Chapter 39: Still Going Strong: Girls’ Talk Continues

“Sora, Sora!”

“…Mmh?”

When I opened my eyes, I was greeted by the irritated face of my master. It was already pitch dark outside the window. What the heck happened to me… ugh, I reek of alcohol?!

“Wh-what the he—”

“That’s what I’d like to know. What the hell is going on here?”

Looking around the room, I saw clothes scattered across the living room. Fere was clinging to me—me, who was wearing nothing but underwear—and right next to us, Miss Riara was stark naked, hugging a liquor bottle and snoring away. …Yeah, this is bad. Master’s gaze is painful.

Lulu and Yuria’s eyes seemed to silently say, “Again?” and “Total skank.”

“Again?”

“Total skank…”

They actually said it out loud.

I frantically tried to dig through my memories. Yesterday, if I recall, that disappointing little old loli barged in with a sake bottle, forced me to drink while I was trying to shoo her off, then my mood got lifted, and I ended up singing duets with Fere again. Things got heated, I stripped, and for some reason, Fere and Miss Riara also got naked…

Then I kissed Fere and Miss Riara on the cheek, got sleepy, and ended up falling asleep clinging to Fere. So in short—

“W-we’re good, right?”

“…Do you think so?”

Yeah, didn’t think so.

---

“You seriously need to learn your lesson. Stop drinking.”

“I’m not the one at fault! It was Miss Riara who forced it on me!”

“Yeah, that’s true, but… what’s with the whole act?”

I tried my hardest to convey how not-at-fault I was.

“Stop that. It just makes me want to punch you.”

Didn’t work. I straightened myself up and sat in formal seiza, facing my master. Meanwhile, Miss Riara was already groaning and clutching her head in a full-blown hangover.

“Sorry we turned the place into something like a girls' night for lonely single ladies.”

“What the hell do you think single ladies are…? Be serious.”

There’s no way I can be serious in this situation. Wouldn’t that just make me look even more like a fool?

“Sigh… Anyway, Riara’s banned from drinking from now on.”

“Say what?! You intend to steal away the one joy I have in life?!”

The pathetic high elf suddenly perked up and raised her body while still cradling her head.

“How empty is your life?”

If alcohol is your only joy, that’s even more tragic than a hero who only has love and courage as friends.

“You tempt me with such divine liquor and then try to take it away—how cruel! You’re a demon! A devil! A fiend among fiends! I’ll fight to the death!”

“Can we just hand her a stone and sink her into a lake of booze already?”

This little old loli is just a total pain. How far are you planning to fall? Sure, people say it's easy to fall from grace, but you're dropping faster than Newton could’ve calculated. You’re on the brink of sparking a pointless philosophical debate about whether it’s the drink or the drinker that’s the problem.

“You’re starting to sound like a yakuza. Calm down. And Riara, don’t look at me like you're actually considering it.”

Ah, she’s sneaking glances. So annoying.

“Well, drowning in alcohol is kind of a drinker’s dream, after all…”

She averted her eyes in embarrassment. Guess she hasn’t completely lost her sense of shame. But her stock value in our household just plummeted into a full-on crash.

What happened to that dignified first impression when we met? Adulthood really is tragic.

“Anyway, you’ve clearly been overdoing it lately. Miss Chris was really worried about you, you know?”

“…Hmph. I’ve done nothing wrong. It’s your fault for bringing in so much liquor!”

She’s finally just owning it now. I could probably write a psychology paper on how far someone can fall.

“High elves, huh…”

Why is Yuria looking back and forth between me and Riara, muttering like that? I really don’t want to know what she means by that look. It’s terrifying.

“Well, whatever we’re going to do with you three… first, let’s clean this place up and get dinner ready.”

At Lulu’s suggestion, everyone looked around at the mess of liquor bottles and clothes and let out a deep, exhausted sigh.

---

After dinner, Miss Riara was dragged off by Chris, and Fere was left to face a scolding from Lulu.

As for me, I got hauled down to the basement by Master, where I was subjected to several hours of scolding before finally being released. I’m not even a slave anymore—so why do I still have to go through this?

“Snff… hic…”

“Alright, alright, stop fake-crying. Go take a bath before bed.”

“I’m genuinely crying!!”

Yuria had sat in on the whole lecture too, yet here she was being completely heartless.

“I mean, most of that scolding was basically you two flirting, wasn’t it?”

“What part of that looked like flirting to you?! Are your eyes broken?!”

I seriously doubt she has functioning eyes. If not, I’d love to hear her evidence.

“You could totally tell you weren’t actually against it.”

So they are broken after all!

“Huh? You two haven’t bathed yet?”

While we bickered, Lulu entered the living room where we were resting—towel slung over her shoulder, dressed in just her underwear and holding a carton of milk. That milk probably belonged to Yuria. Mine’s considered a valuable healing item and kept under Master’s watch.

“I was just trying to get her to admit the truth about all the flirting…”

“She won’t admit to it no matter what.”

I keep telling them that’s not what happened…

“Well, whatever, but senpai, you really smell. You should hit the bath—ASAP.”

No way, I thought, as I gave myself a sniff—and wow. The mixture of booze, sweat, and… other things… yeah, this was bad.

“Uwaaahhh! I’ll get you all for this!!”

“Ah! Lady Sora! I’ll come with you! Lulu, could you take care of the bed, please?”

“Sure thing.”

With those carefree cow-cat comments behind us, I bolted to the dressing room, tossed my clothes into the laundry basket, and threw open the door to the connected large bath.

“Oh? You two coming in as well?”

“P-pardon the intrusion.”

There in the large wooden tub were the ever-pathetic high elf Riara and the golden-furred feline Chris. …Why were they here?

“I was told to soak off the booze smell. This is quite the bath you’ve got.”

“I came to get her, but she said I should join in while I was at it.”

“Got it.”

Makes sense, I guess. We did go all out to build a bath that’s bigger and fancier than the one in our previous house. I bet she just wanted to show it off.

While subtly eyeing the two of them, I grabbed a bucket of the pour-over water left running by the entrance and began rinsing myself.

I may have won the Riara war, but Chris… she’s one of those deceptively curvy types. Major loss there. She claims to be fifteen, but the beastkin in this world… are they all just naturally blessed? Mind if I rip some of it off?

“Oh, Riara and Chris were in already, huh.”

“Oh, Yuria. Still a sight to behold, I see.”

“…………”

Then Yuria walked in, and the power gap was unreal. She’s been growing more and more lately thanks to good nutrition, and her milk output is off the charts. Even Chris can’t help but stare and compare herself. Her eyes are kind of scary. …Did she have some confidence before?

“Lady Sora, I’ll wash your hair—come here.”

“Understood.”

I’m used to this sight by now, and with something that overwhelming, I don’t even feel the urge to compete. I sat down on a stool in the washing area, and warm water poured gently over my hair as she held it back to avoid splashing.

Yuria worked the liquid soap into a lather with both hands, then massaged my scalp and ran the foam down the length of my hair. Having someone else wash your hair really does feel nice.

Guys never do this kind of thing with each other, so maybe this is one of the few perks of becoming a girl—this kind of casual intimacy.

“…I think I get it now. Why you and the others stayed by his side, even after you were freed from slavery.”

Murmured Chris, submerged up to her nose and blowing bubbles in the bath.

“Well, good food, good booze, hot baths, soft beds… no wonder it’s hard to walk away.”

The two of them stared off vaguely into the distance. I mean, it’s true—we live way better here than back in that village.

“And Master’s such a kind man too. No real reason to leave.”

Once the grime in my pores was thoroughly scrubbed out, she rinsed the suds from my head with warm water. She followed up with a light rinse treatment, then wrapped my hair with a small towel. As Yuria washed my back, I took care of the front myself.

“If only he were a little more reserved and a little less pervy, I’d have zero complaints.”

“What nonsense. It’s not like he’s chasing after every girl he sees.”

“I was cautious at first, but I’ve noticed—he doesn’t seem interested in anyone but you girls.”

The problem is how often he is interested in me…

“…What is that? Are you bragging? ‘Oh no, my life is just too hard being loved so much by a handsome man!’ That it?”

“What kind of persecution complex is that?”

With a loud splash, Riara stood up straight, water flying everywhere. Is full-nude power posing really something girls should be doing?

“What’s the difference between me and you?! Same high elf, same looks, same figure! And yet you get the hot guy and all the flirty moments, while I’m stuck in a backwater village pushing paperwork! What is the difference?! Is it my old-fashioned way of speaking?!”

“If I had to pick something—it’s probably your whole ‘giant pain in the ass’ vibe.”

At the very least, I don’t come across as that much trouble. I mean, technically I’m not even a girl. I’ve just gotten used to seeing skin so much that sharing a bath with girls doesn’t phase me anymore.

“I hate it… that calm, smug attitude of yours just pisses me off!”

Riara started smacking the surface of the water, teeth clenched in frustration. Everyone gave her a warm, pitying look.

“…I want a boyfriend too.”

Half-submerged in the bath, Chris’s words came out muffled by the water, but the subtext was loud and clear: “I am not ending up like her.”

“Is there anyone you’re into, though?”

While we took turns washing Yuria’s hair and back, the cow-girl’s eyes lit up with a sparkle—here came the interrogation. Girls really do love their romance talk…

“Hmm… the guys in the village either already have girlfriends or are just old.”

“The young and decent ones are always in high demand.”

A sad truth that plagues sparsely populated regions. After rinsing the soap off one final time, we all slipped into the bath. Master had apparently designed it to fit six people at once, so four of us had room to spare.

“Hmm… how about Makoto?”

She’s really pushing that idea…

“Makoto? Oh—he’s sometimes with Shuya, right? Hmm… I don’t think he’s a bad guy, but… he’s human.”

Looks like she doesn’t hate him, but the species divide is a big hurdle.

“So, maybe not impossible?”

“Hmm… hard to say.”

With soft splashes echoing from their swaying chests, the new cat-and-cow duo were now in full-on girls’ talk mode. If any guy saw this scene, no way would he be able to look away.

“All of you, getting caught up in love and romance… foolishness.”

And there sat Riara—representative of us love-loser types—grinding her teeth over a conversation she herself started, unable to even make a proper splash unless she moved her arms or legs.

“What about you, Miss Riara? How do you feel about Master? He’s a total sucker for loli elves—you might have a shot.”

“Hmm? Hm… Shuya, is it… Certainly not a bad option, but the issue is… there are far too many girls hanging around him…”

Could you not glance over at me like that?

“You okay with it? If I and Shuya were to get involved that way?”

…Sure, I’d miss the comfy lifestyle, but I don’t need romance or anything.

“……There’s absolutely no problem whatsoever?”

“Oh? Then maybe I’ll give it a shot.”

Why is this pathetic high elf grinning like that? Seriously.

---

After getting out of the bath and sipping on Yuria’s special blend fruit milk, I headed into the living room. Master was sitting there reading some book. The moment his eyes flicked toward me, Riara gave a sly grin and walked over to him.

“Hey, Shuya?”

“…Hmm?”

Master looked up as Riara purred in a weirdly sweet voice.

“I was just thinking—you like elves, don’t you? So how about me, hmm?”

She batted her glistening eyes at him with a seductive look. Master, staring at her the whole time, slowly closed his book.

“Uh, sorry—no way.”

He muttered it with this genuinely troubled, completely deadpan expression. Like, wow. That was painfully blunt. “No way,” he said. Just flat-out.

Riara’s head drooped, and she started trembling.

I mean, even I didn’t expect him to shoot her down that raw.

“D-damn iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!!”

She shouted and took off running, tears sparkling in the air behind her like scattered glitter.

…Seriously, what was she even trying to do here?

---

◇◆ADVENTURE RESULT◆◇
【EXP】
BATTLE TOTAL: 10
MAX Combo: 4
◆【Sora Lv.81】+8
◆【Lulu Lv.33】
◆【Yuria Lv.31】+2

◇―
＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝
Sora Lv.81 [817] → Lv.82 [825] <<Level Up!!
Lulu Lv.33 [331]
Yuria Lv.31 [310] → Lv.31 [312]

【RECORD】
[MAX COMBO] >> 34
[MAX BATTLE] >> 34

【PARTY-1 (Main)】
[Shuya] [Lv85] HP 1520/1520 MP 2760/2760 [Normal]
[Sora] [Lv82] HP 60/60 MP 733/733 [Exhausted]
[Lulu] [Lv33] HP 735/735 MP 36/36 [Normal]
[Yuria] [Lv31] HP 1540/1540 MP 88/88 [Normal]

【PARTY-2 (Sub)】
[Fere] [Lv25] HP 252/252 MP 830/830 [Normal]

【PARTY-3 (Sub)】
[Makoto] [Lv48] HP 1750/1750 MP 132/132 [Normal]
＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

“So very pitiful, truly…”
“How tragic…”