“Haa, I really want to go outside too…”

For now, we were trying to cheer up Sanshita, but he still looked a little sad.

Just like when we went to Célie, it seemed that Sanshita wanted to come along whenever we went somewhere.

In Akoup, where people were relatively familiar with magical beasts, no one would say anything if Sanshita roamed outside.

However, in the royal capital, where many people had never seen a magical beast before, letting Sanshita walk through the streets would undoubtedly cause a panic.

…Wait a second.

Thinking back to when we arrived in the royal capital, people didn’t seem all that surprised…?

“Ivy, do you think it’s okay to bring Sanshita along?”

“Mimii.”

Ivy responded with a tone that suggested “Maybe.”

It seemed like she wasn’t entirely sure either.

“Well, if it turns out to be a problem, we can always come back right away. Alright then, let’s go together, Sanshita.”

“Yay for me~!”

And so, we headed toward the main street with Sanshita in tow—.

The streets of the royal capital were incredibly wide.

The main roads were designed so that two carriages could pass side by side, one on each side.

With that much space, having Sanshita with us didn’t seem to be an issue.

“Hmm… looks like it’s fine?”

Surprisingly, even after bringing Sanshita along, the kind of panic I had expected didn’t occur.

People did flinch when they saw him, but then they quickly averted their gazes as if pretending nothing had happened, and that was it.

It was strange, but it seemed he wasn’t being feared as much as I had thought.

Still… I could feel occasional glances.

After all the training I’d done with Rei, I had gotten much stronger.

By now, using magic to enhance my physical abilities was second nature.

So, even though it wasn’t exactly polite, I used a bit of magic to eavesdrop on those observing us.

“That’s the Griffin Rider…”

“He looks kind of cute, doesn’t he?”

“Don’t be fooled—he might look like that, but he’s strong enough to wipe out entire hordes of magical beasts…”

I see, so that’s why Sanshita wasn’t being feared.

Apparently, the people in the royal capital were already aware of our existence.

The Marquis of Endlord had once said that a Griffin Rider hadn’t appeared in decades—maybe even centuries—and was considered a legendary hero.

Most likely, the story of us helping the port towns, including Galaria, had spread and been exaggerated along the way.

Well, this was something I had already dealt with in Akoup.

I was used to drawing attention, so I decided to just enjoy sightseeing in the royal capital without worrying about it.

“Let’s find a pet-friendly café.”

“Mii!”

“Sounds great for me~!”

The sun had already set completely, so we decided to wander around a bit and head back to the mansion early.

Exploring an unfamiliar place too much could lead to trouble, and if we were going to sightsee, I’d rather take my time and do it properly.

At this hour, most people had finished work.

So, compared to the midday rush, the crowds should have thinned out… but there were still a staggering number of people.

It was so packed that carriages could barely move through the streets.

However, we had no trouble making our way forward.

Every time we took a step, the crowd parted like a wave, creating an open path for us.

There was no doubt that people were afraid of us, which was a bit of a complicated feeling, but being able to move smoothly in a crowded place like this was undeniably convenient.

So, without thinking too much about it, we began scouting for a good place to eat.

As we walked through the streets, shops lined both sides.

A restaurant with a sign featuring a long, noodle-like symbol had a massive line of people waiting outside—probably because it was dinnertime. From inside, lively voices rang out, filling the place with energy.

At the entrance of a clothing store displaying fancy-patterned clothes, a beautiful woman in a rather revealing outfit stood welcoming customers.

Right across from it, another shop with a similar setup had a cute, baby-faced woman in front of it.

I had never seen clothing stores built directly opposite each other before—at least, not in Akoup.

Wouldn’t they end up stealing each other’s customers and both go out of business…?

Well, I guess with the sheer number of people in the royal capital, it was possible for both to thrive.

There was also a jewelry store along the street, and unsurprisingly, security seemed tight.

There were no products displayed outside, and burly men in black clothing stood guarding the entrance.

As I stared at them, one of them seemed to notice my gaze.

His expression changed, and I instinctively tensed up, preparing for confrontation—until he suddenly called out.

“Wait, are you… Bruno, the Griffin Rider!?”

“Uh, I think so…?”

“I’m a fan! Please, shake my hand!”

“…What!?”

Just when I thought I had been marked as a target, it turned out he was actually a fan of mine.

He held out his hand enthusiastically, so I hesitantly extended my right hand as well.

As we shook hands, I felt the rough, calloused texture typical of someone who wielded a sword.

For the most part, people had just been avoiding us, but it seemed there were at least some who saw us with different emotions.

Feeling a little lighter in spirit, we continued scouting for a place to eat—.