"Can I help you?" She asked, almost snickering at his dumbstruck face.

"Ahem, yes. I um-I was wondering if you were almost finished speaking about that confidential topic of yours." Christian cleared his throat, feeling uncomfortable.

Robin inclined her head, innocently. "Yes. We just finished." She said, barely holding back a silly smile. "Would you like to speak to Jasmine about something?"

"Um, N-no..." Christian's words began to stutter a bit as he somehow couldn't get the words out without stumbling over them. Keith, who stood behind him, also held in his laughter, but his shoulders were shaking.

"Oh? Then did you wish to consult me about something?" Robin said, looking as if she was ready and willing to hear him out.

"Ah, yes." Christian took out a map. "I wanted to show you a map of the kingdom." He said, spreading it on the carriage wall, where it was fastened in place with another cantrip spell.

"And, so? What is the purpose of showing me this map?" Robin asked.

"According to this map, we are approximately here." Christian said, pointing to a spot inland from the coast. "Over here is Port Oracle. According to our estimates, we should have arrived there yesterday, however since we had no choice but to stop for a bit, we're still on route."

Several markings on the map all around the demons forest lands caught Robin's attention. "What are these?" She asked.

"These?" Christian pointed to a mark.

Keith explained. "These are all cities run by the demon protectorates of the demon king. I wasn't part of the diplomatic party, but it was a part of the treaty fifteen years back that there be neutral cities where both man and demon were allowed to live. Unless of course, they were a criminal, then obviously, they would be barred entrance."

Robin silently counted. "Thirteen cities?" She asked.

"Yup! And we need to visit each and every one of them to get the protectorates' approval." Christian nodded.

"Sounds like it would take much longer than a month, then." Robin glanced over at Jasmine, and a hidden communication pa.s.sed between them. Jasmine nodded. 'Looks like I'm stuck here for a while.' Robin thought to herself.

"A month? You'd be lucky if we finished within a year!" Christian sighed. "If the demon protectorates refuse to meet with you, then there's nothing you can do but wait."

Robin began to understand that it was a much more difficult undertaking than just a trip to the thirteen cities. Her head began to throb. "Ugh, politics!" She moaned holding her throbbing head. She loathed politics. It reminded her of her uncle's insincere smile.

Christian's expression fell. As the instigator of all this he really did regret dragging Robin into the middle of such a large mess.

"I'm sorry, this must be a bit much to take in all at once, right?" He said, delicately.

"No, it's fine. If all at once is too much, then break up the information into chunks and focus on one at a time." Robin said, with a sigh, thrusting her distaste to the back of her mind. There was now work that needed to get done.

"For now, ignoring the other protectorates, let's focus on the first one, that we're meeting." She said, putting the rest aside for future meetings.

Christian nodded, and looked at Keith, who took out a doc.u.ment. "Right. The first protectorate we are going to meet is the Lord Protectorate of Port Oracle, which was taken after the demon's own name: Oracle. According to the information, it is a kelpie demon, no specified gender.

Appearance is somewhat feminine, though. Has the ability to foresee future events, to a certain extent. Aside from that, hmm...looks to have a genuine good impression from the inhabitants. No particular favorite things, but going against the Lord Protectorate's advice soon leads to misfortune. That is why Port Oracle has been thriving up to this point. That is all the information we have on the Lord Protectorate."

Christian 'hmm'd a bit before asking Robin. "So, that in mind, what do you think we should do?"

Robin glanced back up at the map, a pondering expression on her face.

"I think that we should wait, keep our eyes open, be polite, but also completely honest. No subterfuges or rigmaroles would work on someone who can predict the future, after all." Robin said slowly. "I'd like to meet the Lord Protectorate, Oracle in person, if possible."

Robin then had a thought, and added. "It may be very likely that we'd be given a task to perform, in order to test our character. We are the ones asking for their help. So, even if he acts rudely, don't take any actions against the Lord Protectorate no matter what! Got it? No one is allowed to be harmed, whether it be demon or human."

Christian nodded. "Of course!"

Jasmine snickered. "Instead of acting, Cousin, you'd best try and keep that unfortunate mouth of yours from making yet another mess you can't get out of."

"Hey!I'm not that bad!" Christian protested.

At that point, Robin, Jasmine, and Keith all burst out laughing. The carriage continued peacefully down the dirt-paved road, as Christian protested his treatment.

~~~~~~~~

"They are on the move again." The seer with the crystal ball informed the figure behind the red curtain. "Headed for Port Oracle. I wonder what tasty-looking treat they will make next?"

"Hmmm...inform the guards, I want these words to spread through the city..." the figure began to speak.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two days later, they arrived in Port Oracle.

The salty breeze and white-washed walls gave the city a clean appearance. Brightly-colored flags hung from houses and street stalls alike, adding to the beautiful image of the city. The cerulean blue ocean stretched out to the horizon, sparkling in the mid-afternoon suns.h.i.+ne. A long white beach stretched out on the sh.o.r.e, not far from the city gates.

Robin and the rest took one look at the large, colorful market, and they all had the same idea: sightseeing! Christian sent the knights with the carriage to the inn to get some rest. While the knights were used to getting by on little rest, Port Oracle was a place with a surprisingly good reputation.

Christian followed Robin and the others as they went about the different sections of the market. Robin found many things she had not been able to find at the capitol. Many different fruits, and foods. Especially rice and sea foods.

Robin bought a lot that day. Rice, shrimps, squids, salmons, tunas, lobsters, crabs, sea ba.s.s, dried bonito, clams, mussels, caviar: many of these foods were so common that they were dirt cheap compared to their prices back in Robin's world. But that was not all that Robin bought. There were also imports from other countries and outlying islands.

Robin also bought many tropical foods and products. There were roasted sesame and poppy seeds, soy beans, fresh peppers and chillies, avocados, fresh green olives, lemons, limes, oranges, foreign spices, etc. She enjoyed haggling with the merchants, and joking with the fishmongers, who were also very easy-going.

Christian could only helplessly follow along. Ponzu and Gerard also watched, wide eyed, as they saw all the different strange foods that Robin had bought, they knew they might soon have their work cut out for them. Since Robin's magic bag would keep everything fresh, She didn't have to worry about the food going bad.

By the time Robin stopped shopping, she had quadrupled the amount of baggage in her magic bag. But, she was very satisfied with everything she had bought. It was just about dinner time by then, and the sore-footed travellers soon made their way to the nearby inn where the knights had arranged rooms for them.

Jasmine had also bought several trinkets and magic tools that caught her eye, along with a hundred or so blown gla.s.s bottles. Her excuse was that transportation almost doubled the cost of the item.

Gerard had bought a few street foods with some money Robin had given him. He also carried conversations with the local sailor men, and craftspeople, asking as many questions as he encountered new things.

That night, instead of making some food for everyone, she pointed the company to the inn's clam chowder.

"Eat the local cuisine first." She instructed. "Those who've lived all their life next to the sea know best how to bring the flavor out of the sea food."

Upon hearing that, the company all looked a bit disappointed.

"Okay, the real reason is that I'm tired, and I am curious about the local flavors." Robin laughed. "Don't worry, though. I will make something for everyone to eat, tomorrow."

Only after saying that, did everyone's expressions return to normal.