"Thanks for the meal!"

Thanking me is a girl with short brown hair and a slightly tattered dress that, for some reason, doesn't damage her overwhelming beauty whatsoever. 

"Sigh, how is it that we met for the fifth time in a row? Are you stalking me?" (Riel)

"Dunno, but it sure is convenient!" 

"Sigh, you're an absolute headache aren't you?" (Riel)

"Hehe~" 

"Don't you dare 'hehe' me!" (Riel)

As to how I met this girl, it all started about 5 days ago.

5 days ago

After a few hours of being stuck in the carriage, I finally arrived at the capital. This is the first time I've been to the capital since I've always been too lazy to come here myself. My first impression is that it looks exactly how I imagined it from the very beginning. It truly was a medieval-styled world. I see taverns, knights, old-fashioned buildings, carriages, and all that stuff. I feel the urge to explore the capital, but seeing as it is late in the afternoon, I decided to suppress my urges and make my way to Xerxes academy since that's where Lime-sensei's and Mel-nee's lab is located. It was decided that I was going to stay there until I get admitted to Aerith Academy.

Even though it was a thirty-minute walk from the city's gates to the academy, I decided to walk the entire way there since I wanted to enjoy the scenery. As I was making my way to the academy, I stumbled upon the sight of three shady-looking dudes harassing a girl in one of those alleyways.

'Finally, I get to witness one of the tropes we normally see in light novels.'

As those thoughts were going through my head, I confronted the three guys.

"Hey, what's going on around here?" (Riel)

"Get lost kid, it's none of your business." 

"Yeah, nothing's happening either, we're just asking this girl to have some fun with us."

"Why don't you tell the kid that he's just being a bother, right girl?" 

I then looked towards the girl. I couldn't see her well because it was pretty dark.

"Shut up! Get away from me you creeps!" 

"Can't you hear her? So why don't you guys just stop bothering her." (Riel)

"Tch, I guess we're gonna have to take care of you."

"Don't take it personally kid, it's your fault you had to mess with us."

"Yeah, we warned you, but you didn't listen."

The three stooges then pulled out their weapons and lunged at me. I was a bit startled at first, but I realized that they were nothing compared to the bandits I fought years ago. Those bandits sure were tough, weren't they? But I should still be careful, I may have gotten rusty after all these years of not training. They then slashed at me, but I dodged all the hits and disabled all of them by punching them in the gut. After I made sure that those three were incapacitated, I then turn towards the girl and make sure she's all right.

"Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" (Riel)

"I'm fine. Thanks a lot!"

"How'd you even end up in this situation?" (Riel)

"Well, I was just walking around by myself and then those three just dragged me into this dark alley."

Now that we're out of the dark alley, I could see just why exactly those three dragged her in. Both Mom and Mel-nee were beauties, but she's on a whole 'nother level. From head to toe, all I could say was that she was gorgeous. I, I think I like her. 

"A-ahem, you shouldn't be walking around here by yourself, it's pretty dangerous for a beautiful girl like you to be alone at these times." (Riel)

"Beautiful eh? It isn't the first time someone's said that to me, but since you did me a favor, I'll just take it as an honest compliment." 

"Huh, what do you mean?" (Riel)

"Well, for the past few days, a bunch of guys keeps calling me beautiful just so they could 'woo' me but instead of being offended by that, I'll take it as a compliment." 

At this moment, I realized that this girl is bound to give me a headache.

"Well, see you I guess. I gotta go now." (Riel)

"Sure, bye~" 

As I was just a few steps away from entering the academy, I realized that I don't even know her name. Eh, it's not like I'll see her anytime soon. Still, she sure was pretty. Well, it's fine. Crushes like those don't last long.

Meanwhile

Swordman POV

"Oh, it looks like that girl was saved. I guess I don't have to go and help her anymore. Well, time to keep roaming around now."(Swordman)

The next day

I'm currently at the theater watching a play, but I'm not alone.

"Thanks a lot for the ticket man!"

"Sigh. it's not a big deal. I had an extra one anyway." (Riel)

"So, why do you have an extra? Don't tell me, you got dumped?"

"Nope, my uncle was supposed to come with his girlfriend, but an emergency happened so now both of them are busy. Plus, I don't have anyone else I know from around here, so I just had an extra one. But the real question is, why'd you try to get in without one?" (Riel)

"Hehe, this was the first time I've ever gone to one, so I thought that you could buy the tickets on the spot without having to reserve them."

"So you do have money." (Riel)

"Hehe, I left my money at home."

"Don't 'hehe' me!" (Riel)

"Tee-hee~"

"That doesn't change a single thing! Sigh, this idiot really is a disappointing beauty." (Riel)

"Hey, I'm beautiful on the inside and the outside! And I have a name!" 

"Fine fine. Liz really is an idiot and a disappointing beauty." (Riel)

"That doesn't change a thing!" (Liz)

"Sigh, the play's about to start, so quiet down." (Riel)

"Jeez, fine. But after this, I'll annoy you a lot." (Liz)

"Sure sure. So just shut up for now." (Riel)

She really is a disappointing beauty, but she's still a beauty nonetheless. Even her pouting face is cute. Ah, shit. I can't let myself be distracted by that.

Meanwhile

Red Hair POV

"Jeez, Cairo just ditched me, and I had to pay for both of our tickets. I guess I have two seats to myself."