The carriage passed through layer upon layer of checkpoints before finally stopping at the entrance to the side hall where dinner was served.
Led inside by a well-proportioned maid whose manner was gentle and polite, Ron entered the dining hall with its long table and took a seat at Andre III's right hand.
"How has business been at the Flower Shop in Chaos City lately?" Andre III opened with a strange question.
"Pretty good." Ron answered simply. Knowing that the other man was already aware of the special teleportation passage between the two flower shops, he added, "They are all blessings from the Goddess."
Andre III glanced at him and did not rashly pursue the subject.
The maids brought out dinner.
This time, at least, it was not hotpot again...
The first appetizer was caviar—just a tiny spoonful.
Then came vegetable soup and grilled fish.
After they had sampled those, the main course, steak, was served.
Taking a man's appetite into account, the steak portion was generous enough to satisfy Ron.
Dessert and coffee came last, both of them tasting quite good.
Though they could not compare to dishes seasoned with Spice Fir, they already counted as the finest delicacies in this other world.
It seemed this world did not truly have salt as its only seasoning. At the very least, someone of Andre III's standing could still enjoy food prepared with other spices.
Perhaps it was merely a matter of how widely they had spread.
After finishing their steaks, the two began on their desserts.
They had chatted casually before this, but only about trivial matters from daily life.
Only now did they finally get to the real subject.
"In guiding the two great academies into the fray this time, were you truly left with no other choice, or