all by myself, so…it’s okay. Not at all.”

“I heard a fairly loud noise… Ah, come here for a second!”

Proceeding through the passageway and pulling him to the small square in the palace. She made him sit on the bench placed along the pillar and checked Falk’s forehead under the light of the magic stone lamp.

When she moved his bangs, she found blood smeared above his eyes – around his hairline. Far from being okay, isn’t he seriously injured?

“Oh my God, there’s blood! You’re bleeding!”

“I’m ashamed to say that I hit it so spectacularly…But it’s okay, don’t panic. It’s just a scratch like this.”

“Are you okay!?”

Alme was startled by the blood that was about to drip, and hurriedly took out her handkerchief and pressed it against his forehead. Then, this time, Falk panicked.

“Whoa! You’re going to get it dirty!”

“That’s all right, that’s what the handkerchief is for! Just hold still for a moment, and I’ll stop the bleeding.”

“But…”

“No, but. Don’t move.”

“…okay…”

While placing a handkerchief on his forehead, she held down Falk’s shoulder with her other hand. Perhaps pressured by the momentum, Falk stopped resisting.

Seeing that he’s become quieter, Alme uses ice magic with the hand holding the wound.

“I’m going to let it cool down a little. I think it will ease the pain.”

“Sorry…”

Falk was left to his own devices and remained still, his back hunched over as if he weren’t there. After a while, he started talking to her in a dejected tone. The Shirotaka story from earlier was resumed.

“……As a follow-up to your earlier story about Shirotaka playing in the dirt…what would you do, Miss Alme, if Shirotaka was very different from what you imagined? Would you dislike it…?”

“Huh? Well, yes. In some cases, I might end up disliking it.”

“I see…”

Falk closed his eyes and muttered sullenly. His expression was grim, perhaps because the injury was painful. Alme strengthened the ice magic a little more.

Concentrating her magic power in her hands, she continued the conversation. In an effort to distract Falk, Alme said in a cheerful tone of voice.

“But I don’t dislike him just for playing in the dirt. I’d be surprised if there was a bigger difference, like he was actually a terrible person.”

“A bigger difference…? Then, if Shiotaka was a pitiful man like me who makes a lot of noise by himself and accidentally bumps his head… what would you do, Miss Alme? Would you be disillusioned…?”

“Haha, that’s an interesting thought. Well, I can’t imagine Shirotaka would be so careless.”

She couldn’t help but laugh at Falk’s what-if story. It reminds her of the Shirotaka she saw at the military march. With silvery hair swaying coolly, sharp golden eyes like those of a falcon, and a dignified figure looking straight ahead. A beautiful high-ranking priest with a mysterious aura.

That priest, who looked like a prince from a land of spirits, was so distracted by his chatter that he didn’t notice the low ceiling, and accidentally bumped his head and groaned. –It’s a sight that’s hard to imagine.

But considering that Shirotaka is also human, she wonder if such a thing happened in everyday life. If so, what would she do if she witnessed such a scene?

After pondering for a while, Alme conveyed the answer to Falk, who had kept his mouth shut and lowered his gaze.

“–If Mr. Shirotaka accidentally hit his head, I would probably apply a handkerchief in the same way.”

“… Wouldn’t you be disappointed by the useless Shirotaka’s appearance…?”

“Rather than being disappointed, I’d be in a hurry. Before the blood drips, I’ll press a handkerchief against it and use my ice magic to cool it down. Just like now…. Ah, but Mr. Shirotaka can use healing magic, so if I do that, it’ll be the other way around. I’m sure he’ll be annoyed.”

Alme chuckled when she imagined it. She wondered if Shirotaka would ever get patched up by people in the first place.

Even if he made a careless mistake, she was sure he would quickly heal without losing his beautiful face and finish the job as if nothing had happened.

She thought so, but Falk expressed a different opinion.

“No…I am sure that if offered a handkerchief, Shirotaka would accept the kindness. Without using healing magic… I think he’d feel spoiled.”

Saying so in a low mutter, Falk had a bashful smile on his face.