We arrived at each new train station, and the train would stop for ten minutes to let passengers get on and off or use the restroom. After a nine-hour journey, we finally arrived safely at the southernmost station at 8 p.m.
Along the way, we had nothing much to do—just enjoying the beautiful scenery outside the window and chatting idly. After finishing our boxed lunches, we took short naps. It really felt like a proper trip.
I also told the others about the phone system update, and all four of them updated their phones.
Compared to the capital, the train stations outside the city weren't nearly as grand or luxurious. There was no second floor, no towering ceilings—just a simple overpass connecting the platforms.
That said, it wasn't that other cities didn't care about their stations. The capital symbolized prosperity, the kind of place everyone dreamed of. If its station wasn't the most magnificent in the entire country, it wouldn't live up to that image.
Back to the present—we stepped off the train, and I stretched as I walked. Even though I hadn't slept, I spoke in a groggy, just-woke-up voice.
"Finaaal—ly here."
Sitting for over nine hours straight—no matter how soft and comfortable the seats were—made my whole body stiff. My bones practically creaked from the lack of movement.
"Ms. Alice, watch your step."
"I still wanna sleep…"
Grace was supporting Alice, who was still half-asleep and stumbling as she walked. We were the last ones to get off the train, since it took quite some effort to wake Alice up.
After that, we went to have dinner. I stared at the table, which was filled with around twenty seafood dishes—fish, shellfish, shrimp, massive crabs, and even huge lobsters. It honestly felt like my wallet was about to bleed.
This was a port town, after all. Fishing and aquaculture were highly developed here, so a menu full of seafood wasn't surprising. If anything, livestock and vegetables—things we usually ate—felt more valuable here.
When the bill came, it was 34 silver coins and 50 copper coins. I was honestly shocked—it didn't even reach 1 gold coin.
The seafood was incredibly fresh, with excellent texture and flavor—far superior to the fish you'd catch by the river. And yet, it was this cheap?
Even hiring adventurers to hunt down seafood in a dungeon would cost at least 4 silver coins and 20 copper coins per catch, regardless of the type. But since this wasn't the capital, and seafood was abundant, the prices ended up being much lower.
Curious, I handed the money to the owner and asked,
"Ma'am, where do you source your seafood from? It's not only delicious, but also very affordable."
"You're not from around here, are you?"
"That's right. Why do you ask?"
"It's nothing. Locals all know the reason. We use a type of magic called "Storage". It lets us store a large amount of items, and it keeps food as fresh and warm as if it were just cooked."
"We know about that magic, but it hasn't spread widely in this country."
"That's correct. We learned it from travelers from Dilibrash. Though… it did cause quite a few sailors to lose their jobs."
Dilibrash—that was the next country we were heading to. So people there knew storage magic?
That reminded me of something King Bari had said—that King Leon had informed other nations about Storage magic through letters. That meant all kings were aware of it; whether it spread among the people depended on each ruler.
So when we entered Dilibrash, we probably wouldn't run into issues related to storage magic anymore.
Still, what the owner said about unemployment weighed on my mind.
"What are those sailors doing now?"
"They've become adventurers hired by local restaurants, gathering fresh ingredients from dungeons. Since dungeon resources are practically limitless, it keeps prices low."
"I see."
That explained the low prices. Though, it sounded like adventurers weren't exactly earning much either. And since this was a seafood restaurant, the owner hadn't said they only hunted seafood—so livestock and vegetables probably weren't as scarce here after all.
Just then, a man nearby raised his glass and shouted,
"Another drink, please!"
"Coming right up!"
The owner responded immediately and went back to work. We finished up and left to find an inn.
After taking a shower and getting ready for bed, I noticed Jacob sitting on his bed, staring into space. I sat across from him and asked,
"Jacob, you've been quiet since we got off the train. Something on your mind?"
He slowly turned toward me, like a walking corpse, his expression still dazed. After a few seconds, he finally replied,
"…Karen, you saw it too, right?"
"Saw what?"
"On the train… when Grace fell asleep on my shoulder."
Ah, so this pure-hearted guy was troubled over something that sweet.
"Ah, that. Well, you ended up falling asleep on her head afterward. Anyone who saw you would've thought you were a couple."
"Wha—!? I did?!"
Just as expected, Jacob was completely shocked. Finally, his expression came back to life.
At the time, he had frozen up in panic, afraid to move and wake Grace. But instead of asking me for help, he chose to enjoy the moment. Eventually, he got sleepy too and leaned his head against hers.
But he didn't remember any of that—Grace had woken up first, and Jacob had been jolted awake rather than waking naturally.
"Yes. Do you remember how you woke up?"
"I suddenly tilted to one side and woke up."
"That's because when Grace woke up and realized she was leaning on you, she panicked and tried to pull away too quickly. That's what made you fall over."
"I see… I thought it was because I couldn't handle the weight of her armor. But—is she okay? She doesn't think I took advantage of her, right?!"
"Probably not. She was more worried about whether you hit your head."
"That's true… Grace is so kind… Wait—how do you know all this?! There was a curtain between us!"
"I was watching."
Jacob had been completely absorbed in Grace's kindness, but finally noticed the obvious.
I answered him seriously. I wasn't even trying to hide it—I had been observing from behind the curtain.
It was afternoon. Grace had said she wanted to take a nap, but the sunlight was too bright, so she pulled the curtain closed. That's when everything happened.
But since the curtain blocked the view outside, I covered myself with it while Jacob was still awake. That way, I could still look outside without disturbing Grace.
As for why I didn't just move seats—it was because I wouldn't get to witness their little "sweat moments."
Of course, I wasn't watching the whole time. I preferred the scenery and only peeked occasionally. That's why I missed the exact moment Jacob leaned on her.
Later, I heard someone stir and guessed someone had woken up—maybe something interesting would happen. So I quietly lifted the curtain just enough to peek with one eye… and saw everything.
They seemed completely lost in their own world, though, and didn't notice me at all. After that, I dropped the curtain and went back to watching the scenery. Honestly, just listening was enough—I was worried I might laugh and interrupt them.
"…I don't even know what to say."
Jacob rubbed his forehead, shaking his head in disbelief.
Anyway, back to the main point.
"So what were you thinking about?"
He touched the shoulder Grace had leaned on and replied in a conflicted tone,
"I was wondering… whether she fell asleep on me because of her personality, or something else…"
From what I knew of Grace, it was probably just an accident. She wasn't the careless type—if anything, she was dependable enough to take care of Alice.
So I gave him my honest guess.
"I can't say for sure. Maybe she likes you."
"L-Likes me?! Grace likes me?! Why?! Tell me!"
Jacob immediately jumped up and grabbed my shoulders, shaking me as he demanded answers.
"How would I know? And I said maybe—it's not certain."
As soon as I said that, his excitement died down, and he slumped back onto the bed.
I might've given him hope, only to take it away—but I did say "maybe" from the start.
After all, he was experiencing his first love. Hearing that the person he liked might like him back—it was only natural he'd get carried away.
"...I see. Then what made you think that?"
He looked calmer now—probably curious, but trying not to get his hopes up too high. Just like a teenage boy overthinking everything.
"Remember when Grace suddenly fixed your hair? Normally, people would just tell you—they wouldn't touch you. And as nobles, you were taught that touching others without permission is rude, right?"
"Right… that does go against etiquette. But Grace is a duke's daughter—she was taught palace etiquette. Why would she do that?"
"Because when you like someone, you sometimes feel the urge to touch them."
"Is that true? I also feel like I want to touch Grace—"
"Stop. I already know you're a creep."
I cut him off mid-sentence.
As he spoke, he'd unconsciously raised his right hand, opening and closing it repeatedly—like he was grabbing something.
I had no interest in discussing that kind of topic.
Jacob looked confused, then followed my gaze to his hand. His movement slowed… then stopped. Suddenly, his face turned bright red.
"N-No! I meant holding hands! I want to hold Grace's hand!"
Looks like he finally realized.
"Then just say that. Don't make weird gestures."
"...Got it. Anyway, anything else you noticed?"
He apologized and sat back down, continuing the discussion.
"What about earlier on the train? Why did Grace only explain to you that she's not easy to win over?"
"Maybe because I was the one who said it?"
"But she was really emotional about it—kept insisting she's not that kind of woman. What do you think?"
Normally, someone would just refute it briefly and move on. But she went out of her way to explain herself—to him, specifically.
She didn't even consider whether we might think the same thing.
Which meant, in that moment, her only concern was making sure Jacob didn't misunderstand her.
Jacob fell silent, thinking it over.
After a while, his face turned red again. He lowered his head, fidgeting with his fingers like a shy girl.
Looks like he'd reached a conclusion.
"So… does that mean… we like each other?"
"I don't know. Like I said, nothing's certain yet. If you confess and succeed, great. But if you fail, things could get awkward. So don't rush."
Everything I said was still just speculation.
I genuinely hoped things would work out for him—but we still had a long journey ahead. If it all turned out to be a misunderstanding, things would get really awkward.
Of course, if I became certain about Grace's feelings, I'd give him a push.
"I understand."
Jacob smiled, looking happy. He'd probably take things at his own pace.
After that, we turned off the magic lamp and went to sleep.