I finished my dinner while Ada acted as my protective wall.

Now that Captain Weller had left the restaurant, it didn’t seem like any of the other knights would approach me.

“Master, thanks for the feast. The charcoal grilled chicken went really well with the rock salt. The sour cream and subtle seasoning on the potatoes were also exquisite. It was very delicious.”

Indeed, the master’s cuisine was made with a lot of care, even though his outwards appearance was that of an unreliable old man with a scar on his brow. The dish wasn’t elaborate, but he had made the best use out of the ingredients.

I thought that charcoal grilled food was something that you could only eat at food stalls. I was surprised at the potatoes which tasted almost the same as they looked.

“Ojou-chan, you have a good tongue. I’m glad that it seems to suit your taste.”

“Oh, Master’s being up-front today. He doesn’t normally even if someone compliments him. He must like you, Ayesha-chan.”

Ada sat down on a chair next to me after she saw that most of the guests were gone.

On the other hand, I stood up and tried to return to my room.

There, someone called out to me.

“You might not want my meddling, but where are you moving too?”

“…”

“I understand if you don’t want to talk about it. At any rate, I think that Captain Weller and Roberto-sama will find out where you’re going.”

I stopped.

Ah, that’s probably true.

If it’s like that then would it be better to tell someone who looks like they could help me…?

“I’m thinking of going to Coolden. It’s better for me not to be in the Royal Capital.”

“You’re going to a simple city, aren’t you? Do you know someone there?”

“… No. Is that bad?”

Ada and Master looked at each other.

Ahh, Ada said troubled and stared into space.

“I’m certainly not Roberto-sama, but you make me want to take care of you.”

“But still, I’m an adult now. Do I seem that unreliable?”

I had acquired enough skills in embroidery and sewing as a seamstress. I also thought that I could do paperwork or work as a tutor at a merchant or noble’s house. I also had father’s letter of introduction. I could also clean, do laundry and cook; I had acquired basic self-support skills.

I’ve heard that a lot of commoners chose to live by themselves once they become adults. If commoners can do it, then I don’t think that it was something that a half-commoner like me couldn’t do.

I tilted my head, puzzled.

“You’re a kid from a good background, aren’t you? You seem pretty ignorant of the ways of the world. You’ll get eaten.”

“Yup.”

Even the master agreed.

… I’ll be eaten; in many ways.

It would be impossible for commoners not to get involved with people to protect themselves.

When I thought like that, I was only surrounded by a limited amount of people at the estate, but it could be said that I was blessed because I didn’t encounter violence of starvation as a noble. I know it was kind of late to say this now.

“If I get eaten, then it would be my fault. I’m prepared for that much of a struggle. Thank you for your concern.”

I was able to meet someone who was worried about me on our first meeting. I have good luck.

There might be bad things too, but this meant that there were also good people among commoners who would worry about me.

I quickly lowered my head towards them and returned to my room.

I locked the door properly.

I could finally have time to myself.

Should I think about the future once more?

◊♦◊♦◊♦◊

“Master, that kid is different from the young ladies who stay here.”

“She is.”

“The young ladies who always come here usually have fights with their families, or ran away from home because they got engaged to someone that doesn’t fit their ideal. In the end, they make up with their families, or find other solutions and return home, don’t they? But…… it seems that Ayesha-chan doesn’t have a place to return to.”

“I agree.”

The last customer left and the master, Ada and the other waitresses began cleaning.

The master polished the glasses in silence and Ada wiped the tables. The other waitresses swept the floors and collected rubbish.

In order to create a comfortable space, they needed to carefully maintain the shop.

After they finished cleaning, all the other waitresses, except for Ada, went home.

“Ada, you have the early shift tomorrow, don’t you? Hurry home.”

“… Master, if it’s Coolden then you have an acquaintance there, don’t you? Can’t you secretly introduce them to Ayesha-chan?”

“I have no obligation to look out for her to that extent.”

“Won’t you feel bad if something happens to her? She seems like she’s in some kind of trouble.”

Ada turned back to the master, who was counting the day’s sales, from the exit and said, “Weird people won’t approach her if she’s staying here, isn’t it fine just for a few weeks until she knows she can live safely? You can just introduce her to a safe place to live and work. The chef at the guards’ dining hall is your brother, isn’t he Master? How about somewhere around that neighbourhood?”

“I can’t force my brother to take care of her.”

The master finished counting the day’s sales and wrote it down in a notebook.

“I’m only asking you to be her guarantor. It’s reassuring to work and live somewhere that someone recommended, isn’t it? People treat you differently depending on who you know. If she is introduced by Roberto-sama, then I can only see people treating her formally. People will also pull away from her because she was introduced by a noble. The person herself doesn’t want to be treated like Roberto’s acquaintance.”

“… I’ll just write to my brother.”

“Kyah, Master. You’re so cool!!”

Ada skipped around the master.

Ada was acting childish in comparison to how she looked and the master smiled wryly, “Oh well.”