Chapter 32 – Did You Eat Something Delicious Alone?
I am an adventurer by nature, so if I don’t go out on a quest, I won’t be busy.
Even if it’s an academy class, it’s once a week now.
At most, it’s a pilot class where someone will be asked to enter the class twice if the class is punctured.
Rike, a cadet, has had work done so far, so now attendance will be tight and the timetable will be tight.
“Brother! I’ll be back.”
I gave Rike a hug in front of her door and let her go.
‘As expected, sharing love is the best way to heal the wounds of the heart.’
Wounds inflicted by people are to be healed by people.
Rike said she would go to the academy starting today, and she got up early in the morning, prepared breakfast for me, and left.
As the relationship between me and her develops, when I see her brighten up in an instant, her laughter comes out.
Wouldn’t Rike’s mentality, which allows her to make decisions at any time even when faced with a crisis that threatens her spirit, would not be beyond steel?
‘…I don’t even need to think deeply.’
Among the heroines, there is probably no woman with a strong mentality and quick recovery like Rike.
I ate her simple dish prepared by Rike and woke her spirit from waking up.
It was an impressive cream stew with poorly cut ingredients.
‘···Do you have any of these ingredients at home? I didn’t pay too much attention to it.’
I don’t know how much it costs to cook something at home, even if it’s really simple.
(If I just accept it, my conscience can’t stand it anymore… I have to cook and clean, so don’t stop me.)
At least there was no way to dissuade her from taking full responsibility for housework.
Isn’t it the best thing I can do to give you pocket money that fits your labor force?
I emptied the stew and stood in the living room, lost in thought.
‘What I have to do today…’
It’s more than you think.
I don’t have the habit of taking notes, so I still think that I might be forgetting something.
First of all, I must move diligently.
Kiik-
I open the front door and walk down the street bathed in sunlight.
It rained like that, but today the sun was shining brightly.
‘Certainly, having a proper breakfast gives me strength.’
The hot inside energizes the body.
How well can a man eat his meals if he lives alone?
Rather, I tend to take better care of myself when I am out on a request.
‘It’s not bad having someone take care of it…’
After waking up, I headed to the adventurer’s guild, scratching my stomach in a neat outfit.
–
“Here’s the fee – the request isn’t completely finished, but it’s suspended for the time being.
“Thank you.”
Snap-
I put the gold coins I prepared yesterday in my pocket and handed them over to the receptionist.
Basically, the fees the adventurers guild eats are divided by grade.
There is a fee to be paid to the guild if you complete the request, whether you receive 10,000 gold for nomination or do it for free with a spirit of service.
How much gold, lapis lazuli, platinum, etc. The amount to be paid to the guild when the request is completed is set for each, so if you set it accordingly, the adventurer’s job is done.
Since there was a clear standard like now, adventurers have become more comfortable.
When I received the item in exchange and proceeded with the request, even the fee was ambiguous.
‘It’s not worth it since it’s not my money.’
This fee was provided by the pockets of Grotto and Hell Broom.
“Then suffer~”
After finishing a task that would be easy to forget if I was relaxed, I left the guild without any regrets and moved on.
Tuck-tuck-tuck-
They move at a slightly faster pace than ordinary people and dig through the alleys.
I go there so often that I can go around with my eyes closed now.
‘I can’t get used to the smell here.’
Even in the capital, I stopped just before reaching an area commonly called a slum.
Turn right here and you’re in the slums.
Go to the alley on the left…
– Caw! Kyaaak!!
-Quack! Quack Quack!
-Grrrrreung…
A messy alley where animals are kept in cages and sold.
Most of them are edible, but they are also sold as pets.
Among them, I headed to a store where iron cages with algae were piled up like a road.
-Beep-! Beep! Beep beep!
Hearing the sound of a bird directly hitting his ears, he passed through the cage and dug inside.
The store owner saw me and turned his gaze back to the book.
‘Is this the guy today?’
An iron cage with a green water bowl in the middle.
I stopped in front of it and took out a piece of paper from my pocket.
A small bird sitting inside jumps up to me with both feet.
– Beep! Beep!
Tup!
The moment the paper is put into the cage, it snatches the paper with its beak and returns to the nest.
I finished checking until the bird entered the nest and got out of the alley.
‘The information guild is over… Next is the academy…’
–
The academy was in full swing, so there were hardly any people walking around outside.
As soon as I passed the main gate, I headed to the academy’s library.
The director couldn’t see if he was away, and only a few librarians were seen climbing ladders and organizing.
Feeling calmed down by the smell of books, I went around the library once again looking for books related to Episode 1.
“…You still haven’t returned it?”
This was a problem in several ways.
Even if there is a book here, it’s a problem.
A situation where there is no problem.
Is there a chance the episode won’t progress at all?
I can’t say that I don’t have it, but I can’t believe it and lie there.
As long as Ricke is at the academy, we have to pay attention to accidents that result in human life.
Considering the difficulty of Episode 1, I think Rike will be fine.
There is a word ‘maybe’ in the world.
‘Didn’t Robert borrow it?’
Even on days when there are no classes, I think I will have to continue going to work for a while.
*****
“Uh-uh-!! Rike is finally here! You’re not sick, are you okay?”
“Yes I’m fine.”
Seria sees Rique in history class and she approaches without hesitation.
The empty seat next to Rike was filled by Seria.
Seria glanced at Rike’s face as she was reading a history textbook.
‘What? Something… Has changed!’
It’s still expressionless, but it’s subtly different.
So if you ask me what’s different… It’s abstract.
It’s not like I’m staring blankly like before, but my eyes are clear.
‘···The skin seems to glow?’
Did something pleasant happen?
If not-
‘Did you eat something delicious by yourself without me?’
It’s certain that things have changed, but Seria didn’t have the ability to be sure what they were.
Still, it was fortunate that the change was not negative.
“Right! Listen. My sister told me about it yesterday—”
*****
‘···Like! You’re finally back!’
As soon as Robert entered the infernal history of the Empire class, he saw Rike sitting there and threw her papers in cheers.
It feels like my concentration, which has been distracted for days, is regaining its place.
“Robert! Sit here quickly!”
“I am coming.”
Even as he put the book on the back seat, Robert’s gaze turned to Rike.
‘I’ll have to try an invitation today…’
It is Robert who has prepared various things to narrow the relationship while Rike is absent.
The red kid sitting next to me is annoying, but I’m sure there will be a chance for the two of them to talk.
–
“…Let’s just finish here for today.”
“””You worked hard”””
The history instructor, whose voice was like a sleeping pill, finished the torture of class and left the classroom.
The cadets rushed out, but Rike and the redhead were still seated.
‘Are you going to go leisurely when everyone is gone?’
–
Robert sent the party off first and waited for Rike and Seria to get up.
‘I’m going crazy…Why does that kid talk so much?’
Rike doesn’t even seem to answer her, but she continues to speak to herself.
At this rate, the two would never have a chance to talk, so Robert got up from his seat and headed to the two of them.
“There—”
Rike and Seria’s gazes turned to Robert at the same time.
‘…What happened while I was absent?’
Rike’s eyes shine differently than before.
It seems that the flowers have fully bloomed, not buds.
“…Like. Can I talk to you for a moment?”
“What are you doing?”
Rike asked in a flat tone.
Seria looked at her mood and quietly moved her body to stand in front of Rike.
It was like a small puppy trying to protect its owner.
“Really, it only takes a moment! It’s definitely a story that will help Rike.”
“···All right.”
Seria talked to Rike for a while, then she vacated her seat.
Now, the only ones left in the classroom were Robert and Ricke.
“I was worried because the absence was too long.”
“…?”
Unlike other women, there is no reaction.
It’s like what’s the eye
Robert, slightly embarrassed, changed the subject.
“Kuhmm. Rike knows, but our family has a very close relationship with the church.”
“I see.”
“This time, when I met the priests of the church, I told them. I think I can erase that scar from my face… Let’s go to the church together today.”
“····”
“Ah! If you’re busy, it’s okay to set a date and go. I suggested it rather suddenly.”
Even as Robert spoke his words, he began to feel something strange.
It was an offer she should be delighted with, because I sensed that she was not in a good mood.
Her expression hasn’t changed, but the temperature around her seems to have dropped.
“… I’ll pretend I haven’t heard.”
Rike quickly passes by.
At this rate, it was only natural that I would be farther away than now, and I felt anxious that there would be no chance.
“Now, wait a minute! I’m not trying to get anything in return with this… I’m trying to show the least amount of sincerity as a fiancée!”
At my words, Rike stopped her steps and she turned to me.
She nodded her head slightly as if she finally understood what I was saying.
“At least sincerity… I understand.”
“···Then!”
“I only understood. In the first place, I’m no longer Skadi. The engagement will, of course, cease to exist. Then…”
Robert just watched her with his mouth open as she left without looking behind her.
“Uh…?”
