I had originally planned to stay overnight in Sidera.
If Schnei-san and Tomoe-san get together, there will be a celebration; if things don’t go well, there will be a disappointment party waiting.
Surprisingly, no one had anticipated the latter, but you never know what might happen. Honestly, I was on edge watching it all unfold.
So, as evening approached, we held the celebration at a slightly upscale restaurant.
The establishment was called ‘Breath of the Fire Dragon’. It had a reputation for being delicious, but ever since Ji Liz started coming to Sidera, the place has become extremely popular, almost like a subliminal effect. Even though Ji Liz had nothing to do with it, and wasn’t a fire-element dragon at all…
I can understand why people would want to dine at a place bearing the name ‘dragon’. After all, opportunities to meet a dragon are quite rare.
「Well then, let’s raise a toast. To those troublesome two!」
「Cheers!」
We had reserved a private room, and the members included eight people and one pet.
There was me, Karen, and Chocola, as well as Berde-san, Lila-san, Novium-san, and Spurdia-san, the married couple. Then there were the Ejetia twins—Rick and Noemi—and the guild master, Cliché-san.
Schnei-san and Tomoe-san were to be left alone for the night, treated not as the main characters but as side dishes for our enjoyment. Well, Tomoe-san would probably want to greet her family too.
「Schnei grew up in an orphanage. He has no parents or siblings; he’s completely alone. Perhaps because of that, he has become timid about settling down.」
As Berde-san spoke, cutting into his steak with a fork and knife, he did so with a sense of deep reflection. I’ve always thought that this man, despite his appearance, had a refined demeanor. Perhaps he was born into a good family.
「Really, it’s such a good thing, isn’t it? Truly wonderful. I’m so glad!」
「Hmm, great.」
…And there was Lila-san, continually repeating whatever she’s saying to Karen. She must have been so happy, as she was drinking quite a bit. I can understand her feelings, though; she had been listening to Tomoe-san’s stories for quite some time. Karen, too, was being very patient with her and didn’t seem to mind.
「My master is getting married… It feels like a tightening of the spirit.」
「Yeah, we need to become independent soon. If something happens to our master because of us, the responsibility will be huge.」
The Ejetia twins were saying such things to each other. Now that I think about it, the whole situation started because Tomoe-san misunderstood Noemi’s attitude. In that sense, they might be the unsung heroes behind this.
「Ha ha ha! I’m feeling proud as well!」
「But that doesn’t mean you should get carried away and drink too much! Goodness gracious!」
Novium-san, who had created the wedding ring, wore a proud expression, and just like Lila-san, he was drinking more than usual. Spurdia-san, while scolding her husband, wore a smile as well.
「You….. haven’t really done anything special, but I guess that’s alright.」
「Chomp chomp… bark?」
The one who benefited the most might be Chocola. Every time we come to Sidera, he gets to enjoy milk and meat. Right now, he was eagerly diving into the special dish of unsalted wild boar stew made just for him.
Now then.
As the atmosphere was lively and cheerful, there was one person wearing a sour expression.
「…So, Sui. To be honest, I’m not convinced about the exclusive deal with ‘Skylark Pavilion’.」
It was Guild Master Cliché-san. He swirled the wine in his glass, complaining about the handling of the Stollen.
「I’m sorry. But that was made for Schnei-san and Tomoe-san…」
「It’s fine that you went out of your way to support your friends. You should be commended for that, and I think it’s impressive. However… as an adventurer, I had hoped you would consider the guild a bit. That will definitely become popular, you know? You’ve missed out on a business opportunity.」
As he puffed up, his face slightly red, he looked like a yakuza boss intimidating his underlings, which was rather frightening. However, I had grown so accustomed to that Cliché-san, subjectively speaking, I no longer found him terrifying at all, despite the objective description.
「Don’t dwell on it too much. If it becomes popular, Skylark Pavilion won’t be able to keep up with production. When that happens, the guild can just arrange a licensing contract for commissioned production.」
I smiled wryly at Cliché-san and countered his argument.
「Besides, when it comes to selling that, it’s probably best to leave it to Tomoe-san. If the guild promotes it as ‘portable food for adventurers’, it’s one thing. But through Skylark Pavilion, a charming little café, it becomes ‘cakes to share with those waiting for you to return’. 」
「Mou… that’s true.」
「It’s definitely better to target not just adventurers, but also their families and lovers. Since the consommé is being sold to adventurers, let’s approach the Stollen from a different angle.」
To be honest, I didn’t prioritize making a profit for the adventurer guild. What I truly wanted was for the people of Sidera to have a better life—making sure everyone could say how delicious it was was my main goal.
「Well, I feel like I’ve been swayed, but I’ll accept that. Just know that as the starting point of this business, you’ll be rolling in quite a bit of cash. I’d appreciate it if you could spend that savings generously and contribute to the town.」
「Of course.」
It’s something to think about. If we earn money but just hoard it, it will stagnate the economy. Since we live in the forest, we naturally avoid unnecessary spending. Should we consider investing in the guild’s projects?
—Wait, did Cliché-san just lead me to think that way?
He was incredibly shrewd. While it was a conversation I could get on board with, I’d prefer to finalize the details when he wasn’t drunk.
「Hey, Guild Master! Let’s save the troublesome stuff for another day. Today is a celebration! That stubborn guy finally made his decision…」
Berde-san stepped in, wrapping an arm around my shoulder, his eyes brimming with tears.
「He’s been through a lot. For an orphan to make it in this town, becoming an adventurer is the quickest way. But entering the forest is filled with danger—it’s a thin ice, knowing you could die at any moment. On top of that, his respected mentor got hurt and turned to drink… For him, that was someone he thought of as a parent.」
「I see… Since there’s no blood relation, it’s hard to say anything bad about him.」
「Exactly. He could only watch as Tomoe-san’s family struggled from the outside. Bringing food was probably the best he could do for her.」
Though he thought of him as a parent, he wasn’t his real father.
Though they were like family, they weren’t truly family.
That feeling of alienation, unable to share the pain just because of that thin line…
「Tomoe-san was lucky, wasn’t she? Really lucky. Uncle Schnei was pretty cool too, finally handing over the ring like that. I’m truly happy for them.」
Beside us, Lila-san had hugged Karen, reflecting on the moment.
「You know, Tomoe-san seems like that on the outside, but she’s actually like this, and it’s hard for her to show her true feelings. That’s why things got so complicated, but it’s a good thing it worked out… I’m so glad…」
Her lack of vocabulary was amusing.
Still, the sentiment was clear. Tomoe-san had probably found some comfort in Lila-san’s sincerity. Girls have a knack for worming their way into people’s hearts, and the evolved girls from this other world share that trait… Sorry, that’s a bit biased.
I exchanged glances with Karen.
I was entangled with Berde-san, while Karen was caught up with Lila-san. Even without words, we both felt the same way, and our lips naturally curved into gentle smiles.
「Hey, hey, Uncle Berde-san! Tomoe-san looked super happy, didn’t she?」
「Oh, yes. Schnei had the face of a man who accomplished something.」
The conversation shifted focus. Berde-san and Lila-san moved away from Karen and me, exchanging glances.
「Looks like your worries are finally gone, so I think it’s about time we take that step.」
「Yeah… I suppose so. I’ve fulfilled my obligation to Ketto. His final days were miserable, but that’s why it was important. Since he asked me to, I had to see this through.」
From his words, it seemed Berde-san had been asked to watch over the two during Ketto’s—Tomoe-san’s father—final moments. While his bond with Schnei-san was undoubtedly due to Schnei-san’s abilities, there might have been deeper connections we were unaware of.
「Then, how about we officially register our marriage soon?」
「Lila-san, are you really okay with this? I’m just an old man!」
「Seriously? Are you still worried about age? It’s better to do it sooner rather than later. I’m terrible with magic, so I’ll be aging quickly… In ten or twenty years, I’ll catch up to you!」
「That’s true… Since Schnei has made his choice, I guess I should steel myself too.」
I couldn’t help but chuckle at their banter. Their little play was quite effective. I was impressed at how well Berde-san and Lila-san coordinated without any prior planning.
「Oh, so Berde and Lila are making plans too? That’s my celebration money flying away… Unlike Schnei, both are connected to me!」
「What are you saying, Guild Master? ‘The iron struck in a festive mood will triumph a thousandfold in the future’… It’s a famous dwarven saying.」
「Ara maa, Lila-chan is following in Tomoe-chan’s footsteps! How wonderful! Having someone to share husband complaints with is a good thing.」
「Come on, Auntie, complaining is still a long way off! Newlyweds have other things to enjoy first!」
「Ha ha, can’t argue with that! Well, Spu, you might as well give up. Tomoe-san will surely only be bragging about love for a while.」
「Ah… Novium, can I ask one more favor?」
「Of course, Chief, leave it to me. Making rings for two of Sidera’s top adventurers will be a fine first job for ‘Iron’.」
「Uncle, you know… it’s classy to ask for things like that when I’m not around, right? But I guess that’s just how you are.」
「Wait, is Master Berde-san and Lila-san getting married too? That’s wonderful!」
「How lovely! We’ll have to step up our game even more!」
Everyone except me, Karen, and Chocola joined in on the little performance. Even the Ejetia twins seemed to fully believe it. We lost our chance to join in and felt a bit left out, but still found it amusing to watch.
However, moments later…
「Well then, I look forward to our future together, husband.」
「Yeah. You may be a handful, but I’ll count on you.」
Lila-san blushed slightly and kissed Berde-san. He, too, shyly pulled her close.
Our smiles remained—frozen in confusion.
—Wait. Are they serious?
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