Chapter 39 (2/2)

「How about a light work out on the bed?」

She blushed a little while saying that . That’s bad for my heart you know?

「That’s a really attractive proposal, but let’s just leave that for this evening」

It’s not like I don’t want to do it, but it would be pretty awkward if somebody walked in on us while we’re doing it since it’s still broad daylight . Or rather, Suzuran, what’s this all of a sudden? Didn’t you tell me you don’t want your body to be seen when it’s bright?

「Then, how about I teach you another simple way to prepare chicken」

「Hmー, that’s fine I guess」

Suzuran washed the tableware while I was out buying the necessary ingredients so I was able to immediately start cooking once I got back

「Okaーy . Good afternoon everyone~」「……eh!?」

「For today, we’ll be making something that I think anyone can make . A simple roasted chicken . Here are the ingredients」

「Hn?」

「One whole processed chicken, b.u.t.ter, onions, carrots, and potatoes . The vegetables here are just the ones that I wanted to eat . You can add other vegetables you like as well . You can also pick seasonings of your choice to mask the smell as well aside from salt and pepper」

「Hey… Caam?」

「First, lightly pierce the chicken with a fork . Next, rub salt and pepper on the outside as well as inside the stomach then place it into a bowl with some fruit wine and fragrant herbs . Let it sit in there for a while to soak in the flavors . You can now start preparing the vegetables you want to eat at this time」

「Hey…」

「To give it a uniform taste, you should turn it over from time to time . And here’s one that we let sit for a while」

*thud!*

「!?」

「After that, we’ll now put the vegetables inside the stomach but first, you should spread the b.u.t.ter all over it to prevent it from sticking to the pan, as well as making the vegetables inside taste even better . Once you start roasting it, you should take it out at times and use a spoon to scoop out the juices that came out and pour it over the top of the chicken . Then, by the time you think “It should be completely baked soon I guess”, it should be done」

I just ignored Suzuran who’s giving me some weird looks .

「Well, something like that」

「There were times where I felt like the time just flew by . What was that?」

「I don’t know as well」

「Magic?」

「Hmmー, close, but it’s not really magic . Probably」

It’s movie magic (editing) I guess .

「…got it」

「Un, it might be a bit early for dinner but it will no longer be delicious once it gets cold so let’s just eat it now . Look, the sun is already hidden behind that mountain you know?」

「…un」

Suzuran had a look like she didn’t understand anything I said as she glanced at me .

I cut the bird in half . I also divided the vegetables evenly between us as I arranged our food on the plates .

「「Let’s eat」」

With that said, while ignoring the fork, knife, and vegetables, Suzuran immediately went for the meat, grabbing it with her bare hands and sinking her teeth on it . Are you a pirate or bandit or something?

A-ah, geez… Your hands and mouth are already dirty . You won’t make such a mess if you just ate it a bit more carefully .

「Hey Suzuran, can’t you be a bit more refined when you eat?」

「It’s easier to pick up using my hands and it’s easier to eat if I can directly nibble it」

「That may be true but you’re going to be hated if you don’t eat a bit more elegantly you know?」

「It’s okay as long as Caam doesn’t dislike me」

「Okay then, if you don’t eat more elegantly, I’m going to dislike you, you know?」

*clank!*

Hearing me say that, she dropped the meat she was eating on top of her plate . She’s about to cry and has a look on her face that makes it seem like the world is about to end .

This is pretty cute in and of itself .

「Fine fine . I won’t hate you but if there are other people around or we’re eating with somebody else, don’t eat like that okay?」

After saying that, I gave her a towel to wipe her mouth and face .

「I won’t tell you to use a fork and knife but can’t you at least eat it like this?」

After saying that, without using a fork and knife and while making sure that I don’t make a mess with my hands and mouth, I ate it like how you would eat chicken from Sanders-san’s to show her .

「Like this . And also, n.o.body’s going to take it away, so you should calm down when eating」

「…I’m sorry」

「Yes yes, I’m not angry and I don’t hate you so eat it slowly okay?」

「Un」

What am I, your mother?

「Hey, couldn’t you eat it if it’s just something like a potato? The juices from the chicken and the b.u.t.ter have absorbed in it so couldn’t you at least try it?」

I picked up the potato with a fork and was trying to get Suzuran to try it .

「Is it tasty?」

Why are you so doubtful?

「Well, it’s pretty bland by itself but you can easily change the flavor since it absorbs the water or oil around it . It’s really tasty now because of the salt and melted b.u.t.ter you know?」

It’s cute how she looks like a squirrel or a hamster while she’s nibbling it in silence .

「Then, could you try the carrots next?」

Please stop showing me that disgusted look .

「It also absorbed the same taste as the potatoes so I think it’s easier to eat right now you know?」

She tried nibbling on the carrots a bit but she immediately stuck her tongue out and spit it out on the plate . How slovenly . And also, the look on your face is kinda erotic so stop it . I mean, if you hate it so much you don’t want to eat it, then just don’t .

「Impossible」

「Yeah yeah, just leave it there together with your onions . I’ll eat them myself」

I wonder if she would eat glazed carrots .

「Thanks for the meal」

「Sure, you’re welcome」

While the two of us were was.h.i.+ng the dishes, I tried asking .

「Would you eat the carrots if they’re sweet?」

「Do you mean like candy?」

「I’m just going to boil them in sugar water」

「I can’t imagine the taste」

「It still has the taste and smell of a carrot but it’s sweeter, I guess…」

「I’ll try it next time so make it」

「Yeah yeah, but you have to finish it all okay? I won’t do ecchi things with you for a while」

*Gofuu!*

As I said that, she retorted by sending a sharp elbow to my side . Because of that, I swore in my heart to never do that kind of joke again . I’ll also try to avoid standing at Suzuran’s right side as much as possible . Well, it’s going to be the same either way I guess .

While we were lazing around after dinner, Suzuran said .

「Caam, prepare the bath」

「Sureー」

After giving that replying, I immediately went to the bathroom .

「Which one do you prefer, hot or warm?」

「I can just add water if it’s too hot right?」

I guess she’s right . Because of that, I started filling the tub with water that’s probably a bit hotter than usual . I didn’t check the temperature though since I thought we could just adjust it after we get in .

「You can go in nowー」

「So fast」

「Well, magic is just that convenientー」

「Only Caam can do something like that . Caam is amazing as expected」

「Yeah yeah . Well then, should we go in together?」

「…un」

I wonder, why is it that she can act aggressive at times, but still get a bit shy when I’m the one inviting her? Well, I haven’t really been that proactive about it I guess .

*

Our fingers and toes are now wrinkled and puffy .

I continued regulating the heat as we soaked our bodies after we finished was.h.i.+ng it, but I wasn’t expecting that we would stay there for that long .

「Aaahー, bath too long, body feels heavy」

「Here you go, fruit water」

「Ahー, thanks~」

(She might be wearing a s.h.i.+rt now but it’s loose so I can still see her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and the nape of her neck . At this rate, I’m going to want to push her into the bed even more)

She seems to have noticed me looking at her b.r.e.a.s.t.s . Is this the part where I tease her?

Forming her hands into an X, she hid her b.r.e.a.s.t.s by covering it with her knees .

「Iyaー Suzuran, ecchi~」

Ugh!

「ouch…」

Her face was completely flushed as she hit me in the stomach . Be a bit more gentle when hiding your embarra.s.sment, please .

After that, while her face was still completely flushed, I grabbed her hand and forcibly dragged her to the bed . The date already changed by the time we went to sleep .

Entering the bed after getting into the mood is nice, but forcing Suzuran to the bed doesn’t feel half bad .

~Idle Talk~

This is during the time Caam rolled into the thicket to hide from Sc.h.i.n.ken’s arrows .

There was a male cat-eared beastkin with a medium build and without any distinctive characteristics who visited Caam’s workplace .

「Excuse meー . I heard that there’s a person named Caam who’s working here」

「Ou, that’s right but he’s not here right now . He’s going to be away for 3 or 4 days」

「Is that so? Do you know a way I can get in touch with him even faster?」

「Let’s see… I guess I can tell you where he lives . Is that fine?」

「Please!」

「It’s a place called “Clinochlore”」

「Ge!… Is that true?」

「Yeah, it’s true . If I remember correctly, a slightly taciturn cat-eared woman runs the place . You can just tell that person to tell him once he gets back」

「I… I understand . Thank you very much」

「”Clinochlore” huh… That place was called “Den of Weirdoes” wasn’t it…? This is terrible . Would a letter be okay I wonder?」

(Is that black-haired cat-eared person the landlady? She’s prettyー . This is starting to make me nervous . )

「Uhmー, excuse me . Are you the landlady of Clinochlore?」

「Yes . We’re full right now . You’re better off finding someplace else」

「No, I just have something to give to a person named Caam」

After saying that, I handed over the letter and was going to leave but the landlady just stared at it .

「A relations.h.i.+p between men won’t be productive you know? Of course, that’s the same for women as well」

「Haa!? No, you’re wrong . This letter is about a designated quest from the guild desu . I heard he was away after all」

What a terrible misunderstanding this woman is making!

「…really? Then I’ll certainly hand it over」

「If you would please」

「Yeah」

(Geez, if just the landlady’s like that, then what about the other residents here… Good grief . She’s still pretty thoughー)

With that, the cat-eared man will just have to wait until his message reaches Caam .

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