"So, I'd like to go out to the noble residential district."

  "What do you mean 'so'?"

  When Celeste suddenly said something out of the blue, Norgaar retorted.

  It was the day after the guitar incident, which was becoming a royal palace fixture.

  "No, there was a royal command to get a mansion, right?"

  "Was that a command... Well, there was one, but how does going out relate?

  Surely you're not thinking of forcibly requisitioning a mansion you like?"

  "...What do you take your father for?"

  "A common-sense-ignoring, reckless old man."

  "Hey.

  Don't worry, I'm not thinking anything strange.

  I'm just going to scout.

  There's lots to do—checking the noble district's atmosphere, surveying architectural styles, looking for sites, and so on."

  Compared to what Celeste usually did, this was quite a serious statement, but that's precisely why Norgaar felt it even less trustworthy.

  "Well, there's some logic to it...

  Understood. I'll make preparations, so wait."

  "Hm? I'd be fine going out as I am?"

  "You plan to walk around casually alone?

  Don't be ridiculous. Dad, you're now this country's noble and a royal family member.

  Moreover, you're not even Antero—you're a human from another world.

  If you wander around alone arbitrarily, it'll cause trouble in various ways.

  I'll arrange transportation and guards."

  "Ooh~ like an SP~

  Feels like becoming a celebrity."

  "More incomprehensible words.

  Well, don't be surprised when you see the transportation."

  After leaving these words and exiting the room to prepare, Celeste, left alone, suddenly wondered.

  What was transportation in this world?

  Horse-drawn carriage? No, he'd seen Hiponesi (horse beastmen) at the royal palace, so that couldn't be it.

  A world with magic, so magically-powered cars?

  Wondering what it would be and getting restless, Norgaar returned with one Lupacid officer.

  "Sorry for the wait, Regis Celeste.

  Let me introduce him. This is Lieutenant Reinbardt Chiono of the Guard.

  Today his squad will serve as your escort."

  Surprised at Norgaar's suddenly formal attitude, this was probably what they called appearances.

  'This guy, despite being a cat, is playing the cat.'

  Standing beside him was the Lupacid officer—Reinbardt with a sharp-featured face who, even to Celeste still unfamiliar with Antero beauty standards, looked quite handsome.

  "From here, he'll guide you.

  I'm counting on you, Lieutenant."

  "I appreciate your consideration, Your Highness the King's Brother.

  Then, I ask... no, I request your good service, Lieutenant."

  "Yes! It's an honor."

  Seeing Norgaar's strained face, Celeste laughed internally.

  'I can play the cat too, you know?'

  "Then, shall we go?

  His Highness the King's Brother is busy, so we mustn't take up his time."

  "Yes. This way."

  After the two left the room, Norgaar quietly exploded.

  "That daaaad!"

  Walking the royal palace corridors guided by Reinbardt, Celeste felt he'd met the young Lupacid—frankly, the werewolf—walking ahead somewhere before.

  However, he'd never seen a real wolf on Earth, and hadn't met many people here either, so there couldn't be a Lupacid whose face he remembered. He'd barely met any Guard members, so they couldn't have met by chance. Moreover, for someone who was bad at remembering human faces, remembering Antero faces should be even more impossible, yet he didn't understand why he felt this way.

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  "This way.

  This will be your first time seeing a Sus-drawn carriage.

  Please be careful not to be surprised."

  As the corridor ended, outside the visible entrance was what looked at first glance like a horse-drawn carriage.

  However, from the entrance only the carriage portion was visible, so he couldn't tell what was harnessed or what powered it. That's why the words 'don't be surprised' were particularly concerning.

  Stepping outside the entrance with an excited chest, he saw a certain creature harnessed to that carriage.

  "Wh... wh..."

  Seeing Celeste only exhaling wordless sounds, too surprised, Lieutenant Chiono was resigning himself 'I warned him... can't be helped' when—

  "So cooooool!!"

  STAGGER.

  Lieutenant Chiono barely endured nearly stumbling.

  "Y-Your Excellency?"

  Celeste, also noticing he'd misspoken in excessive excitement, hastily straightened his posture.

  "Ah, I showed an unseemly side. Forgive me.

  However... was this what you meant by don't be surprised, Lieutenant?

  Truly... I can't help but be surprised. Magnificent, isn't it?!"

  Harnessed to the carriage was a giant stag beetle with a physique perhaps equaling horses, oxen, or larger.

  A black-gleaming carapace radiating heavy luster, six sturdy-looking legs, and above all, the long, magnificent mandibles rising majestically.

  Truly the Showa (era) boy's romance itself was before Celeste—no, Showa boy Amashiro's eyes.

  "Y... yes. It's an honor."

  Lieutenant Chiono felt bewildered.

  This person—Regis Celeste—though outwardly resembling Humanita, he'd heard was a stranger from another world called Chikyu in the far reaches of space. Therefore he'd heard rumors of repeated eccentric behavior, but those were upper palace level incidents. Though Guard-affiliated and of noble birth, to himself still just a young lower officer, details couldn't have reached him.

  Therefore, thinking the otherworlder seeing this world's unfamiliar riding beast—Sus—might be surprised and feel fear, he'd meant to warn him in advance.

  But what was the reality?

  Wasn't the direction of that surprise completely different from what he'd thought?

  "Hm? And these two?"

  To Lieutenant Chiono pondering such thoughts, Celeste questioned.

  "Yes. They're my subordinates who will serve as escort for today's outing.

  Sergeant Retes and Senior Private Roderick."

  "Ah, I see.

  Please take good care of me too, you two.

  Hm? Sergeant Retes? Do you need to sneeze?"

  There stood two identical Doberman Canisade soldiers at attention.

  ...Though one was violently twitching his face.

  "Your Excellency, that's Senior Private Roderick."

  At Reinbardt's correction, Celeste scratched his head awkwardly.

  "Huh? Ah, right. Sorry. I'm bad at remembering faces.

  Though I just got introduced moments ago."

  "No wonder. These two are twins."

  "I see! I wish you'd said that first."

  Hearing this, Roderick's facial twitching accelerated further.

  "Sneezing is a physiological response. I don't mind. Go ahead."

  At Celeste's warm consideration(?), Senior Private Roderick finally couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.

  "Bwahahahahaha!"

  THUNK.

  Sergeant Retes, standing beside him, delivered a fist to his head.

  "You idiot brother! That's why you can't get promoted!"

  Somehow at this farce-like scene, Celeste was dumbfounded.

  Behind such a Celeste, an aura of anger almost visible rose from Lieutenant Chiono.

  "Your Excellency, due to my inadequate subordinates, we've been most discourteous.

  I'll immediately replace them with others, so please..."

  Just as Lieutenant Chiono was apologizing and considering punishment for the two who'd been discourteous—

  "Wahahaha!"

  At Celeste suddenly bursting into loud laughter, both Lieutenant Chiono and Sergeant Retes widened their eyes in surprise.

  "Y-Your Excellency?"

  "Ah, it's fine, it's fine.

  An important person shows up, then suddenly throws away all dignity shouting 'So cool!' Of course you'd laugh. I get it, I get it."

  Laughing refreshingly, Celeste smiled while admonishing the three confused people.

  "Sorry, I've only just become a noble—etiquette isn't yet ingrained.

  Let's pretend everything here didn't happen.

  Right? It's a secret between us four."

  "Y... yes."

  'Though calling it a secret between four... there were quite a few people around.'

  He wanted to say, but Sergeant Retes decided to swallow such tactless retorts.

  He wasn't foolish enough to speak unnecessarily here and deliberately invite disaster.

  ...At least not compared to his twin brother Roderick beside him, still suppressing laughter.

  "Then, shall we go?

  Lieutenant... no, this feels stiff somehow."

  Celeste tilted his head slightly, then smiled mischievously.

  "Since formality's already ruined, let's go casually today.

  Chiono-kun... no, this feels stiff too.

  May I call you by your first name?"

  Though he thought it might be too familiar suddenly, calling by rank felt stifling—that was Celeste's honest feeling.

  Besides, those twins earlier hadn't given surnames. Maybe they had none, or perhaps some circumstances. So Celeste gave his own consideration.

  "If it's your command."

  At the disciplined military answer of following if commanded, Celeste smiled wryly.

  "So stiff~ I'd like young people to be more flexible.

  Right, Reinbardt?"

  ...Truth be told, by counting age those three before him were older than himself—this fact Celeste, no, Amashiro quietly chose to ignore.

  'Among long-lived species they're young!

  Who cares about physical age!'

  The other day, from Rashion's statement "70 is still very young," he'd learned about Antero lifespans and been dumbfounded.

  Converting to Antero lifespan, Celeste's age approached 200 years.

  'I'm winning in mental age!

  ...........I'm not confident.'

  "...Um, Your Excellency?"

  To Celeste absorbed in unnecessary thoughts, Retes timidly spoke.

  "Hm? Ah, what is it, Retes?"

  "We should depart soon..."

  Hearing this, Celeste finally realized he'd been dawdling with strange comedy(?). At this rate, even when scolded later by Norgaar who'd lent him subordinates, there'd be no room for excuses.

  "Right. Then let's go.

  Will you all handle the driving?"

  "Yes. I'll drive, and Roderick will serve as footman."

  Hearing this, Celeste felt relieved.

  He'd been thinking he'd be uneasy if the scatterbrained Roderick were the driver.

  'Well, knowing Norgaar, even with that personality he'd assign subordinates who do their jobs properly as escorts. Best not to overthink.'

  Boarding the carriage drawn by the giant stag beetle—rather, Sus—Celeste thought this.

  Inside the carriage, there was nothing particularly unusual.

  "Carriage drawn by Sus... truly a sus-picious carriage... sus-car.

  Just kidding."

  "Pardon?"

  "Ah, no. Nothing."

  Making terrible puns at every opportunity might be the sad nature of an old man.

  ...Thinking this, Celeste justified himself.

  "Your Highness, the duty roster report."

  "Indeed.

  Today's Guard duty roster... no abnormalities.

  Ah, I assigned Chiono's squad to Royal Father escort. Record them as off-castle duty."

  The moment he heard 'Chiono's squad,' the reporting Vice-Captain's face became worried.

  "Your Highness, will it be alright?"

  "What do you mean?"

  To Norgaar answering without taking his eyes from documents, the Vice-Captain continued.

  "That squad has that Senior Private Roderick..."

  "Senior Private Roderick...?

  ......Ah."

  Norgaar's face became as if saying 'I messed up,' but the next moment returned to his original expression.

  "No... probably no problem.

  Against someone like him, Regis Celeste is beyond reach..."

  "I... see."

  Poor Lieutenant Chiono, what a disaster... the Vice-Captain felt sympathy for his absent subordinate.