I moved into the carriage along with the captain and the elf girl, whom everyone was calling "Princess." The carriage was fairly luxurious, and the seats were very soft. Meanwhile, the others were disarming and tying up those who attacked us.

“First, allow me to introduce myself. I am Sara Edwards, the third princess of the Kingdom of Edwards. Please call me Sara.”

The girl had beautiful, golden hair that sparkled, and clear, jewel-like blue eyes. Her well-formed face was beyond what one could call beautiful. She would undoubtedly grow into an exceptional beauty when she got older.

“I am Darga, Princess Sara’s bodyguard. I am deeply grateful for saving us.”

This was a man who looked to be in his 30s or 40s, with a prominent beard. Despite his imposing physique, his speech was extremely polite.

Wait, the third princess?! I figured she was someone important since everyone was calling her "princess," but I didn’t expect her to be actual royalty. I don’t know how big this kingdom is, but she’s probably the fifth most important person here, counting the king and queen.

“My name is Masayoshi. I am a traveler from a distant land. Since I come from very far away, please forgive any lapses in language or manners.”

“Master Masayoshi! Oh, please, you saved our lives—don’t worry about formalities. And your pronunciation is very elegant.”

That’s thanks to my language comprehension skill. For someone who looks so young, Sara speaks with surprising maturity. I still don’t know what kind of race elves are in this world, but maybe she’s actually older than she appears.

“So that’s why you have rare black hair and black eyes around here.”

Now that she mentioned it, everyone else had blonde or brown hair. It seems that black hair and eyes are unusual in this area.

“By the way, who were those people who attacked us? If you don’t mind, could you tell me what happened?”

“Of course. Most likely, it was the work of my elder brothers, either the first or second prince.”
“They have sent assassins after the princess before because she displeases them. We managed to fend them off until now, but we didn’t expect a traitor among our allies this time. If not for Master Masayoshi’s help, we might not have survived.”

Ah, a classic royal succession conflict. I’d better tread carefully here.

“My brothers probably don’t like that my mother is an elf. They’ve often mocked my ears since I was little.”

Sara's long ears twitched slightly. It seemed she could move them at will.

“They’re very lovely and elegant ears. You shouldn’t worry about what cruel people say.”

Her ears were indeed charmingly shaped. I wouldn’t mind touching them, but I definitely can’t just touch the ears of a princess without permission.

“…”

Huh, Sara went quiet. I thought I complimented her ears, but did I say something wrong?

“Thank you. There are very few people in our kingdom who would say that. Elves, beastkin, dwarves, and other races have been persecuted for a long time. While there’s been progress, discrimination still lingers.”

Darga explained. So, this world has beastkin and dwarves too. I’d love to meet them someday!

“Master Masayoshi, would you like to come to our town? It’s getting dark, so we can’t travel further today, but if we leave tomorrow, we should arrive by sunset. We would love to express our gratitude.”

“Yes! We must thank you properly for saving the princess.”

Being guided to their town is incredibly convenient. I was going to ask about its location even if we parted ways here.

“Thank you. I was actually undecided on where to go next, so I’ll gladly accept. But please don’t worry about any reward. Instead, when we reach the town, could you tell me more about this kingdom? I don’t even have any local currency yet.”

I do have gems and weapons from the Great Wizard’s house stored in my magic storage, but I don’t have any actual money.

“Of course. But I insist on giving you a reward; to let our savior go unthanked would be a disgrace to our kingdom.”

Sara gave me a pleading look, and her cuteness was so overwhelming that I couldn’t help but agree.

“Alright, I’ll gladly accept. But really, there’s no need to go overboard.”

“Understood. Thank you for your consideration, Master Masayoshi. There’s a water source up ahead, so let’s camp there for tonight. Darga, please inform everyone outside.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

We traveled about an hour and reached a clear river. The sun was starting to set, so it seemed we would camp here. The bandits had all been bound tightly with thick ropes, making escape difficult.

“To our savior, Master Masayoshi, cheers!”

“Cheers!”

After dinner was prepared, Sara raised her cup in a toast. It was my first time being toasted like this, so I felt nervous. This was also my first meal since coming to this world, so I was naturally excited.

“Although we can’t offer much right now, I promise to provide a more substantial meal once we return to the estate.”

Our meal was black bread, cheese, and dried meat. It wasn’t exactly a feast, but it had a nostalgic charm reminiscent of old-time travelers’ meals.

“Oh, not at all. I don’t usually eat this type of food, so it feels refreshingly different.”

The black bread was hard and somewhat bland, possibly made without yeast. The cheese and dried meat, once warmed over the fire, tasted surprisingly good.

“So, Master Masayoshi, you’re a traveler?”

Oh no, my cover story might fall apart here.

“Uh, yes! But I usually travel alone, so eating with such a big group feels new and wonderful. Ah, would you like to try something from my supplies?”

To cover my slip, I took out marshmallows from my storage magic. I’d brought them as emergency rations since they make for a good sweet treat.

“Amazing! That’s storage magic, isn’t it? This is my first time seeing it!”

Gina, the mage who healed Sara, was surprised. Gina seemed to be around my age or slightly older, and she was quite beautiful.

“Wait, is storage magic rare in this world?”

“Yes! Only high-level mages can use it. You must be a very distinguished mage, Master Masayoshi!”

Seriously? Storage magic is that rare here? I’d rather not stand out too much. I’d better keep my teleportation magic a secret.

“Oh, I’m just a rural mage with only magic as my talent. These are marshmallows, a sweet treat. If you warm them over the fire, they taste great.”

It’s a classic camping snack. Toasted marshmallows are the best!

“This is incredible! I’ve never tasted something so sweet before!”

“It’s amazing, Captain!”

“Yes, what a delightful treat! Princess, it’s safe.”

I let the guards try it first, just to be cautious about what the princess eats.

“Wow! It’s so sweet and delicious!”

Despite her mature manner, Sara’s delight reminded me that she was still a young girl. Watching her enjoy the marshmallow with a radiant smile almost awakened something within me.

“Please, feel free to have more.”

I had two bags, so everyone could enjoy. For something so cheap, it was wonderful to see them so thrilled. Maybe sugar is scarce here?

After the meal, I learned more about the kingdom’s customs. Time flew by, and I felt a bit guilty for keeping everyone up. Sara and Gina retired to the carriage, while the guards took turns keeping watch. As for me, I slept in a small tent and sleeping bag from my original world, which I had brought using storage magic.