The Town of Yukka
After healing my fatigue in the bath, I retired to bed to heal my mind as well. It was a way for me to return to being completely healthy and invincible. But these things take time…
"Asagi, get up already."
"Mmmm… I"m still tired…"
"You have slept enough…"
It was now midday. On our fifth day here. It wasn"t a big deal. I hadn"t rested like this in a while, and so the slothful habits were returning.
Still, knowing about it and doing something about it were two different things. In other words, I had become accustomed to a lifestyle where I did not do much besides roam back and forth from my bed and the living room on the lower floor. Sometimes climbing the steps was too much trouble, and so I used Legs of the Forest Wolf in order to rise up to my bed in order to dive in.
I think it happened on the second day…a man who claimed to be the manager had visited us. He had apparently gone on about how his employee had acted wrongly. I hadn"t heard any of it because I was sleeping.
No one had visited us since then, and the days pa.s.sed peacefully, at least for me, since I decided to shut myself up in here.
Of course, it was now coming to an end. Daniela was a bit cross.
I clutched the blankets as a show of resistance..
"It"s all the same color out there!"
"You promised that we would go sightseeing!"
"Ggg…"
I was weak to promises. My grip weakened with my resolve, and the blanket pulled free of my fingers. Daniela rolled it up and held it under her arm. Then she glared at me.
"We are going. But first, do something about that wreck you call your hair."
"Fine…"
And so I begrudgingly got out of bed.
"Sorry. It was just so comfortable that I couldn"t help myself."
"I understand. This bed. I do not think there is a softer one in all the world."
Daniela said with a wry grin. The corner of my mouth also twisted into a smile.
"Well, enough about that. Taking me out on a date is also important. Let us go."
"Yeah. Just let me get ready."
Daniela had her arms around me, and so I patted and rubbed her on the back until she released me with a look of regret. I gave her a light peck on the cheek before going down to the fifth floor and taking my new clothes out of the hollow bag. I would be all in black today.
"Asagi."
"Hmm?"
"Hurry."
I picked up the clothes and turned around. Daniela was waving at me from floor five and a half. What a weirdo. But cute.
"Yeah, I"m trying."
"Hmm…"
I left the oddly meek Daniela and washed myself in the bath before putting on my new clothes. When I looked in the mirror, that pale-faced night shift man was nowhere to be found. Well, I"m sure I still looked really out of place next to Daniela, but that was just me. In any case, I meant to thoroughly enjoy this day with Daniela.
But when I got out of the bathing room, Daniela was not there.
Well, that seemed like a likely enough thing to happen, but it didn"t. She was also wearing her new set of clothes from the White Lily as she stared out of the window. She was wearing the pants today, which accentuated her hips.
"Hmm? Ah, there you are."
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Then let us go."
Daniela headed for the door, and so I grabbed the hollow bag and followed after her. I thanked her as she held the door open for me and then locked it.
When we went down to the entrance, we were predictably subject to much staring. I could tell that Daniela was quite annoyed by it, and so I tapped her on the shoulder and sighed.
"There"s no point in caring, right?"
"Yes, I suppose…"
Besides, on closer inspection, they weren"t the same as the looks of disgust on the first day. It seemed more like curiosity. There was a woman who blushed at the sight of Daniela and a young boy who saw Daniela and ran to go tell his parents. The attention I got was, well, it was also embarra.s.singly filled with curiosity.
"That little scene must have changed the way they saw us. It was thanks to you."
"Well…Let us just say that it was then."
Daniela walked with her arms crossed, but her footsteps seemed a little lighter now.
And so we left the key at the counter and went out to explore the town of Yukka. It would be our first time getting a really close look at it. The scene from the ground was quite different than it was from above.
The two of us walked without a particular destination. The pale green walls were all made of stone. I thought that it must have taken ages to paint all of it.
As we walked and looked at our surroundings, we came out into a large street. It was likely the main street. I thought this because of the delicious smell that came from it. It made you hungry.
"I smell something really good from that store."
"Do you want to go in?"
Daniela asked. It was pretty obvious from how restless I suddenly became, that I wanted to go very badly.
"Maybe. I am sort of hungry."
"I thought you would say that."
Daniela said with a nod as she began to walk ahead. I chuckled and followed after her.
"Welcome!"
"Have you two empty seats?"
"Aye, take any you like."
A friendly bearded man seemed to run the place. A place filled with the smell of meat being cooked. It grabbed a hold of me and Daniela and would not let go.
And so of course, we would have to order it.
"We"ll have two of whatever is creating that smell."
"Hahaha! Oh, but it is not just a smell. The taste is where it is at!"
We could then hear the sound of meat sizzling on a frying pan.
"A duet of meat."
"Are you ill? Asagi."
Daniela was worried about my thoughtless mutterings. She was probably worried about my head.
"I"m fine."
"It did not look that way. What was it you said? A meat duet? I have to a.s.sume that your mind has deteriorated significantly…"
She had an expression of deep concern, but I soon noticed a twitch at the corner of her mouth. Oh, was she mocking me?
"Fine. I guess you"re not that hungry then. I"m hungry enough to eat for two."
"I was wrong. Please forgive me."
Daniela repented and bowed her head. The power of meat was compelling.
"What is this idiocy. Here. Eat your meat. Meat!"
"Thank you."
After that, we tore through the dishes in silence.
The thick slice of meat had no sauce, but was hardly simple. It was covered in spices that were almost as strong as the fresh smell of the meat itself. The juices oozed out when I cut out the first piece. Then I opened my mouth wide and deposited the portion within. I knew it the moment the knife slid in, but it was very soft. But cooked through as well. I was mystified as to how it could be like this, but the dripping juices washed away any questions I had.
My plate was empty before I knew it. When I looked up, so was Daniela"s. We both chuckled.
"Mister. We"ll have two more plates!"
Came our duet. And the orchestra of cooking meat recommenced.
"Uhh, I"m stuffed."
"Ah, I have not eaten so much in a while."
We said as we took a walk after the meal. We had made an order after that as well, finishing three plates in total each. But meat that soft was kinder on your stomach. Well, it would have been if we stopped on the second plate…maybe.
And so it was with much pain that we walked, but we got used to it over time. I barely noticed the weight in my stomach after a while. When I looked around, most of the pa.s.sersby were tourists or Adventurers.
This was the closest town to the imperial capital… So it was no wonder there was such a variety of people.
And those bandits had preyed on them…their existence was not to be tolerated. I had calmed down considerably since then, but the scene came back easily whenever I recalled it.
"By the way, weren"t we supposed to get paid our reward money through the guild?"
"Then that should be our next destination."
We nodded to each other and headed for the road leading to it. Well, it turned out it wasn"t where we thought it was, which resulted in us getting lost…
Just hit Chapter 200 on Patreon. I am quite happy to have made it so far.