“The man who was captivated by the songstress, huh. I mean, that sounds like some dorky nickname that looks cool but is actually not cool at all,” Subaru remarked after hearing Anastasia’s grandiose answer.

The one who burst into laughter was none other than Anastasia herself. She tucked her soft hair behind her ear, twirling the ends with her fingers, saying, “Yeah, that nickname feels more like an endearing name than a title of respect. But get this: the guy himself openly states that he was captivated by the songstress!”

“Uh, so what does that mean exactly?”

“It means he’s enamored with a single woman and isn’t shy about declaring his love for her. Don’t you think that’s similar to your behavior during the Royal Selection?”

“That wasn’t exactly a black history moment, but come on, don’t remind me of it.”

Subaru grimaced and clicked his tongue at Julius’s teasing words. The embarrassment from that disgraceful incident at last year’s Royal Selection was enough to make him want to roll around in agony. Although the feelings he had back then weren’t wrong, the way he expressed them certainly was.

Anyway, he continued, “So, I’ve confirmed that he’s not too bright. What kind of person is he?”

“That flashy nickname is a trademark of his, but he’s actually quite serious and flexible. The heir to Muse Company isn’t just inheriting the position because he’s the eldest son; it’s because he possesses genuine business acumen. That’s something you can’t doubt.”

“I can vouch for that too, Natsuki. The young lord of Muse Company, Kiritaka Muse, is a well-known name. Muse Company is an established name that deals primarily in magical ore, and Kiritaka’s skills have earned him respect within that historical brand.”

Otto, who seemed to know about this through his connections with merchants, added more to Anastasia’s words. However, just as he defended Kiritaka, he suddenly glared at Anastasia and said, “Of course, we prioritized inquiries regarding the high purity magical ores that Emilia-sama seeks to specialized merchants who deal in them. While we couldn’t act too publicly, I suppose we did consult with Muse Company too… The fact that they didn’t show their cards suggests they have their motives. I’m more curious about how you know that, Anastasia.”

“Isn’t it a matter of trust? Or perhaps a matter of sincerity? It’s only natural that the person wanting something would have a better recollection of how things went, right?”

“Well, let’s keep it that way, shall we?”

Otto decided not to press further on Anastasia’s evasive answer. He then switched the main topic to the magical ore in question.

“First off, is there really existing magical ore that we want?”

“I understand your doubt, but I can’t very well spin a lie that would be discovered the moment it’s confirmed. It’s in an obvious place, and they can’t simply deny its existence.”

“Got it. So we can handle negotiations on our side, right? There aren’t conditions or anything we need to fulfill on your end, are there?”

“You’re a bit of a worrywart, you know? But fret not. We just happen to have information on the whereabouts of the magical ore Emilia and the others are looking for. That’s all—I agreed on that with Otto just a moment ago, right?”

Anastasia’s reasoning was that goodwill doesn’t have a price tag.

Otto seemed to understand that and fell silent, while they reached an agreement regarding the handling of magical ore. When the conversation hit a lull, Emilia timidly raised her hand.

“Um, is it okay if I ask something?”

“Ask away! When it comes to business and personal relationships, it all comes down to trust. If clearing up doubts is for the best, that’s cheap at the cost!”

“I can already tell you are going to say something about it costing money…”

“If it were a matter of hourly pay, then it would be a different story! Well, mostly you’re right.”

As Subaru shrugged in response to Anastasia’s smile, Emilia tilted her head to ask a question, “I understood about Kiritaka, but I was wondering— who is this ‘songstress’? Are they a famous person?”

Though it was a simple enough question, Subaru nodded in agreement. Kiritaka Muse’s beloved songstress… In his knowledge, the name Muse referred to something like the “Goddess of Songs” or something. It was a bizarre and twisted coincidence, but if fate meant he was drawn to the songstress, that would be quite romantic.

“As long as this songstress isn’t some historical figure like ‘the Hero of the Wasteland’, that is! If they suddenly turn out to be some historical nerd, I wouldn’t know what to do.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. The modern ‘songstress,’ Miss Liliana, is a real woman currently residing in Watergate City Pristella. She’s in quite a position where Kiritaka is very protective of her, to put it mildly.”

“‘Currently,’ you say? So she used to be someone else?”

“I’ve heard she was originally a wandering bard who sang while traveling around. Along the way, she was recognized by Kiritaka, resulting in her current situation.”

Listening to Julius’s answer, Subaru envisioned a little bird trapped in a cage. A free bird that had been captured by the eye of some power-hungry person. It felt like a classic story.

Kiritaka, who displayed obsessive love, had likely trapped Liliana in a prison of unfreedom as well.

“That doesn’t sound very good. Songs shouldn’t be restricted; they are meant to be free!”

“I agree with you on that. But I feel there may be some misunderstanding here. It’s not easy to say ‘don’t be attached’ when considering Kiritaka’s obsession with Liliana.”

“My fondness for Kiritaka is gradually plummeting. Negotiations are still on, but can we really count on him? Given my impression, he sounds like a stubborn guy who’s impossible to deal with.”

He pictured the quintessential greedy rich man, overweight and oozing with avarice. He also recalled Otto mentioning that this character had completely ignored requests for magical ore while feeling smug.

“Bringing Emilia before such a lecherous guy sends chills down my spine.”

“I think Emilia should be fine. Kiritaka is a bit tricky to deal with, but he’s not that indiscriminately nasty. However…”

Julius stopped mid-sentence, contemplating how best to express what came next.

Noticing this rare hesitation from him, Subaru raised an eyebrow, while Julius sighed softly, then shifted his gaze between Emilia and Subaru, saying, “Just in case, it might be better not to bring Beatrice along.”

“What do you mean by that?!”

“By the way, Kiritaka is quite amicable with us. I think you’ll manage to convey your circumstances decently enough.”

Julius’s words and Anastasia’s words meshed together in Subaru’s mind. Standing up, he combined both their opinions into a single conclusion.

“So… he might be a lolicon?”

“Let’s say he has an unyielding standard that’s hard for others to fathom. Of course, that doesn’t undermine Anastasia’s charm.”

“Your attempt at a backup falls short of grace.”

Even if it was a clumsy effort, Anastasia didn’t seem to mind the comment. Being unrefuted gave Subaru clearance to accept this dilemma, although part of him felt a sense of, “Not again…”

“One troublesome lolicon is quite enough with Krlind around…”

Thinking of the slender butler’s face made Subaru want to hold his head. However, the drastic difference between Krlind and Kiritaka was that Krlind showed no interest in Anastasia.

Krlind valued inner maturity; no matter how youthful a girl looked on the outside, if she showed signs of growing character, he’d lose interest. His attitude towards Ryuzu and Emilia exemplified that. How the world appeared to him was uncertain, but he saw through Emilia’s immature depths and respected her as a mental child.

In contrast, it looked like Kiritaka was focused on outer appearances. He likely saw Anastasia as his age, despite her mature physique. Given that the chance of her continuing to grow was nearly nonexistent, she’d be seen as a legal loli. Kiritaka’s fondness for her prejudices became too clear to ignore.

“My Beatrice can adapt to both Krlind’s and Kiritaka’s types, being the ultimate loli…”

“I don’t quite understand, but I can’t shake the feeling that sounds quite rude.”

“Idiot! That’s not it! I’m seriously worried about you! You… you have a dangerously enticing charm just by existing. Be aware of it and put me at ease!”

“Uh, if you’re worried… then I guess I should be cautious? Hehehe.”

Despite calling out her lack of danger awareness, Beatrice grabbed Subaru’s sleeve cheerfully. For the moment, it might be wise not to take our eyes off Beatrice in this city.

“Um, so is it correct to say you like short girls?”

“That’s an innocent answer. What I mean is a more straightforward delight in plucking blue fruits… ”

“Stop! Don’t infect our sheltered angel with any more weird notions! I’ve understood enough about that person! There’s no need for any further details! Okay, stop!”

Subaru’s dramatic defense maneuver of shielding Beatrice with his left hand while covering Emilia with his right hand demonstrated his overly protective tendencies, prompting laughter from Anastasia and even a suppressed smile from Julius.

“Regardless of what Natsuki does, I’ve grasped the conditions and other issues. I’d like to establish contact with Kiritaka as soon as possible. Should we approach his company directly?”

“That sounds right. Kiritaka is quite a busy individual. Given his involvement in city operations, he should be at either the city hall or the company.”

Otto confirmed to reestablish things, to which Anastasia replied in kind. Receiving this, Otto turned with his jaw jutted out as if deep in thought and faced Subaru and the others.

“To be blunt, having a sudden talk with him might not go well. I’d prefer to contact him beforehand and arrange a proper atmosphere for a calm discussion… Where are we headed?”

“Well… to be honest, it’s hard to call either option feasible, considering I don’t have the slightest grasp of this town’s map,” Subaru said, feeling overwhelmed.

Looking down from the main gate, he could see that the scale of Pristella was magnificent. Although not as grand as the Royal Capital, the unfamiliar streets posed their own threat. Subaru had confidence in his sense of direction, but in the intricately winding paths of Pristella where the waterways were prioritized, he questioned how useful his navigational skills would really be.

“Perhaps there are guides utilizing small boats along the waterways. As many tourists come to visit, they probably shower clients with hospitality, thinking they’re a cash cow.”

“Just between us, I tend to get seasick. Back in elementary school during a field trip when we crossed a lake by boat, I had the worst motion sickness, leaving me in ruin!”

“I don’t really get it, but your memory sounds painful.”

Subaru recalled that difficult memory, and Beatrice looked at him with pity. However, lamenting over the past and letting it hinder present actions was pathetic. With no worries about losing his way, Subaru pondered whether he should just follow Otto’s proposal. Just then,

“Sorry for interrupting the conversation, but let me calm your worries; they are unfounded.”

“Julius, what do you mean?”

Emilia responded with widened eyes to Julius’s sudden interruption.

Julius smiled faintly at Emilia, saying, “It’s simple, really. We’ve already sent someone on our side to Kiritaka regarding the meeting. Before long, a messenger should return, allowing us to discuss in detail.”

“A messenger? Who?”

“I dispatched my younger brother Joshua and a man named Ricardo as messengers.”

Hearing this from Julius, Subaru realized where the two who weren’t present here had gone. At the same time, he found the consideration a bit of a pain.

In a way, it was common sense to address expected problems; and yet,

“The welcome at the inn and the sudden efficiency has been over the top.”

“As the hosts, it’s only natural to make arrangements. It’s not worth elaborating, Subaru. I’ll keep quiet about the details.”

“Understood.”

Julius’s exaggerated manner of speaking hadn’t changed one bit. Strengthening his rivalry with Julius while scratching his head over the speed of their actions, Subaru thought.

“With that, let’s pitifully wait for the two to return. There’s no point in visiting with my bodyguard still absent.”

“Right.”

With his legs crossed casually, Subaru mentioned the absence of Garfiel since they entered the inn. Immediately, Anastasia was all ears, exclaiming, “My fellows haven’t returned either! What’s going on? That Garfiel kid, what type of person is he? You need to tell me all about it!”

“His name is Garfiel Tinsel. A dreamy, fantastical 15-year-old with a bad habit of chewing hard things and an obnoxiously loud snore. But he’s genuinely earnest and pure, even if he gets beaten up by his crush!”

“Wow, he sounds really likable.”

Anastasia seemed desperate not to let her adorable junior be taken, but Subaru was also eager to pitch Garfiel. Regardless of whether he should set him up with Mimi, he had no doubts about promoting Garfiel.

“I wonder what kind of beautiful voice the songstress has. I really want to know. Would it be possible to ask her to sing if we can meet her somewhere?”

“Liliana-samaa is a very sociable woman. If it’s something Emilia-sama wants, she certainly wouldn’t refuse. You might naturally run into her when you meet Kiritaka, so it might be good to ask then.”

“Wow, that’s great! I’m looking forward to it!”

Meanwhile, Emilia’s growing excitement about the songstress seemed to bolster the expectations further based on Julius’s words.

Watching the exchange between the two groups, Otto sighed heavily, “I thought the relationship between royal candidates would be far more cutthroat… am I just thinking too much?”

“There’s no need to feel down. It seems less about you worrying too much and more about Subaru and Emilia not worrying enough,” Beatrice added rather sympathetically.

It was a clear sign that Otto would likely face mental and physical exhaustion during their stay in this city.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

When Garfiel finally returned and joined Subaru and the others, Joshua and the others who had gone to set up a meeting with Kiritaka Muse as Anastasia’s messenger came back at almost the same timing.

“Kiritaka seems to be quite busy today; instead of the city hall, he’s holed up at the Muse Company’s office. If you go there, he should be able to make some time for you.”

“Got it, thanks for the hard work, Joshua.”

Joshua, returning to his master and brother’s side, cast a glance at Subaru and the others before reporting. Anastasia nodded with satisfaction, then the gaze shifted back toward them.

“Thank you for coming all the way from afar. I believe Anastasia-sama has already spoken with you, and I’ve conveyed what we need to Kiritaka.”

“Yeah, thanks for taking the trouble. That keeps us from losing any unnecessary time.”

“Don’t mention it. I’m just following orders from Anastasia-sama. If I could, I wouldn’t want to have you meet my brother at all.”

“You’re so honest, as always.”

It was rare for Julius to look surprised at Joshua’s open disdain for Subaru. It seemed he wasn’t aware of his brother’s hostility towards Subaru.

“Joshua, everyone here is under the invitation from Anastasia-sama. Any rudeness directed at the guests reflects poorly on Anastasia-sama’s name. Mind yourself,” Julius advised with a pointed tone.

“… My apologies, brother.”

Joshua sulked with a disgruntled look. Julius sighed softly and then turned his appreciative glance towards Subaru, saying, “I apologize as well. I’ll excuse my brother for acting out, though he wouldn’t normally behave this way… perhaps he feels on edge in this unfamiliar environment.”

“I’m not really bothered; if it’s an unfamiliar environment, then your big brother should reel him in properly. I’m really fed up with both of you snapping at me.”

“Hmph, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Julius nodded in a manner that oscillated between sarcasm and jest. While Joshua looked on with dissatisfaction, Subaru caught his eye, causing him to promptly turn his head away. It seemed to be a deep-seated jealousy.

“Alright then, we’ll take advantage of your kindness and head to Kiritaka’s place. This inn is our base, right?”

“Absolutely. The ‘Water’s Feather Robe Inn’ is not just unique but also has a reputation for satisfaction and quality. Look forward to dinner!”

“Great! I’ll be looking forward to it,” Emilia responded cheerfully to Anastasia’s confidence.

Then she brushed her long silver hair down with her hands, saying, “To eat delicious food without worries, we need to have a proper chat with Kiritaka.”

With that, Emilia took the lead, and they all exited the inn together. According to Joshua, a gondola was waiting at the waterway in front of the store.

“Hey there, don’t leave me behind!” cried Garfiel, who dashed out of the inn, disheveled with glistening golden hair and slightly dirty clothes, showing a rather exhausted expression as he joined the four.

“Man, I just went through a terrible ordeal. If that big dog-faced guy hadn’t shown up, I’d have been tossed around a lot more,” he lamented.

“Dog-faced? Is that Ricardo? Didn’t you get to fool around on a date with Mimi until that shouty guy stopped you?”

“Date? Don’t make me laugh! That little girl dragged me off, and shortly afterward, another little brat popped out, and I almost got killed by a sobbing kid. I couldn’t fight back without also making them cry, so I ran all over the place…”

According to Garfiel, it was Ricardo who saved him from that disaster. Of course, it was easy to imagine Mimi and her chaotic little brothers—likely Tibby, being calm and composed enough to stay out of trouble while her sister, Hetero, lost it over being one-upped.

“Well, once I showed up in the common room, no one was around anymore. I ended up sprinting out in a panic.”

“Oh man, my bad. We were on our way to negotiate with someone who supposedly has magical ore we need. If I’d gone without you, it’d have made no sense to bring you along in the first place.”

“Hey, that’s not right!”

Welcoming Garfiel into their party, Subaru and the others made their way to the waiting gondola. The friendly boat owner stood ready at the waterway, where the group loaded onto the small boat one by one.

The boat was rather on the small side for a river transport, tailored more for tourists and city residents, holding about eight people including the owner.

“If we made it too big, it would breach city laws. Besides, as a guide, I need to ensure mutual access, you see. It’s about sharing.”

The dark-skinned boat owner responded to Subaru’s inquiries with a grin.

Typically, he hadn’t given it any thought while traveling by dragon carts along the main roads, but he learned that the waterway transport had its own set of traffic rules within the city.

“If we collide and sink, the blame would fall on the owner’s craft skills. It’s also a boat I inherited from my parents, so I can’t just let it sink without facing them.”

“That’s understandable. Do you ever run into any trouble with water dragons and such?”

“Didn’t I say we share? There’s no way we could cross water dragons, so if we spot one, the customary practice is letting them pass first. Some guides even let small water dragons pull their boats, so it’s worth giving that a try at least once.”

As the owner encouraged him with a bright smile, Subaru found himself wanting to experience it once. It reminded him of the thrill when he saw an earth dragon for the first time. Maybe he’d feel something similar when encountering a water dragon.

“Sailing on water is a first for me. I’m really excited!”

“Is that so? I mean, it’s not like there’s an ocean here…”

“Ocean? What’s that?”

“Basically endless water. Where I come from, it was all around.”

“Oh really? Then at least if I get thirsty, it’s a relief knowing I can drink from it!”

Subaru chuckled at Emilia’s childlike response. Unfortunately, drinking seawater when thirsty is about as effective as hitting a dead-end.

“Most rivers here have bridges. When smuggling, boats sometimes can come into play without going through the bridges.”

“You seem to speak from experience,” Subaru joked.

“I-I’ve never done that! N-no, it’s purely hearsay knowledge! Don’t point any strange accusations at me!”

“Otto, you’re sweating like crazy,” Subaru noted, ignoring Otto’s protest.

With the signal from the boat owner, the small boat began its gentle glide onto the waterway’s main stream.

Flowing along the left lane of the water’s current towards the center of the city, Subaru realized something strange: looking at the opposite side from the boat’s edge, the current appeared to go uphill against the slope.

“What’s up with this water flow?”

“Hehehe. I actually know! Look at that tower at the edge of town!”

As Emilia tapped Subaru’s shoulder and pointed forward, he turned to see a tall stone tower next to the city’s outer wall. Each cardinal direction of the round city appeared to have one of these massive towers prominently standing.

“That tower controls the flow of the water within the town. It’s embedded with an incredibly complex magic device powered by magical ore. They regulate the large water gates within the city from there, too.”

“Wow, that’s fascinating. Even if it’s different to be on water, it’s refreshing to know they follow traffic rules like keeping to the left lane.”

Subaru nodded along with Emilia’s explanation, learning about the unique mechanisms of waterway operation in the city.

Watergate City Pristella, indeed, had many aspects that set it apart from other cities. There seemed to be plenty of rules and regulations to keep track of.

“You mentioned something about city laws and regulations, right?”

“Are you talking about Kiritaka? You did mention that. I wonder what kind of person he is… I hope we can talk him into passing off some magical ore.”

Emilia touched her pendant, mumbling hesitantly as she gazed down.

Hearing her murmured thoughts, Subaru placed his chin in his hand, staring downward, and spoke softly, “—…”

“Uh, what did you just say?”

It seemed only Beatrice had picked up on Subaru’s barely audible words. With a puzzled expression, Beatrice turned to Subaru, along with the others.

Looking back at all their faces in sequence, Subaru smiled and said,

“Uh-oh, feeling like I might puke.”

In an instant, the boat erupted into chaos.