kscans

Chapter 230 - The Get-Together, the Reception, and the Encounter

Word came that the Hero Ivan would be arriving tonight.

Ivan also had a Ring of Teleportation, but it couldn't bring him here directly, and he had other places to stop, so it would take some time.

Be that as it may, Damian and the others had headed to Necropolis, but Hayato was worried about the Maid Chief. Her hair had been messy this morning as well, and it was worse than yesterday.

Esha's words, "She's probably letting off steam by punching the punching bag," were neither comforting nor a solution, but he had a feeling that if things continued like this, something like a murder might occur in the dungeon.

Before that, if Damian and the others said, "Let's do this without the Maid Chief," there was no denying the possibility that things could get even worse. Hayato was troubled, wondering what to do, but he came up with an idea.

Ivan was coming tonight, so he decided to take advantage of that.

He had promised to prepare delicious food for Ivan. He thought he would hold a get-together and entertain the Maid Chief at the same time.

For that reason, instead of making items for the Necropolis exploration today, he decided to make food for the reception.

"Esha, Rose-san. What kind of food does the Maid Chief like? I'm thinking of preparing a variety of things."

"She has a sweet tooth for anything. What was often in the Maid Guild's refrigerator was pudding, I believe. I ate most of it, though."

"I don't know if it's her favorite food, but I have a feeling she likes pasta. I've often seen her eating it in the Maid Guild's cafeteria."

"Pudding and pasta, huh. Then I'll make a lot of those."

"Oh, and she also liked chocolate parfaits and melon juice."

"That's you, Esha... Oh, Rose-san too? Then I'll make those. Um, what else, what does Ivan like? ...Any kind of meat? Damian-san likes tomato juice... I'll make some wine too, the Maid Chief will probably drink it. Um, Hercules... watermelon, I guess..."

Hayato jotted down the dishes he would make.

The search for Mist would begin in earnest tomorrow. For now, the only one who seemed to be a problem was the Maid Chief, but he didn't know what would happen when Ivan joined. He psyched himself up to prepare delicious food and drinks so that they would get along even a little better at tonight's party.

Just as he was about to start preparing, Noat came down from the second floor.

"I have a feeling I can eat something delicious... What are you doing?"

"Noat-san, good morning. Ivan is coming tonight, so I was thinking of holding a get-together. I was just thinking about the menu."

"Understood. I want donuts. Lots of chocolate and strawberry."

"Eh? Are you participating?"

"If you bring the food to my room, I don't have to participate."

Hayato thought. This get-together was also to strengthen the bonds of the Mist search party. He simulated what would happen if Noat, who wasn't going on the exploration, were there.

Esha clapped her hands together.

"Master, how about having Noat sing? Her singing is the one thing you can trust."

"Esha-chan, you've grown up. Your big sister is happy."

"You're the younger one, Noat. And you're here all the time, so make yourself useful once in a while."

Esha and Noat continued to argue after that, but it seemed neither was willing to back down.

Hayato considered various things and decided to have Noat sing. He had heard Noat's singing at Mist's mansion, and he thought it was a good song too.

However, there was a problem.

At Mist's mansion, there was an orchestra playing instruments, but he didn't know where they were now, and there wasn't enough time to negotiate with them.

"Noat-san, there won't be any accompaniment, but is that still okay?"

"I take that as a challenge. I'll make you eat your words. So make me a Donut Castle. That will be my reward."

"Got it. I don't know what that Donut Castle is, but I'll make it, so can I ask you?"

"Okay. Then I'll store up sleep for tonight. Have some donuts ready for lunch too. To replenish my energy."

"Isn't your fuel efficiency too low?"

Speaking of fuel efficiency, Esha was the same, but Esha was active in various ways. Noat was in her room almost every day and didn't go out. And yet she wasn't gaining weight. In this game, calories were supposed to be calculated and reflected in the avatar, but Noat hadn't changed at all.

"It's just that singing uses a surprising amount of energy. I'll be counting on you for the donuts."

Noat said this and went up to the second floor with a zombie-like gait.

After seeing her off, Hayato psyched himself up with a "Yosh!"

"Alright, you two, I'm counting on you for various things. Let's close the shop for today and prioritize preparations for the get-together."

Esha and Rose nodded and immediately began to prepare.

He finished his work at the coffee shop and logged in early that evening, just as Damian and the others returned.

When he explained about the get-together, everyone readily agreed.

The Maid Chief also seemed to be calm now and looked normal.

"Hayato-sama, thank you very much. However, it is a little embarrassing to be on the receiving end of hospitality."

"It's fine for today, isn't it? Esha and Rose-san will be serving you, so please allow yourself to be entertained."

"Understood. I will be sure to check how well Esha is doing as a maid. I am looking forward to it, Esha."

The Maid Chief looked at Esha while adjusting her glasses. Her sharp gaze pierced through Esha.

Esha said nothing and gave Hayato a light punch in the side. It was probably punishment for saying something unnecessary.

After that, the Hero Ivan arrived as planned.

"Oh, so you're gonna feed me something good as promised. I'm looking forward to it. And what's with this, you've gathered some amazing members...?"

"By the way, once we rescue Mist-san, we plan to go to the lowest floor. I was hoping you could help with that too, Ivan."

"Is that so? Well, fine. I haven't cleared that place yet, so I wanted to go there someday. So, I can borrow a room, right? I'm gonna go put my stuff down."

Hayato was happy that the conversation went surprisingly smoothly. All that was left was to somehow manage the Maid Chief, and everything would go well.

Hayato thought this and swore to himself that he would put his all into entertaining her.

The get-together was progressing more harmoniously than expected.

Basically, everyone was only talking about what they liked, but it seemed they just wanted to talk and didn't mind if their conversations didn't match up.

The Maid Chief was the only one who seemed to be properly listening to the other person's story and reacting in various ways. Perhaps because her reactions were pleasing, the other person seemed to be becoming more talkative as well.

And then Noat appeared. She wasn't in her usual sloppy clothes, but a proper dress with her hair done.

When Hayato explained that he had asked Noat to sing, everyone applauded. And the place fell silent.

"I dedicate this song to Ivan."

"Why me?"

Hayato thought it was strange, but when he heard the lyrics, he thought it was a bad idea.

Noat was singing a song about heartbreak. To be precise, it was a song about how it's okay to be heartbroken. It was a song with so-called positive thinking lyrics.

He wondered why she was dedicating this to Ivan, but Ivan had been rejected by Lunaria. This must be a song for that. But the timing was bad. The Maid Chief was in this place.

Hayato couldn't look at the Maid Chief, and the song ended.

"Ivan, even if you get rejected, the sun still rises from the east, so it's okay. It's no big deal."

Noat said this, closed her left eye, and gave a thumbs-up with her right hand.

"That's not comforting. Besides, I'm already over Lunaria... and I'm feeling some serious pressure from the Maid Chief, did I do something?"

"Ivan-sama, were you rejected by Lunaria-sama?"

"Hey, you too? Well, I don't want to say it out loud, but that's right. I confessed to Lunaria outside this base and was rejected in a second. Well, I kinda thought so, but I figured I had to say it."

"...I see. I understand how you feel."

"Oh, uh? Thanks?"

The Maid Chief was surprisingly calm. Perhaps seeing someone in a similar situation had helped her sort out her feelings a little, Hayato thought.

Suddenly, Gil, who was sitting next to the Maid Chief, began to laugh loudly.

"Maid Chief-dono, it seems you have had your own past troubles! But you are young. Life is still ahead of you. You seem to be down about something, but I think it would be better to be positive like in the song just now. A dark face will ruin a beautiful woman!"

"Young... beautiful... Thank you. You are right, life is just beginning."

"Indeed. Now, there is still more food and song, is there not? Let us all enjoy ourselves!"

When Gil said that, various conversations began again. And Hayato asked Noat for a more cheerful song.

"By the way, Gil-san, aren't you going to take off your helmet? You haven't eaten at all."

Maris, with Hercules on her shoulder, said something like that to Gil.

"I will eat later, so there is no problem. Please do not mind me and enjoy yourselves."

"Let's eat together. I've never seen your face, Gil-san. Why do you keep it on even during meals?"

"To be honest, my face is scary. It is unpopular with my colleagues, the Black Roses. I thought I should not frighten the young ladies, so I keep it on."

Hayato had seen it, but it was certainly a stern face. Even Hayato, a man, would find it a little hard to approach if he didn't know him.

However, the women here were Maris, Esha, Rose, Noat, and the Maid Chief. For some reason, he didn't think they would be scared.

"It's okay! There's no one here who would mind something like that! Hercules says so too!"

"Is that so...? No, you are right, it would be a problem not to show my face at a get-together. We are comrades who will explore together from now on. If you say it is scary, I will put the helmet back on, so I will let you see it once."

Gil said this and took off his helmet. Gil's rugged face was revealed.

Everyone's eyes were focused on it.

"So that's what your face looked like. But it's not scary enough to be a problem," said Damian.

"Is it scary...? You look kind of gentle, don't you?" said Maris.

"He's normal, right?" said Ivan.

"Rugged," said Noat.

"No problem at all," said Rose.

"Master should acquire this level of intensity," said Esha.

When each of them gave their impressions, Gil looked a little embarrassed and scratched his cheek with his right index finger.

"I am embarrassed by the surprisingly positive feedback! Oh, is Maid Chief-dono alright? If you say it is scary, I will keep the helmet on."

"...Hah, n-no, it is fine... Um, may I have your name...?"

"It is Gil. Maid Chief-dono, you are amusing!"

"Kyun... what a wonderful name..."

Hayato thought that maybe everything would be okay now.