Chapter 12 - Dessert

From Eris, I learn that there are two types of people in this world.

Seventy percent of the population is human, while the rest are humans with animal traits. They can be cat people, wolf people, boar people, even lizard people and mermaids too! These people are all called Furren, even though some have feathers or scales instead of fur.

———————————-

"NyaaaaAaaaaa~~~!!! I'm so full!!!" I meowl, patting my now-round belly.

The amount of Filoan chicken I just devoured is outrageous!

Literally almost 10 percent of my body weight!

Oh my… I don't even know if I can walk right now.

Meanwhile, Eris lounges back in her chair, smiling with satisfaction. Her whole body is relaxed, her eyes closed in pure bliss, and her ears twitch cutely.

She ate three drumsticks, just like me.

But she also crunched through some of the bones!

It's absolutely terrifying and amazing at the same time when she did that!

I tried eating a couple of small bones too, but it was too much for my teeth, so I gave up.

"ALRIGHT!!!" Eris suddenly sits up, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "Felicia, are you ready for PIE???"

EHH???

PIEEE????

"Wait! You're not full yet???" I shout, shocked.

"Full? What do you mean full?" Eris laughs. "There's always room for pie and milkshake! They're reaaaaally good, you know?"

Hearing that, I don't even know how to react.

Eris… is she trolling me or something?

But no! Literally the next second, the door to the kitchen swings open, and Lilly rushes out, carrying two small plates—each with a big piece of berry pie and a glass of milkshake!

I watch in horror as she sets the items down.

I… I don't think I can handle any more…

But the items look absolutely delicious.

They're literally begging me to eat them!

The pie has a golden, flaky crust with dark, juicy berries inside, while the milkshake is thick and creamy, topped with a swirl of whipped cream.

Looking at it, my body trembles.

My belly is screaming no, begging for mercy.

However, my mind says yes.

My sweet tooth is aching!!!

AAAAAA!!!

I'm screaming internally!!! Agonizing!!!

"Enjoy your dessert!" Lilly says with a big smile.

"Thanks, Lilly!" Eris replies, and then, without hesitation, she grabs the milkshake and takes a big, enthusiastic sip!

"MMMMMMHHHHHMMMM!!!!! IT'S SO GOOOOOD!"

Eris hums, her eyes closed in satisfaction, a white foam mustache forming on her upper lip as she purrs, her tail pointing straight up in joy!

Damn it!

Her reaction is making me want to try it ten times more!

I hesitate, staring at the milkshake for a moment…

A-alright, just a little sip.

I at least have to know what it tastes like, right?

However…

"MMMhhhhmmmmm!"

It's too good! Too creamy! Absolutely heavenly!

And the pie? It's amazing too!

I end up succumbing to the sin of gluttony again.

My belly feels like it's about to burst, but I just can't stop myself from indulging!

————————————

After the amazing dessert, we sit back and relax. Eris hums a cute tune, while I remain seated, staring up at the ceiling, feeling every pulse in my now balloon-like belly. The fullness settles in, and as the bliss of food fades, a guilty feeling creeps up on me.

Those extra pies and milkshakes…

Definitely a mistake!

I'm so bloated right now.

But they're already in my stomach, and there's nothing I can do about it now.

I guess… I'll just make a mental note to have more self-restraint next time and not let myself be swayed by good food again.

As we relax, time seems to pass slowly, and before I realize it, twenty minutes have gone by.

Eris gets up and heads to the bar to settle the bill, and I follow close behind.

Lilly is already there, waiting for us.

"Thanks, Lilly!" Eris says cheerfully. "The food was awesome as always!"

"I'm glad you liked it!" Lilly responds with a bright smile.

"So, how much do we owe?"

"That will be one hundred and twenty-three crowns in total," Lilly says, her tone polite and professional.

"Alright!" Eris replies, pulling out some coins from her pouch and handing them to Lilly.

I stand by, watching the transaction closely.

So, the currency in this world is called crowns!

Over a hundred crowns for two people?

I have no idea if that's expensive or cheap since I don't really have a concept of money in this world yet.

"Eris, may I ask, how much does it cost to rent a room here?" I inquire.

"Oh, it's 50 crowns per day for one person," Eris replies. "But… why do you ask?"

I do some quick mental math.

50 times 30 equals to 1500, plus 50 a meal times 3 times a day times 30 days a month…

"Then… with me here, it'll cost you extra six thousands crowns per month!!!"

"Hey!" Eris frowns, cutting me off. "We're friends, and friends help each other. You don't need to worry about it! I'll take care of you until your memories come back."

"No! I can't let you do that!" I protest firmly. "What if my memories never return? And besides, because we're friends, I can't just take advantage of you like that!"

"Felicia…"

Yeah, I can't just leech off Eris like this. That wouldn't feel right, and it would make me a bad person!

Thus, turning to Lilly, I say, "Lilly, your inn is hiring more kitchen staffs, right? Can I apply for the position?"

I know this because earlier, I saw a poster on the wall.

The Gilded Horn is hiring someone to chop vegetables and butcher meat. Basically, a prep cook position. The job offers 50 crowns an hour, with an 8-hour workday, 6 days a week, starting early in the morning.

"Y-yeah!" Lilly says, though she seems surprised. "Well, I can't really decide that since I'm just a waitress here, but give me a few minutes, and I'll ask my boss!"

"Yes, thank you so much, Lilly!" I reply gratefully.

The sheep girl then disappears into the back of the inn to talk to her boss about my application.

We stand at the bar and wait.

My heart is starting to beat faster again.

I'm nervous.

"Felicia, are you sure about this?" Eris asks softly, watching me with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, one hundred percent!" I reply, showing confident in my voice.

Back on Earth, I used to work as a prep cook for a while after graduating from university, since finding a job in my field was difficult at the time.

Thus, I have plenty of experience.

With this, I can take care of myself without relying on Eris!

Just a minute later, Lilly returns.

"So, am I accepted?" I ask, my heart is racing faster and faster.

"My dad—ah, sorry, my boss, the owner of this place—wants to talk to you first. Are you free right now?"

"Oh! Absolutely!" I respond eagerly.

"Alright, follow me!" Lilly says as she leads the way.

"Lilly, is it okay if I come too?" Eris asks.

"Hmmm… I don't think there's any problem with that. But… Felicia, are you okay with Eris coming along?" Lilly turns to me.

"Well, of course!" I nod quickly.

In fact, I'm relieved Eris is coming. My nerves are already on edge—I have no idea what the interview will be like.

Having her by my side makes me feel so much more reassured.