“Then, let’s toast to the great success of our first team expedition, cheers!”
“C-Cheers…”
Kazane and I clinked our beer mugs together.
On the two-person table, dishes like pasta, stir-fried chicken, French fries, salads were being served one after another.
We were at a family restaurant in the commercial district in front of the station.
After finishing the dungeon exploration, she and I rode our bikes here.
“Glug, glug, glug… Ahhhh! This is the best, isn’t it? A drink at the end of work is special. Come on, Rokuyari, have your drink.”
“Well, I’m not yet twenty…”
“Oh, right, I forgot. But it’s okay, you know? By next year, you’ll be twenty. Come on, have a drink.”
*Sigh…*
Although I wondered about the logic of it, I felt uncomfortable rejecting Kazane’s offer.
By the way, she ordered two beer mugs without consulting me.
I took a sip of beer from my mug.
Though bitter, the cold and refreshing sensation flowing down my throat provided a relief that spread through my tired body.
Meanwhile, Kazane ordered more beer from the waiter and started eating.
“Rokuyari, it’s not good to drink on an empty stomach, so eat a little more.”
“Ah, thank you.”
What’s with this attitude of Kazane’s? It feels like she’s taking care of a younger person, that kind of energy.
I find myself influenced by that energy too. I avoided looking directly at her while eating.
Occasionally, I glanced up and saw her enjoying the food and beer with a happy, flushed expression.
During the dungeon exploration, I felt like I had her attention, but as we exited the dungeon, something changed.
“But Rokuyari, I really had fun today. It’s been a long time since I spent time like this with someone. I’ve been alone lately.”
“Really?”
“Yes, it’s true. I was very close to my grandmother. After my parents passed away in an accident, I lived with my grandmother, but she also recently passed away from an illness.”
Suddenly, the conversation took a more serious turn.
Despite my silence, Kazane continued with her stories.
“After that, as if a hole had suddenly opened in my chest, everything started to seem insignificant, and I ended up quitting my job. One day, without warning, I became an adventurer. I delved into the dungeon with a sense of desperation, a feeling of surrender or hopelessness.”
“…”
“Perhaps it was good that the dungeon rewards weren’t so substantial. Earning less than minimum wage in a high-risk job has its allure, right? But I became obsessed with it, as if I were plunging into emptiness. And today, for the first time, I met another adventurer my age, and I just talked to him. I was so lonely.”
With a flush on her face from the alcohol, Kazane spoke non-stop.
While I already considered her a talkative person, this seemed different, as if everything she had wanted to share before was finally gushing out.
“I really had fun today, after so long. I felt alive. Rokuyari, you’re a good person. So kind, humble, and caring…”
“Thank you…”
In summary, what’s happening here? Am I being manipulated in this situation?
Even though I didn’t care at all, I wondered if she was okay.
Before I knew it, three empty beer glasses were in front of Kazane.
Additionally, the waiter brought the next round, clearing the empty glasses. My glass was still half full, I hadn’t even finished the first drink.
“Um, Kogatana-san. Are you okay…?”
“Eh? Of course… What do you mean, do you mean the loneliness after your grandmother’s death? If that’s it, I’m fine. I have Rokuyari here now, after all. Ehehe.”
I found myself babbling, not as eloquent as I usually am. Was she always this resistant to alcohol, or was it just the alcohol’s effect?
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
“What do you mean? Are you saying you’re going to abandon me? You said you’d take responsibility before!”
“Wait, wait… something’s not right.”
Everything is getting a bit strange. She has no one to take care of her… except me. And her momentum continued…
Soon, she slumped over the table in front of me, deeply asleep.
…She’s too vulnerable. Why does she trust me this way? What if I were a bad person?
I couldn’t help but notice several strange things, but once she fell asleep, there was nothing I could do. Shaking her didn’t seem to wake her up.
…What should I do with her?
The first time I drank beer may have affected my senses, as my head felt fuzzy and my thoughts were jumbled.
Lost in what I should do, I…
