Akatsuki Translations

The capital city of Valois Kingdom was surrounded by a circular outer wall, with four gates located at the cardinal directions – east, west, south, and north. 

Among these gates were four main avenues leading towards the central royal palace. Farsa walked along the one known as South Gate Avenue. 

It was just before noon, and the southern part of the capital was a bustling commercial area with shops primarily catering to commoners, lining the streets. 

Numerous stalls and vendors filled the area, their voices echoing as they enticed customers. People from housewives purchasing lunch ingredients to tourists exploring the capital paused and lingered everywhere. 

In the midst of this hustle and bustle, Farsa stepped into the South Gate Plaza, which lay precisely in the middle between the gate and the royal palace. 

At the center of the plaza stood a grand fountain, frequently used as a meeting point for both young and old lovers. 

Several anxious-looking individuals, likely waiting for their loved ones or significant others, surrounded the fountain. Among them, Farsa approached a particularly diminutive figure, seemingly a boy, but upon closer inspection, revealed to be a girl dressed in a gray dress, carrying a backpack, and wearing a cap. Her appearance was somewhat androgynous. 

On her tiptoes, barely noticeable, were faintly pink-painted nails, adorned with a subtle shimmer that could only be discerned if the sun’s rays caught them just right. 

“Sorry for making you wait, Julia. I tried to come a little early, but did I keep you waiting?” -Farsa  

“Ah, Far-nii it’s been a day. I happened to have some errands in this area. But I just got here a moment ago.” -Julia 

The one who responded with a smile to Farsa’s greeting was none other than Julia, the brave heroine. 

Normally, she preferred to wear shorts, reserving dresses and skirts for special occasions or parties. 

Her hair was already cut quite short and hidden under a hat, and she rarely bothered with makeup, which often led her to be mistaken for a young boy during her travels. 

However, her lips, while adorned with a captivating smile directed towards Farsa, were lustrous, and her cheeks were slightly flushed with a pink hue. 

Her lipstick and blush were coordinated to match her nail color, as if she incorporated the latest trends of the capital city into her style. 

“The usual Julia is always adorable, but today, she looks so mature and stunning.” -Farsa 

“Your compliments can be dangerous, Far-nii, but I’ll let it slide today. Just remember, if you try to charm any other girls during our date, I won’t forgive you!” -Julia 

Amidst her teasing, Julia seemed delighted with the compliments, speaking with a coy expression as she clung to Farsa’s arm. 

It had been decided that the second day of Farsa’s vacation would be spent going out with Julia. 

While Palmina should have been given a vacation too, she was busy with church-related matters for a few days. Zenobia, on the other hand, seemed restless until the arrival of Marquis Ctesiphon in the capital, participating in the knights’ training on her own. Therefore, Julia had scheduled her outing ahead of the others. 

Even during their vacation, Julia had minimal training to do as a hero, but apart from that, she had plenty of free time. 

In fact, Farsa had come to this plaza after making an appearance at the royal palace for another matter, but he ended up being a bit later than Julia, despite arriving earlier than the promised time. 

“You know, even when I’m with Julia, I don’t let my eyes wander to other women. I’d like to see the man who’d ignore such an adorable girl,” Farsa remarked with a grin that would make anyone cringe, shamelessly stringing together such audacious lines as always, while gently stroking Julia’s head. 

One might wonder how he could say such things, but Farsa didn’t seem to be embarrassed at all as he continued with his teasing banter. Julia had been in a particularly bad mood when the topic of marriage to Zenobia came up, and in a sense, today’s outing was meant to make up for that. 

“Ugh, Far-nii, you’re so unfair. If you say things like that, I’ll forgive you for anything.” -Julia 

“Julia, if you keep rubbing like that, your lovely makeup might come off. Or are you planning to mark my clothes?” Farsa joked, and Julia quickly moved her face away from his arm with a surprised expression, anxiously checking if any makeup had smudged on Farsa’s jacket. 

“Oops! Sorry, Far-nii. Did I stain it?” -Julia 

The central region of the Valois Kingdom was relatively cool in summer, and even now in early summer, it was comfortable to wear a light jacket. Farsa’s jacket was navy-colored, and the shirt he was wearing underneath was the same light pink color as Julia’s makeup. He wore brown pants and non-prescription glasses, which not only fit the city’s trend but also played a role in his disguise. 

However, if makeup were to stain the navy-colored fabric, it would stand out, so Julia was worried. Fortunately, there was no significant stain. 

“Phew, it must be because I’m not used to makeup. I guess I messed up. Maybe I should act a bit more grown-up?” -Julia  

“Julia is perfect just the way she is. Come on, shall we move now?” -Farsa 

“Oh, Far-nii, you’re so sly! Jeez! Jeez!” -Julia 

Despite the hustle and bustle of the square, Farsa and Julia were carefree and unbothered by their surroundings. This square was also a popular meeting spot for lovers, so such interactions were common here. They blended in well with the crowd, and no one would suspect that a hero and the chief court mage were present. 

Moreover, establishments catering to high-ranking individuals, such as nobles, were concentrated on the eastern side of the capital city, making it uncommon for them to venture to the southern side. 

Yet, Julia was originally from a rural area, and Farsaa had spent a considerable time secluded in the remote border of the Demon Realm. 

Naturally, for two people like them, finding a place where they could spend time without being on edge was a matter of course. 

“Anyway, shall we go for lunch? There’s a restaurant that’s been quite popular in the capital recently, and I thought of going there with you.” -Farsa 

“As long as I’m with Far-nii, I don’t mind eating street food or anything. But if you want to go there, I’ll follow you. Hmph, hmph, hoo-hoo.” -Julia  

Farsa had returned to the capital a few days ago, and he didn’t know when she had gathered information about the popular places in the city, but she had always been quick to catch up with trends. 

For Julia, who cared more about whom she was with rather than what they were doing, she would be happy no matter where they went. Nonetheless, she appreciated that Farsa had thoughtfully planned their outing. 

They arrived at an open café a short distance from the square and took a seat at one of the tables lined up along the street. 

A large parasol was placed at the center of the wooden table, providing shade from the sun’s rays. 

“I didn’t know such a place existed in the capital. It feels open and pleasant, especially on a sunny day like today.” -Julia  

“I thought you’d like the atmosphere here, so I chose it. The lunch set menu seems to be recommended.” -Farsa  

“I don’t really get it, but whatever Far-nii chooses is fine with me!” Julia, petite and perched on a wooden chair provided by the establishment, swung her legs back and forth while resting her cheek in her hand, responding with a beaming smile. 

Farsa chuckled at Julia’s adorable posture and swiftly caught the attention of a busy waiter to place their orders for two. Among the various choices on the set menu, selecting dishes that would suit Julia’s taste was a simple task for Farsa. 

As they waited for their orders to arrive, the two engaged in light-hearted conversation. Then, all of a sudden, Julia seemed to have something on her mind, as she posed a question. 

“By the way, Far-nii, what did you do yesterday? I mean, Zenobia was probably training as usual, and Palmina must have been busy with church matters. But I can’t imagine what you do when you’re alone on your day off.” -Julia  

“Ah, well, I was doing magic training… and treasure hunting. Oh, and I was cooking.” -Farsa 

In the royal capital, Julia and her companions lived in different places, a common arrangement for them. Zenobia had a room in the knight’s quarters, but she usually resided in the mansion of Marquis Ctesiphon. Palmina commuted from her family home in the northern part of the capital to the church. 

As for Farsa, he had various residences, including hidden hideouts. However, his primary residence was in the noble district that surrounded the palace, with buildings lining up like a protective wall. The closer to the palace, the higher the social status of the residents, and consequently, the soaring prices of their mansions. 

The city’s structure featured an outer wall surrounding the palace, with the noble district surrounding that. Another outer wall encompassed the noble district, and a third one enclosed the entire city. 

To enter the palace or the noble district, one had to pass through gates located at the main streets in the east, west, north, or south. Naturally, only nobles and palace staff had easy access, while others found it difficult to enter. 

Although Julia and Palmina were commoners by birth, they possessed special permits issued by the kingdom, allowing them almost unrestricted access to the palace and noble district. 

As for Julia’s current residence, she was lodging in Farsa’s mansion in the noble district. Normally, heroes like her would be assigned rooms within the palace, where they would enjoy lavish treatment and be attended to by maids. 

However, this kind of lifestyle wasn’t particularly enjoyable for Julia, who originally came from a rural background. Having someone constantly looking after her every need was burdensome, and since her return to the royal capital, she had secretly moved into Farsa’s home. 

At first, she intended to impose herself on Zenobia’s residence, but upon hearing that Marquis Ctesiphon was returning to the capital, she decided to be more considerate and moved in with Farsa instead. 

Although they had spent yesterday apart, Julia knew that Farsa would be absent throughout the day. Hence, she couldn’t help but become a little curious. 

By the way, this morning they each had some errands to attend to, which was why they had arranged to meet in the square, just as they had done before. 

“Ugh, it makes no sense to me at all! I can understand the magic training, but how do treasure hunting and cooking connect? Are you teasing me?” -Julia  

“Well, I’m telling you the truth. I know it sounds odd even when I say it out loud. But the cooking turned out pretty good.” -Farsa  

“Aww, Far-nii, I can’t keep up with you. But your cooking is delicious! I want to have it again.” -Julia  

“If Julia is okay with my cooking, I’ll make it for you anytime. I love seeing you enjoy the food.” -Farsa  

Although Farsa’s words weren’t entirely false, they weren’t entirely accurate either. The magic training was about Astarte’s illusion magic, the treasure hunting was the investigation of ruins, and the cooking was something he did with Feo and served to Bedivere. 

Julia was perceptive enough to notice any falsehood, so Farsa had to be careful not to reveal too much and skillfully divert the conversation. In this regard, Farsa’s strategy was working well. 

Originally, Julia was well aware that Farsa often wandered around alone, and she didn’t pry too much into it. 

After that, their conversation turned to the food they had during their journey, and when the ordered dishes arrived, they both enjoyed a delicious lunch. 

However, such peaceful moments were never meant to last forever. 

“A- A demon!!!! Demon at the south gate!” A man ran in their direction, shouting loudly. 

Upon hearing the loud voice, the area fell briefly silent, and then murmurs started to spread. 

“Far-nii!” -Julia 

“Yeah, let’s go.” -Farsa 

After a brief moment of stillness, the area erupted with commotion, but Julia and Farsa were quick to act. 

Farsa placed a gold coin on the table and, together with Julia, activated strengthening magic before dashing towards the south gate.