About 2 hours driving the Sus-drawn carriage from the royal castle.

  Celeste's party toured the noble district positioned surrounding the royal castle from inside the Sus carriage.

  Celeste had thought he'd walk the streets himself, but when he told his escort Lieutenant Chiono—Reinbardt—this, he was told it would be impossible given the noble district's scale.

  "Of course, it's not completely impossible.

  However, touring the entire noble district on foot would be quite tiring.

  Let's first view from inside the carriage, then revisit places you'd like to see in detail."

  Though Celeste felt irritated at being treated like an old person, when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

  Since he was heading to unknown territory where he understood nothing, he'd decided to follow the opinions of the locals, Reinbardt and the others.

  So the noble district toured by Sus carriage (Celeste quite liked the pun-like name "Sus-car" he'd coined, but that's another story) was quite an exotic sight to Celeste—Amashiro. He admired the magnificent street lined with grand stone mansions resembling somewhere Europe's old-fashioned streets.

  "Huh... so it's like this.

  Beautiful streets."

  While gazing at the scenery from the carriage window, occasionally taking photos or videos of the street with his smartphone, Reinbardt sitting in the opposite seat watched expressionlessly but shifted his gaze each time the 'click' shutter sound rang out.

  Probably that thing Celeste held concerned him terribly, but understanding it wasn't proper etiquette to ask the escort subject such things, he was enduring.

  "Huh, Your Excellency, what's that thing?"

  Seeing that strange plate held out the window, Roderick's voice—standing on the rear footboard outside the carriage as footman—could be heard.

  "Senior Private Roderick, you're on duty. Refrain from idle chatter."

  "Yes, yes."

  'Truly an insubordinate fellow.'

  Just as Reinbardt was thinking he'd drill him when they returned, Celeste's carefree voice came.

  "Ah, this? Well~

  Perfect timing, shall we take a break somewhere?

  I'll show you what this is there."

  "Understood.

  Sergeant Retes."

  "Yes. The square before the royal castle will be visible soon, so I'll stop there."

  Having finished circling the royal castle, they were returning to the square they'd seen at departure.

  Entering the square, Retes stopped the Sus carriage before the fountain.

  "Can you disembark?"

  "Right. I'd like to get some outside air too.

  ...More importantly, my back hurts..."

  Though cushions were laid on the carriage seats and the axle had suspension, the shaking was tough on modern person Celeste's back.

  "What are you doing, idiot brother! Hurry and prepare seats!"

  "Ah, right."

  Retes, descending from the driver's seat, snapped at Roderick who'd been absentmindedly slacking, and the two hurriedly retrieved folding chairs and a table from the box under the rear footboard—the carriage's trunk as it were—and set them before Celeste. Retes took out something bucket-like, drew water from the fountain, and went to give Sus a drink.

  "So diligent~ admirable."

  "Thanks!"

  "Senior Private Roderick..."

  Really, what a hopeless fellow, Reinbardt was irritated.

  "Are you all thirsty?"

  Though it wasn't yet summer, it was a season when sunlight gradually strengthened, and being active outside meant getting thirsty. Therefore preparing throat-moistening drinks was also part of escort duties, but the escort subject had spoken first.

  This was a situation where being called derelict of duty couldn't be helped.

  "My apologies for showing inadequacy.

  I'll prepare drinks immediately—"

  "Hm? No no, I didn't mean that.

  You worked hard for me, so I thought I'd treat you."

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "Treat... us?"

  Not scolding inadequately prepared subordinates, but treating them?

  For Reinbardt himself of noble birth, this was a hard-to-understand way of thinking.

  Perhaps if he answered wrongly here, he'd commit disrespect to the royal family and be punished.

  "You needn't be so on guard.

  There's no ulterior motive.

  Really, I mean it as appreciation?"

  "Eh, really okay?"

  Though he wanted to punch Roderick for interrupting their conversation, it was also true he felt tension ease slightly thanks to him.

  "Of course it's fine.

  Aren't you curious about otherworldly drinks?"

  Grinning boldly, Celeste somehow made Reinbardt feel a chill.

  "Wait here a bit. I'll be right back."

  So saying, Celeste opened a spark-scattering door that suddenly appeared before the fountain, crossed through it, and vanished leaving not even a presence.

  "Eh?"

  Retes, returning after giving Sus water, involuntarily cried out seeing his escort subject vanish into thin air before his eyes.

  Though it might have sounded somewhat foolish, no one around could blame him.

  Not just his idiot brother Roderick, but even their superior officer Lieutenant Reinbardt.

  And the noble district people watching this bizarre party from afar all felt the same.

  "L-Lieutenant?"

  "......"

  "Lieutenant!"

  "Wh-what?

  Mm, sorry. What was I thinking..."

  "Y-Your Excellency...

  What should we do?"

  "The escort subject's gone missing.

  This is an emergency..."

  "Sorry for the wait!"

  "GYAAAAH!"

  At Celeste emerging through a gate from the void where he'd vanished, even Reinbardt screamed together with his two subordinates.

  No, among the onlookers watching from afar, there were even noble ladies and young ladies whose legs gave out and they sat down hard.

  "Y-Your Excellency?"

  "Ah, sorry. I went to the convenience store to buy juice.

  Carbonated drinks might upset your bodies, so I got fruit juice for now.

  Ah, of course I have mineral water too."

  At the escort subject Regis Celeste, who'd suddenly vanished then reappeared holding a translucent bag in one hand, the three—Reinbardt and the others—were speechless.

  A high-ranking mage? Even so, this activation time was abnormal.

  Moreover, the translucent bag in his hand was made of unseen material.

  Then, someone addressed him from behind.

  "C-could you be...

  Regis-Basi, His Excellency Royal Father ōteru Celeste...?"

  A male Hiponesi (horse beastman) carefully asked Celeste if he was who he thought.

  "Eh? Ah, yes.

  That's me. And you are?"

  "Ah, how rude of me.

  I apologize for my tardiness in introducing myself.

  I'm Bazderi Nairan, serving as headmaster of the Royal Magic Academy."

  "Hm? Nairan...?

  That Lady Nairan's...?"

  "You remember?

  I'm the husband of Court Mage Chief Iare Nairan Mare."

  At another big shot suddenly appearing, the three—Reinbardt and others—couldn't help being tense, but the instigator of this situation, Celeste, was operating completely normally.

  "Ah, I see.

  Your wife has been very helpful."

  "No no, rather my wife is the one.

  I've heard various interesting stories from you, Regis.

  To see that 'spacetime transfer gate' with my own eyes..."

  While Bazderi was overwhelmed with emotion, everyone around doubted their ears at what they'd just heard.

  'Spacetime transfer?'

  Sus carriage with royal family crest.

  Man appearing Humanita.

  Regis-Basi.

  'Spacetime transfer.'

  From these, quite a few people here could identify who the man before them was.

  This was the noble district. The street where nobles entering the court lived.

  "Most rude I know, but may I ask where you just went...?"

  "To the convenience store to buy drinks... no, I went to Earth.

  Ah, Lord Nairan, would you like one too?"

  Probably only Celeste would speak of the grand technique of spacetime transfer to another world as casually as going to a convenience store in front of one's house.

  Well, in his case, he actually had gone to a convenience store.

  "N-no, I couldn't cause such trouble.

  Aren't these just for your party?"

  "That's fine.

  Excluding Roderick-kun."

  "What! That's mean!"

  Was he really an idiot, or actually a big shot?

  While Reinbardt was fed up with Roderick's inappropriate protest, Celeste began laughing and taking contents from the translucent bag—convenience store plastic bag—and placing them on the table.

  "Let's see.

  Water, orange juice, apple juice, oolong tea, water, orange, lychee juice, oolong tea, oolong tea, lychee, apple, apple, orange, orange, lychee..."

  "W-w-wait!?"

  By any reckoning, it exceeded the number that should come from the bag Celeste held.

  Moreover, plenty still remained in the bag.

  "Would everyone around like some too?

  I'm ōteru Celeste, who has just received the rank of Regis-Basi from His Majesty the King.

  I'll be moving to this district, so I came today for preliminary scouting.

  They're humble, but as a token of acquaintance, how about otherworldly drinks?"

  The 'father from the royal family's previous lives' who came from another world—heard through rumors.

  Rumors of repeated eccentric behavior at court.

  Moreover, abilities ostentatiously, deliberately shown in the noble district square.

  That Regis Celeste was moving to this noble district?

  Around were nobles themselves, their families, servants, purveyor merchants.

  People sensitive to information.

  They wanted information on what kind of person this new Regis before them was.

  And what were those 'otherworldly drinks'?

  While such thoughts crossed, the instigator Celeste was leisurely recommending drinks to Bazderi.

  "Now, Lord Nairan, what will you have?

  Ah... might be different from this world's fruits...

  Safety first, water?"

  "No!

  ...Um, may I have that orange-colored one?"

  "Yes, please."

  Bazderi too was the same species as his wife—a mage.

  He wouldn't foolishly kick away the opportunity to gain new knowledge—juice of an otherworldly fruit.

  'Iare will be quite frustrated when she finds out.'

  A trivial competitive spirit, but still pleasing to feel he'd "won in knowledge."

  "That cap on top of the bottle... yes, that white thing. Twist it. Yes, yes."

  Thinking it glass because it was a transparent bottle, it was an unfamiliar thin material.

  Even the lid was unknown material, revolutionary thinking that could open and close with a screw mechanism.

  Moreover, cold despite no trace of cooling magic.

  Just what kind of world was this 'Chikyu' he came from?

  He tried that mysterious orange juice.

  "...Sweet."

  Acidic fruit juice existed in this world too.

  But the sweetness was on another level.

  What was this smooth throat-feel?

  GULP, GULP.

  The renowned mage, Royal Magic Academy Headmaster Bazderi Nairan, silently, absorbedly drinking 'otherworldly drinks.'

  "Excuse me. Might I have one too?"

  "Of course.

  Please, choose whichever you like."

  When one noblewoman said this, no one left could overcome that temptation.