As we ventured out into the city again, I noticed something.
「It’s actually pretty warm…」
That’s when I realized—the environment here is remarkably well-regulated.
「This floating island is at quite a high altitude, isn’t it?」
「Yeah. Higher than most mountains around.」
When Ji Liz brought us here, the sheer ascent was astonishing. From the ground, the castle must look like a mere speck.
「And yet, it feels warmer than the ground, and the air doesn’t even feel thin.」
「Ah, that’s because of the magic systems at work.」
It was Hajime-san who answered, glancing back at us with a light smile as she led the way.
「I’m not an expert on the subject, but… Rick or Noemi, could you explain?」
「Sure. It’s a type of composite magic laid down in ancient times. It regulates and stabilizes environmental factors like temperature and air density, making the place livable. The castle has a magical device powered by magic power collected from the citizens.」
「It also manages water sources. We’ll be at a square soon, and there’s a fountain there, too.」
Just as Noemi-san said, we reached the edge of a main street, and the square came into view.
At the intersection of the crossroads was a circular plaza. Benches were scattered around, and in the center was a fountain with an artificial pond. People were meeting up, relaxing—it was clearly a place for everyone to unwind.
「Scenes like this aren’t too different from Sidera.」
「Yeah… The elven nation of Alfheim shares a similar architectural style with the Kingdom of Sorx.」
「I see. Still, there’s an unmistakable foreign charm to it.」
The shape of the cobblestones, the designs of the buildings, even the clothing of the passersby. And of course, everyone had pointed ears.
「I’m definitely in the minority here.」
I touched my own ears with a wry smile, and Rick-san shrugged.
「Elves don’t really pay much attention. Long ears are normal, so short ones don’t stand out. It’s like in a crowd—tall people tend to catch the eye more.」
「Ah… Yeah, I guess that makes sense.」
「Though they’d notice a beastkin right away.」
「Alright, we’re here. If you’re looking for street food, this square is the place to be. There are all kinds of shops, so eat whatever you like.」
Turning back to us, Hajime-san spoke with a hint of excitement.
Sure enough, the inner perimeter of the plaza was lined with food stalls. Unlike the tent-covered stands common in Sidera, these were more like permanent shops—actual buildings converted into eateries. Their counters opened onto the plaza, with kitchens visible behind them, reminiscent of crepe and takoyaki stands in Japanese shopping streets.
As we eagerly moved closer, Hajime-san surprised us by offering to cover the costs. Apparently, she’d been entrusted with some spending money by Emishi-san, anticipating this situation. His ability to think ahead was truly remarkable.
Grateful, we accepted her offer. Besides, I didn’t even have any of this country’s currency to begin with.
「Do you have any, Karen?」
「I visit home every few years」
「Then at least pay for your own—」
「Sui, refusing an offer to treat you is considered very rude in Elven culture. You should graciously accept such kindness」
「…Is that true?」
She silently averted her gaze. That’s a lie.
「Don’t worry about it. After all, it’s dad’s… I mean, father’s money」
「By the way, I’ve been meaning to say this, but isn’t Hajime-san a real daddy’s girl? Even when you were acting as a messenger, you almost called him ‘dad’」
She silently averted her gaze again. Nailed it.
—Well, anyway.
We started looking around the stalls one by one.
Skewers of roasted meat.
Candied fruit.
Meat pies.
Porridge made from some kind of grain.
Sandwiches stuffed with various fillings.
Fried dumplings that could be sweet or savory—
There were things I recognized from Sidera, and others that were entirely new. It felt like such a waste to limit this to just a light meal. I’d love to come back tomorrow for another round of food-tasting.
After a full circuit and some deliberation, Karen bought a meat pie.
I went for something taco-like—shredded meat, leafy greens, and a tangy sauce wrapped in a thin, soft flatbread.
「Thank you for the treat」
「Of course, help yourself」
We sat down on a bench in the plaza and began eating. Hajime-san had gotten herself a candied fruit, while the Ejetia twins opted for skewers. They picked things you could easily find in Sidera, which felt like a missed opportunity, but I guess that’s just how it is when you live here.
While glancing at them, I bit into my taco.
The meat tasted like pork, seasoned with a slightly sweet flavor. The sauce had a sharp tanginess with a wasabi-like kick, and the thick, crisp greens added a refreshing crunch. It was an unusual but intriguing combination.
It was distinctly different from Earth’s tacos but delicious nonetheless.
Lost in thought as I savored the taste, something suddenly dawned on me.
「This flatbread… it’s a tortilla」
The outermost layer wrapping the filling—amid all the unique flavors, I hadn’t paid much attention to it, but the texture and taste were unmistakably something I’d eaten back on Earth.
「Does that mean you have corn here?」
I swallowed and asked Hajime-san.
「Corn… you mean the main ingredient for that flatbread? Yes, we have it. It’s grown in the Fourth District and is one of our country’s staple crops」
「Ah, corn. No wonder Sui-san hasn’t encountered it before. Outside this country, it’s mostly used as livestock feed」
「Really? Why is that?」
It was surprising enough that they had corn here, but learning it was already widespread outside the Elf nation of Alfheim was even more shocking.
As I tilted my head in confusion, the others began explaining all at once.
「Hmm. The corn on the surface isn’t very tasty. In Alfheim, we’ve refined the breed, so the flavor is completely different」
「Apparently, they tried exporting it once, but it wasn’t well-received. People think of it as livestock feed, not something fit for human consumption」
「I see… so it has a bad reputation. That’s such a waste」
On Earth, corn is considered one of the world’s three major grains. Sure, much of it is used as livestock feed there too, so I can understand why it would be the same here. But to think that’s all it’s used for is surprising.
「Sui-san, are you okay with it? Most visitors are hesitant when they learn that corn is used in the food they’re served」
「Where I lived, people ate it normally. In fact, there are countries where it’s a staple food」
「A staple food? That’s surprising. Even in Alfheim, it’s not consumed to that extent」
I was suddenly intrigued.
The truth is, I’d once thought of making tortillas—or rather, tacos—but ended up giving up. It was during New Year’s. I couldn’t find any corn, so I had to settle for just making the fillings. As a compromise, I paired them with bread and had everyone eat it that way. That had stung a little…
It’s not like I have some deep attachment to tacos. But with cornmeal—or corn grits—I could expand my repertoire of dishes. Even if it’s considered animal feed, that means I could share it with Pochi too. Imagine sitting at the same table, sharing the same food with Pochi. That would be amazing.
—Alright, I’ve decided.
While I’m here, I’ll learn more about corn. If I can get permission, I’ll take some seeds back home and try growing it myself.
「…What’s wrong? You suddenly went quiet」
「Don’t mind him. Sui always gets like this in front of new foods. He’s probably thinking up some eccentric plan. Just leave him be」
「I see… Karen, you’ve got your hands full with him, don’t you…」
Unaware of the misunderstandings forming beside me, I remained lost in thought.
※※※
Given the time—it was close to snack time—our food adventure in the plaza ended with just some light bites. The Ejetia twins left us there, and Hajime-san walked us back to our inn.
She said she’d stop by tomorrow to discuss our plans, and we parted ways in the lobby. Karen and I returned to our room.
After that, we spent about two leisurely hours together.
「I’m back. Sorry I’m late」
「Bark!」
Greeting Mother and Chocola as they returned, our long first day finally started to wind down.
「Welcome back, both of you. Chocola, you must be getting hungry by now」
「Kwuunnn…」
「He’s starving, isn’t he」
As I ruffled his fluffy fur, which lacked its usual vigor due to hunger, I couldn’t help but laugh.
「Alright, let’s have some dinner while we talk about our plans for tomorrow」
If I remember correctly, we can order room service.
Even though we’re far from home, without Mint or Pochi, and the meal won’t be something I cooked myself, we can still sit down together, enjoy dinner, and sort through everything we’ve learned.
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