The carriage arrived at the Imperial Capital's outer-city gourmet street.
This place gathered all kinds of delicious foods, snacks, dishes, and specialty cuisines from across the nation. It was one of the must-visit spots for every traveler coming to the capital.
Not just tourists—even the locals frequently came here to eat and relax. It was practically the most universally loved location in the Imperial Capital for people of all ages.
For Yoshino, who had barely left the house in the two months since arriving in the capital, and for Makoto , who had lived in the Imperial Capital all her life but had never stepped foot outside the inner city, this was both their first time coming here.
Even though one was the emperor and the other was the general's younger sister, and the food served in the palace or the general's mansion was far more exquisite and expensive than the street food here, the atmosphere and the variety of cuisines here were simply incomparable.
"My Imperial Capital truly is prosperous!"
As soon as they arrived at the gourmet street, Makoto was immediately captivated by the lively atmosphere created by the dazzling array of food stalls and vendors on both sides of the street.
Despite being an emperor, she was now acting completely like a bumpkin entering the city for the first time, eyes sparkling as she leaned out of the carriage window.
At the main entrance of the gourmet street, Makoto rang the wind chime, signaling the coachman to stop the carriage. The coachman dismounted to open the carriage door for them.
"Your Majesty, Miss, I wish you both a pleasant time."
Suzuka, one of the four elite bodyguards under Honest, known as the "Four Rakshasa Demons" from the Royal Fist Temple, smiled as she bid farewell to Makoto and Yoshino.
The other three Rakshasa Demons, stationed throughout the area, began their operations—some disguised themselves as ordinary civilians, others hid in the shadows, each staying alert for potential threats.
Although Honest had agreed to let Makoto go out incognito, he still took her safety very seriously.
If anyone in the empire prioritized Makoto safety the most, Honest would undoubtedly be one of them.
After all, his current power and influence were entirely dependent on fooling Makoto . If the sole heir to the throne were harmed, the court would fall into chaos, and his own end would surely be miserable.
Because of this, he didn't dare slack off in the slightest when it came to Makoto safety, even assigning his four strongest subordinates to serve as her bodyguards.
Although the Rakshasa Demons weren't Imperial Arm users, through sheer physical prowess and martial arts, they had already killed five Imperial Arm wielders—proof enough of their strength.
"Park the carriage here and follow us."
Makoto , who knew them personally, gave instructions to Suzuka after stepping out of the carriage.
Suzuka readily agreed and followed closely behind them.
"Yoshino, is there anything you'd like to eat?"
As they walked along the street filled with food stalls, Makoto asked with a hint of excitement,
"Just tell me whatever you want. I brought plenty of money, so don't be shy or worry about the cost. If there's one thing I have in abundance, it's money."
"Your Majesty, since we're outside, it's better if you don't refer to yourself as 'I, the Emperor," Yoshino reminded her.
"Even though it's unlikely anyone would recognize you, people might still find it strange if they overhear."
"Mmm, you have a point." Makoto nodded.
"Alright then, while we're outside, I'll just use the regular 'I' for now. You guys don't have to call me 'Your Majesty' either—just call me Makoto ."
"Got it, Makoto ~"
"Hehe, hearing you call me that feels a bit embarrassing." Makoto laughed.
"But I don't dislike it. In fact, from now on, whenever we're alone, just call me by my name."
"Sure thing! Then from now on, both Yoshino and I will call you that~"
Calling an emperor by their real name was considered a grave offense in any country.
In the Empire, with its complex and rigid etiquette, it was even more so.
Even someone as accomplished as Esdeath, or as close as Honest, only dared to address her respectfully as "Your Majesty."
Although it was Makoto own request to be called by name, hearing someone actually do so still caused her body to stiffen for a moment.
How long had it been since someone last called his by his name, "Makoto "?
It might have only been a few years, but for a twelve-year-old child, that was already half a lifetime.
"Come to think of it, only my father, mother, and my elder royal siblings used to call me by name. Ever since I became emperor, no one has called me that again." Makoto eyes revealed a trace of nostalgia.
"But I don't dislike it when Yoshino and Yoshino call me that."
"Haha, calling each other by name makes it feel more like we're friends!" Yoshinon laughed heartily.
"It always felt a little distant calling you 'Your Majesty,' but now it feels much better!"
"Mhm." Yoshino nodded in agreement.
Upon hearing their words, Makoto eyes widened slightly. he couldn't help but turn to look at the girls beside her.
Inside the palace, everyone saw her only as the ruler of the Empire and treated her with utmost reverence.
Even though all of them were older than her, not a single person dared to meet her gaze as an equal—let alone become her friend.
What she truly desired wasn't power or majesty, nor loyal subjects or obedient servants.
What she longed for... was someone she could open her heart to.
A friend.
When he heard Yoshino refer to her as a friend, Makoto stopped in her tracks, stunned.
A warm current surged through her heart, and for some reason, her nose suddenly stung.
"Are we... really friends?"
"Yoshino thinks we are." Yoshino replied softly.
"Don't you think so too, Makoto ?"
"No…" Makoto stumbled over her words.
"Wait, I mean, yes! I consider you both my friends too."
"What the heck? Weren't you the one who said from the very start that you wanted to be friends?" Yoshino asked.
"Why are you asking such weird questions now?"
"That's true, but hearing it confirmed from you two made it feel... real."
Makoto lips curled into a genuine smile as he wiped away the small tear that had formed at the corner of her eye.
"Now I truly understand just how important the word 'friend' is to me."
"Alright, alright. The atmosphere is getting a little weird now. Aren't we here to have fun?"
"Yeah, you're right."
Makoto took a deep breath, suppressing the emotions that surged within her, and continued walking with Yoshino down the street.
Although the atmosphere had become emotional just a moment ago, it didn't last long before the scent of food from the street vendors washed it away.
The gourmet street was bustling with life. The dazzling variety of snacks and desserts quickly distracted them, making Makoto forget the moment entirely.
Sometimes they sped up because of some bizarre dish, sometimes they stopped in shock at a chef's unique skills. They strolled, chatted, and ate along the way.
"Why do I feel like the food here tastes better than what's made in the imperial kitchens?"
Makoto swallowed the last skewer of roasted meat covered in fragrant spices, still craving more.
"The outer city really is amazing. If only I'd been able to leave the palace sooner—I could've enjoyed all this much earlier."
"It's fine. You can still come back in the future." Yoshino said as she patted her full stomach.
"There's just too much good food. I'm already full after only a few dishes. There's no way to see everything in one day."
"Seeing how much you two are enjoying the food makes even me want to try something." Yoshino sighed.
"But sadly, I'm just a living doll—I can talk, but I can't eat."
"Then next, let's go somewhere even Yoshino can enjoy." Makoto suggested.
"By the way, Yoshino, what kind of things do you like?"
"Me? I like whatever Yoshino likes." Yoshino answered without hesitation.
"Even though I really appreciate you considering my feelings, Makoto , you only need to look after Yoshino. As long as Yoshino happy, I'll be happy too."
"Yoshino sounds so mature."
Though the phrasing was a bit confusing, having spent a month together, Makoto understood and couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
"Haha, thanks for the compliment. It's okay if you fall for me too~"
As Champeless as always, Yoshino graciously accepted the praise.
Chatting while enjoying snacks and desserts they had never tried before, they wandered aimlessly through the gourmet street. The two children had a little more to eat before their stomachs could hold no more.
In the end, they stopped at an ice cream shop and each ordered a dessert.
Yoshino got strawberry flavor, while Makoto chose vanilla.
After receiving their ice creams, they sat down on the outdoor chairs and slowly savored them.
"Yoshino, is the strawberry flavor good?"
"Mm-hmm, but it's a little too sweet."
"Then let's go get another one. My vanilla one is pretty good."
"I can't eat that much."
"That's fine, just throw the strawberry one away," Makoto said casually. "It's not expensive anyway. I brought a lot of money this time, and what we've spent on food hasn't even used up one percent of it."
"Hmm… that's kind of wasteful."
Yoshino shook her head and said softly, "It's not like it's gone bad. It's just a little too sweet. It still tastes good."
"Yoshino, you're one of only two Grand Generals in the Empire, and the younger sister of General Esdeath. There's no need to be so frugal," Makoto continued nonchalantly. "It's just a two-copper-coin ice cream. In this well-off empire, that doesn't count as waste."
Upon hearing that, Yoshino stopped licking her ice cream.
Her icy blue eyes looked at Makoto, though it was hard to tell what emotions they held.
Being stared at like that, Makoto felt a little confused.
Although he wasn't familiar with how girls expressed their emotions, he vaguely sensed a shift in Yoshino mood.
"Did I say something that made you angry?" he asked tentatively.
"No, Yoshino is not angry."
"You're not?"
"It's just… Yoshino doesn't really feel like she's the younger sister of one of the only two Grand Generals of the Empire, so I was a little slow to react just now."
"What are you talking about? You're General Esdeath biological sister. How could you say it doesn't feel real?"
"Ayaya, Makoto, did you forget? Yoshino has amnesia and doesn't remember ever living with Miss Esdeath," Yoshinon reminded him. "We've only been with her for less than a month longer than you."
"I see." Makoto nodded. "A shift in identity is indeed difficult. Back when I ascended the throne with the help of the ministers, I couldn't get used to it for a long time. For quite a while, I still thought of myself as the powerless, influence-less little prince."
"Then, it sounds like the old Makoto and the current Yoshino are very Similiar."
"Eh?"
"Because even now, Yoshino still thinks of herself as that child who lived in a poor village."
A look of reminiscence surfaced in Yoshino eyes, as if she were lost in memories. She murmured, "It was a village called Tarn, up in the north of the Empire. When Yoshino wandered there, the kind villagers of Tarn took her in and treated her as one of their own. If Yoshino has a home in this world, it's not the General's mansion—it's that poor and cold little village."
"Was the village you lived in really that poor?"
"Mm-hmm, everyone had a hard life. Even though they worked very hard, life was always tight. When winter came, because they didn't have enough money to buy warm clothes or sufficient food, people died every year in the winter…"
"That's really strange."
Makoto frowned in thought and asked in confusion, "The ministers say the Empire is the greatest nation. Even if there are poor people, it's because they don't work hard enough and have given up on themselves. But if everyone in your village was working hard, why were they still poor?"
"Maybe it's because this country isn't actually as great as they say," Yoshino replied. "Yoshino heard the villagers say that the reason they were poor was because of the heavy taxes. After paying taxes, there was barely enough money left to scrape by."
"That can't be the real reason," Makoto shook his head. "In the year I ascended the throne, the ministers advised me to reduce taxes by a full ten percent for the sake of the people's prosperity and well-being. Besides, under my father's rule, the national treasury received large sums of gold every year, and the people didn't complain about heavy taxes back then. Now, the treasury hardly receives any surplus gold—how could poverty be due to heavy taxes?"
He rejected Yoshino statement without hesitation.
To him, that kind of logic made no sense.
For the sake of the Empire's prosperity, he had even ruthlessly executed many corrupt officials impeached by Honest over the past few years since his ascension.
Every quarter, the documents presented by Honest detailed the Empire's continued rise and prosperity. By all accounts, the Empire should be even stronger now than it was ten years ago.
So the situation Yoshino described shouldn't exist.
And yet, he didn't believe that Yoshino was lying.
So who was lying?
Honest?
That was even more unlikely.
For a moment, Makoto fell into deep thought.