The Troubles of Miss Nicola the Exorcist: Volume 2 [Parts 1 to 4] by Ito Iino

Author:Ito Iino
Language: eng
Format: epub

3

All the refreshments Ernst had purchased for the group were delicious. The bread must have been freshly baked for the train journey, as it was still warm and gave off a pleasant aroma of butter and wheat.

When bitten into, the sausages sandwiched between the bread had a satisfying snap and overflowed with juices. They had the right amount of salt and a perfect balance of fresh lettuce and tomato.

One bite of a quiche filled to the brim with eggs, bacon, and vegetables sent a wave of savory flavor across one’s tongue. Any of these items would have wiped away the awful memory of Emma’s cooking.

The cookies Ernst had bought as their dessert were light, crispy, sweet, and fragrant. Enjoyed with a cup of black tea, they made the inside of one’s mouth feel refreshed. Nicola believed she could eat any number of cookies.

While stuffing her face with cookies, Nicola furtively glanced at Alois and Emma, who sat side by side opposite her. She noticed that each time Alois reached for some food, Emma quickly extended her own hand to preempt him. Emma seemed to have been assigned as the royal food taster. Alternatively, this tiny act of provocation might have been Emma’s way of flirting with Alois.

Nicola was unsure if Char also noticed. In any case, he casually said, “Hey, prince. Even if you are incognito, can you take a trip with so few people? I kinda thought this would end up being a bit more elaborate.”

He’s right, Nicola suddenly realized. But Sieghart, sitting next to her, did not seem to find the manner of their journey at all surprising.

After looking at Nicola and Char, Sieghart chuckled and said, “There are no powers either inside or outside this kingdom who would profit from Alois’s death.”

Alois accepted this explanation from Sieghart with a simple nod and said, “That’s right. No one besides me has the right to inherit the throne. Should members of the nobility come to blows over who is to become my fiancée, they could hardly afford to be hostile to me.” After taking a sip of tea to moisten his throat, he continued. “Besides, Ernst is by my side. We have no knights mightier than Ernst, not even in the royal guard. The members of the guard trust Ernst so deeply that sending him with me was sufficient—at least, so I would like to say.”

Alois paused and shrugged slightly, then added, “As a matter of fact, some bodyguards will watch over us among the train passengers and other travelers we meet.”

Not even Sieghart expected this and looked slightly shocked. From the subsequent change in his expression, he worked something out very quickly.

“I wonder if this might be why...” said Sieghart, taking out the local newspaper he had bought that morning. With a tap of one of his shapely fingers, he indicated an article that was small, even on the page it occupied.

Nicola noted that the short article in this section of the paper—where anyone, even commoners, could pay to have an article published—included the heading “Still Searching.

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