“Hey, are we close? Why aren’t we taking any mode of transportation!?” Zare asked for the umpteenth time since we had started walking about a half hour ago.

The Minami Princess had regained consciousness soon after we had finished our meeting, and subjected Leresa and Rexir to a whole host of questions, most of which they didn’t know the answer to.

Needless to say, Zare had not been pleased, and was in somewhat of a foul mood since changing from her freely flowing Haori and Hakama into a plain pair of jeans and a zipperless hoodie.

The word, “believe”, was emblazoned on the front, an ironic concept for the current mood of the town we were walking through.

Similarly, Rexir, Vanessa, and Hazeel had all changed. Each one of them was getting used to their new clothing, as well as the American sense of style and fashion.

Another person stared at us from their house, as was par for the course in this new world. We were apparently walking around during curfew, which was forbidden unless you worked for the government.

“It feels like it’s been so long…” Vanessa trailed off as her gaze shifted from shop to shop in the small town of Amherst.

“I know. But it’s only been two months for us… doesn’t look too different, does it?” I wrapped my fingers in Vanessa’s, and she pressed her shoulder to mine.

I wasn’t just saying that to comfort her either. For a country that had been taken over by a dictator around ten years ago, there wasn’t too much to prove that, save for various propaganda posters littering the town’s streets.

“Recruitment for the cause. Pave the way for a new path. Take the future by the reins.” Katherine said, a small smile on her lips.

“What did she say?” Hazeel asked, and I realized I had forgotten to communicate with her through our mental link.

I repeated the phrase, and then looked Katherine in the eyes. “The campaign slogan, I’m guessing?”

The smile grew as she replied, “Oh boy, you do know Christian well. Yes, that’s the slogan he’s been using for the past ten years. He desperately wants new recruits to help him wage war, although not a lot of people are keen to volunteer for a dictator.”

“Yet they still do?” Vanessa asked, and Katherine nodded, her smile disappearing.

“Of course. No matter what era we’re in, desperate people will always exist. Just like the poor, the hungry, and the uneducated.”

“Anyway, the point is that some things are inevitable. We shouldn’t fight it, but just move with the flow, and accept that what comes is just a part of life.”

I didn’t know if I agreed with that statement wholeheartedly, but before I could get a chance to say anything, we arrived at the restaurant.

“Well, we’re here.” Katherine said, pointing to a long, rectangular building. It had a large castle as its logo, and Katherine said its name out loud to boot. “Welcome to Kingside Burgers!”

---

So this is what happened to that franchise, huh? I thought absentmindedly while looking at the menu. I had wondered about what had happened to all the places that I used to know in Boston, but it turns out that they just relocated after Boston became a militaristic city.

“So, what do you guys want?” Katherine asked the four people who were only four hours acquainted with Earth.

Rexir frowned as he tried to read the menu, which was comically upside-down. I messaged that to Hazeel, who whispered it into Leresa’s ear.

The silver princess then took the menu in her hand, and flipped it rightside up. Rexir looked at her for answers, which he apparently received a moment later, causing his cheeks to become a bit more red.

“Leo, recommend me something!” Hazeel spoke in Azurian, already fed up with using her brain to speak a foreign language all day.

“Wow, that’s an interesting language. It’s not often we get foreigners here anymore.” Our waiter walked up to us with a notepad and pen in hand.

He froze upon reaching our table, and pointed at Hazeel’s head with his pen, eliciting a frown from the wood elf.

“Whoah, what’s up with her ears. That’s so freaky!” I rolled my eyes, unwilling to translate for Hazeel. And this is why some people are still working dead-end jobs. No filter, and no manners.

“It’s actually a birth defect, you rude asshole.” I said with the purest smile I could manage. “Now, if you’re not going to take our orders, fucking leave.”

The man looked like he’d been thrown off a building, with all the fear in his eyes present as well. “I-I’m so sorry sir. My boss says I have a bad habit of not thinking before I speak. As an apology, please have your meal on the house.”

I raised my eyebrow, and opened my mouth to say something, when he cut me off. “I-it’s ok sir. I insist. Just please don’t get the militia involved. Please.” He hurried back to the kitchen, where he proceeded to tell the chef a whole host of items that we didn’t order.

“So, I assume that businesses are used to being squeezed by those in power still?” Katherine nodded sadly.

In contrast, however, Vanessa smiled. “Quick thinking coming up with an excuse for her ears. The look on his face was priceless.”

I shook my head and sighed. We waited for the burgers for the next five minutes. We mostly just asked for the otherworlders’ first impressions of our country, while Katherine messed around on her phone, and Rexir tried to decipher American English.

“Seven Babylon Burgers, and Seven Atomic sliders on the house!” The waiter put a massive tray down on the table, and let out a breath he’d been holding. “Your Fragrant Fries will be ready shortly.”

He sent another look to Hazeel’s ears before returning to the kitchen, where he got a severe rap on the head from the chef, who had been watching over him. No doubt the chef had seen what I had, and recognized that his employee was just adding fuel to the fire.

“Man, I missed these!” Vanessa’s cry of joy brought me out of my thoughts, and I looked at her digging into the burger with haste.

“Oh wow!” Leresa exclaimed, holding a hand up to her mouth, where she was chewing on a Babylon Burger.

“…” Rexir rubbed his chin, inspecting all the ingredients that were in the Atomic Slider in his hands.

“Goddess above, this is delicious!” Hazeel had on a pure, white smile which warmed my heart.

“This… the sponginess of the holdable parts is unparalleled! The crisp and crunchy vegetables mixed with the soft meat and tangy sauce! It’s slovenly and hastily put together appearance begets an artistic masterpiece, one only those devoted to a life of craftsmanship could achieve! It’s… it’s perfect!” Zare shouted in Japanese, causing all eyes to drift to the Golden Princess.