I’m an Appraiser, But What the Heck is a [Divine Eye]? ~I Want to Live Freely as the World’s Best Beginner Class~ - Episode 217: Hot Springs, Hospitality, and Trouble 17

Episode 217: Hot Springs, Hospitality, and Trouble 17

――…Oh, we’re back.

We’re already used to it. But for the king and his entourage, it’s another story.

Having suddenly been transported to an unfamiliar place, it’s only natural for them to be confused. And a part of the people traveling with us have little interaction with us. They must find it almost unbelievable.

However, this is reality. And there’s no mistaking it: we’re standing in the middle of the Forest of Demons.

“We’ve arrived.”

“……Maki, is this really the Forest of Demons?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Dietrich-sama, could you please check to ensure no one has gotten separated?”

“Understood.”

Dietrich and the Knight Commander had previously gone to war against the Shriden Kingdom. While they both seemed fine, not all of the entourage had experienced teleportation multiple times. So some were still feeling a bit disoriented.

I couldn’t help but think that it was a bit odd for them to be so bothered. But teleportation was considered a large-scale magic in this era. Having it happen so easily must have been more shocking than they anticipated. And perhaps it was even a bit terrifying.

“Maki-sama, it seems no one has gotten separated.”

“I didn’t think so, but it’s good to hear. Now, please follow me. And from here on out, I’ll leave things to Alicia as the lord.”

“First of all. Your Majesty, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for your visit to the Granzawall and the Onsen District.”

From here, formal greetings continued.

Alicia gave her thanks to the king. His Majesty explained that his visit was not only for an inspection, but also to personally observe future plans for the development of the Forest of Demons. After Dietrich-sama and the Knight Commander each exchanged their greetings, the group finally began to move.

Alicia and I led the way for His Majesty, Dietrich-sama, and the Knight Commander, while Ryan-san and Vil-san from the knight order provided security.

Glenn and Sensei took care of guiding the other important people.

At this point, Glenn had already confirmed the number of people who had arrived. And he was likely calculating how to handle the accommodations in his mind. If any issues came up, I figured we’d hear about it then. Then we could decide if additional arrangements were needed.

“Now, Your Majesty, shall we go?”

“Yes, let’s proceed.”

The destination was one of the most luxurious inns in the hot spring town, a place I could confidently say was the most relaxing.

Western-style beds had been prepared, but there was also a tatami mat section in the room. Creating tatami mats was quite the challenge. But I had assumed they were a must for a hot spring town, so I somehow managed to make it happen.

Though I couldn’t find the right kind of straw, it was a stroke of luck that Moriya managed to find a suitable plant in the forest to use instead.

…..Come to think of it, Moriya actually had tatami mats in his house, huh? Well, that was a fortunate coincidence.

It wasn’t exactly planned, but I had as many mats made as possible. And I had the free hands available to teach others how to make them. They quickly began producing a large number.

Additionally, I had attempted to recreate a beautiful Japanese garden in the room’s view. I had only ever seen such gardens on TV or in magazines, so it wasn’t perfect. But it would surely be an exotic sight by the standards of this world.

“Hoho! This is wonderful!”

“Indeed, it truly is. Even the scent of the mats brings a sense of calm.”

“What a beautiful garden! But… where am I supposed to practice my swordsmanship?”

Ah, of course, the muscle-head makes an unexpected comment. Seriously?

“Well, we’d appreciate it if you could swing your sword in the Forest of Demons.”

“Ohh! That’s true! In that case, perhaps I’ll visit the forest during our break! Hahaha!”

……..Is that really considered a break?

Well, I don’t understand the logic of muscle-heads, so I’m just going to ignore it.

In any case, His Majesty seemed to love the setup, so I was relieved.

“But the hospitality doesn’t stop here, you know?”

“Of course! It’s the food, right? The food!”

“That’s part of it…… but you’ll see what I mean when it’s time to sleep tonight.”

“Hmm? What, are you planning to provide a woman for me? I am the king of this country, you know?”

“Of course not! If that were the case, I’d be executed for committing a capital offense!”

Worst case, if His Majesty actually went for it, we’d end up with succession issues!

“I was joking! Just joking!”

“…Sigh. Please, stop with the jokes, Your Majesty.”

“But what do you mean by ‘tonight’?”

“Hmm! Now I’m really curious, boy!”

“Well, you’ll just have to wait for tonight.”

I didn’t give him a clear answer about tonight’s hospitality. But I was confident in it. So, we’ll just have to let the king’s reaction be a surprise for tomorrow.