Since I intended to take my time with the shipboard party preparations, there wasn't much need to rush. I had already finalized the guest list, but since the invitations themselves weren't going to be prepared for a bit longer, I still had plenty of room to make additions if needed.
Knowing there was no point in obsessing over it, I decided to head into town for a change of pace. Just as I reached the main street, I happened to spot someone who caught my eye.
She was a woman with beautiful golden hair, but her bangs were so long they obscured her eyes entirely, reaching almost to the tip of her nose. Her outfit was a modest combination of brown leather pants, a white shirt, and a brown jacket—but the quality was surprisingly high, giving her an air of refinement. She had the distinct aura of a noble lady who had attempted to disguise herself as a commoner.
However, it wasn't just her appearance that piqued my interest. She was standing there with a piece of paper in her hand, looking as if she were completely lost.
When I used Sympathy Magic just to be certain, a clear sense of distress radiated from her. Given my personality, I couldn't just leave someone in trouble once I'd noticed them, so I approached her and spoke up.
"Pardon me. I hate to intrude, but you look like you might be lost. If you are, I think I can help you out."
"—!?"
When I called out, the woman spun toward me, her body jerking in shock. Since her eyes were hidden, I couldn't see her exact expression, but her movements and the visible parts of her face made her surprise obvious.
Well, I suppose anyone would be startled if a strange man suddenly addressed them. In fact, if I wasn't careful, I might even be mistaken for someone trying to hit on her.
If she really was a noble lady visiting the city in secret as I suspected, it made sense for her to be on guard.
As those thoughts crossed my mind, the woman hesitated for a moment before finally speaking in a reserved tone.
"...Yes. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I’ve rarely visited this street before, and I’m looking for a specific shop... Do you happen to know where this place is?"
"Let me see... Hmm..."
Apparently deciding for the moment that I wasn't dangerous, she asked for directions. I took the memo she was holding to get a better look.
It contained the name of a street and a simple, hand-drawn map. However...
"Well... it's a bit awkward to say this, but... this isn't that street. It's a street over in the West District."
"Eh? I-Is that so?"
"Yes. The three streets accessible from the plaza in front of the Royal Castle in the Sinfonia Kingdom Capital all have very similar names. This name belongs to the street that runs toward the West District."
"I am truly ashamed of my ignorance. Then... is it quite far from here?"
"It’s not exactly a massive distance, but since you have to head back through the plaza in front of the castle, it’ll be a bit of a detour."
"I-I see..."
It really felt like she wasn't used to the capital. Hearing that she’d have to go the long way around made her look visibly uneasy. She was likely a noble from a different province, or perhaps even from another country.
"If you'd like, I can guide you there."
"A-Are you sure? I’m sure you have your own plans, and I wouldn't want to be a burden..."
"It's no problem at all. I was just wandering around without any real destination..."
"Is that so? Then, I am deeply grateful... and I shall humbly take you up on your offer."
"Sure thing. Ah, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Kaito Miyama."
"I am Ale—ah, no, please call me Aria."
She definitely seemed to have caught herself just in time there. It really did feel like she was a noble traveling incognito. I assumed "Aria" was her pseudonym.
Serious-senpai: "Kaito walking around alone is an easy-to-understand New Character Flag."