After some thought, I chose to stay the night.
Karen and the dragonlings would head back first. I would book a room with Chocola and stay in Sidera—that was the plan.
「Alright, Sui, take care. I’ll come to pick you up tomorrow.」
「Thanks, niichan! Be sure to bring me along again!」
「I-I’m a bit tired, but it was fun…! I want to come again, too.」
Karen smiled with a hint of concern, while the dragonlings seemed relieved to reunite with their father, flying around cheerfully.
Ji Ness-kun and Mine Ork-chan ended up sleeping for about half their stay. Well, it was their first time in the city, so that was understandable. Mint would get used to it gradually as well.
I wondered if one day, far in the future, Mint and the dragonlings would visit Sidera on their own… I hoped so. Even after we’re gone, their lives (their not humans after all) would continue. Until that time, I wanted their world to be expanded.
——As I pondered these sentimental thoughts, I needed to focus on the immediate issue at hand.
The relationship between Tomoe-san and Schnei-san.
Honestly, as a nineteen-year-old, it felt like a heavy burden, but I wanted to do what I could. Both Tomoe-san and Schnei-san were important friends to me.
※※※
The ‘Habitat of Heavy Drinkers’ was a cheap tavern where adventurers often gathered. Following Berde-san and Schnei-san, I stepped into the bustling and chaotic establishment, lured by their invitation for a meal.
The two seemed to be familiar with the place, and we were quickly led to a table. ‘Just bring us some food; one of us won’t be having any alcohol.’ Berde-san instructed the staff, gesturing for me to take a seat.
「This is a place where familiars can come along too. They serve food for beasts as well… though, of course, you’re not a familiar; you’re part of Sui’s family. I know that.」
「Bark!」
Chocola let out a bark, as if to say, ‘Good attitude’.
「You missed out on getting a milk refill, so make sure you eat plenty.」
「Bark! Bark bark!」
Chocola’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the unsalted boiled meat that had been brought out alongside our meals. He waited for us to toast, before eagerly devouring the meat.
「He’s eating eat with great gusto. Were you that hungry?」
「I don’t think it’s that bad. But it’s true he’s been eating a lot more recently…」
It seemed that for Cu Sith like Chocola, being around twenty years old was a growth phase. Since returning to this world, she had been eating quite a bit. Just recently, I thought of her as more of an old dog.
「Still, it’s unusual. I can’t believe you’re staying here alone.」
「Right? I figured I’d like to experience a night like an adventurer.」
「So that’s why you called just us.」
‘Kuku’, Berde-san chuckled good-naturedly.
Meanwhile, Schnei-san wore a slightly teasing expression.
「Since it’s just us men, we can go to a brothel, you know? Unfortunately, both I and the boss are not very experienced in that area. While we do have some acquaintances from spending years as adventurers, that’s precisely why we have no desire to go there.」
「Please don’t tease me. That wasn’t my intention at all.」
I smiled wryly, feeling relieved inside.
Schnei-san (and Berde-san too) were indeed quite reserved about such matters.
「What do you mean?」
「Requests come in from the brothel, or some adventurers who retire end up there. They often say things like, ‘Come play with us for a discount,’ and many loosen their wallets. It’s not the first time I’ve had to stop a kid from getting too involved and ruining themselves. Right, boss?」
「Yeah, it’s a problem. Many desire a fleeting life pouring their money into booze, women, and men, but to survive as an adventurer in this town, you can’t have such frivolous thoughts. What you need in the forest is practicality.」
It felt like a lighthearted joke had unexpectedly shifted the conversation into serious territory.
This was the moment—I took a deep breath and asked Schnei-san,
「When it comes to practicality, when are you going to marry Tomoe-san?」
「……Bwah!?」
After a solid three seconds of silence, Schnei-san choked on the drink he had just taken, coughing violently.
「Guh, Sui, cough, what the heck, you—」
「Either speak or calm down, you idiot.」
While I smirked inwardly at Schnei-san’s distress and Berde-san’s exasperation, I felt a surge of satisfaction.
Yes, this was my strategy. ‘Feign innocence and drop the bombshell.’
I didn’t have the courage to straightforwardly ask if he genuinely wanted to date Tomoe-san or how he felt about her. I also lacked the skill to probe gently.
So instead, I’d pretend to know nothing and suddenly pose a question that jumped ahead a few steps. By throwing out a presumptive inquiry like, ‘When are you getting married?’ I aimed to draw out more concrete details from Schnei-san.
Wasn’t it called the Socratic Strategy in psychology?
It seemed my plan had worked.
Once he calmed down, Schnei-san took a deep breath, faced me, and opened his mouth to speak.
But.
His response was unlike anything I had expected.
「What kind of misunderstanding do you have? Sure, I’m dating her, but marriage…」
「…eh?」
「So, marriage—」
「Wait, before that.」
「Huh? What do you mean ‘before that’? Isn’t this about me and Tomoe?」
Unable to hold back, I shouted,
「Wait, you’re dating? You think you’re dating her?! Schnei-san, is that really your understanding?!」
「Huh? It’s not even about that… Wait, who did you hear this from in the first place?」
「That’s not the issue right now!!」
I couldn’t make sense of it.
After all, Tomoe-san had said that while they had a relationship, she wasn’t sure if they were actually dating. It seemed they were stuck in a vague state.
—Wait a minute.
Thinking it through, this was just Tomoe-san’s perspective and her understanding of the situation. But Schnei-san had just casually said that they were ‘dating’. If that’s Schnei-san’s view, then when considered together, it means…
「Ano, Schnei-san?」
「Hey, Sui, why are you suddenly bringing this up?」
「Schnei-san!」
「Uh, yeah…?」
「Can I ask you something? About this ‘dating Tomoe-san’ thing—did you actually say that to her? Did you tell her you wanted to date or that you were a couple? Did you confirm it with words?」
Schnei-san answered.
As if it were the most natural thing in the world, he replied.
「Huh? What’s that about? Why would I bother saying something like that?」
「I understand everything now, you idiot! You fool!! Are you from the Showa era or something?!」
「Whoa, don’t get so angry! What do you mean by ‘Showa’…?」
As I banged my fist on the table and leaned in, Schnei-san flinched back in surprise. I wondered if it was inappropriate to talk to an older man like this, but I couldn’t hold it back.
This was a trivial but fundamental, and yet terrible communication gap.
Tomoe-san was feeling anxious because Schnei-san wasn’t clearly expressing himself, even though they were in that kind of relationship.
Schnei-san assumed that since they were doing those things, they must be dating.
And Tomoe-san, with her personality, couldn’t bring herself to ask again.
Schnei-san, on the other hand, was so laid-back that it only made Tomoe-san more restless—so that was the situation.
「What’s with that… This complicated adult relationship just makes things worse…」
「Hey, Sui, what’s wrong? Schnei, you didn’t get this guy drunk, did you?」
「Of course not. But why am I the one being blamed here, boss?」
「Ugh, I feel like I’ve both lost and gained something at the same time…」
「Kwuuun.」
「Chocola, do you understand how I feel right now?」
「Bark, bark!」
Instead of comforting me, Chocola nudged his empty plate with his nose, bringing it closer to me… So he’s out of meat and wants a refill, huh? Come on.
「Alright, fine… I’ll explain. I’ll start from the very beginning.」
I downed the remaining carbonated juice in my mug and waved to the server to order more meat.
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