Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Business is Dead, I Say!
Good day to you. I am Violia Nico Fortesia.
Right now, I am looking after Chesta.
"Hya... ah, fuhe... hehehe..."
He is completely out of his mind.
And for good reason. We ended up having a drinking bout with the wine I brought back, but here, Chesta showed his true colors as a junkie. He mixed his drugs with the wine and is now magnificently wasted. I wonder if he was never taught that mixing drugs and alcohol is dangerous?
"...My apologies. Despite his love for it, Chesta has a low tolerance for alcohol."
"I believe the drugs (yaku) were more of an issue than the wine, were they not?"
At the very least, if you drink wine, you do not do drugs. If you do drugs, you do not drink wine. If you drink, do not do them. If you do them, do not drink. Is this not common sense?
"Regarding Chesta, please overlook the drugs. Though it is strange for me to be the one saying it."
Doran, you certainly shield Chesta quite a bit.
...It seems there is a reason for it.
"Listen—"
"Come to think of it, you can hold your liquor quite well yourself. You must have emptied about two bottles."
Just as I was about to ask about Chesta, I was blatantly cut off.
...Well, fine. Since he clearly wishes to change the subject, I shall play along.
"In total, I suppose I emptied about that much, perhaps."
"I see. Then it seems I have finally found a drinking companion."
"Ah, you were drinking quite a bit yourself, were you not?"
From the very moment I arrived at this hideout, he asked me that rather sharp question of 'tea or booze.' Well, I had a feeling he was a drinker.
"...Though, you do not look the least bit drunk."
"Haha. Hardly. I am drunk. It just does not show on my face."
Ah. I see now. He certainly seems drunk. He is actually laughing.
"Oh, is that so? How enviable."
"Enviable? It does not show on your face either, though."
Doran looks at me curiously, tilting his head. ...Ah, he has misunderstood me.
"Ah... my apologies. What I find 'enviable' is the fact that you are 'drunk.'"
I re-explain the intent behind my words.
"I do not get drunk at all, no matter how much alcohol I consume."
"You don't get drunk? What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I said. No matter how much I drink, I do not feel the effects."
I told him the truth as it is. If asked, I do not mind answering that much.
"I see. You don't get drunk, huh..."
Doran fell into thought for a moment... and then, with a serious expression, he asked me.
"...This may sound like a strange question, but is there any meaning in drinking alcohol that cannot make you drunk?"
Oh, is that your concern?
"Would it not be boorish for me to be the only one not drinking while everyone else is?"
The point he was curious about was definitely off, but oh well. I have realized that even with this face, Doran is already a drunkard.
...Just as I replied, I noticed it.
The way his eyes looked at me, strangely full of concern and sympathy.
"...No. That is not it. I drink because I want to."
Therefore, I decided to correct myself.
"Even if I cannot get drunk on the alcohol, I can get drunk on the atmosphere. Besides, I happen to like the taste of wine."
This, too, is the honest truth. There is no point in lying.
"...I see."
Doran gave a smirk and let out a small breath. It was likely a sigh of relief.
"Then next time, join me. I have a private stash hidden away."
"Oh. I look forward to that. When the time comes, please do allow me to share in it."
...Well, fine. I am more than happy to drink delicious wine.
Besides, a man like Doran Parc does not seem to be the noisy type; he likely would not be a nuisance to have around during an evening drink.
The sound of rushing water can be heard from the back room. Right now, Giovan is using the shower room.
Ah, by the way, the shower room here is quite comfortable. I was allowed to use it first.
To my surprise, they have drawn water from the pipes meant for the noble district, passing it through pipes engraved with plenty of fire magic to heat it before it comes out. Incidentally, the drainage goes straight into the surface canals. When I renovate my castle, I shall use the same mechanism!
...So, as it stands, the only humans in this room are myself and Doran. I shall not count the unconscious junkie as a human being.
After confirming the situation, Doran quietly reached out his hand toward me.
"W-What is it?"
"No..."
Doran brought his hand close to my arm, appearing to gauge my reaction. What sort of ritual is this?
"You aren't brushing it away this time?"
Ah.
I see... I understand Doran's intention now. In short... he is referring to how I shook off his hand when I was injured during the battle at the mansion.
My, he is quite observant. As expected of a professional in this field—in other words, a 'dangerous guy.'
"I do not like to be touched after a battle. Especially when I am injured."
"...I see."
Doran has a face that looks like he is not quite convinced, but if he were convinced here, he would be an even more dangerous guy. Well, let us set this aside for now.
Now then.
Since it could not be helped, I slept at the hideout that day.
This hideout has two nap rooms. It was decided that I would use one, and Chesta would use the other. Or rather, it seems Chesta occupies one of them almost constantly.
"Well, I'm heading back to the shop, so if anything happens, tell Doran. He'll be on the sofa."
And so, Giovan returned to his shop, and Doran apparently intended to sleep in the living room, which had been the site of our banquet just moments ago.
"...With Doran's physique, will he not hang off the edge of the sofa?"
This muscular wolf is quite tall, so I imagine sleeping on a sofa would be rather cramped.
"Even so, I wouldn't allow a lady to sleep on the sofa. Personally, I think we could just toss Chesta onto the sofa instead... but Doran won't listen, so just leave him be."
"I can sleep anywhere. It's not a problem. This place is comfortable enough."
"I suppose it's comfortable compared to being inside prison."
...Well, fine. While it is a bit much for a junkie to monopolize a bed, if Doran has decided it, it is not my place to say this or that.
"Then, everyone, good night."
"Yeah."
"Yes, good night."
For now, the best thing to do is sleep quickly. And then, I shall complete my castle!
From the next morning, I began building my own castle.
I cleaned the ruins, laid down boards as flooring, and placed the carpets I had stolen on top. They are deep wine-red carpets with gold embroidery along the edges. I liked them the moment I saw them.
Then, I brought out furniture and rearranged it, going through trial and error, thinking 'not this way' and 'not that way.'
...In the meantime, I managed to finish a room to my liking.
"This will do. Good work."
"Ugh... Good grief, you really work a newcomer hard, don't you?"
"Oh? You were likely bored anyway, were you not?"
Incidentally, I mobilized Chesta for this task. Rearranging furniture is not something I could do alone, after all. Ohohohoho.
"Making me work is going to cost you, you know?"
"Shall we settle it with wine?"
"Ah, deal. What, you still have some?"
"I brought back the entire contents of the wine cellar, after all."
This fellow truly loves his booze. He is easily baited with wine. In the future, whenever we rob a mansion with a wine cellar, stealing the alcohol will serve as excellent bait for Chesta.
"Heh. Then let's build a wine cellar in this room. I'll come by to drink sometimes."
"Well, that is fine. Then, while you are at it, could you assist me with two more rooms?"
"Hah? Two rooms? Why did the number increase?"
"They are rooms to roll you into once you have passed out drunk! Now, now, if you do not wish to be tossed into the sewers after you pass out, work briskly!"
...After that, I continued to drive the reluctant Chesta like a slave driver, and I successfully prepared about three rooms. For a temporary dwelling built underground, it has become quite a luxurious castle! I am most satisfied! Ohohohoho!
After working Chesta until evening, I returned to the hideout while rolling the exhausted, limp Chesta on a cart.
By the way, since I cannot go above ground for the time being except for missions, my sense of time is already starting to warp. I have a stolen clock, so I know the time, but this feels like it might be detrimental to my health.
"Now then. I wonder what the next mission will be. I am so excited!"
But well, it cannot be helped. It is for my safety, and more than that, this lifestyle is definitely fun. Completing missions and earning a fortune! It is the best! My sense of time no longer matters!
...Or so I thought.
"Ah—there might not be any new ones for a while."
Chesta said that.
"...Eh?"
Eh...?
"Missions? Well, there probably won't be any for a while."
"Eeeeeeeeeee!? Why is that!?"
"No, young lady. Think about it normally. There's no way missions come in that frequently. The nobles would all disappear."
"They should just disappear! Nobles should just all disappear!"
I thought that if I stayed here, assassination requests for nobles would come pouring in, but to think it is a ghost town! (T/N: 'Kankodori' or 'cuckoo' refers to a Japanese idiom where the crying of a cuckoo signifies a lack of customers or a deserted business.) How disappointing!
"At this rate, it would be more profitable to hunt monsters for the Guild... Ah, I should just hunt monsters here instead! You all should hunt monsters when you are bored as well!"
"Don't go thinking everyone can hunt big game as often as you do. Hunting small fry isn't worth the effort."
"Then you should just aim for the big ones! I can do it! Ahhhh, just thinking about it makes my blood boil! I want to fight! I want to fight!"
"Besides, aren't you supposed to be laying low?"
"If I depart quietly in the middle of the night, I will not be caught! If I am alone, I am light on my feet; it will be no problem!"
It is true that I am currently a wanted criminal! It has undoubtedly been decided that the slaughter of the escort unit was my doing! But! Even so! It is not in my nature to sit still!
"...Do you really want to hunt monsters that badly?"
"Yes! For the sake of my goal, I shall become strong, earn money, and kill, kill, kill!"
I shall not speak of my 'goal' in detail, but my spirit was sufficiently conveyed. Doran is thinking for a moment. Come, think! Think, and make the decision to let me out!
"I see. Understood."
Yes!
"Then I'll have you kill some time with monster hunting."
Now you're talking!
"Giovan. Any big game lately?"
"Yes, yes. Lucky you. A dragon has appeared."
Splendid!
Simply splendid! A dragon! It is all-you-can-eat dragon meat once again! Oh, I look forward to it!
"I'll go too."
...No, that part is unnecessary?