Chapter 128 - A Restless Tea Party
“—I didn’t expect you to get here in two minutes…”
“Well, you did say ‘right now’.”
My RTA record was 2 minutes and 3 seconds. It was a shame I couldn’t break the two-minute mark, but I did get to see the utterly shocked face of the Atelier’s owner, so I’ll call it a win.
Nia, who had frozen with a half-used tea set in her hands—perhaps she’d been tidying up—looked at me with an accusatory gaze.
“Besides, I don’t think it’s very appropriate to barge into a maiden’s room like that!”
“Hey, I replied, didn’t I? I said, ‘I’m here!’ and you said, ‘Yes!’”
“You were too fast and your voice was too loud, it surprised me! My ‘yes?!’ was a surprised ‘yes?!’!”
Oh… well, my apologies for that.
“Was someone here?”
I sensed the faint presence of another person from the tea set and chairs. When I asked casually, Nia, bustling about, simply replied, “A friend.”
A friend of Nia’s—a friend, huh… They must be quite the character.
As I was having that naturally rude thought, I felt a push on my back as I stood there spacing out.
“What are you just standing there for? You must be tired, so have a seat.”
“O-oh…”
Urged forward, I was pushed into the single-person sofa that Kagura-san had been relaxing on during my last visit.
It must have been a high-end piece; it was every bit as comfortable as the chairs at the Round Table. As I let out a breath and sank into it without reserve… a stylish-looking mug was presented before me.
I took it reflexively—it was light. I peeked inside and saw that nothing had been poured into it.
“Uh, what’s this?”
“What do you mean, ‘what’?… Do you have a favorite drink?”
Nia, who had perched herself on the arm of the sofa instead of taking a chair, asked while holding a similar cup.
It’s hard to come up with something on the spot… but in that case,
“Radiance Bullet.”
“An energy drink…?”
When I named my old comrade from my part-time job days, Nia gave a wry smile and tapped the mug in my hands with her fingertip. And then—
“…I seriously love fantasy.”
Instantly, a blue, fizzy substance like blue raspberry soda bubbled up from the bottom of the cup.
I was blown away when I drank it from a glass once before… Its poisonous-looking color was identical to that of the energy drink I relied on in the real world: Radiance Bullet, 200ml, 190 yen before tax.
“How does this work?”
“Hmm? It’s a simple magic item that recreates whatever drink the person holding the cup is thinking of at the time.”
She, too, was already sipping from her own cup, which she had filled with some beverage—steam was rising from it, and it had a sweet scent like chocolate… probably cocoa.
“Isn’t this insane? Like, is this okay in all sorts of ways?”
Product rights and all that…
“It’s just a recreation from memory, so it’s pretty different from the real thing. I think it’s fine. And even if it wasn’t, I’m sure Arcadia would make it fine.”
Ah, right… This game company fears nothing, does it…
The slightly carbonated drink I sipped certainly had a subtle “not quite right” feel to it compared to the real thing, but a sweet, fizzy drink is still delicious.
As long as I ignored the strange sensation of it not actually quenching my thirst, it was more than adequate as a treat.
“…………”
Nia, sitting on the armrest with her back to me, was sipping her cup in small bits, unusually quiet.
Well, of course. Even though she’d told me to come right away, now that we were face-to-face, it was understandable that she’d be at a loss for what to say.
Even I had a hard time processing my own situation, so her confusion, having not witnessed what happened firsthand, must have been even greater.
…In that case, right. I’ll start.
“Nia.”
“Mph… y-yes. What is it?”
Smiling at how weak she was to a serious atmosphere, I bowed my head to the slender back with its swaying indigo hair.
“Thanks for the gear and for cheering me on. I was able to go on a total rampage because of you.”
“Th-…!”
When I smiled at Nia, who had glanced back at me, the shy girl quickly averted her face and started fidgeting.
“N-no, no, I didn’t do anything…! As for the equipment, Kagura-san’s contribution was probably much bigger…!”
Well, sure, Kagura-san’s contribution in crafting the direct weaponry was immense.
“…To be honest, I didn’t actually get to use either of the accessories you made for me this time.”
“You probably didn’t need to say that!!”
As I deliberately stated that fact, the indigo-haired girl spun around—and froze when she saw the blue gem resting in my palm.
The [Agaphanthus Amulet]—the one Nia had put on me herself before we parted ways.
“You put it somewhere I could see it clearly—it was a huge encouragement, you know?”
Every time I caught sight of this thing, sparkling like someone’s eyes, I was able to kick away any doubt. There’s no way it did nothing.
…Of course, even I was too embarrassed to say that directly to her face.
Still, to convey my gratitude, I smiled again and said, “Thanks.”
“—…Nngyaaaah!!”
“Whoa?!”
Nia tossed her mug into her inventory and leaped at me with a strange cry.
I reflexively dropped my own mug, which I had already drained, and raised my hands to defend myself—but there was no way I could react in time while completely relaxed.
“Guh…!”
A massive headbutt to my gut sent a shockwave through my body strong enough to lift the legs of the large sofa. A guttural groan escaped my lips.
Damn her…! Even if I don’t take damage, with VIT:0, I have zero impact resistance…!!
As the forced stun debuff icon lit up below my status bar, I glared resentfully at Nia, who was now straddling me and looking down—
“That part of you! Is really!! Not good at all!!!”
“Seriously…?”
I think this part of you isn’t good, either. This isn’t how you maintain personal space with a guy when you’re alone in a locked room.
I averted my face from Nia, who was glaring at me from way too close, her face beet red—and my eyes landed on the bare white skin and shorts peeking out from under her flipped-up skirt. I immediately squeezed my eyes shut.
“What, are you sleeping?!”
“I’m not sleeping, I’m defending myself.”
Mainly against the lethal weapon known as sexual harassment.
“That’s it, I’m mad! Nia-chan won’t just take this lying down, you know!?”
Actually, shouldn’t I be the one with the right to sue for sexual harassment here?
As I calmly considered this with my eyes closed, I felt something soft, like fabric, being repeatedly smacked against my face.
What is this, a cushion? Are you trying to start something?
I’m not familiar with the status builds of artisan players, but from our previous interactions, I’ve gathered that her STR and AGI are, at the very least, quite low.
Therefore,
“Mph, mm…! Mmmphh…!!”
Even with my eyes closed, it was easy to track the persistent attacks aimed at my face. I caught the follow-up with one hand, and a frustrated voice rained down along with some feeble resistance.
I didn’t hesitate. I snatched the cushion and slammed it down around where I had seen her bare skin. If my memory served me right—yep, mission complete, perfect.
After confirming with a squint that the offensive skin was now covered, I opened my eyes… Nia, her face still red, was puffing out her cheeks with her disarmed hands hovering in the air.
“What are you getting so worked up about all of a sudden?”
When I said this with unconcealed exasperation, the indigo-haired girl huffed and deliberately looked away.
…I don’t know. For some reason, I’m starting to find these little quirks of hers cute. Maybe it’s because I’m starting to grow fond of her after all the help she’s given me.
“…I don’t know. I’m really mad now—I’m going to charge you an outrageous amount for Sora-chan’s outfit and for your thanks this time.”
Nia declared something quite terrifying, but…
“I have a proposal about that.”
“Hweh…?”
—I already had an idea for a gift, one that would serve as my thanks to her.
Acting all gentlemanly.
The energy drink's name is a tribute to Red Bull, copying the initials.