Chapter 101: Mr. Browning’s Open-Air Classroom

""So sweet!!""

The two middle-aged men harmonized in perfect unison. Of course, when they let out a voice like that, every girl in the shop turned to look. Even the waitress was staring. I shrank into my seat in embarrassment and quietly ate my pudding. Oblivious to how I felt, the two uncles were getting more and more excited.

"It’s really sweet!"

"Yeah, they’re using good quality sugar!"

"You can’t get this without fresh milk!"

"The melon is sweet too!"

"The strawberries are sweet as well. I wonder where they’re shipped from!"

"At this price, it’s actually a bargain!"

"You’re right. I’m really glad I got to come today. Robi— I mean, Your— Young Master, thank you so much for bringing us! Ahahaha!"

The high, sweet voices of the girls mixed with the deep voices of the two uncles, creating a truly surreal scene inside the shop. It felt like only my seat existed in a completely different dimension.

I had already finished my pudding first, so I silently listened as the two of them chattered while eating. They scraped up every last bit of cream with their spoons, and still weren’t satisfied—they started to lift the containers to lick them.

"Stop! Please stop licking them!"

I said hurriedly. Both men snapped back to reality and gave awkward smiles. I must have been making a very sour face, because they quickly apologized.

"Young Master, sorry about that."

"We’re truly sorry. It was so delicious we lost ourselves for a moment."

They bowed their heads, but their faces were clearly still smiling. They didn’t feel bad at all. Ugh, I’ve had enough. I firmly decided: I’m never bringing these two here again. Absolutely never! (Though raising that kind of flag is probably a bad idea.)

The two of them were completely satisfied, while I was thoroughly embarrassed. Just as we were about to leave the shop,

"Excuse me, could I have a receipt?"

Lake asked the cashier with a completely straight face. The waitress’s eyes widened.

"Huh?"

Exactly! Of course she was shocked! Asking for a receipt at a fruit parlor was probably unheard of. Honestly, I didn’t even know if the concept of "receipts" existed in this world. The waitress seemed to have the same reaction—she didn’t even recognize the word. She went to the back to ask.

Seriously... just pay out of pocket!

Lake muttered under his breath,

"I could pay for a pudding with my allowance, but a special large parfait really needs to be expensed..."

If you understand that much, you should’ve just ordered pudding today!

In the end, the shop manager (or branch manager?) came out and hand-wrote a receipt just like Lake requested. Printing technology existed in this world (probably thanks to previous reincarnators or transferred people), though I wasn’t sure if it was movable type or woodblock. However, paper was expensive because manufacturing hadn’t been industrialized yet (no steam engines had been introduced either), so paper wasn’t widely used among commoners. It was probably all handmade.

Once coal mines are discovered and we can use plenty of coal, steam engine practical use will advance quickly. But when I think of coal mines after the Industrial Revolution, I picture children pulling carts through narrow tunnels. Because of that image, I personally hope things stay as they are for now. Still, somewhere out there, a reincarnator or transferred person is probably searching for coal. It would be strange if there are gold, silver, iron, and copper mines but no coal.

Anyway, after being seen off by every employee and customer with eyes that clearly said "Please never bring these uncles again," we finally headed toward Mr. Browning’s open-air dojo. My spirit had been so thoroughly worn down in that shop that I felt like I had no energy left to train. We weren’t pelted with salt when we left, probably because that custom doesn’t exist here.

When we arrived at the empty lot used for the open-air classroom, there was no one there. Not Mr. Browning, and not even any of the children.

"Young Master Robby, is this really the right place?" Lake asked.

I wanted to ask the same thing. What happened? Was today a holiday?

"What should we do?" Relf asked.

I wasn’t sure. Maybe Mr. Browning was sick and had to cancel. This world had neither email nor phones, so there was no way to notify people of cancellations.

We decided to go to Mr. Browning’s wife’s cafeteria. It was still far from lunchtime, so the shop wasn’t open yet. We waited out front.

While the three of us sat awkwardly waiting for opening time, Lake said,

"It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it? A prince of a whole country waiting in front of a commoner’s cafeteria for it to open."

Relf agreed.

"Seriously. Any other prince would’ve ordered them to open the shop immediately, even before opening hours."

He was probably right. But I was fine with this. I didn’t like throwing my authority around and forcing people. Even earlier, I had lined up with the girls instead of cutting in.

A regular customer who passed by noticed us sitting in front of the closed shop and went around to the back. Soon after, Mr. Browning’s wife came out.

"Oh dear, we’re still quite a while from opening, you know?" she said.

I was relieved it was her.

"Good morning. I’ve been learning swordsmanship from Mr. Browning. When I went to the usual spot today, no one was there, so I got worried he might be sick and came here to check."

She burst into a big smile.

"Ahhh, sorry about that~! My husband was on night patrol last night, so he’s still sleeping. He told the usual kids it was a day off, but I guess he didn’t get the message to you, young master. Sorry about that. That sloppy husband of mine is always so careless~"

It seemed she hadn’t remembered my face. Maybe because I was with two weird uncles and her attention went to them instead. Still, it couldn’t be helped that there was no contact. It was basically impossible to notify me anyway.

"No, it’s my fault for coming suddenly. Sorry for the trouble."

I was about to leave when Lake muttered quietly,

"Looks like we missed lunch..."

She must have heard him, because she said,

"You boys want to eat the lunch set? You came all this way. It’d be a shame to send you back without feeding you."

Well... why not? It would be awkward to ask for a receipt here too, and since I saved the lesson fee,

"I’ll pay for all three of us!"

I thought the two of them would politely refuse and say they’d pay for themselves, but instead:

"Sorry about this, young master."

"We’re very grateful for the meal."

They accepted happily. These two—I’m never bringing them again!!