Chapter 1 E 9 - (Fleeing) 1

After blending with the aristocrats, Ryouma succeeded pa.s.sing the castle gate.
Right now, a street in European style spread in front of him.

"Oooh!" 

Because the landscape is very well-organized, he can't help but leak a voice of admiration. 
Outside the castle, the aristocrats houses are lined up, where the aristocrats who had escaped disappears into. 
After he goes straight around 500 meters from the castle gate, he saw another gate. Apparently, the other side seems to be the commoner's area. 
Since the size of the house's roof become smaller remarkably. 
Ryouma then decide to get into the commoner's area first. After all, it best hides within a crowd of people. 
Despite him wearing an Imperial Guard armor and pa.s.sed through the aristocrats houses, where maid and soldiers also can be seen, they did not question Ryouma at all. 

After walked for a few minutes he reached the gate. 
The gate is opened, and the drawbridge also has been laid down. Apparently, they only close the gate when emergency happen. 
Ryouma slightly feel bothered by the guard that stands on the right and left of the gate. 


As soon as he pa.s.sed the gate, a lively environment spread out in front of Ryouma eyes. 
There are a lot of people going here and there, and various stalls and shop lined. 
The road is not paved with stone like the aristocrat's area, the road is made of bare soil, and disordered building can be seen lined up. 
As far as I see the attire of the people, a lot of them wears robe or mantle. And some people also wear armor. Some wearing only a simple s.h.i.+rt and pants. An aunty is wearing an ap.r.o.n. And other various attire. 

"Unexpectedly there are a lot of people... Furthermore, some people also bring weapons with them..." 

Ryouma muttered those words while looking at one point. He noticed that some people carrying a weapon here and there mixed among the crowd. 
They obviously don't look like a soldier of a country. No matter what, some of them are criminal! Is what he want to say, there's also those who have such fiendish face among them. 
The color of their hair and skin are black, white, yellow and other various colors. There's even human being with blue and green hair. 
Since Ryouma previously considered that he might get isolated due to his hair, skin, or eyes color, looking at the scene Ryouma heave a sigh of relief. 
Since there are a lot of different appearances, it seems like Ryouma hair and eye color won't be a problem. 

"Now then. For now, let's find some clothes..." 

After Ryouma had uttered such words, his stomach grumbled telling that he's hungry. 
After all, he was being summoned to this word when he's about to have lunch on the roof. 
However, no matter how hungry he is, he needs to procure some clothes first. Since it would be too conspicuous if he keeps on wearing the imperial guard armor. 
Ryouma then runs his eyes around looking at the signboard while rubbing his stomach that raises some complaint. 
While walking along the main street, a shop with a dress picture being drawn on the signboard entered Ryouma eyes. 

============POV Change============== 
Megu Leicester that day received a strange customer. 
The time currently has pa.s.sed 1.00 o'clock in the afternoon. That customer came in at the clothes store where she works. 

"Welcome!" 

The man who comes in wearing imperial guard armor meets with the usual cheerful greeting from Megu as the store typical hospitality. 
Of course, a customer coming to shopping while wearing armor is normal. 
However, this is the first time an Imperial guard come to the store. 
Unlike adventurers and mercenaries soldiers, the national soldiers usually come to shopping while wearing civilian clothes. 

(Did he come here not for shopping?)

What Megu had thought is something natural. However, since he's looking at the clothes that are being exhibited, she has no choice but to think of him as a customer. 

"I'm sorry, but is there anything that you are looking for? Would you like for me to help you?" 

Megu mustered her courage and speak toward the man. The reply that's being returned to her is very normal. 

"I want one set of casual clothes top and bottom, underwear and hooded mantle, and a leather belt." 

(He seems to have a very polite way of talking isn't he? Though why he comes here with the imperial guard armor anyway?)

Megu felt an uncomfortable feeling from the tone of the man. 
Normally, most people who come to the store are arrogant rotten people. In particular, the aristocrats and soldiers. 
However, Ryouma respond to her is very ordinary. As one would expect, it's impossible for commoners to predict the att.i.tude of a soldier. 

"Is there any color that you prefer?" 

"I would like black please." 

"Certainly. I'll prepare it. Wait a minute." 

Mainly, compared to the normal customers, she does not feel any difference either. 
She asks the things that he wants to ask, and he replies it normally. 
Although she felt a bit out of place with his polite att.i.tude, but, Megu feel that she's just thinking too much and feel amused by it. 

(Maybe because all of his clothes are in the laundry, I wonder? Ah! I forgot to ask the size... well it's fine. I will bring some larger clothes together as well.)

She then brings three items with three different sizes each. 

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. How about these?" 

"This is fine. Please warp it." 

"Eh? he didn't say anything about which size?)

No one buys clothes without trying it first before purchasing the clothes. Of course, it was natural for Megu to tilt her head since he does not check the size either. 

"Emm... how about the size?" 

Megu somewhat asked him while feeling reserved. 

"Ah, the size... hmm... the biggest one please." 

He somehow gives the feeling that he wants to buy the clothes immediately. It was a very suspicious att.i.tude. However, Megu shook her head, after all, the customer is buying it. 

"Certainly. The price would be 1000 baht in total. I will immediately wrap the goods, please wait a minute." 

Saying that she lowered her head, then Megu heading toward the counter when he called her. 

"Oh, Wait a moment. Because I'm in a hurry I want to immediately pay, will you count the money together?" 

He put the bag with the money. 

"If it's not enough, please do say so?" 

(I wonder if he's an aristocrat son from somewhere? But, he wore an imperial guard armor, though?) 
Mostly the one who does shopping like this is someone from aristocrat family. 
(But he does not seem to be a aristocrat person from all angle, I wonder? But well, whatever! Since the person appears to pay with money properly, everything is good.) Megu then stopped thinking about it. 
A customer who pays is a good customer even if it's a suspicious person. Such thought crosses her mind. 

"Certainly. Please wait a minute." 

Megu lowered her head once again and went toward the counter. 

===============POV Change============ 
"Fuu~." 

After leaving the clothes store Ryouma breathes out while trying not to attract public gaze. He never feels this much tense just by from shopping. 
When Megu said "The price would be 1000 baht in total", no matter how much money he has, he don't know how much is that. At the time when he handed over the bag with the money inside of it to her,
his heart is beating so fast that he thought it might explode. 
However, for the time being, he achieved his objective. 

"After all this is a race against time." 

After muttered such words, Ryouma once again walked out the main street. 


"Oba-chaaan~. One of today special please!" 

On the other side of the main street, there's a store located inside a dark, gloomy ally. 
The name of the shop is restaurant Oceanic Noise. It is the kind of a restaurant where people will decline in coming if they are not being recommended by someone. 
However, contrary to the dark appearance, the inside is clean and tidy, there are male and female customers, there also those who come with their child. 
The time right now is currently 3.00 o'clock in the afternoon. 
Finally, Ryouma could get some lunch. 
He change his clothes into his black s.h.i.+rt and pants which he bought a while ago at Megu's shop.

(Somehow I made it huh...)

At the time there's an army that pa.s.sed by Ryouma come out of the castle, he remembered the person who leads them. 

Ryouma in the state where he wears an armor went out from the castle. He only thinks about ran away immediately. 
Properly speaking, usually, without looking back, he should escape as far as possible. However, since he doesn't know the geography and have no equipment, there's no way to do that. 
It's the same as asking for death, after all, if he were to go without confirming the minimum information, how far, how to go, and how much preparation one's needed to prepare. 
Furthermore, Ryouma can't ride a horse. As a modern person, Ryouma have no horse riding experience. 
Since he saw carriage in the downtown, it is natural, that the pursuers would be some cavalrymen. 
On foot vs. Horse riding. It was evident that he would be caught fast like that. 
But since Ryouma wear armor when getting out of the castle. 

The imperial guards don't know Ryoma's face. 
Their only clue is that he wear an imperial guard armor. For that reason, they would chase someone who have gone out of the castle who wears an imperial guard armor. 
His concern is that if by any chance their preparation is faster, by the time Ryouma go out he would immediately being caught, however, Ryouma thought that the heaven seems to favor him 
Looking someplace outside the castle, he changes the attire to the one he bought. Then he buried the armor on the ground, just right after that, he meets the pursuer pa.s.sed by heading out from the castle. 

"Here you go! Thank you for waiting!" 

With cheerful voice, a sufficient volume of lunch set spread on the table, there's karaage, fried fish, bread, and salad. 

While stuffing his mouth with the bread and Karaage, Once again Ryouma remembered the pursuer who pa.s.sed each other with him a moment ago.

(They seem to be a considerably able person. Honestly, I didn't think that they would pursue me only using cavalry...)

At the time when Ryouma is looking for a place to eat, they came out from the castle. 
The one who leads them is four people consist of man and women. Among them, two people have a familiar face.

(Rolph and Seria huh...) 

Rolph face who have the personality of veteran soldier floats on his mind. 
And the one who seems to have an intelligent face and a high magic capability, Seria. 
And then, and unknown young man that looks weak. 
He can't make light of these three people, though, it does not mean that he's afraid of them.

(The problem is the last person...) 

The woman with blue eyes and blonde hair. 
In Ryouma eyes, she has an equal fighting force similar to Rolph. 
Since he also has been trained in martial arts, he's able to deduce the ability of someone just from a glance.

(Furthermore, that eyes... that's not only the eyes of a warrior... that is...)

That eyes which full of calmness and intelligence. It was akin to Seria's eyes; however, she has one crucial difference. 
That her eyes are filled with confidence backed by experience. 
If Seria is an immature strategist, then, she's a general who have already matured and experienced a lot. 
The eyes that have been going through bloodshed. Not just someone that experienced the battlefield like Rolph, but also have a deeper strategist mind. 
Ryouma thinks about the future while stuffing his mouth full.

(From here on, it seems like it would be one h.e.l.l of escape...) 

This is Ryouma and Shardina, This is the first meeting of them before they fought for the hegemony of the western continent.