Chapter 51: A Qualified Guide
Reinhard took a deep breath, then slowly spoke, "Though I am deeply sorry for asking, I still hope you can explain your purpose for coming here?"
"My purpose?" Yumesaki looked at Reinhard in surprise.
Reinhard nodded, lowering his gaze to look at the knight's sword in his own hand.
"This sword is my partner—a very selfish partner that will only leave its scabbard when encountering a strong opponent."
"Yet just now, the exact moment I met you, my partner became restless."
"This is something I have never encountered before."
"However, this very fact explains that you are an incredibly powerful expert. As a knight of this nation, I must know the purpose of your visit to our country."
Hearing these words, Yumesaki suddenly remembered that in the original storyline, because Reinhard was too powerful, he was forbidden from crossing the borders of the Kingdom of Lugnica without prior permission.
Why?
Because he was too strong—so strong that a single man could flatten an entire army.
Therefore, without obtaining permission, the moment Reinhard crossed the national border and stepped into another country's territory, it would be treated as a declaration of war without notice, triggering an all-out conflict.
And Reinhard strictly adhered to this agreement.
After all, he was the knight among knights.
Now that Reinhard was asking this, he clearly viewed Yumesaki as an opponent of the same caliber.
An expert of this level sneaking secretly into Lugnica and being discovered by him—no matter the circumstances, he had to understand this person's origins and goals.
Yumesaki smiled and said, "If I told you I came to this country for sightseeing, would you believe me?"
"Sightseeing?"
Reinhard was stunned for a moment. The answer was completely unexpected, yet it also made sense.
Lugnica, under the protection of the Divine Dragon, enjoyed favorable weather and bountiful harvests. Major disasters essentially never occurred, and the happiness level of the citizens was always excellent. Every day, countless people came here for business or even sightseeing.
Yumesaki's answer could only be described as perfectly ordinary.
Reinhard thought for a moment, then spoke with a pleasant look, "If that is the case, please allow me to act as a guide to take you around the city, how about it?"
Yumesaki understood. This was a move to place him under direct surveillance right in front of his eyes.
"Are you that afraid of me?" He found it both amusing and baffling.
"I am indeed very afraid." Reinhard did not deny it. Instead, he said as if it were the most natural thing, "People like you and me, if left unchecked, possess an explosive destructive power that is enough to destroy this city."
"Therefore, after realizing your strength, I cannot let you act entirely as you please."
"Regarding this point, I apologize."
"If you have any grievances, you are entirely welcome to vent them on me. I am willing to bear it alone."
After finishing his sentence, he bowed his head solemnly to Yumesaki in apology.
Seeing his attitude, Yumesaki couldn't help but sigh.
There was a saying that went something like this:
Sincerity is the ultimate killing move.
Especially when it came to an honest person like Reinhard being this sincere, what else could Yumesaki possibly do?
"Alright, since you've put it that way, I can only agree. It just so happens I was lacking a good guide anyway."
Reinhard blanked for a second, then immediately smiled.
"It is a great honor."
Next, under Reinhard's guidance, Yumesaki began strolling through the royal capital.
As a local, Reinhard knew the best food spots and entertainment places in the royal capital inside and out.
Standing on a wide street, Reinhard raised his hand to point toward the front and said:
"Let us start from the third street. The Honey Speech Workshop over there has a very distinct signboard. Although it isn't flashy, the molten honey cakes made by their family are absolutely delicious."
Yumesaki snapped his fingers and said, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go."
Reinhard nodded, then led the way ahead.
Subsequently, Yumesaki witnessed firsthand Reinhard's popularity in this nation.
No matter where they walked, there were always people warmly greeting Reinhard.
"Out on patrol again, Master Reinhard?"
"Master Reinhard is looking as energetic as always today."
"As expected of Master Reinhard."
"Would you like to try an apple from my shop, Master Reinhard?"
"My apologies." Reinhard turned his head slightly and nodded to the shop owner selling apples. His voice was gentle yet clear, and his footsteps showed no signs of stopping.
"I have an appointment today, perhaps next time."
He effortlessly led Yumesaki around a corner into a small alley, and the noise behind them suddenly felt as if it were separated by an invisible barrier.
Yumesaki couldn't help but look back at the bustling crowd of residents, asking curiously, "Do you get mobbed like this every time you leave the house?"
"More or less. Everyone is very warm, so I also wish to return that warmth."
When Reinhard said this sentence, a faint smile graced his face.
However, he quickly shifted the topic. "We have arrived at the Honey Speech Workshop. Please mind the threshold; the foundation here is one level lower than the street surface."
Yumesaki let out a soft chuckle, raising his head to look over.
The Honey Speech Workshop was indeed inconspicuous. The wooden signboard had been weathered by time until it was smooth and polished.
Yet the moment the door was pushed open, a blended aroma of honey and butter struck all the olfactory nerves like a gentle straight punch, completely overwhelming the senses.
Behind the counter, the shop owner—a white-haired grandmother—raised her head, squinting her eyes to look at them for three seconds before revealing a toothless smile. "Oh, the little red-haired boy is here."
"Little red-haired boy?" Yumesaki almost choked on his own breath.
Good grief, who exactly was this old grandmother? There didn't seem to be any mention of this character in the original storyline.
For this old grandmother to dare call Reinhard the "little red-haired boy," their relationship was definitely not superficial.
Sure enough, the things shown in the original plot were just the tip of the iceberg of a person's life.
Moreover, Reinhard was merely a supporting character, not the main protagonist.
It was perfectly normal for him to have relationships with other unknown characters.
Hearing the nickname "little red-haired boy," the tips of Reinhard's ears flushed with a very faint tint of pink, but his face remained unchanged as he stepped forward. "Grandmother Martha, two servings of your signature molten honey cakes, please. One serving with extra honey."
The old grandmother nodded and said, "Wait a moment."
Not long after, the honey cakes were served.
When the honey cakes arrived, they were still piping hot. The outer crust was baked to a perfect golden-brown color. Pressing down gently with a wooden spoon, the honey filling inside immediately oozed out slowly, radiating an amber glow under the sunlight.
The moment Yumesaki took his first bite, his pupils dilated.
The outer layer was crispy, the inside was soft and dense, and the sweetness of the honey wasn't the harsh, piercing kind. Instead, it was wrapped in a refreshing, flower-like aroma. As it flowed down the throat, his entire body felt as if it were soaked in warm water.
"Delicious."
Yumesaki had to admit, this food was truly spectacular.
The ingredients were very ordinary, but the technique defied imagination.
It was crystal clear that this was the culmination of the old grandmother's lifelong technique—the result of decades of hard practice to produce such an incredibly delicious honey cake.
When it came to sweet treats, she was undoubtedly an authority in the field.
Even if Cosette or Erina Nakiri came here, they wouldn't necessarily be able to make something better than this old grandmother.
Hearing Yumesaki's praise, a faint smile appeared between Reinhard's brows and eyes.
He ate his own portion of honey cake slowly and methodically, occasionally using a napkin to wipe his fingertips, behaving so elegantly that it felt completely out of place with this cramped little shop.
After stepping out of the Honey Speech Workshop, Yumesaki's mood had clearly become much more relaxed than before.
"Where should we go next?" he asked.
"There is an exhibition match at the arena today," Reinhard said calmly. "It is not an official battle, but rather some demonstrations from the newly promoted knights. Would you like to go watch it? The viewing deck on the third floor is the best; you can watch while having some food."
"They even have this kind of operation?"
Yumesaki was surprised. This was another plot point that didn't exist in the original storyline.
Knights could actually have exhibition matches.
But it seemed completely normal; after all, what the storyline displayed was only a small fraction of this world.
Half an hour later, Yumesaki was sitting on the open viewing deck on the third floor of the arena. Spread out in front of him was a plate of meat skewers sprinkled with spice powder, a glass of iced carbonated fruit drink, and a small plate of golden-yellow chips whose name he couldn't recall, which tasted similar to potato chips but crisper.
Down in the arena below, two young knights were performing a demonstration of sword techniques.
Sword light crisscrossed, and the sound of clashing metal echoed clearly inside the circular building. Every now and then, cheers and applause erupted from the spectator seats.
Yumesaki took a bite of a meat skewer. The quality of the meat was unexpectedly tender and smooth. The spices were a blended formula that brought a touch of heat, just right to suppress the gamey smell of the wild meat without providing overstimulation.
He watched while eating, suddenly realizing something. "You used to fight down there too, right?"
"A very long time ago."
Reinhard raised his own carbonated drink, the tiny bubbles on the surface of the liquid constantly rising and popping. "The first time I went onto the field, I was ten years old. I was so nervous I almost threw my scabbard out."
"You? Nervous?" Yumesaki didn't believe it at all.
Reinhard smiled slightly, and within that smile was an almost childlike expression that was rarely shown in front of strangers.
"Actually, I can still get nervous even now. Every time I draw my sword, my heart always beats rapidly."
"Because you have to fight?"
"No," the red-haired Sword Saint lowered his eyelids, his voice incredibly light. "Because every time I draw my sword, it means I have to bear the consequences that follow. The weight of that... it has never become any lighter."
The atmosphere fell quiet for a moment.
Yumesaki couldn't help but admire him in his heart. This was unmistakably Reinhard; this guy was truly upright and honest to a fault.
Down in the arena below, a thrilling sequence of rapid sword clashes suddenly rang out. The clashing of metal was as dense as heavy rain pounding on banana leaves, and the spectator seats erupted into massive cheers, which conversely made this quiet moment feel even more distinct.
Whatever, this isn't my business.
Yumesaki quickly and decisively shifted the topic, picking up a fresh meat skewer and handing it over. "Try it? If you don't eat it, it'll get cold."
Reinhard accepted the meat skewer, the faint haze in his eyes vanishing as they returned to a clear, sky-blue color.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." Yumesaki smiled slightly, then continued to enjoy the fight below.
More accurately, the exhibition match.
Although both knights fought very fiercely, they avoided vital spots flawlessly.
In the eyes of an expert, this was a performance.
But in the eyes of laymen, this was a magnificent match, and the cheers because of it grew increasingly enthusiastic.
Yumesaki enjoyed it with great interest.
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