I picked up our fries, nuggets, and cola at the counter and we took our seats. Despite the inherent elegance in Aria-san’s every movement, she didn't look out of place in such a casual setting. On the contrary, she seemed quite accustomed to the atmosphere of a fast-food joint as she sat down with a gentle smile.
"Ah... these are delicious. Were they freshly fried?"
"The timing might have just worked in our favor. Small shops like this rarely invest in Magic Boxes, so whether you get them fresh out of the fryer usually just depends on luck."
"I see. I suppose I was quite fortunate, then."
I picked up a slender fry and took a bite. The saltiness was spot on, and the fluffy texture was perfect. Honestly, this was exactly what I had been craving. Simple as they were, fries were truly a masterpiece of comfort food.
Aria-san took a fry with refined grace and brought it to her lips, a blissful smile on her face. If her bangs weren't covering so much of her, I was sure she would look absolutely radiant.
The nuggets came with both ketchup and mustard. Dipping them made for a great combination; the mild flavor of the chicken paired perfectly with the condiments. And, of course, the cola was essential. It tasted somewhat like a diet version, but the carbonation was sharp. Having it for the first time in a while made it taste incredible.
By the way, I wondered how they kept it carbonated. Was there a specific Magic Tool for this?
"Kaito-sama."
"Yes?"
"Do you consider it unrefined to dip one's fries into the nugget sauce?"
"Not at all. I think it looks delicious."
"Is that so? Oh, I'm relieved!"
Aria-san sounded genuinely happy as she dipped a fry into the ketchup and took a bite. Even with her face partially obscured, her enjoyment was contagious.
"Do you really like fries that much, Aria-san?"
"I do. Back where I was born and raised, we had a similar dish. They weren't these slender, sophisticated things—just simple chunks of potato fried and tossed with salt—but I’ve loved them since then."
"I see, a taste of home. It's a bit surprising, though. You carry yourself with such grace that I honestly assumed you were a noblewoman traveling incognito..."
"Hehehe, I’m honored you think so, but I was born and raised a commoner. Truly. In fact, it was quite absurd that I ended up standing at the top of the country given the way things turned out..."
Even if she wasn't Alexandra-san, I still found it hard to believe she wasn't a noble. Her clothes were high-quality and her bearing was far too sophisticated for a commoner. I was certain she had some high-ranking background, but she insisted otherwise.
"Sorry, I missed that last part. Your voice trailed off."
"Oh, it’s nothing! If my manners seem refined, it’s likely because I work as a maid. I have many opportunities to interact with the nobility, and since the Arclesia Empire is a nation where the aristocracy holds significant power, those habits just became second nature to me..."
"I see..."
A maid? Wait. If that was the case, didn't that point back toward her being Alexandra-san?
"By the way, is your hometown in the Arclesia Empire as well?"
"Oh, no. As a Single-species Demon, I was born and raised in the Demon Realm. However, so much time has passed since I moved to the Human Realm that I've lived here nearly as long as I lived there. At this point, I consider the Arclesia Empire my second home."
A Single-species Demon? Okay, so she really wasn't Alexandra-san. According to what Frau-san had said, Alexandra-san was a Half. Between that and the different voice, this must just be someone who happened to look like her.
"Sorry for all the questions, but that means you must have moved to the Human Realm a very long time ago."
"Please, don't apologize. It has been a very long time indeed. My arrival here was actually caused by a rare accident—a distortion in space-time. I didn't originally come here of my own volition."
"Ah, I see. So you were pulled from the Demon Realm to the Human Realm by some kind of space-time anomaly?"
"Exactly."
"That must have been... quite a struggle."
I felt for her. Being suddenly dropped into another world was something I understood firsthand. I’d had it relatively easy because the people here were used to the Hero Summoning and knew how to accommodate me, but being cast into a foreign environment so abruptly is always a trial.
"It may not compare to your experience as a summoned Hero, Kaito-sama, but it was certainly a shock. Back then, the Arclesia Empire didn't even exist. In fact, the Human Realm was little more than a fairy tale in the Demon Realm, so I remember being quite confused."
Aria-san spoke with a nostalgic look in her eyes as she began to share her memories of those distant days.