Volume 4 Chapter 9.6

Volume 4 Chapter 9.6

Editor: Weasalopes

「Yeah, but I dunno how to respond to that……」

Hiroshi really didn’t feel comfortable trying to grasp an understanding of the female psyche. But of course, humans are not always the most rational of beings.

「Even as a spy, I seem to be nearing a fatal end……」

「Is it really that difficult to move around？」

「I can barely move around like I’ve been. If this food habit continues, it won’t be long before I can’t keep up the pace……」

「Riiight……」

Hiroshi could no longer tell Rainy to not worry as he saw her serious expression. As it seemed that Rainy was continuously trying to thin herself out by training to the max and yet still gradually increasing weight, they might need to implement a strategy.

「Well, although we certainly don’t got nothin’ that can drastically decrease yer weight, I do got potions that speed up calorie combustion ‘n dietary foods that speed up waist fat combustion.」

「We can count on you for that then？」

「Yeah, cuz it sounds like yer gonna be in a real pinch if ya screw up. But this is just to cancel out yer intake from the dwarf parties, and it prolly ain’t gonna reduce yer current weight during that time. Also, once yer not involved in those gatherings anymore, there’s a risk of yer body weight goin’ down too quickly, so if ya don’t git back to regular eatin’ habits within a week or two of that yer gonna be in danger.」

「Okay, got it」

Rainy nodded meekly at Hiroshi. She of course knew full well not to drop her weight too much. Without an urgent situation like this, she would probably never have even considered a diet.

「Now for the alcohol countermeasure, first how bout we git rid of all that alcohol in ya.」

Hiroshi said, handing a panacea and a class 3 stamina potion to Rainy. She appeared to be on the brink of getting prognostic symptoms. Unless she drank at least a class 3 stamina potion her liver would gradually stop rejuvenating. Since she wasn’t quite there yet, class 3 would work fine, but give it two weeks and she would either need a class 2 or a long process of healing.

「……I sort of feel like my body is super light now……」

「Cuz it seems liver symptoms have come up. Sure, I git some of it’s part of the job, but ya really been overdoin it mate.」

「I know, but I really can’t refuse when dwarves hand me liquor……」

「Nah, prolly can’t. So in that case I’ll make some potions for ya to drink before ‘n after the parties that help dissolve alcohol. I also gotta prepare the diet stuff, so come back ‘round evening, aight mate」

「Okay. Thanks, Deary」

Finding the slightest amount of light to help her escape this turmoil, Rainy lowered her head to Hiroshi with a slightly faraway, happy look in her face from the bottom of her heart. The only reason she didn’t resort to perverted stunts this time around was probably because of her screwed up biorythm, which wouldn’t go back to normal just from subtracting the liver damage.

「Ah, right. I should also give a report」

「Mm？Wazzup？」

「I’m still investigating the details, but we haven’t been able to contact the main Elza Temple.」

「……Welp, that sounds troubling. Where even is the main temple anyhoo？」

「Spirit Spire Mountain, at the halfway point. Lots of stuff happened in the past, and it’s closed off to the general public. So the precise location and routes to get there are confidential.」

Hiroshi and Haruna made difficult expressions at Rainy’s info. Such a strange occurrence.

「So being closed off to the public means ya gotta have a connection that can git ya in……」

「I decided to leave the temple for Aearis-sama to deal with. As for the routes, I managed to calculate that the temple’s about midway from what I gathered. I’ll be searching around that point a bit today.」

「……I think yer underestimatin’ yer bod right now, so I recommend ya rest for now.」

「……You’re concerned about me？」

「Well yeah, I wouldn’t sleep well knowin’ that an acquaintance is in harm’s way. Haruna-san ‘n everyone allowed this cuz they thought the same thing right？」

Haruna and Tatsuya nodded at Hiroshi. They didn’t have much of a connection with Rainy, nor did they want to, but neither did they wish ill will on her. This was why Rainy’s pitiable condition was more than enough to persuade the good-natured Azuma Workshop to help out.

「Right now yer digestive organs’re prolly weakened, so imma git out some potions over here. But don’t go splashin’ around just cuz ya got healed」

「Then I’ll go make some porridge」

「So once yer done drinkin’ the potion, eat the porridge ‘n git some rest, ya should be back to full health by evenin’. Take it easy at yer place fer today, mate」

「Thank you……」

Rainy said her thanks in a slightly hoarse voice as she faced the ground, impressed by their kindness. Haruna’s eyes widened when she observed this, but she soon smiled kindly and nodded before wordlessly going off to the kitchen.

「Today’s Makoto-san’s birthday party, so dinner’s gonna be snackeroos with liquor for you. Now that I gotcha here, I wanted to have Bro or Makoto-san teach ya how to properly drink liquor ‘n all that.」

「I might be able to, but do you really think Makoto would be a good source？」

「Welp, Makoto-san does feel like she’s just jumpin’ into a sea of liquor when she glugs it down, which is kinda dicey, yeah…」

Hiroshi said as he handed all the potions he mentioned to Rainy on the spot. Hiroshi’s group didn’t need stomach potions, antipyretics, or anti-travel medicine, but as these were all frequently used items, they had quite the assortment of the various categories.

「Porridge is ready. As a precaution I wrapped it with rot prevention cloth, so take care on your way home and take off the cloth before eating, okay?」

「Thank you so much.」

Rainy just expressed her gratitude over and over again, knowing that Haruna didn’t even like her but was still being nice to her. With this she would be fully restored by night, and then with Makoto’s birthday celebration of behemoth horn stew and edamame (among other things) to go with the drinks, Tatsuya would teach Rainy how to put on an act while eating a certain amount of food as well as how to drink while keeping in pace with the dwarves.

「I know they wouldn’t want to be this relaxed, but I still think the dwarf parties should tone down the aggressiveness a bit……」

「Yeah, I totally agree～」

Rainy remarked keenly, not being forced to do anything and just eating/drinking at her own pace at this relaxed party, to which Haruna agreed with all her heart.

「Oh, but I actually like those lively parties.」

「Yes, I’m quite jealous of you Makoto, for how you just go at it with the dwarves to see who gets knocked out first……」

Rainy remarked, truly envious, to which Makoto felt a bit sorry for her and joined in on giving her proper drinking guidance. And with that, the mellow party continued its course.

「I haven’t tasted good food in so long……」

「Oh yeah? Glad you like it. There’s dessert too by the way.」

「I can’t wait…and this fried tree bud is tasty……」

「It’s one of Stiren’s local specialties, and it gets sprouts this season I hear. Yep, lots of things you can’t find in Wulls.」

Rainy appeared to be truly enjoying this long sought after food, and the members of Azuma Workshop felt themselves mellowing out a lot as they watched her. She was doing her best to keep herself from overdoing things while thoroughly savoring the taste of each bite.

「Apparently the individual tournament division this year is a three way struggle.」

「Hmm, hmm」

「The combinations will be revealed tomorrow. The likely candidates to win are……」

Since this was a party and all, Rainy proactively shared stories that might end up being good conversation topics. Information particularly centered around the competition was something Hiroshi and the others were grateful for, as they had lived a mostly secluded lifestyle since arriving in Stiren. The information she gave early would already have been plenty, but……

「An earl……from Farlane, and another……from Darl」

「Huh？ Are you for real？」

「And then one of the members of Farlane’s regional order of knights……」

「Oo! Fill me in on that one！」

「And then……」

「Fwaaah！！ I feel the energy flowing through me！！」

Receiving an unnecessary birthday present from Rainy in the rotten form of a fresh info dump, Makoto was now more than ready to fully operate the art supplies and printer she had received from Hiroshi.