Chapter 540 – An Unexpected Encounter
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I decided to go to a bar in the magic city with Lelia and her two subordinates.
There were others in Solario who came with Lelia, but they weren’t her subordinates, and they each had their own plans to enjoy the magic city, so I didn’t invite them.
Lelia initially declined, but I kept urging her to eat, and her subordinates, sensing the mood, sided with me, so she reluctantly agreed to go out with us.
We were just going to pick a place at random, but then…
“Please wait a moment, Lant-nim.”
“Yes?”
“…That place over there has better drinks. The snacks are also delicious.”
“Ah, I see.”
I guessed she must have visited the bar when she came for the photoshoot last time.
After arriving at the bar and settling down, I said to the three of them,
“I’ll pay, so order whatever you want.”
“Wow! Really!”
“Lant-nim, you’re the best~! Then I’ll have this and this…”
The two subordinates excitedly started looking at the menu and ordering food.
“Lelia, feel free to order any drinks you want too.”
“B-but I have some shame. I appreciate you trying to cheer me up, Lant-nim, but…”
“Come on, Captain~ Don’t be so stiff, just drink, drink.”
“Hey, mister! Bring the drinks quickly!”
“Hey! You guys should have some shame…”
“Aren’t you the one who starts spouting nonsense everywhere when you drink?”
“That’s right, you’ve already been drunk in front of Lant-nim several times, why are you feeling shame now?”
“You, you guys…”
Shortly after, the snacks and drinks arrived at our table.
The first snack was french fries, which came with a brown sauce, and a wine bottle with a cork.
I thought I’d open the bottle and pour the drinks to match Lelia’s mood.
But as if she knew my intention, Lelia snatched the bottle away.
“L-Lant-nim, you’ve done nothing wrong, so you don’t need to match my mood. Rather, you should receive the drink, Lant-nim, who protected me.”
“So, are you going to drink too, Lelia?”
“Ugh… I-I can’t let Lant-nim drink alone…”
“Then please pour it for me.”
“Understood.”
Lelia placed her thumb on the cork of the bottle with a practiced motion.
Pop!
She easily popped the cork with a flick of her thumb.
Her subordinates whispered to each other at the sight.
“I still don’t know how she does that.”
“She must have practiced to be able to drink even a little faster.”
“Here you go, Lant-nim.”
I received the drink that Lelia poured for me.
“Here, you guys take some too.”
“Wow~ Thank you, Captain~.”
“Let’s drink a lot today!”
After pouring the drinks in turn, Lelia poured some into her own glass, and we lightly clinked our glasses.
“Cheers.”
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“Waaaaahhhhhh!!!!”
Yes, I knew it would turn out like this.
I called her out to vent her frustrations, even a little.
It’s been three hours since we came to the bar.
“Kuuuul…”
“Mmm…”
The two subordinates who came with us are asleep, drunk, and Lelia is drinking heavily, clinging to me and crying.
“Lant~ nim~~~ Please listen to me~~~ Waaaaahhhh!!”
“Yes, I’m listening carefully, Lelia.”
“Don’t you think this mission is too much? It hasn’t even been a month since my blind date fell apart! And yet! And yet, this… this magazine photoshoot mission! Even if the Solish spirit’s descent was shocking, this isn’t right!”
“I agree.”
“Of course, I was moved too! I thought, ‘I’m living in an era where a god truly descends!’ If it weren’t for this mission, I would have considered going on a pilgrimage to Camelo at least once!”
“Lelia, you’re a devout believer.”
“That’s right! I’m a devout believer! I’ve caught many fanatics~ defeated many monsters~ and overcome many dangerous missions for Solario! But… but… why! Why! Why aren’t any good men showing up! Waaaaahhhh!!! I hate Solish!!!”
“I’m sure a good partner will appear.”
“Lies! Lies! It’s all lies! Waaaaahhhh!!!”
“Don’t cry too much, have another drink here.”
“Hic! Sniff… Yes. Slurp, slurp… Hehehe… The drink is delicious…”
After pouring a drink for Lelia, I crunched on the fruit salad, which was an additional snack I ordered.
This bar.
The food is incredibly delicious.
I don’t know much about the taste of alcohol, but Lelia and her subordinates are drinking it happily, so it must be delicious.
What I’m enjoying are the snacks like french fries, skewers, and fried fish.
I kept ordering them, and there wasn’t a single dish that was a miss.
And now, I’m ordering the famous Orc stew of this bar.
“Here, Lelia, don’t just drink too much, try this soup too. It’s delicious.”
I scooped some soup into a small bowl and handed it to Lelia.
“It smells delicious~.”
“It’s hot if you drink it right away, so blow on it before you drink.”
“Too much trouble… You blow on it, Lant-nim! You said you’d comfort me!”
“Yes, then I’ll blow on it.”
It’s best to comply with requests like this.
“Hoooooo. Here you go.”
“Wow~ Slurp… It’s delicious! It goes perfectly with the alcohol! This dish is so delicious and sweet…”
Tears welled up in Lelia’s eyes again.
“Why isn’t my life sweet! Waaaaahhhh!! Damn it! Lant-niiiiiiim~~~.”
Lelia rubbed her face against my arm and cried.
“Life is so painful! I want a wonderful boyfriend! I want to get married and live a happy life! Waaaaahhhh! I hate being an old maid!”
“I’m sure you’ll find a good person. You’ve lived diligently so far, Lelia.”
“No one knows that, waaaaahhhhh!”
After crying her heart out, Lelia looked up at me and asked.
“Lant-nim… that promise, is it real? If I really don’t have any luck with men and end up living alone, you’ll take me, right?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“I don’t believe it! I don’t believe it! It’s all sweet talk! It’s all lies! Lant-nim, you’re a liar! Waaaaahhhh!!”
“It’s true.”
“Then… then… promise! Promise, promise! Pinky promise!”
Lelia held out her pinky finger, so I hooked my pinky with hers and gently shook it.
“Promise.”
“Wow! I got a promise! Hehehe… Slurp, slurp.”
Lelia happily took another drink.
By the way, this is the 12th time for this promise.
She cries, forgets the promise, complains about life, and then makes me promise again.
In about 5 minutes, she’ll forget the promise again and call my name sadly…
“Lant-niiiiiiim~~~.”
Oh, this time it’s quite fast.
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“Hyahahahaha! I’m~ the future S-rank wife~!”
“Yes, yes, that’s great, Captain.”
“Thank you, Lant-nim. We’ll be going now.”
Five hours had passed since we entered the bar, and the two who had woken up used magic on each other to sober up, then took Lelia and went outside.
“Yes, go home safely.”
“Where are you going~! I’m not going! My future husband is here, why would I go!”
The drunk Lelia shook off their arms and hugged me.
“Hehehe~.”
“Captain…”
“You’re going to regret it so much when you wake up.”
“What’s there to regret? Hehe~ I made a promise~ Lant-nim promised to take me~.”
“Haa… It’s pitiful, but I can’t bear to watch anymore.”
“We’re the ones who have to comfort her when she wakes up later.”
Lelia rubbed her face against my body and said,
“Hehe~ Because he’s my future husband~ Lant-nim is my darling~ right, darling~.”
Hmm, let’s play along here.
“Yes, honey~.”
“Hehehehehe! He called me honey! Did you hear that! I was called honey!”
“…I’m really sorry.”
“Seeing the Captain makes me think I’m so glad I got married quickly. …I should treat my husband better when I get back.”
“It’s okay. Hmm… If we part ways like this, Lelia won’t let go, so I’ll go with you to the inn.”
“Thank you.”
“Okay, Captain. Lant-nim is coming with us too.”
“Really? Is darling coming too~? Are you going to sleep with me tonight? Th-that’s a bit embarrassing… F-first night, we’ll just hold hands and sleep?”
“Oh my… Captain…”
“Ah, tears…”
One covered her face with both hands, and the other wiped away tears.
Lelia’s appearance seemed very pitiful and pathetic to the two who had been watching her for a long time.
And I went to the inn where the three were staying, and then returned to Tikia and Chainber’s house.
Of course, I had already said goodbye to Chainber.
At the moment of parting…
“Waaaaah, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to! I want to be with darling~!!! We were going to hold hands and sleep!”
“Captain! Stop it and go inside!”
“I’ll hold your hand and sleep with you!”
“No~~ I don’t want a woman’s hand! I want a man’s hand!!!”
It was quite difficult to get Lelia away.
If the two were serious about getting her inside, they could just use cure on Lelia, but…
I thought it was their consideration to give Lelia, who had a pitiful day, a little bit of a good time.
After parting with the three, I stopped by a bookstore and bought this month’s Miss Solario.
This month’s issue seemed to be themed around a Bridan-style cheongsam dress.
Of course, I also bought the crash version!
I bought three copies each to give out when I visit the village next time, and I also bought a few slightly erotic photo books sold in the magic city, besides Miss Solario.
Last time, I only had eyes for Miss Solario, but if you look closely, there were photo books with pretty women, though not as much as Miss Solario.
After buying all the books, I finished the payment, put them in my inventory, and flew out of the magic city towards Puldun.
Tikia had already bought all the ingredients while dealing with Lelia and returned with my clone, so she’s in Puldun now.
By the way, I’ve already finished saying goodbye to Chainber.
When I arrived at Puldun and returned to the Fox’s Rest, the lovers had already finished dinner.
Of course, even though I didn’t eat directly with my clone, I sat with everyone and had a good time.
Poof!
When I dispelled my clone, everyone’s gaze turned to me.
“Ah, Lant’s here.”
“Welcome back, Lant.”
“Welcome back, Lant-ssi!”
Starting with Noah, Elsie, and Tina, everyone greeted me in turn.
Even though we were just talking happily through my clone, everyone is doing this out of courtesy.
“So? Are you going to tell us now? What were you doing that made you so late?”
When we were having dinner, I said that I would tell them what I was doing before I arrived, so Tikia, who had been waiting, asked me to answer quickly.
“That’s… I’ll talk about it in the room.”
“In the room? Is it important?”
It’s to protect Lelia’s dignity and pride, even a little.
I can’t say it carelessly in the first floor during dinner time, where other adventurers are present, let alone to my precious lovers.
All the lovers except for Leni gathered in my room, and I started talking.
“Actually, today… I met Lelia.”
“Oh my, Lelia-unni?”
“Lelia-ssi?”
“Who is she?”
“If it’s Lelia-ssi… is she the holy knight Lant-ssi met in Sol?”
After briefly explaining for Miranda, Tina, Melissa, Gracia, and Raifa, who had never met Lelia in person, I continued.
“Actually, I went to the Miss Solario photoshoot with Chainber.”
“What? That old man… where is he taking Lant… No, but Lelia went to that photoshoot too?”
“That’s… when Soli-ssi was summoned, she was wearing that thin outfit, right? The high priestess Maren dispatched Lelia, saying that she had to spread the teachings in that outfit.”
“It’s because of you.”
“Yes. And at that photoshoot…”
I told them about what Lelia had gone through… and how I kept her company at the bar to comfort her.
After I finished speaking, the four who had seen Lelia’s drunken antics in person looked very pitiful, and Melissa, Miranda, and Tina had a sullen expression.
And Raifa and Gracia, after hearing the summarized version of Lelia’s drunken antics, said,
“Gracia… we’re so glad we met our husband quickly.”
“32 years… If I hadn’t met my husband by then, could I have become like that…?”
Hmm~ I don’t think it’s the same?
