Heroes in the Moonlight

by Yuri Kitayama

  “But it didn’t seem like he was bothered by anything in particular, did it?” Natalie asked, digging deeper for Chloe’s intent to confirm the truth.

  “That may be true, but I just can’t accept it myself. He even saved my mother and little sister when Amande was being attacked by monsters...” Chloe hung her head in regret.

  “Well, it’s the job of a senior to hear out the woes of their junior workers. For Chloe’s sake, I’ll tell you what I have of his profile,” Cosette said.

  “I guess we have no choice.” Natalie’s lips loosened into a smile as she sighed in exasperation.

  “From what I can see, Sir Haruto is a friendly and easygoing person, but he won’t start the conversation himself. He’s sensitive about his distance to others, and has quite a wide sense of personal space. The way he’s used to women isn’t because he’s a womanizer, but he’s not completely immune to them either. It’s not like he’s without secrets, but I believe he has a very sincere personality. His defenses are probably very high, but he treats the people he’s close to very well. If you can put yourself in a position closer than friends but not quite lovers, you should be able act persistently without being treated harshly in return,” Cosette explained easily, mostly towards Chloe.

  “I see you’ve done another detailed psychoanalysis. For a man, no less.” Natalie couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

  “Thanks, I’ll take that as a compliment,” Cosette said with a grin. “By the way, this is my warning insofar as winning him over: because of our positions, even if we become close to Sir Haruto, pursuing him with persistence would be a bad idea. We have to slowly and steadily make contact with him every chance we get, leaving an impression on him of ourselves — to a degree that isn’t rude. If you don’t have much romantic experience, you shouldn’t be aggressive with the way you show your affections. Only make contact with the mindset of waiting for the right chance. That way, luck may fall in our favor someday. See? Isn’t he formidable?” she said smoothly once again, giving a small wink.

  “I-I had no intention of winning him over though...” Chloe averted her eyes from Cosette without thinking.

  “Really? Well, if you wanted to take aim for him seriously, I’m here to talk about it. You too, Natalie,” Cosette said, smiling pleasantly.

  “I’ll pass.” Natalie paid her no mind and shrugged.

  “Is that true, I wonder? They say that love is blind, after all. Maybe you’re just not aware of it yet. Your emotions could just explode all at once one day, so be careful.” Cosette met Natalie’s eyes and signaled a look towards Chloe.

  “...I guess.” Natalie saw through Cosette’s intentions and sighed with a tired nod. Chloe was still a newcomer that hadn’t been working for that long. She was denying it herself, but there was a fair chance her feelings towards Haruto could develop into romantic ones. As Chloe’s seniors, they had to warn her of such things.

  Geez, she looks like she’s talking about herself when she’s actually thinking of Chloe, Natalie thought. Despite looking like she didn’t care about things outside of business matters, the fact that Cosette actually paid attention to the fine details like that made her difficult to hate.

  “And so, I’ll be pursuing that lucky chance with everything I’ve got, so make sure to inform me whenever Sir Haruto visits.”

  ...Nevermind. She was probably only thinking of herself after all; that part of her was detestable. Natalie breathed a small sigh.

  ◇　◇　◇

  The weather was pleasant the next day. After Liselotte returned to the estate that morning, she, along with Rio and Miharu, boarded the enchanted ship heading for Galtuuk and departed at noon.

  The capital of Galtuuk was to the northeast of Amande, but the enchanted ship Liselotte personally owned made steady progress through the blue skies instead of the blue seas. They were expected to arrive at the capital by early afternoon.

  Enchanted ships were sailing vessels made of wood with an iron plate joined to the hull and wings on both sides for altitude adjustment during flight. These ships were ancient magic artifacts made in the days of the Divine War, but due to their mass production during the war, there were comparatively greater numbers of them compared to other ancient artifacts. Despite that, each ship still cost a tremendous amount of money — enough that a noble daughter who wasn’t even a lord shouldn’t have been able to afford a personal one — so most common folk had never even set foot on one. Of course, this was Miharu and Rio’s first time experiencing such a thing, too.

  Once the enchanted ship had departed from Amande and stabilized in flight, Liselotte invited Rio and Miharu to a guest room inside the ship to have a discussion. She had been out of town until that morning and had been on a tight schedule to depart immediately afterward, yet she showed no sign of fatigue at all.

  “How are you enjoying the journey via enchanted ship so far?” she asked.

  “The ship’s interior is quite comfortable and pleasant,” Rio said cheerfully.

  “I agree. It barely shakes at all, I’m shocked,” Miharu replied honestly.

  “I’m glad to hear that. I’ll make sure to set aside some free time later, so please enjoy the view from the deck too. For now, I was hoping you’d join me for a chat,” Liselotte said with a gentle smile.

  “Yes, gladly!” Miharu nodded happily.

  “Then first, let’s go over the plans for the two days before the banquet starts. We’ll arrive in the capital today, with plenty of time before the sun sets. I’ll send an invitation, so please stay at the lodgings in my family home tonight. The plan is to visit the castle tomorrow morning, so if we’re lucky, you’ll be able to see Lady Satsuki the day before the banquet begins.” At present, Satsuki was refusing all outside audiences until the banquet began. Thus, they weren’t sure whether they would actually be able to meet her unless they went to the castle, but with Miharu being her friend, the chances were high. Liselotte was banking on that.

  “Wonderful. Also, I don’t know if this is enough to show my gratitude, but I borrowed the kitchen in your estate to make some cakes from my world. Please have some. Although, you may have had similar sweets in this world, and I don’t know if it’ll suit your preferences...” Miharu trailed off, presenting a large basket. She placed it on the table in front of the sofa she was seated on.

  “Oh my, thank you very much. I often make snacks for the development of Ricca Guild products, but I have no eye for sweet things. Do you mind if I try some right away?” Liselotte said happily. If it was a cake she didn’t recognize, she was happy to pay for the recipe; even if she knew the recipe of the cake, the taste could vary differently depending on how it was made.

  “Of course not — please go ahead. They’re being cooled with a magic artifact, but the sooner they’re eaten the better,” Miharu said with a nod, having brought it out for that purpose.

  “Then, let us eat them before they get warm. Aria, please prepare a knife and plates,” Liselotte ordered eagerly.

  “Understood.” Aria nodded respectfully and made her way to the cutlery cupboard in the room. In no time at all, enough plates for everyone were lined on the table.

  “I’ll open it now, then.” Miharu opened the basket so that Liselotte and Aria could see. As soon as she did, a white wave of cold air came flowing out of the basket. It was the effect of the artifact.

  The inside of the basket had been divided into four sections, each with their own entire cake placed inside. They were small in size but large in quantity, making it a difficult amount to eat for just them.

  “Oh my, there’s so many! They all look delicious. Oh, how wonderful. To think I’d be able to eat so many cakes...” Apple pie, mille crepe, no-bake cheesecake, Mont Blanc. Liselotte’s eyes sparkled, her joyous words coming from the bottom of her heart. One look at her expression made it clear that she was being sincere.

  Aria also seemed to have an interest in the sweets, as she looked at the cakes with deep interest.

  “There�
��s a lot, so please have some too, Aria. If there’s any left over after that, please share them with the other attendants too,” Miharu said, making Aria’s brows twitch in response.

  “Thank you for your kindness. No doubt this is more than the three of us can handle. Aria, you can go get a plate for yourself,” Liselotte said, giving special permission for her attendant to eat some too.

  “...It’s an honor. Then, I shall prepare more tea as well.” Aria gave a faint smile and immediately began to prepare the tea and a plate.

  “I’m going to divide the cakes, then. Lady Liselotte, which one would you like to try first? I’m sure you... might need an explanation, so just let me know,” Miharu said, glancing over at Aria who was preparing tea at the kitchenette in the room.

  Liselotte had shared the fact she had memories of her past life with Rio and Miharu the first time they visited her mansion together. That was why, normally, there would be no need to explain the cakes to her in this situation, but it was unclear whether Aria knew of Liselotte’s secret or not. Miharu was being considerate of that.

  “You can relax. After the first day I met Miharu, I explained my secret to Aria alone,” Liselotte revealed.

  “R-Really?” Miharu tilted her head, her eyes wide.

  “Yes. It would save me from a lot of explaining, seeing as I would be meeting with you many times in the future. Aria is generally always by my side, as she’s my most trusted confidant.”

  “But... I’m sorry. Because of me...”

  “No, now that so many people have been summoned from Earth, it’s more than likely that others will discover the secret of the Ricca Guild, just like you have. That may cause others to attempt to contact me directly. It was the perfect chance to reveal it to her,” Liselotte said, shaking her head with a bit of a bitter smile.

  Well, I still haven’t told father and mother yet...

  A somewhat guilty look appeared on her face. Her parents would normally be the first people she’d reveal the truth to, but that was precisely why it made the decision so difficult for her.

  “At any rate, other people aside, there’s no particular need to be considerate when you’re around Aria, so please speak freely. Several of the cakes here have also been developed as Ricca Guild products with Earth vocabulary as names already. Apple pie, mille crepe, Mont Blanc, and... Is this no-bake cheesecake?” Liselotte smiled brightly.

  “...Yes! Which would you like to try first?” Miharu replied in a bright voice, before picking up the knife on the table. She seemed to sense something from the faint changes in Liselotte’s expressions.

  “Thank you. Then, let’s try the apple pie first,” Liselotte said cheerily, pointing at the treat.

  “Okay.” Miharu went ahead and began to cut the apple pie cake. She placed some on Liselotte’s plate and handed it to her, before asking Rio what cake he wanted to eat. She set it down for him, then finally served herself.

  Liselotte used a knife and fork to divide the cake she was served into a bite-sized piece, then brought it to her mouth.

  “Mm! Delicious! Is Miharu perhaps a genius at baking cakes?!” Liselotte’s expression brightened. The pie crust on the surface was crispy, like a cookie, yet the inside was moist. The crust matched the sweet flavor of the apple exquisitely, creating a perfect harmony inside her mouth as she chewed.

  “It’s not that great. They actually taste the best when they’re freshly baked and still warm, but since I couldn’t give them to you right away, I chilled them as soon as they were done. I hope the crust is still crispy... Yup, it seems okay.” Miharu was relieved to see the approval of a noble and ate some of the apple pie cake herself.

  “No, it really is that good. Actually, it’s good enough to sell in my guild — no, to be on my exclusive menu! I would love to try some freshly baked cakes next time, if possible?” Liselotte pleaded with a serious expression.

  “Ahaha, I can’t work for you exclusively, but I’d be happy to give you something freshly made,” Miharu agreed readily. Liselotte smacked her lips each time she tried one of the cake types Miharu had prepared.

  As Liselotte ate, Aria finished preparing the tea and joined the tasting. Her interest was first caught by the Mont Blanc with a mountain of cream on top, and she served it onto her plate.

  “...This is a Mont Blanc, right?” Aria narrowed her eyes dubiously at the dessert on her plate. She set a marron glacé on top of the cake aside to enjoy later and took a bite of the cream first.

  “...Wow, this is wonderful.” The sweetness of the chestnut permeated the flavor of the sweet cream that melted in the mouth, making Aria gaze in wonder as she voiced her thoughts. She sipped her tea, then took another bite.

  “It’s less sweet than the Mont Blancs we sell in the Ricca Guild, making it less assertive in taste but still rich and moist. I feel like I can keep eating these one after another...” Aria said in admiration.

  “Thank you very much. I tried to minimize the use of sugar and maximize the natural sweetness of the chestnut,” Miharu explained.

  “So this refined sweetness was actually from the chestnut itself...” Aria took another bite and confirmed that taste, then ate the marron glacé. She closed her eyes.

  “...This is a blissful taste,” she muttered earnestly.

  “Aria, try this one after the Mont Blanc. It’s a cake we don’t handle in the Ricca Guild,” Liselotte giggled.

  “Then, if you don’t mind...” Aria bowed once and served some of the mille crepe cake onto her plate, then took a bite with a smooth and elegant motion. “...Wonderful. It’s so sweet, it feels like my cheeks are melting, and yet it isn’t heavy in flavor at all. The thin layers of baked batter stacked together with cream carefully pasted between... It feels like I could eat this forever. It’s truly magnificent,” Aria said keenly.

  “Indeed,” Liselotte agreed with a firm nod.

  “Please, feel free to have another serving,” Miharu urged, smiling bashfully.

  After that, they exchanged thoughts about the cakes and held a question and answer session. It wasn’t long until all cakes were sampled, leaving only half of each cake behind.

  Rio and Miharu had each been satisfied with their respective slices of cheesecake and apple pie, so most of it had been demolished by Liselotte and Aria.

  They do say girls have a separate stomach for sweets, I guess. Rio watched Liselotte and Aria eat in awe.

  Liselotte noticed that the amount of cake had decreased quite a lot without her awareness; she sipped her tea to clear the taste from her mouth “...My apologies. It was all so delicious, but I feel like I’ve eaten too much.”

  “I am most embarrassed of my behavior.” Aria also hung her head in shame, having eaten all the cakes as Miharu recommended them.

  “No, I made them for the purpose of giving them to Lady Liselotte, after all. If you found them to your liking, then I’m happy to hear that,” Miharu said, giggling with a smile.

  “...The Ricca Guild endeavors to develop new sweets every day, but progress has stagnated without any remarkable developments. If it’s okay for me to ask, have you had any experience learning how to cook in a specialty school, or something of the sort?” Liselotte asked seriously.

  “It wasn’t a specialty school, but my mother used to hold cooking classes, so I was taught a lot from a young age...” Miharu replied honestly, making Liselotte bow her head apologetically.

  “I see, your mother did... I’m sorry, I must have made you remember your hometown with that question.”

  “No, it pains me to imagine how worried my parents must be, but I’ve made irreplaceable friends in this world too, and I have no complaints about my current life. It’s fine,” Miharu said bravely, shaking her head.

  Liselotte’s eyes widened. “...You’re really strong, Lady Miharu,” she said, observing Miharu with a distant look.

  “That’s not true. If I had been alone, I would have burst out crying ages ago,” Miharu said with a faint smile.

  “Bein
g alone is disheartening. I’ve met lots of irreplaceable people in this world too. That may be the reason why I can live my current life in contentment and not be pessimistic.” Liselotte placed a hand against her chest and spoke as though she was confirming it herself. Then, she glanced at Aria. Aria had a faint smile tugging at her face.

  A silence fell over the room for a while. “Oh, it got a bit solemn in here. My apologies. There’s one thing I wanted to ask — would Lady Miharu be willing to offer her cooking knowledge to the Ricca Guild? Preferably exclusively. Of course, we’ll write up a contract and pay you an appropriate amount in compensation.” Liselotte said, suddenly changing the topic. Her determination as a merchant was showing through the way she expressed how undesirable it would be for the knowledge to be offered outside of the Ricca Guild.

  “If Haruto thinks it’s okay, I don’t mind...” Miharu’s eyes widened as she looked to Rio for his opinion as her guardian.

  “...I can’t say anything without the details of the contract, and it depends on Miharu’s plans for the future, but I think it should be considered. How about we leave the negotiations until after the banquet for now? Of course, until we can have that discussion, there won’t be any contracts formed with third parties.”

  Liselotte nodded with a content smile. “I have no objections to that.”

  Terrific, as always. He’s quick on the uptake and even considers my side, which makes things go much smoother. After all, Rio had been the one to offer not to negotiate with third parties until they had a chance for negotiation, leaving Liselotte with nothing else to say.

  “I’m okay with that too.” Miharu nodded as well.

  ◇　◇　◇

  After the tea party with Liselotte, Rio and Miharu had some free time until they arrived in the capital of Galtuuk. Instead of heading to the guest room they were given, Rio and Miharu decided to learn about the enchanted ship they were on. First, Aria showed them all the facilities inside the ship, then headed to the deck.

  “This concludes the tour of the ship. From here, you can enjoy the view of the sky as much as you like. If there is anything you require, do ask one of the nearby attendants. I will excuse myself for now.” Aria bowed respectfully and departed, leaving Rio and Miharu alone on the deck. There was no one else around, making it obvious that they were alone together. Miharu had also fallen silent.