kscans

Chapter 91 - Hot Pot

Upon returning to the guild, I headed over to Kaede-chan's counter.

"I'm back."

"Welcome back. How was it?"

Kaede-chan greeted me with her usual smile, asking about my day's results.

"Those two are great teachers. It was a piece of cake, thanks to them."

I placed my bag on the counter.

"That's amazing. Oh, I'll go process your items. My shift is over too, so let's go home together."

"Sounds good."

I handed Kaede-chan my weapon and Status Card, and she stood up and went to the back room. After a short wait, she returned with a settlement sheet, which I took before heading to the locker room. There were a few people in the locker room getting ready for an adventure, but the showers were free, so I took a shower and changed my clothes.

After changing, I returned to the lobby, but Kaede-chan was no longer at the reception desk, so I went outside to wait for her. A short while later, Kaede-chan, now in her casual clothes, came out.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Have you been here long?"

"Not at all."

Actually, I was getting a little cold.

"Hmm, I feel bad making you wait. Maybe I should start coming to work in my uniform after all."

"No, I think your casual clothes are better. They're cute."

"Ehehe, you think so?"

"Totally."

"Then that's what I'll do!"

Kaede-chan happily linked her arm with mine. She's a simple girl.

We walked to the station arm in arm, then took a taxi to the supermarket near my house. After shopping, we walked home.

"Senpai, I'll get everything ready right away, so please wait."

Tonight, Kaede-chan was making hot pot.

"Got it... oh, a call."

My smartphone was ringing, but it wasn't Okita-kun's. It was Eleanor-san's phone, which I had tossed on the sofa.

"Must be Nanapon, then."

I picked up the phone from the sofa and checked the caller ID. As expected, the screen displayed 'Nanaka-san'.

"Yep, it's Nanapon. She always calls at the perfect time."

".................."

I pressed the answer button and took the call.

"Hello?"

"Change."

This brat...!

"I'm about to have dinner. If you want Eleanor-san, call back later."

"Oh, you're about to eat... I'm sorry."

Nanapon apologized. She's fundamentally a serious girl.

"That's right. We're having hot pot."

"Ooh! That sounds nice. It's gotten so cold lately."

It really has.

"You want to come over?"

"Is it okay? I'd feel like I'm intruding..."

Nanapon was being hesitant.

"Kaede-chan, is it alright?" I asked Kaede-chan, who was placing the pot and portable stove on the table.

"Since it's a special occasion, let's eat together. We bought way too many ingredients anyway."

"See? We wanted to eat this and that, and it looks like we'll have leftovers. You're just going to eat a convenience store bento by yourself, right? Just come over."

"Then I'll be right over... Oh, and as Eleanor-san, please."

Well, of course it would come to that.

"Yeah, yeah. Where are you now? Home?"

"No, I just happen to be in Nerima."

Oh. Perfect timing.

"...I knew it," Kaede-chan muttered under her breath.

"Hmm? Well, whatever. Just come on over."

"Okay. Then, please wear your casual clothes, not the black robes."

She's so demanding...

"How do you know I bought casual clothes?"

"You said so yourself."

Did I? I don't think I did... Oh well.

"So I just need to wear my casual clothes. You're such a handful."

"Black robes don't go with hot pot."

What's the difference?

"Hmm, fine."

I can't really argue about fashion. I'd hate for her to think I have bad taste.

"Okay, I'll be there right away!"

"Alright, alright."

I replied and hung up the phone.

"Kaede-chan, sorry, but could you prepare a portion for Nanapon? I have to change into Eleanor-san because of that selfish girl."

"Okay. She's the same as always, isn't she?"

She really is.

I left the preparations to Kaede-chan, went to my room, undressed, and drank a TS Potion. Then, I put on Eleanor-san's clothes, tied up my hair, and returned to the living room.

When I got back, Kaede-chan had already finished setting everything up. Just then, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it."

Assuming it was Nanapon, I stopped Kaede-chan and headed to the entrance. When I opened the door, Nanapon was standing there, just as I expected.

"Welcome."

"Sorry to barge in on such short notice."

Nanapon came in, looking apologetic.

"It's fine. I had something to talk to you about anyway. Come on in."

"Excuse me."

I led Nanapon back to the living room.

"Nanaka-chan, welcome!" Kaede-chan called out to Nanapon as we returned.

"Thank you for having me, Asakura-san. I'm sorry for intruding."

"It's okay, it's okay. We have plenty."

The table was laden with meat, fish, and vegetables.

"You really do have a lot. Just what I'd expect from the newly rich."

"Are you living extravagantly too, Nanaka-chan?"

"No, I've started to hold back since then. I just treat myself to small luxuries every now and then."

After what she went through, I suppose she'd learn her lesson.

"Well, have a seat. We can talk while we eat."

I said as I sat down across from Kaede-chan. Nanapon then sat down next to me.

"Well then, let's eat."

Kaede-chan lifted the lid off the simmering pot.

"Let's."

"Thanks for the food."

We began to eat the hot pot and started drinking beer with it.

"This beer tastes bad," said Nanapon, who had apparently just turned twenty today. Beer seemed to be too much for her.

"There's something sweet in the fridge, help yourself."

"Okay."

As Nanapon went to the fridge, I chugged the beer she had left behind.

"To think she doesn't get how good this is... The first drink after a hard day's work is exceptional."

"You sound like an office lady for a witch," Kaede-chan laughed.

"But it's delicious."

"It didn't taste good to me when I was a student, either."

I do remember a time when Kaede-chan would say 'Beer is so bitter!' and only drink Cassis.

"Asakura-san, can I have this grape one?" Nanapon's voice came from the kitchen.

"Sure!"

After Kaede-chan answered, Nanapon returned with a sweet grape chu-hai.

"I can't believe you two can drink beer. Oh, what should I do with this... oh, it's empty."

Nanapon picked up the empty beer can I had just chugged.

"I drank it."

"Huh... I mean, I'm not at an age where I care about indirect kisses and all that, but would you normally just drink it?"

"It's a waste otherwise."

"Okita-san, you're so cheap for someone so rich."

Hey, that's not true. And don't just call me Okita-kun for that part. The one who drank it was Eleanor-san.

"I know, I know. This one counts the number of yakitori and karaage skewers. I had to nag him constantly before he stopped."

To be honest, even now I'm thinking, 'that's two shrimp per person'.

"That's a turn-off. If a guy did that on a date, it would totally kill the mood."

"Right?"

Wait... Kaede-chan, was it a turn-off for you?

"Let's drop this topic! Okita-kun will start crying. This isn't something to talk about after he's worked hard in Frontier all day."

Show me more appreciation!

"Hmm? Eleanor-san, you went to Frontier?" Nanapon asked.

"Right, about that. Today, Okita-kun was taken to Mireille Road by the A-rank adventurer, Saegusa Yoshino-san."

"Wow! An A-rank! How did that happen?"

"Hehe, Okita-kun got hit on."

Isn't that amazing?

"Isn't that obviously because she's suspicious of him?"

Even Nanapon thinks so.

"Well, probably. But it should be fine. More importantly, I went to Mireille Road today, and it looks like you and I can handle it. We don't have to stick to the Diana Mine anymore, and I'm tired of skeletons, so let's go to Mireille Road next time."

"If you say so, Eleanor-san, then okay."

She should share some of that obedience with Okita-kun.

"Nanaka-chan, have you decided on a disguise?" Kaede-chan asked Nanapon.

"I have!"

"What is it?"

"That's a surprise! But don't worry, it's not weird."

Not weird, but it's a surprise? It's definitely gonna be weird.

"Hmm..." It seemed Kaede-chan was thinking the same thing I was.

"It'll be fine, I promise. Eleanor-san, are you free tomorrow? Let's go to that Mireille Road."

Tomorrow? Even though I just went today? Hmm, but it's been a while for Nanapon, so maybe I should go...

"Kaede-chan, what about you tomorrow?"

"I have work, so it's fine. But tomorrow is Saturday, you know?"

She did say it gets busy on Saturdays.

"Well, the guild can't be helped. But Mireille Road is for mid-tier adventurers, so Saturday or a weekday shouldn't make a difference, right?"

Once you get to the mid-tier, you probably don't do this as a side job.

"Well, that's true. Are you okay with it too, Nanaka-chan?"

"I'm fine!"

"Nanaka-san seems unusually motivated, so I'll go."

"Okay. But you won't be going in the morning... I guess not."

Kaede-chan looked at Nanapon, smiled wryly, and shook her head.

Well, I don't expect Nanapon, a college student, to go in the morning either. We were the same way, after all.