A duck flew out of a nearby patch of reeds. Not far away, a white fox yelped in frustration. Was it agitated by the loss of its prey, or was it something else altogether?
Godhardt was the first of the three to break the silence.
「What about the venue? We also have to consider the security.」
「The council has already compiled a list of several inns, ranked in order of reputation. There will be no problems no matter which one we pick.」
「Why several…?」
Although Reinhold thought it was a stupid question, he couldn’t help but ask it anyway. He felt that he should know every little detail of this matter.
「It’s a matter of safety. If there is more than one location, the others can serve as a distraction.」
Godhardt answered in a normal tone after sobering up.
「Godhardt-san is right. This time, we have to tighten our security.」
「Do you think there’s a possibility that someone will be aiming for this?」
「Reinhold-san, think about it. His Majesty does not have any direct descendants. If he doesn’t marry, there will be an election to select the emperor in a few decades. You wouldn’t be able to count the number of people throwing their hat into the ring and vying for the crown for their own descendants’ sake.」
「Not only that, the Eastern Kingdom isn’t a monolith. The Collectors of Mysterious Tales will definitely make an appearance, along with the United Kingdom’s Cloaks and Daggers, and the Holy Kingdom’s Apostles’ Long Arms.」
Marcel looked serious while mentioning the names that sounded like a joke. At least they weren’t openly discussing this in a public place.
「Aren’t those organizations just made up? Like fairy tales or something like that.」
「Well, you can never be too careful.」
Regardless of if he agreed with Reinhold or just wanted to change the subject, Godhardt advanced the conversation. He felt a little bad inside, but even if the question continued, nothing could be done about it.
「In any case, arrangements must be made. We have to discuss this with the council.」
「As the saying goes, “Gossip spreads as easily as water flows down the Belfrau river”」
Reinhold and Marcel couldn’t help but nod when the well-read Godhardt spontaneously quoted a line from the “Diesterweg”. The information had to stay only among trustworthy councilmembers. That excluded anyone who was formerly part of Bachschouf’s faction.
「So we should keep it to only Eleonora, Gernot, Holger and Lorentz?」
「I have some reservations, but if you don’t include Nornhausen and Keppen, there won’t be enough for a majority.」
「Should we discuss this with Young Lord Arnoux, too?」
When they listed council members, they were reminded of Izakaya Nobu. It was probably a coincidence, but did that shop have a spell that attracted good fortune? Reinhold was thinking about it when his belly grumbled.
「I’m sorry…」
「It’s fine, you’re young and healthy. Anyway, let’s have a meal here.」
Godhardt smiled at Marcel, who gave a meaningful look.
「We made sure to be prepared for this.」
They took out an oversized basketwoven from reeds from behind his back, and laid out the contents on the boat.
「This is ordered from Izakaya Nobu, a lunch bento.」
「Izakaya Nobu, huh?」
Marcel looked discouraged because he couldn’t visit Nobu easily.
Marcel, who had been very busy ever since the Grand Bazaar, couldn’t go bar-hopping freely. He was extremely earnest, unlike his predecessor Bachschouf, who lived a decadent life.
Rice balls were laid out before them. Reinhold had eaten rice balls in Nobu several times, too. The secret meeting place turned into a late lunch venue in the blink of an eye.
「Is this just rice molded into shapes?」
「Are you familiar with rice, too, Marcel-san?」
Marcel held the rice ball in both hands, as if trying to weigh it. Reinhold hadn’t seen Marcel make that kind of face before.
「I may not look it, but I have been overseeing the entire distribution network of Aitheria after becoming the chairman of the council. I have also received reports that the Eisen Schmidt Company had begun selling sasarica rice.」
「You’re surprisingly hardworking, nothing like your predecessor.」
「You flatter me, Godhardt-san. I believe this is just what I ought to do as chairman.」
Marcel, who was hiding his embarrassment by muttering some self-deprecating words, bit into the rice ball. After one or two bites, his eyes widen in surprise.
「Eh, there’s something in here.」
「I know right? It isn’t just rice molded into shapes.」
Godhardt laughed loudly as if he himself had requested it that way. Reinhold also bit into his rice ball and found salmon inside his. The saltiness played its role well, and it was delicious.
He had wondered what it would be like to eat cold rice, but once he started eating it, he wondered why it was so delicious instead.
「What’s this? It’s spicy but delicious.」
「Oh, that’s called mentaiko. It tastes good with sake, but it pairs well with rice balls too.」
Marcel and Godhardt were proper adults, but the rice balls brought them child-like joy.
As the boatman shared the rice balls, Reinhold extended his hands towards the side dishes.
There were cocktail sausages and tamagoyaki.
He wondered whether sugar had been added into the tamagoyaki, as it tasted slightly sweet.
He did not believe that it was a good idea to include sweet eggs into the meal, but it had a surprisingly strange harmony with the many strong flavours that were present in the rice ball.
Onigiri, tamagoyaki and sausages
The sausages, which had been quickly stir-fried, also paired well with the rice ball. He couldn’t imagine getting tired of it.
It was definitely Taisho’s work. Reinhold wondered whether he had already decided what to put into the rice ball based on the overall composition of flavours, since it was a big deal.
Should he try to arrange a marriage meeting between His Majesty, the Emperor, and the Princess Regent in Izakaya Nobu?
However, Reinhold was unable to bring up his idea.
A duck flew out of a nearby patch of reeds. Not far away, a white fox yelped in frustration. Was it agitated by the loss of its prey, or was it something else altogether?
Godhardt was the first of the three to break the silence.
「What about the venue? We also have to consider the security.」
「The council has already compiled a list of several inns, ranked in order of reputation. There will be no problems no matter which one we pick.」
「Why several…?」
Although Reinhold thought it was a stupid question, he couldn’t help but ask it anyway. He felt that he should know every little detail of this matter.
「It’s a matter of safety. If there is more than one location, the others can serve as a distraction.」
Godhardt answered in a normal tone after sobering up.
「Godhardt-san is right. This time, we have to tighten our security.」
「Do you think there’s a possibility that someone will be aiming for this?」
「Reinhold-san, think about it. His Majesty does not have any direct descendants. If he doesn’t marry, there will be an election to select the emperor in a few decades. You wouldn’t be able to count the number of people throwing their hat into the ring and vying for the crown for their own descendants’ sake.」
「Not only that, the Eastern Kingdom isn’t a monolith. The Collectors of Mysterious Tales will definitely make an appearance, along with the United Kingdom’s Cloaks and Daggers, and the Holy Kingdom’s Apostles’ Long Arms.」
Marcel looked serious while mentioning the names that sounded like a joke. At least they weren’t openly discussing this in a public place.
「Aren’t those organizations just made up? Like fairy tales or something like that.」
「Well, you can never be too careful.」
Regardless of if he agreed with Reinhold or just wanted to change the subject, Godhardt advanced the conversation. He felt a little bad inside, but even if the question continued, nothing could be done about it.
「In any case, arrangements must be made. We have to discuss this with the council.」
「As the saying goes, “Gossip spreads as easily as water flows down the Belfrau river”」
Reinhold and Marcel couldn’t help but nod when the well-read Godhardt spontaneously quoted a line from the “Diesterweg”. The information had to stay only among trustworthy councilmembers. That excluded anyone who was formerly part of Bachschouf’s faction.
「So we should keep it to only Eleonora, Gernot, Holger and Lorentz?」
「I have some reservations, but if you don’t include Nornhausen and Keppen, there won’t be enough for a majority.」
「Should we discuss this with Young Lord Arnoux, too?」
When they listed council members, they were reminded of Izakaya Nobu. It was probably a coincidence, but did that shop have a spell that attracted good fortune? Reinhold was thinking about it when his belly grumbled.
「I’m sorry…」
「It’s fine, you’re young and healthy. Anyway, let’s have a meal here.」
Godhardt smiled at Marcel, who gave a meaningful look.
「We made sure to be prepared for this.」
They took out an oversized basketwoven from reeds from behind his back, and laid out the contents on the boat.
「This is ordered from Izakaya Nobu, a lunch bento.」
「Izakaya Nobu, huh?」
Marcel looked discouraged because he couldn’t visit Nobu easily.
Marcel, who had been very busy ever since the Grand Bazaar, couldn’t go bar-hopping freely. He was extremely earnest, unlike his predecessor Bachschouf, who lived a decadent life.
Rice balls were laid out before them. Reinhold had eaten rice balls in Nobu several times, too. The secret meeting place turned into a late lunch venue in the blink of an eye.
「Is this just rice molded into shapes?」
「Are you familiar with rice, too, Marcel-san?」
Marcel held the rice ball in both hands, as if trying to weigh it. Reinhold hadn’t seen Marcel make that kind of face before.
「I may not look it, but I have been overseeing the entire distribution network of Aitheria after becoming the chairman of the council. I have also received reports that the Eisen Schmidt Company had begun selling sasarica rice.」
「You’re surprisingly hardworking, nothing like your predecessor.」
「You flatter me, Godhardt-san. I believe this is just what I ought to do as chairman.」
Marcel, who was hiding his embarrassment by muttering some self-deprecating words, bit into the rice ball. After one or two bites, his eyes widen in surprise.
「Eh, there’s something in here.」
「I know right? It isn’t just rice molded into shapes.」
Godhardt laughed loudly as if he himself had requested it that way. Reinhold also bit into his rice ball and found salmon inside his. The saltiness played its role well, and it was delicious.
He had wondered what it would be like to eat cold rice, but once he started eating it, he wondered why it was so delicious instead.
「What’s this? It’s spicy but delicious.」
「Oh, that’s called mentaiko. It tastes good with sake, but it pairs well with rice balls too.」
Marcel and Godhardt were proper adults, but the rice balls brought them child-like joy.
As the boatman shared the rice balls, Reinhold extended his hands towards the side dishes.
There were cocktail sausages and tamagoyaki.
He wondered whether sugar had been added into the tamagoyaki, as it tasted slightly sweet.
He did not believe that it was a good idea to include sweet eggs into the meal, but it had a surprisingly strange harmony with the many strong flavours that were present in the rice ball.
Onigiri, tamagoyaki and sausages
The sausages, which had been quickly stir-fried, also paired well with the rice ball. He couldn’t imagine getting tired of it.
It was definitely Taisho’s work. Reinhold wondered whether he had already decided what to put into the rice ball based on the overall composition of flavours, since it was a big deal.
Should he try to arrange a marriage meeting between His Majesty, the Emperor, and the Princess Regent in Izakaya Nobu?
However, Reinhold was unable to bring up his idea.
