The suite came with a bath. Not a sauna, but a proper bathtub, which was a rarity even in this empire. On the continent of Arond, where we were headed, bathtubs were more common, and even commoners could occasionally enjoy a bath. From my memories of my past life, public bathhouses still exist, don’t they?

“Master, I’ll wash your back too♪”

When I entered the bath, Pal naturally joined me. From who knows where, she pulled out a mat, laid me down on it, and used her ample bosom without reservation to scrub me clean.

Having gone without a bath since leaving the mansion in the capital, this truly felt like heaven.

After a refreshing bath, we headed to the inn’s restaurant for dinner.

This upscale inn boasted several restaurants, and we chose one that served the empire's traditional cuisine. The empire, abundant in spices like pepper, featured many dishes richly spiced. Among them, the dish known as "curry," made with a blend of multiple spices, had a unique and delightful flavor.

I ordered a soup-like, runny curry, while Pal opted for a thicker one. Both could be paired with rice, a grain similar to wheat, or naan, a bread-like food. The choice was left to personal preference. I ordered rice, while Pal went for naan.

We shared, taking pieces of each other’s food—her naan and my rice. It was a delicious and enjoyable moment, but an unwelcome guest appeared to spoil it.

“You’re late! How long do you intend to keep me waiting?”

The loud, obnoxious voice belonged to the portly merchant-like man who had earlier thrown a tantrum over the suite. This guy always seemed to cause a ruckus, oblivious to how much he inconvenienced others.

“My apologies, sir.”

The waiter apologized profusely, bowing his head, but the man retaliated by throwing a glass of water at him.

Come on, that’s going too far. Watching it unfold soured my mood. A genuinely pleasant time had been ruined, and I found myself harboring a flicker of murderous intent toward the man.

“Some vile, despicable individuals enjoy ruining the atmosphere for others, don’t they?”

Pal, your words are directed squarely at him, aren’t they?

Sure enough, the man whipped his head toward us, eyes wide in disbelief.

“Hey, you little brat! What did you just say?!”
“Shall we head back to our room?”
“That sounds like a good idea.”

Leaving a generous tip along with payment on the table, Pal and I ignored the man, got up, and left. We thanked the staff for the delicious meal on our way out.

“Hey, you two! Are you listening to me?!”

The man’s shouts followed us out of the restaurant, loud enough to be heard even outside.

If I were the owner of this fine establishment, I’d have thrown him out and banned him ages ago.

The rest of our time at the inn passed peacefully, without encountering the man again. The next morning, Pal and I headed to the port to board our ship to Pelkeos.

The skies were a brilliant blue, and the sea was calm—a perfect day. After presenting our tickets at reception, we walked to the pier. That’s when we saw a familiar, unpleasant face—the same man from last night.

“Is he stalking us?”
“I wouldn’t want an oily, repugnant stalker like him, that’s for sure.”

While trading barbs about him, we ignored the man and boarded the ship.

“Hurry up and carry my luggage!”

The man barked orders at the sailors, treating them like personal servants.

This guy had traveled alone at the inn, so I suspected his staff had abandoned him. Considering his overbearing attitude, I couldn’t blame them.

We tried to board the ship quietly, but the man’s numerous bags cluttered the pier, blocking the way.

“How inconsiderate. If he has so much luggage, he should have boarded a cargo ship instead.”

Pal’s sharp-tongued comment mirrored my own thoughts.

“It’s you again, brat!”

He tried to provoke Pal, but... oh no, I better not go there. For my own safety, I’ll leave that unsaid.

“You little brat! You’re always mocking me!”

Pal ignored him completely, which only made him angrier.

“You wretched brat!”

The man lunged at Pal, but I stepped between them.

“Out of my way, boy!”
“You? Touching my Pal? Know your place, old man.”
“Oh, my, Master♪”
“You insolent little…!”

The man swung his fist at me, but I dodged, causing Pal to shift into my arms as if anticipating it. I instinctively caught her, holding her in a princess carry.

The man lost his balance, stumbling and falling face-first onto the pier. He hit the wooden planks hard, entirely his own fault. If he wanted someone to blame, he could only look in the mirror.

“Pal, why the princess carry?”
“When a prince rescues a princess from a villain, isn’t this what he does?♪”
“I don’t deny he’s a villain, but the prince and princess part is…”
“Master, who could become a king, is more than a prince, don’t you think?”
“I have no interest in such things.”
“I knew you’d say that~♡”

While Pal and I shared this lighthearted moment, the man rose unsteadily, his face scraped and bleeding from the fall.

“You two…!”

His forehead and nose were scratched, and he was even bleeding from his nostrils. If it weren’t him, I might have felt sorry.

But we couldn’t help it.

“Pfft. Ahahaha!”

We burst into laughter, joined by the chuckles of onlookers. It wasn’t just us, so that made it acceptable. Numbers can sometimes justify things.

“Don’t laugh! Stop laughing at me!”

He shouted at everyone, but his appearance only made it more absurd. Every time he yelled, drops of blood splattered onto the pier.

His antics even stained a noblewoman’s dress with blood.

“What have you done?! You’ve ruined my dress! Don’t think you’ll get away with this!”

The furious noblewoman unleashed a tirade.

Judging by her refined attire and the extravagant emerald necklace she wore, she was clearly of high status. Her fury reduced the man to a quivering mess.

“This necklace alone is worth 5,000 gold coins! Do you understand the value of what you’ve defiled?!”

She launched into a lecture that seemed endless. The man, intimidated by her wealth and power, could only shrink under her glare.

“This could take a while. Let’s board the ship.”

True to her usual demeanor, Pal remained unfazed. I agreed with her suggestion.

We left the scene, nudging aside the man’s obstructive luggage with our feet, and finally boarded the ship.

At least we were safely aboard. That was all that mattered.