The Empire of Reimia (3)

Now that she could see Suzuka more clearly than she had in the park or during their brief encounter at the festival, Linnea couldn't help but notice how well the woman had aged, considering her difficult life. Suzuka's playful demeanor didn't surprise Linnea too much; it was more or less what she had expected when she came to visit her friend. After all, Ifeon's mother also possessed this trait, and it seemed to be a characteristic shared by Neia's parents as well. Perhaps for this reason, he didn't seem too concerned about the girl, allowing her to comfortably chat with her friend about various topics.

While the classmates talked about various things, the food preparation was completed, and all three of them took their places at the table. Sitting on the floor might have been an unexpected surprise for Linnea. In addition, the "itadakimasu" said by Ifeon and Suzuka before the meal was also an unusual sight, considering that the boy had never done or said anything like that within the walls of the academy, and he couldn't be distinguished from any other Reimi. Nevertheless, at home, he displayed many elements of etiquette that were foreign to the imperial culture. However, due to the influence of Kamia Ren, all of this probably didn't seem so distant to a Reimi person.
Linnea didn't know what dish she was served, and the foreign name didn't evoke any memories, but she saw that it contained a lot of fish, rice, and various vegetables. The quality of the products also made her think. Either they had to spend a lot of money before the guest arrived, or, despite the lack of funds, they didn't skimp on food. The latter would probably explain why Ifeon grew up to be such a big guy. After the main meal, they were treated to pastries bought by Linnea, and the perfectly brewed green tea completed the meal. Then, Suzuka said that she had to go to work, but before that, she planned to wash the dishes, but she didn't manage to do it. Before she could reach the first dirty plate with food residue, Ifeon gently took her hand and said, "I'll do it myself," which caused Suzuka to cast an anxious and embarrassed look at Linnea. "O-okay," she conceded and left the dishes alone. After that, she said goodbye to the guest, thanked her for the visit, and apologized for having to leave in the middle of it. She left, leaving the two students alone.

Added 8 minutes later

- Um, have we arrived yet? - Bert asked, looking questioningly at his companion, and then out the window.

Through the window, Bert observes a group of armed people in uniform. From the place where the train stopped, it was clear that it was not a station.