Chapter 62
“Wow, wow, I didn’t expect to get up so early for nothing! This is quite the hassle! I wonder what that Phoenix is doing, drinking so much at a time like this. It feels like a fight could break out at any moment!”
Aierjisi sat on a roadside bench, continuously complaining about the Phoenix. In a situation where conflict could erupt at any second, one would think they should stay alert, yet here it was, getting tipsy! What on earth? Why is this reckless character a fellow Earthling of mine?
“Hey, Aier, enough whining already. Let’s just chill, okay?”
Yake handed Aierjisi a bowl of preserved egg and lean meat porridge he had just bought from a nearby stall, hoping it would warm her up and soothe her irritation.
“Chill? How can I chill when there’s all this chaos?”
Aierjisi grumbled back at Yake, but she obediently took the hot porridge he offered and started drinking.
“Ah, this porridge is actually quite nice! Not too salty, not too bland, just perfect! And the temperature is just right, my tongue won’t get burned.”
“Right? It’s decent. Since we’re out here and can’t find that Phoenix for now, why not take a stroll around the city?”
“Fine, there’s really nothing to do back home anyway. Let’s explore for a bit, Yake, let’s go.”
After finishing the porridge in one gulp, Aierjisi stood up to continue her little adventure.
“Ugh… This place is super boring. Not nearly as interesting as Pield.”
Not even ten minutes of wandering, and Aierjisi was already feeling drained. This place was painfully dull. Maybe it was because Panimir’s geographic location was lacking, but the streets were so chilly that she barely wanted to move, and the shops here weren’t eye-catching at all. Nowhere near as fun as Pield.
“Of course! Pield is a commercial hub; nothing here can compare.”
Hearing Aierjisi’s complaints, Yake couldn’t help but sweat. Panimir was indeed remote, and even the Bilmack Empire wasn’t keen on attacking here since there was absolutely no strategic value—just a waste of manpower. No way it could compete with a bustling commercial city like Pield.
“Then why are we even browsing? There’s nothing around! What a waste of time!”
Aierjisi said, her irritation bubbling over, and she almost lifted her foot to kick Yake.
“Well, it’s not like there’s absolutely nothing. I asked some palace attendants and apparently, Panimir has a very special delicacy.”
“Delicacy?! What’s it called? Where can we get it?”
At the mention of food, Aierjisi perked up instantly. This was one of the few joys since she arrived in this other world. Especially since her current appetite was massive; she could devour a lot of food all at once. Time to eat to her heart’s content!
“I don’t know the name, but I heard it’s sold at the bakery around here.”
“Bakery?”
Five minutes later… Aierjisi and Yake found a nearby bakery, and Yake relayed the information he got from the attendants to the shop owner.
“I see, what you’re asking about is called Golden Smile. It’s a specialty of Panimir, and yes, I do sell it here. But it’s usually made fresh, so if you want it, I can prepare it for you right now. However, before that…”
“Of course, payment is needed, right? How much is it?”
Yake quickly understood the shop owner’s meaning; after all, it was freshly made food, so asking for payment upfront made sense.
“One costs about 5 copper coins.”
“Alright, let’s start with ten, then. Here.”
Yake took out a silver coin and handed it to the shop owner. He had wanted to buy just two initially, but considering the Little Princess’s appetite, it was smarter to get ten.
“Okay, take a seat for a moment, I’ll get those ready for you.”
As the shop owner went to the kitchen, Yake turned to Aierjisi, wanting to remind her to wait patiently for the food to be made. But when he got to her, he found she was already munching on a bun!
“Hey! You’ve already started?!”
“Of course! With a fight possibly brewing any moment now, I need to replenish my magic power by eating as much as I can. Besides, I already paid for it, so there’s nothing shocking about it.”
Aierjisi cast a sidelong glance at a flabbergasted Yake, then returned her focus to the bun in her hands.
“I… I thought you hadn’t paid and just started chowing down! Then I’d have to apologize to the shop owner!”
Yake wiped the sweat from his forehead. Seeing Aierjisi gnawing on the bun had shocked him; he seriously thought she hadn’t paid!
“Do I look like someone without common sense? Don’t forget I’m not just a sheltered Little Princess stuck in the palace; I’ve got a good grasp of societal norms.”
“Yeah, yeah, I misunderstood, I apologize.”
“By the way, what were you about to say?”
“Huh? Oh, it was nothing. Just thought I’d mention the shop owner is busy in the kitchen preparing our food, so just wait here and don’t wander off.”
“Got it. You too, let’s just wait here. Oh, by the way, want some of this?”
Aierjisi pulled out an egg tart-like treat from her bag and offered it to Yake. It would be boring just sitting here waiting; munching on bread while waiting for the food to be made was a delightful multitask!
“No thanks, I’ll just wait here. Huh? Wait, isn’t that a smithy over there?”
Yake stood up to look across the street where it seemed a smithy was located.
“Yeah, that’s definitely a smithy. What’s up? Are you thinking of buying new weapons? You already have that sword I gave you.”
“Not that, it is indeed a fine sword. But I’m just gonna check out the smithy to see if they have anything I want. You stay here, okay?”
Yake stepped out of the bakery and headed over to the smithy across the street, hoping to find some new gear he might need.
