kscans

Chapter 69 - The Party

After I finished pouring the Healing Potions into the tub, I returned to the living room.

"It’s ready," I announced to the two of them as I sat down on the sofa. I then resumed the act of drinking and eating pizza.

"Then, Asakura-san, please go ahead."

"Okay, I’ll be back."

Nanapon told Kaede-chan to go first, and Kaede-chan stood up and left the living room. They had probably decided on the order while I was preparing.

"She’ll probably be out soon, so I’ll make Kaede-chan’s favorite hot cocoa."

I went to the kitchen to boil some water.

"Whoa! You’re so kind, Eleanor-san!"

"I know, right? Do you want some too?"

"Then please make it for me after I’ve had my turn."

"Alright, alright."

I put water in the kettle and started boiling it. Then, I took two mugs from the shelf, put cocoa powder in them, and returned to the sofa.

"How’s the alcohol? It’s your first time, right?"

She had been drinking a fair bit, but she didn’t seem drunk.

"I seem to be fine. I don’t feel particularly drunk right now."

She might be a strong drinker. At the very least, she wasn’t completely unable to handle it.

"Well, drink in moderation. Students tend to overdo it."

"You too, Okita-san?"

"Yes. I caused Kaede-chan a great deal of trouble. Thanks to that, she still won’t let me in her room."

"Is it because you tried to cut the table, or said you could cut a telephone pole?"

Kaede-chan sure does spill the beans. But did I really say I could cut a telephone pole? What would be the point of cutting something like that…

"That’s right. I stopped binge drinking after that."

"Even so, haven’t you two been drinking quite a lot?"

This was only my fourth can or so. Nanapon was here, so I had no intention of drinking that much.

"This much is nothing yet… As long as we don’t start chugging, we’ll be fine."

"I see… Ah, about what we were talking about earlier, what kind of mask should I wear?"

"Wear whatever you like. A Hyottoko mask or a skull mask would be fine."

"I don’t want either of those… I’d become a hot topic immediately. In fact, you’re the one who would be laughed at for having someone like that with you, Eleanor-san."

True… A witch accompanied by someone in a weird mask. That’s awful…

"Hmm, well, as long as it hides your face, it’s fine."

"I’ll think about it. I have to go to university again, so please give me some time."

"Right. Prioritize university."

"Yes, Master."

Yes, yes. If only you could share just a tiny bit of that obedience with Okita-kun.

As Nanapon and I were talking, I heard a whistling sound from the kitchen. I stood up, went to the kitchen, and turned off the stove. Then, I poured the hot water into the mugs with the cocoa powder, and the sweet smell of cocoa filled the air.

"I’m so cold…"

Just as I finished making the cocoa, Kaede-chan returned to the living room. I carried the mugs of cocoa back to the living room and placed them on the low table in front of the sofa.

"Here you go, Kaede-chan, some hot cocoa."

"Oh… As expected of you, senpai! You’re so thoughtful! I love you."

Yes, yes.

Kaede-chan held the mug with both hands, warming them as she began to drink her cocoa.

"Alright, I’ll go next. Eleanor-san, I have a sensitive tongue, so please go ahead and make mine now."

Nanapon stood up as she said this.

"Sensitive tongue? Should I make it an iced cocoa then?"

"Isn’t that defeating the purpose…"

"Just kidding. Make sure you take a warm shower when you get out."

"Okay."

Nanapon picked up her usual rabbit backpack and left the living room. After she left, I stood up and headed for the kitchen. I poured hot water into the other mug, then brought it back and placed it on the table.

"Senpai, look, look!"

Kaede-chan put her cocoa down on the table, rolled up her sleeves, and showed me her hands and arms.

"They’re so pretty."

Honestly, I couldn’t tell the difference. Kaede-chan didn’t have bad skin to begin with.

"No, touch them. You definitely don’t get it."

She saw right through me.

"Let’s see."

I gently stroked Kaede-chan’s arm, then took her hand and held it.

"It’s smoother than before."

"Right? You should have told me sooner."

"Sorry, sorry."

Girls really do fall for this kind of thing…

"Honestly! But it’s so cold."

Kaede-chan picked up her cocoa and started drinking.

"Should I warm you up?" I asked. Kaede-chan looked at me with a half-smile.

"You’re Eleanor-san right now, senpai."

…………It was no good.

"Will Nanapon get mad if I change back?"

"She definitely will."

"Does that girl have any intention of getting along with Okita-kun?"

"Probably not. She looks up to you, senpai… or rather, Eleanor-san."

I don’t get it. We’re the same person…

"Let’s just give up. It’s useless to say anything to her."

The closer she got to Eleanor-san, the more the idea that Okita-kun was unnecessary became solidified in Nanapon’s mind. This was no longer just a case of mild androphobia.

"Right. Anyway, you’re speaking like Okita-senpai."

"I don’t want to be Eleanor-san when I’m at home. Especially when I’m drinking with you, Kaede-chan. I can’t even hug you."

"Well, you can hug me if you want."

"I’ll save it for next time."

I’ll do it when it’s just the two of us for a party.

"Well, that’s fine, but please be careful about that. I wouldn’t like it if you were in your Okita-senpai form but speaking like Eleanor-san."

I wouldn’t like that either.

"I’m careful, so it’s fine."

"Well, I guess it’s fine then. Nanaka-chan should be back soon, so you should probably change back into Eleanor-san."

She probably wouldn’t take a long bath.

"I will. By the way, Kaede-chan, between Eleanor-san and Okita-kun, you prefer Okita-kun, right?"

"Of course. The senpai I know is Okita-senpai."

I heard that as ‘The senpai I like.’ (Selective hearing)

"Speaking of which. The ingredients for the Buff Potions I mentioned earlier are Sparkling Grass, Silken Grass, and Fluffy Grass. Do you know them, Kaede-chan?"

Kaede-chan had more experience as an adventurer than we did, and she was a Guild employee. Plus, she had Appraisal. She might know.

"Ah… I know Fluffy Grass. It grows in the Kunaar Ruins. I don’t know about the others. The Ikebukuro Guild has a lot of beginners, so the items that get brought in are from either Eden Forest or the Kunaar Ruins."

That meant Sparkling Grass and Silken Grass probably grew somewhere else. But it was good that Fluffy Grass was in the Kunaar Ruins. With Fluffy Grass, I could make Buff Potion (Defense), which would be useful for lightly armored people like me and Nanapon.

"Is Fluffy Grass sold anywhere?"

"No. Fluffy Grass is, literally, a fluffy grass. It feels nice to the touch, but that’s all."

Looks like I’ll have to go gather it myself… Well, if it’s the Kunaar Ruins, Okita-kun can go. He can handle it alone just fine, and other adventurers wouldn’t bother Okita-kun.

"Nanaka-san has university this week and needs to think about a disguise, so I’ll have Okita-kun go to the Kunaar Ruins."

"Oh! It’s been a while since we’ve seen senpai!"

Kaede-chan seemed happy about it too.

"It would be bad if I didn’t go at all. Okita-kun’s Status Card is at the Guild, so it would be a little strange if someone who hasn’t been adventuring at all leveled up."

"Well, that’s fine. I have your Status Card, senpai."

Kaede-chan has it again.

"Why you, Kaede-chan? Give it to me."

"It would be confusing if you had two, and I can’t just give you your card. The other Guild employees would get suspicious."

"No, it’s just as suspicious for you to have it, Kaede-chan."

That makes no sense.

"The story is that I’m the crazy girl who can’t bear to be apart from her live-in boyfriend’s Status Card."

I bet Satsuki-san was the culprit behind that!

"Well, I guess it can’t be helped then."

It is for my live-in boyfriend, after all.

"Well, it is a problem that said boyfriend never shows up, so please come."

Somehow that made it harder to go…………

"Shall we go together?"

"Can you wake up?"

"I’ll be fine, I’ll be fine."

"Hmm… then let’s do that."

Kaede-chan was suspicious, but she also looked somewhat happy.

"The train is depressing, so let’s take a taxi."

Riding the crowded morning train would bring back old memories.

"Okay. That’s a good idea. Should we do it tomorrow? The day after is my day off, so let’s go for drinks after work."

"Sounds good. I’ll take you home with me!"

"Well, of course you will."

Well, yeah. We’re going back to the same place, after all.

As Kaede-chan and I were making our plans for tomorrow, the living room door opened.

"Wow, just like Asakura-san said, it’s cold."

Nanapon quickly sat down on the sofa and started drinking her cocoa.

"Did your skin get smoother?" I asked, just to be sure.

"It did! It’s amazing! But next time, I’ll wait until spring. It’s surprisingly cold."

I had done it in October, but even then it was cold. I wondered why I had even bothered with such a silly experiment, but if it made the two of them happy, then it was worth it.

Afterward, once Kaede-chan and Nanapon were satisfied, we resumed our party and it went on late into the night. It was eleven o’clock by the time the party ended, so we called a taxi to send Nanapon home, and since we had an early morning the next day, we decided to go to bed too.

After a quick trip to the bathroom, I stood in front of Kaede-chan’s door and tried the doorknob. But as expected, it was locked.

How frustrating… I’m just going to stop trying…