The high-end cafe had been truly wonderful. The cake and tea were delicious, and the atmosphere was lovely—though, to be honest, it felt a little out of my league.
I couldn't really relax the way I would in a normal coffee shop. Once I finished the cake, I started feeling a bit restless. Maybe it was the "high-end" aura of the place, but I found myself sitting more stiffly than usual.
I wondered if nobles were used to lounging peacefully in such environments. Personally, I found that I felt much more at ease in a trendy, stylish cafe than a top-tier establishment like this. Even though I had come into a considerable amount of money, my sensibilities remained those of a commoner. That was likely why I didn't have any expensive hobbies. Of course, since it was my first time at such a high-end place, maybe I’d grow used to it after a few more visits. Regardless, once Illness-san and I finished our snacks, we shared some small talk and headed outside.
“We’ve finished our visit to the cafe, but it feels like a waste to just head back now. Would you like to go somewhere else?”
“Yes... I would be delighted...”
“Do you have anywhere in mind, Illness-san?”
“Let me see... actually, there is a place nearby that I am a bit interested in... If you do not mind, Kaito-sama, shall we head over there?”
“Sure, let’s go.”
Our time at the cafe was over, but since this was a rare date, it felt like a waste to end it so soon. I suggested going somewhere else, and Illness-san agreed. I had only just started wondering where to go next, so I was grateful she had a suggestion. Given the area we were in, I wondered if it would be another high-end shop.
“Is it nearby?”
“Yes... it is very close by... If we walk a little further... ah, it is visible now... Over there...”
“Wait, what is that large gate?”
Just as Illness-san said, we arrived at our destination after a short walk. But what stood before us was a massive wall and an imposing gate. It didn't feel like a shop at all; in fact, the entrance looked more like the estate of a high-ranking noble.
“Um, Illness-san? What is this place?”
“This is... a park...”
“A park? Beyond this gate?”
“Yes. This is a park that requires an admission fee. It is a place used by the nobles and wealthy who come to shop in this district when they wish to take a break...”
“Ah, I see... that explains the gate.”
So, it was a private nature park. Perhaps the gate was so large so that carriages could enter? Certainly, if it was intended for the nobility, the owners wouldn't want just anyone wandering in. The setup made sense.
Impressed that such places existed, I followed her to the building beside the gate and purchased our tickets. The entrance fee was 100R—roughly 10,000 yen. That was quite expensive for a park, but considering it was a high-security rest area for the elite, the price was probably justified.
There were likely magic barriers across the entire grounds, such as an Intruder-detection Barrier and a Teleportation Interference Barrier. Factoring in the security at the gate, the high cost was understandable.
“I’m actually a little excited. I wonder what it’s like inside.”
“I heard that the person who designed the gardens of the Royal Castle created this park with great care. It was even selected as one of the 100 Scenic Spots of the Kingdom of Sinfonia.”
“There’s a book for that? '100 Scenic Spots'... I'm definitely interested.”
“It was released quite recently. It came out after the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company began selling recording magic tools. Currently, it is only available by special order through a few merchant guilds; you won't find it in ordinary bookstores. It is quite an expensive item. Milady owns a copy, so if you are interested, I am sure she would let you borrow it.”
I see. So it was a book created after photography became possible. Since it was likely filled with high-quality photos, it was expensive and limited to made-to-order sales. No wonder I hadn't heard of it.
I was definitely interested. If Lilia-san had it, I’d have to ask to see it... or maybe I could just buy my own copy. I decided to look into it later.
“If it’s a new book, I bet the Sky castle is in it too.”
“The Sky Castle was even on the cover. The Forest of the Spirit Tree of Rigforresia was also selected. Also, among the most recent additions, the Chapel in Fahren was chosen as well.”
“That’s the area where Mitsunaga-kun is the Lord, isn't it? Come to think of it, he mentioned he was going to focus on developing that after receiving the bouquet from Shiro-san. I guess this is the result.”
I really wanted to see this "100 Scenic Spots of the Kingdom of Sinfonia" at least once. For that matter, I wondered if there were versions for the Arclesia Empire or the Hydra Kingdom as well. If so, I wanted the whole set.
Serious-senpai: "Please think about this calmly. The title is 'Cafe Date,' right? Since the cafe part is over, there should be no problem ending the chapter here and going home. There's really no need for the two of them to go to a secluded park together... At that point, it's just a plain old date..."
???: "Well then, as long as the title changes to 'Park Date' in the next chapter, everything will be fine."
Serious-senpai: "No, that's not the point!"