“Hey, I’m hungry, do you want to eat, Freed?” Sissy rubbed her stomach, giving me a pleading look.

  I glanced at the sky—judging by the sun’s position, it was well past lunchtime.

  “It’s already past noon, so I think it’s a good idea.”

  “Then let’s go! There’s a budget-friendly restaurant we usually go to.”

  With that, we veered southwest, weaving through the bustling market district. The scent of freshly baked bread and sizzling meat filled the air as merchants energetically peddled their wares. Stalls lined the streets, displaying colorful arrays of fruit, vegetables, fabric, and handcrafted goods.

  This was the busiest part of the town, and despite it being past peak hours, dozens of people still moved about, haggling and chatting.

  Eventually, we reached a modest-sized restaurant with a wooden sign above the door. The name “Zenith” was elegantly carved into the plank. The scent of roasted meat and warm broth drifted from within.

  Upon entering, I noticed that there weren’t many people inside—probably because it was past lunchtime.

  A cheerful waitress, a brown-haired girl about Sis Celes' age, greeted us with a bright smile.

  “Welcome! Oh? Daisy! Celes!”

  She clearly recognized my sisters.

  “Nina! Three seats, please!”

  “Three? Not two?”

  “Un! This boy is our little brother, Freed!” Sissy pulled me forward with a proud grin.

  I gave a polite bow. “Hello, nice to meet you.”

  Nina’s eyes lit up.

  “Whoa, what a cute boy! Nice to meet you, Freed! You can sit over there.”

  “Right? I told you he’s cute!” Sis Celes added, looking way too pleased.

  “Haha! Alright, alright, I believe you now, Celes.” Nina giggled before turning back to me. “You’re lucky to have them as your sisters. Celes talks about you a lot.”

  “R-Really?”

  【I told you she has a brother complex, Master.】 Aza, who had been silent until now, suddenly chimed in.

  Ugh. I chose to ignore Aza.

  We settled at a wooden table and ordered our meals.

  Sissy opted for wolf meat, while Sis Celes and I went for vegetable soup.

  “How is it, Freed?” Sissy asked as I took my first bite.

  “Un. It’s delicious. But I still prefer Mom’s cooking.”

  “Aha, so you like homemade dishes.”

  “I should learn to cook from now on…” Sis Celes murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

  [“See?”]

  <”Ugh..”>

  Okay, fine! I admit it! Sis Celes definitely has a brother complex!

  Once we finished eating, Sis Celes paid the bill, totaling 40 copper coins.

  In this world, the currency ranged from copper to silver, gold, and even platinum coins. The exchange rates were as follows:

  100 Copper Coins = 1 Silver Coin

  100 Silver Coins = 1 Gold Coin

  100 Gold Coins = 1 Platinum Coin

  A single copper coin was roughly equivalent to 1,000 Indonesian Rupiah, meaning our entire meal cost about 40,000 Rupiah. It was undeniably cheap.

  As we exited the restaurant, I turned to my sisters.

  “Shall we head to the Adventurer Guild now?”

  “No, not yet,” Sis Celes replied. “There’s one more place you should know about.”

  And so, our journey led us to a halt in front of a massive store named the “Persian Store”. It was far larger than any shop I’d seen so far, its elegant signage suggesting it catered to the upper class.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “A clothing store?” I asked.

  “Yes,” Sis Celes nodded. “Mom sells her designs here. Sometimes, we help deliver clothes from home.”

  Upon entering, I was greeted by the sight of mannequins adorned with elegant dresses and finely tailored suits. The rich scent of fabric and dye lingered in the air.

  Several maids, dressed in black-and-white uniforms, were browsing and chatting with the staff.

  …Wait.

  Was this store exclusively for nobles?

  I knew Mom was a skilled seamstress, but… this was far beyond what I expected.

  “Wel— Oh? Celes, Daisy! Welcome!” A young woman in her twenties, dressed in a professional uniform, greeted us warmly.

  “Hello, Fey!” Sissy responded with a smile.

  “Do you need something? I don’t recall any orders this week…” Fey tilted her head, her finger resting upon her lips.

  “No, we just wanted to introduce our little brother. Since Daisy and I became adventurers, we rarely help Mom with deliveries. We thought Freed might take over in the future. Is Madam inside?” Sis Celes asked.

  “Hello,” I greeted politely.

  “Oh my, what a cute and polite boy! Wait a moment, I’ll call her.”

  Fey disappeared into the back.

  Moments later, she returned—accompanied by a tall woman.

  She looked to be in her early forties, with long blonde hair and a refined presence. Her white blouse and tailored black pants gave her an air of nobility.

  “Hello, Celes, Daisy,” she greeted. “I heard you wanted to see me?”

  “Good afternoon, Madam.” Sis Celes bowed slightly. “Yes, since Daisy and I can’t help Mom as often, I wanted to introduce my little brother.”

  Unusually, Sis Celes took the lead in introducing me,

  “His name is Freed.”

  “Freed, this is Madam Sheila Senian, the owner of this store.”

  “She is an Earl, and the younger sister of the town’s lord.”

  I stiffened.

  An Earl!?

  That was a pretty high rank, wasn't it!?

  Following my sister’s example, I bowed.

  “Hello, Madam Senian.”

  She chuckled lightly. “Oh my, what a charming boy. Since you are Sheryl’s son, you may call me Sheila.”

  “Huh? Is that okay?”

  “Of course.” She smiled. “Your mother and her party saved my brother’s and my life long ago. I wouldn’t be here if not for her.”

  Wait.

  Mom saved an Earl and a Lord!?

  Just how amazing was my mother!?

  “T-Then… Madam Sheila?”

  “Yes, that’s fine.” She gave a warm nod, “Would you three care for some tea?”

  “We’d love to, but we need to introduce Freed to the Adventurer Guild,” Sis Celes politely declined. “Now is the best time, since there aren’t too many adventurers around.”

  “I see. Well then, another time.”

  We bowed and left the store.

  “Yes, goodbye, Madam.”

  As we walked toward the Adventurer Guild, our conversation shifted.

  “I wish you two told me beforehand that we were meeting a noble.” I sighed. “I was so nervous.”

  “Haha! Sorry, sorry! But she was kind, right?” Sissy grinned.

  “If she’s so kind, then why were you so quiet in front of her?” I shot back.

  Sis Celes answered for her.

  “She’s scared she might say something that would offend her.”

  “W-Well… she is Mom’s biggest customer…” Sissy admitted. “I don’t want to cause trouble.”

  At least Sissy knows herself.

  “By the way, I don’t know much about nobility. How high is an Earl’s rank?”

  “Ah, come to think of it, we never talked about nobles with you.” Sis Celes nodded in understanding, “Then it’s the right opportunity to learn.”

  Apparently, there are several ranks in nobility.

  The lowest is Knighthood, the only noble who doesn't possess any territory. Well, they are knights, and their title can’t be inherited by their children. It was earned through combat skill.

  Above Knighthood, there are Baron, Viscount, Count, Earl, Marquis, and Duke. Finally, above them all is Royalty.

  Knights categorize their ranks based on their power, beginning with Novice, Sword Expert, Sword Master, and Sword Saint. Legend has it that there’s another higher realm called the Sword King.

  Apart from the Sword King, each rank is divided again into three levels: low-level, middle-level, and high-level.

  Sword Experts are said to be on par with B-Rank adventurers, while Sword Masters and Sword Saints are on par with A-Rank and S-Rank adventurers, respectively.

  The legendary Sword King is rumored to be on par with a hero. However, since this world lacks a war against a demon king or similar, there are no heroes or Sword Kings anymore. Some countries are still at war with each other, though.

  Anyway, Knighthood nobility is conferred upon at least Sword Experts who serve the country.

  By the way, this country is named Zieghart Kingdom and is renowned for its knights' abilities. There are many Sword Experts, several Sword Masters, and one Sword Saint here.

  Additionally, there are several powerful mages, although they are overshadowed by another country famous for their magic.

  Mages also categorize their ranks based on their power: Apprentice, Intermediate Mage, Advanced Mage, Great Mage, Magister, and Grand Magister.

  There’s also a higher realm called Sage, equivalent to the Sword King.

  An Advanced Mage is on par with C-Rank adventurers, while Great Mage, Magister, and Grand Magister are on par with B-Rank to S-Rank adventurers, respectively.

  Though not knights, Great Mage and above who serve the country are given the title of Knighthood. Currently, there are several Great Mages and only one Magister in this kingdom who holds such a title.

  By the time we reached the Adventurer Guild, I had learned a lot about the world.

  Hey there! ?? Thanks for reading!