(Walson)
When I woke up in the morning, those four-person party people from last night...huh? They're all gone?
...Whatever, my head is dizzy as fuck, the hangover feeling from last night still lingering around.
The time on the [Mini-Map] shows it's already 11 am, huh, it's rare for me to wake up this late.
If it's at this hour, then both Grace and Melon should already be in class.
Speaking of last night, Barella squeezed me quite hard when she slept, and the fact that her breast kept pressing up against me made my little Walson in a state of combat ready all night..
Although I always call her Barella due to her love of drinking beer all day, her figure is nowhere near that of a barrel.
Excluding her breast that I estimated to be D-cup , she has a proud figure that is frontally convex and posteriorly raised, the lightweight clothes I gave her to wear always appear tight in the chest area, and, the feeling of her soft body leaning against me felt so good.
Had I been a lesser man, I would have already tried to pinch some part of her body when she was drunk last night.
But...to do such vulgar things to a friend of yours when they are drunk is something that only a scumbag would do.
And my mother raised no scumbag, no she did not.
Last night, while Barella was soundly asleep and leaning against me, I worked very hard to fight against my impulse that is being enhanced due to the alcohol, and in the end, fortunately, I fell asleep because I couldn't hold on any longer.
Then, as I woke up, I felt my clothing quite stinking, my pants included, and I had to wash and dry my pants myself, after all, it would be awkward for Melon if she is the one who cleaned it up.
Because of my dear little Walson problem that happens to every man in the morning, it feels very uncomfortable to walk in a normal posture, so after adjusting myself, I crawled up to the second floor and headed to the bathroom like a crab.
As soon as I went up, I saw Barella wearing lightweight clothes and walking out of the bathroom with some steam rising behind her.
She had one of her hands rubbing her wet hair with a towel, and the other holding the clothes she wore yesterday.
"Ah, you're awake."
"Huh? You're still here? Everyone else seemed to have left," I said.
"Oh? You mean them. The four adventurers and Derisha left early in the morning, and Grace and Melon have class."
As expected, Grace and Melon went to class.
"Sorry, I borrowed your bathroom. By the way, your bathroom is really cool. It even has a separate hot water system. I looked at it for a long time and still don't know how it works."
"... Did you only start to learn manners because you had hit your head?"
"That's really mean. You shouldn't be so sarcastic to a lady."
"You... forget it. Don't you have to go to class just like them?"
"Oh, about that, after the Autumn Harvest Festival, I already met the graduation requirements in terms of credits. So until the formal graduation at the end of the school term, depending on my mood, I can freely choose whatever to go to school or not."
Oh, so that's how it is.
At the academy, credits are calculated at the end of each semester, and if sixth-year students have enough credits, they can graduate.
It would be hard not to have an overflowing number of credits after doing heroic deeds like destroying an ancient golem and saving the country.
Melon and Grace are both first-year students, so I think they should be able to skip grades after this semester.
"By the way, I've been meaning to ask you this for quite some time, why are you standing in such a strange position?" Barella asked, feeling puzzled.
Only then did I remember that I had been maintaining a crab-walking position while talking to Barella for a long time.
What the hell! Why didn't you say it earlier?!
"Well, the reason for that question is because I am a male," I avoided saying anything that would cause awkwardness, such as "it's because i got a boner because of you?"
"Oh..." Upon hearing my response, Barella suddenly showed a playful smile and walked over to me, who was unable to move.
"Wait, what are you going to do!?" Barella came dangerously close to me, and I could smell the enticing aroma of her just-showered body.
Hold on Walson! Don't look inside her collar!
"Do you need any help with that problem?"
I can't take it anymore.
My shattered sanity, which had been battered all night, was now making cracking sounds before it snapped.
"No, it's okay!" I immediately moved my legs and scurried into the bathroom, slamming the door shut.
...
Finally, I performed the sacred touch ritual on my little walson while taking a shower, repairing my sanity.
This fifteen-year-old body has too low of a tolerance for such erotic things.
In my previous life, fifteen was the age when this aspect began to flourish.
And at this time, just like a wild horse whose reins have already decayed, even a slight touch can cause it to bolt out milk.
I need to properly expend little walson energy, so the touch ritual needs to be performed several more times.
Oh, right, I need to remember to wash my pants after.
About an hour later, I emerged from the bathroom in sage mode.
I feel refreshed! And new!
The air was filled with a pleasant aroma.
Following the scent, I arrived on the first floor and saw Barella standing by the fireplace, the pot on top making bubbling noises.
"I bought some groceries just now, so I borrowed this place to cook. Wait for a moment, the lunch will be ready soon."
… Huh, I never knew she could cook.
"Um….okay. Just don't burn the house down," I looked towards the backyard and saw leftover food in Rifle's bowl.
"It looks like Melon remembered to feed you before she left, that's good," I said as I took out a loaf of bread and a jar of pickled meat from my inventory and sat down on a lounge chair to start my lunch.
"As always, you're so sarcastic to a lady... huh? Wait a minute! Why are you just eating like that?!?" exclaimed Barella.
"Huh? I haven't eaten anything all night, so of course I'm going to have lunch now," I replied.
"No! I... I prepared your meal! You..."
"Huh? Did you cook for me?" Barella of all people cook for me? Did she really hit her head last night?
"Yes! So hurry up and put those things away! It's already rare for a girl to cook for you, and yet you..."
"Uh... sorry," I said as I put the bread and pickled meat back in my inventory.
"Really, you..."
"...I didn't expect you to be able to cook," I interrupted.
"Do you think it was Grace who taught me how to make those desserts? It's actually all me, 'm actually very good at cooking," Barella said.
"Is that so? Well, let me taste it then," I said as I sat in one of the seats for customers that we normally used during business hours.
"...But there's no denying that your cooking is good. Personally, even if I work hard for a lifetime, it probably won't be as good as you." I had tasted some of her dishes, so i can say such compliments with ease.
It was a stew-like dish, with an orange color and a very delicate appearance.
What was it made of?
"Ooooh, it's really super good," I said. Surprisingly, it was delicious! This was the kind of dish you would find in a high-end French restaurant!
"Hehehe, this is a dish exclusively made for the Elven royalty. I snuck away to learn it before coming here. How is it? Yohohoho~" Barella said, seeming joyful at being praised.
What was that? The last part was like the laugh of a villainess in a TV drama, but it didn't make her unlikable. On the contrary, I found Barella's laughter quite amusing.
"How did you end up learning this?" I asked.
"Of course, it was because I wanted to please someone I liked with my own cooking," Barella said. Her laughter stopped, and her expression suddenly became a little lonely. "Although... that was seven years ago."
Oops, it seems like I stepped on a landmine by accident.
"...Sorry."
I really don't understand why that so-called prince's head is so messed up... Hurting a good person like Barella for the sake of a princess?
What kind of person is that princess? To make the prince willing to hurt Barrella... If I have the chance, I want to punch him... No, I think it would be better to let Melon do the punching.
"You don't need to apologize. After all, it was you who helped me," Barrella's mouth curls up slightly, "...And my goal hasn't changed."
"Hmm?" I couldn't quite catch the last sentence that Barrella said.
"It's nothing. Is it delicious? Do you like it?" Barrella props up her chin with a smile, and looks at me.
I want to tell her to stop teasing me and focus on her own meal instead.
"Well, it's very delicious. I feel like you could become a chef after graduation... Speaking of which, what are your plans after graduation?" I ask.
"Ah, I was just thinking of discussing that with you... But first, let me confirm, you don't think of me as an outsider, right?" Barrella suddenly sits up straight and looks at me seriously.
"Of course not," I replied.
"Um... then, can I work here with you after I graduate?"
"Hmm? Why?"
"Well, I'll have to support myself after graduation. Even though I have many job prospects now thanks to you, if possible, I still want to work under you."
"You want to work at this small restaurant?"
"I don't care about the salary. As long as I can work here, I'll find a place to stay outside on my own..."
Ah, I see.
If Barella graduates, she won't have anywhere to live. Even if she tries to save money to buy a house, it will take some time, and during that time, she'll probably have to stay in a hotel.
But staying in a hotel is not a small expense...
"...Is it not okay?" It seems I was immersed in my mind for too long, Barella is looking worriedly at me.
"...Actually, it's not a problem. Do you want to live here?" If she wants to, I think it should be possible to add another room.
She is a good friend of Grace, so i don't think she would mind.
Then it's settled, I'll hire her permanently until the day she doesn't want to work anymore.
Hmm, let's follow Melon's work arrangement.
"I'll provide you with food, accommodation, and drinks. All she needs to do is come back and help me sell 200 portions of snacks a day, and the rest of the time is free for her to do whatever she wants. Plus, we'll have two days off a week and great benefits. It's a pretty good job, isn't it?"
"I didn't expect to get so much, you even gave me a place to stay...Thank you so much."
"Don't say thank you, it's not like you at all."
"What do you mean, are you trying to imply that I'm impolite?"
"Perhaps, anyway, is there anything else I can help you with?"
"... If I have to say, there's one more thing." Barella played with the end of her hairs, her body is fidgety for some reason.
"What is it?"
"This." Barrella's cheeks were a little red, why?
{Aurevia Bratio Ilf LV26 want to join your party, (Yes/No)}
"Ooooh, so your name is Aurevia. I've been calling you Barrella for so long that I forgot!"
"That's so rude!"
"... Can I be a bit clingy with you?"
"... Do what you want."