By the afternoon, the gathering had erupted into a full-blown celebration.
In a private room on the second floor of Skylark Pavilion, everyone was waiting. Berde-san, Schnei-san, Lila-san, Tomoe, Novium-san, Spurdia-san, Noah, and Parker-san—all had made time in their schedules to join us. Despite their individual commitments, they chose to spend this moment with us.
The dishes began arriving one by one, carried in by the waitstaff. Even Tomoe, usually the café’s poster girl, was a guest today. Although Skylark Pavilion was technically a café, the spread on the table was anything but modest. In fact, the dishes were extravagant enough to rival a high-end restaurant. It turns out the menu had been gradually revamped, inspired by consommé, and the establishment was transitioning into a dual identity: a café by day and a restaurant by night.
As we all took our seats around the massive round table, laden with delicious food, Berde-san raised a toast.
And thus, the feast began.
※※※
「Hey, hey, Sui. Aren’t you drinking?」
Lila-san, her cheeks flushed, asked while holding a glass of wine. She looked at me inquisitively.
She’s probably only seventeen or eighteen, right?
「I’m holding off until I’m twenty. I’ll taste it here and there, but I’m not drinking properly yet.」
「Leave him be, Lila-san. Sui’s got his reasons. Besides, isn’t it exciting? He’s turning twenty next month, right?」
「Yes. Grandma already gave me my first drink in advance.」
Berde-san stepped in to gently scold Lila-san. Despite her large stature and considerable drinking capacity, Berde-san’s refined mannerisms contrasted starkly with her robust image. She sipped wine gracefully from her glass, though she emptied it with surprising speed.
「Hey, you mean that drink from before…?」
「Ah, yes. That one, most likely. …Well, when you’re of age, come stay with us for a night. Share a drink with all of us.」
Lila-san referred to her husband as “you,” but there was a sense of quiet composure in her tone.
※※※
「Speaking of alcohol, we dwarves love Fire Spirits—vodka. Strong enough to ignite if you set it aflame. A bit of a good-luck charm, really. Remember the one I had you taste when Kannagi was completed?」
「Oh, that… I don’t know if I’m good with alcohol yet. Something that strong sounds a little intimidating.」
Novium-san leaned toward me, holding a stein filled with whiskey.
Apparently, the stein—a sturdy glass design—was a recent creation from the blacksmiths’ guild.
「The glassblowers have been experimenting endlessly to create containers suitable for serving consommé. As a result, their techniques have improved significantly, allowing them to craft pieces like this.」
「That’s amazing. The colors are so vibrant.」
Although the glass stein lacked high transparency, it was vividly colored, making it striking in appearance. Spurdia-san took a hearty swig from one such stein as she nodded approvingly.
It filled me with quiet pride to think that my suggestion for consommé had sparked a chain of events influencing even the blacksmiths’ guild.
「Come by the workshop sometime. I’ll show you some of the finest glassworks we’ve crafted.」
「Oh, stop bragging! Those aren’t your pieces; they’re the handiwork of the younger artisans!」
The dwarf couple clinked their steins and burst into hearty laughter, their camaraderie lighting up the room.
※※※
「It would’ve been nice if the Ejetia twins could’ve joined us. But I guess things are still busy up in the skies.」
「Seems like it. But they mentioned they’d try to wrap things up before summer.」
As Schnei-san spoke, he stabbed a fork into a steak on his plate. To him, those two were practically apprentices.
「I’ll have to do my best to prepare for their next visit. I’ve been experimenting with making sweets using the grains Sui-san brought back.」
「Are you using millet? Foxtail millet? Or maybe corn?」
Tomoe asked in her composed tone while pouring wine into a wooden tankard, filling it to the brim. Honestly, how much can this woman drink? Is she some kind of serpent spirit?
「Come to think of it, those two—especially Noemi—were the ones who got us started on this path. Well, though it did begin with someone’s misunderstanding.」
「Oh, do be quiet! If you bring that up, I might have to remind everyone of your vague, wishy-washy behavior. I’ve never heard of a scout digging their own pitfall to fall into!」
Their playful bickering continued, just as always.
The lighthearted insults they exchanged were wrapped in an air of happiness, causing the corners of my lips to curl into a smile.
※※※
「Speaking of Dolce, she’s been doing fairly well at work. Lately, she’s even started dining with her coworkers before heading home.」
「That’s great to hear. …She’s been through so much loneliness.」
Noah spoke softly, a warm smile spreading across his face as he discussed the girl staying with them.
To him, it must feel like he’s gained a little sister, and it clearly made him happy.
「She seems to be building a good relationship with Alice-sama as well. If she wants, she can move into the house arranged by Subzero-sama. …Though I’d miss having her at our estate.」
「Alice-san will still be going back and forth between Alfheim and here for a while. Isn’t it too soon to let Dolce live alone?」
Even Parker-san couldn’t help but worry about Dolce.
She might not be connected to them by blood, but it was clear she had already become part of their family.
「Living alone, huh… She’s still hopeless with housework. She’s managed to learn how to fold laundry, though.」
「She can wash dishes properly now too. Still clumsy with a knife, though—very nerve-wracking.」
The two of them chatted about laundry and cooking, their royal status momentarily forgotten amidst such a domestic conversation.
※※※
And——
「Hey, Sui. Try this. It’s really spicy. I think it’s one of the dishes Parker taught Tomoe.」
「This red soup… Is it chili?」
The steam rising from the bowl carried a complex aroma—a mix of herbs, milk, and citrus. It strongly resembled Tom Yum soup, but…
「Hmm, ahh.」
「No, I’ll eat it myself.」
「Ahh.」
「Not here, come on…」
「Ahh.」
Karen scooped up a chunk of chicken and held the spoon out toward me insistently.
The act of feeding me with an 「Ahh」 was embarrassing enough, but why on earth did she pick something this spicy for it?
「Ahh!」
「Alright, alright… Hah—Hah! It is Tom Yum Soup hiyafufudaha!」
「Sui, don’t talk with your mouth full. That’s bad manners.」
「But this is amazing! Parker-san, did you—wait, Karen, why are you the one saying that?」
「Sui, you’ve got soup on you.」
「Huh?」
Karen reached out and wiped the corner of my mouth with her finger.
「…..That’s because you shoved the spoon at me.」
「Then next time, I’ll do it better. You do a better ‘Ahh,’ too. Alright, here we go—ahh.」
「That’s what you’re fixing? Isn’t there something more fundamental to address?」
She had turned beet red just from holding my hand earlier, yet now she was unfazed, boldly pressing on. Shaking my head at her odd mix of bashfulness and assertiveness, I nonetheless accepted the second spoonful of Tom Yum soup.
This time, the spoon held a river prawn. Its long whiskers flicked, causing some soup to splash onto my cheek.
※※※
「Gah! Huff… Kuuun…」
「Ara, what’s the matter, Chocola-san? Do you want more?」
「Bark.」
「….Fufu, your owners seem to be having a lot of fun. Let’s watch over them quietly, shall we?」
「Bark… bark!」
「Good boy. Would you like some meat? Or perhaps milk?」
「Oh, sorry, Tomoe-san! Chocola, sorry I didn’t notice. Umm… probably milk. He ate quite a bit this morning.」
「Bark! Bark bark!」
「Goodness, you can tell just by looking at him? Impressive as always.」
I smiled as I patted Chocola’s head, who barked energetically in response.
The dinner party was just getting started.
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