Chapter 202. Former Hero ā Date (Day 2 ā Laurier)
My partner for the second date was Laurier
[Laurier, is there somewhere you want to go?]
[Huh? ā¦a place I want to go? Isnāt it already decided?]
Laurier laughed at my question.
The place Laurier wants to go toā¦ Certainly, I probably didnāt even need to ask.
[As expected of Haruto. Thatās right!]
Sheās very simple to understand!
So, my date with Laurier was combined with an Amman food tour.
[Hmmā¦ Haruto! What do you think that is?]
When we arrived at the commercial district, Laurier immediately found something and pulled my hand.
[Look, thatās it. The one at that food stall.]
At the point where Laurier pointed, there was a place that looked like the sales office of a restaurant and there was some kind of chunk of meat hanging there.
[I donāt know what that isā¦ it looks like itās some kind of meat.]
There was a signboard, but it was written in a broken font so I couldnāt read it.
[Okay, letās check it out and eat.]
Laurier answered my words with a big smile.
This fellow really likes to eat.
But when she looks so happy, I feel happy too.
As a result of repeating this exchange about five timesā¦
[Wait a minuteā¦ it hurtsā¦]
In front of Laurier rushing to the next store, my stomach became full in no time.
Or rather, itās Laurierās stomach that is strange.
No matter how I look at it, her stomach is smaller than mine so how come it can fit so much?
Do demons have special digestive organs?
Is the food digested as soon as she eats?
[Muuā¦ canāt you eat anymore?]
D, donāt look at me with such a sad faceā¦
[Maybe we can just buy the portion for Laurier to eatā¦]
[Hnnn~ā¦ No, I want to eat with Haruto today, so if Haruto canāt eat anymore, Iāll put up with it.]
When Laurie said so, she sat down beside me who was sitting on the bench.
If you say such a thing, Iā¦!
Ahhhā¦ My stomach, digest them as quickly as possible.
My stomach should be able to do it.
I wouldnāt let a weak stomach prevent me from completing the date with such a cute girl!
I try to think so with all my heart butā¦ well, itās not like itās suddenly okay.
But, I feel like itās gotten a little easier.
All humans use magic to strengthen their physical abilities, but is it possible to consciously strengthen oneās digestive ability?
I felt like I could do it.
However, it was only slightly faster.
Itās not enough to go out with Laurier for a day.
Maybe itās because Iām sitting and waiting for digestion.
If you expend more energy, wouldnāt your stomach capacity increase to match?
Because running seems to consume a lot of energy.
However, I couldnāt just run a marathon in the middle of a long-awaited dateā¦
Is there a more efficient, date-like way to consume energy?
At that time, an electric current ran through me.
I had a flash of inspiration.
I looked at the clock installed at the square.
Itās still 11 oāclock because we started out early in the morning.
I suggested my idea to Laurier, who was sitting next to me and dangling her legs.
[Right now, Iām pitifully full.]
[However, since itās our honeymoon, we canāt let Laurierās eating tour end in the morning.]
[No, donāt overdo it, okay?]
[We wonāt overdo it. We really wonāt, but we may need to push each otherās limits.]
[Isnāt that unreasonable?]
[I mean, donāt bother about the details, shall we?]
[Well, I came up with a way to efficiently burn the contents of my stomach.]
[For that, Laurierā¦ I need your cooperation. Will you help me?]
[ā¦.? What kind of help? Making you vomit? That sounds like weāre wasting food. Iām not impressed]
[No, itās not. Itās not like that. ā¦ā¦So, what do you think? Will you accept my proposal?]
[I would like to ask you to tell me a specific method before answering, butā¦if Haruto says it, letās believeĀ and go along with him!]
Laurier put in a lot of tsukkomi but in the end, she made up her mind.
[I donāt really understand, but alright.]
I took Laurierās hand and aimed for a corner of the commercial district.
[Hereā¦ I see, so thatās how it is.]
Looking up at the place we arrived at, Laurie muttered.
The place I brought Laurier to was Ammanās resting area.
In other words, the strategy to promoteĀ digestion is burning calories equivalent to a full marathon in one run!
I pulled it out and went for it!
[Laurierā¦ do you understand? Every time Iām full, I need to consume energyā¦]
[Fuā¦ as you wish. If Haruto will accompany me on my eating tour, why donāt I follow Harutoās sexual desires to the fullest? Haahahahahaha!]
Itās not for my sexual desire; itās for you, alright?
Also stop laughing out loud.
Because I havenāt raised the silent field yet!
ā¦Well, fine. I have to admit that it also has to do with my sexual desire!
[Okay then. Letās start, Laurier!]
[Umu! Itās fine if you come at me, Haruto!]
Laurier and I went through the door while arguing things I didnāt think were the lines of a couple entering the rest areaā¦!
[Haaā¦ haaā¦T-thisā¦ have you visited all the restaurants on this streetā¦?]
I strengthened my stomach with magic power and consumed energy byĀ taking a breakĀ with Laurier, but my stomach had already exceeded its limit again.
[Haaā¦ haaā¦ Uh, um. The food in this town isā¦ um, I must conquerā¦ all of them.]
Laurier is Laurier and, because she took a lot ofĀ breaksĀ with me in a fairly short period of time, she no longer has any strength in her legs.
Besides, even though itās Laurier, it seems that the act of conquering the cityās cuisine in one day was reckless, and as expected, weāve reached the point where we canāt eat any more.
I looked at the object in my hand.
Itās a baked sweet potato.
But, itās not just any baked sweet potato.
In Amman, where there are no industries, this baked sweet potato is made with a slightly special locally grown sweet potato.
ā¦This is truly a local gourmet dish.
The food we have eaten so far is just a few imperial dishes.
At worst, it was a dish that could be eaten not only in this city but also in other cities of the Empire.
However, itās hard to say that youāve eaten all of Amman without eating this local sweet potato!
However, Laurier and I had already reached our limits.
I honestly had no more appetite.
[Ha, Harutoā¦ What are you going to do? One last timeā¦ do you want to go?]
Laurier, who sat on the same bench as in the morning, said so.
[Noā¦ then I wonāt make it in timeā¦ Besides, I canāt do it today anymoreā¦ Tonight, Iām going to sleep without doing anything. Iām so spent.]
I did it so many times today that I thought I wouldnāt have to do it for a while.
Since when was the last time Iāve been this emptyā¦?
But even if itās empty, my stomach is already fullā¦
Rather, if I could move the contents of my stomach over thereā¦ no no no, imagining that, itās not scary at all.
Even Laurier, who knew me well, agreed.
Laurier may be full in another sense.
ā¦Isnāt it a little vulgar? I should reflect on it.
Anyway, the problem is this baked potato.
In extreme cases, for example, if I take it easy for another hour or so, I should be able to recover enough to eat a baked sweet potato.
After an hour, this hot roasted sweet potato will become cold.
After eating such a sweet potato, can we say that we really enjoyed it?
Well then, I should have bought it after recovering enough to eat, but the old man who was selling this baked sweet potato just closed the store and went home.
If only I had noticed this baked sweet potato earlierā¦
However, when Laurie and I were about to lose, the goddess of salvation appeared.
[Huh? Onii-san, Laurier-chan? What are you doing in a place like this?]
When I looked up at the voice that called me, Celes was standing there.
It seems that sheās coming back from the library.
With a baked potato in hand, I briefly explained the situation.
I couldnāt eat the sweet potato because Iām full, I said.
What is the explanation here for me?
[Putting aside Onii-san, even Laurier-chan is full. Just how muchā¦]
Imagining what weāve gone through, Celesā face turned pale.
I have done something terrible today.
[Umā¦ if you donāt mind, shall I use magic to promote digestion?]
Seeing the unusual atmosphere between me and Laurier, Celes timidly said so.
Digestion stimulating magicā¦?
Iāve been strengthening my stomach with magic all day today. I wonder if the magic that promotes digestion would still be effective now.
But now I feel like clinging on to the last few threads of hope.
The two of us asked Celes.
Celes crouched in front of me and Laurier and chanted softly. And when she put her hand on my and Laurierās belly, that hand flashed.
Itās kind of a soft light.
The healing magic used by Celes generally emits a warm light.
If I can imagine this light, one day Iāll be able to use recovery magicā¦
What are you thinking aboutā¦ Oh? Oh?
My stomach, which had been painful for some reason, became a little better.
Letting go of my and Laurierās stomachs, Celes asked.
[Amazing! Itās a little less painful.]
[Celes! I will never forget this kindness.]
Laurier and I were grateful.
[E, ehā¦ā¦..I, I donāt think the effect would be so pleasingā¦]
Celes was pulling back for the first time with our gratitude.
But, a little bit of it was needed now.
[Laurier, can you still eat?]
Grins emerged on both of our faces.
I wonder if Iām stupid.
But there are times when such idiocy is fun.
I presented the baked sweet potato in my hand to Laurier.
Laurier grabbed the edge of the baked potato.
The one Iām holding is the other end.
Each of us moved the hand holding the roasted sweet potato in our direction.
Then, the sweet potato was beautifully cut in half in the middle.
And, from the crack that split in two, steam rose as proof that it was still hot. A delicious smell wafted out from it.
Apparently, we made it in time.
While I was impressed, Laurier split her own sweet potato in half again.
[Eh? Is it okay? You wanted me to eat this sweet potato tooā¦?]
Celes was perplexed when Laurier offered her a baked sweet potato.
[Itās fine. This is a sweet potato that could only be eaten by Celes. Todayās eating tour is a victory for us threeā¦!]
Victory for us threeā¦.!
Hearing Laurierās declaration, I almost cried.
[Ku, eat upā¦? Victory?]
Celesā mind hadnāt really grasped the situation.
[Eat upā¦ Laurier, Celes, before it cools.]
Us three nodded to each other.
And finally, the baked sweet potato in my mouthā¦!
Itās more refreshing than I thoughtā¦!
Based on my previous experience of baked sweet potatoes, I imagined a heavier texture. Itās sweet like a little fruit but with a refreshing texture that goes down my throat. It didnāt leave your mouth dry.
With this, if your stomach isnāt full, you should be able to eat a whole one without hesitation.
As soon as you take a bite, youāll be craving for another biteā¦!
Because Iāve been eating all day long, it turned into a dramatic food report.
And I canāt say anything good at all.
However, after enjoying the taste, the conclusion is thatā¦ itās delicious!
The baked sweet potato disappeared into my stomach in about a minute.
Both Laurier and Celis had finished theirs.
I silently shook hands with Laurie.
The handshake was strong and I could feel that the bond between us had deepened.
Then, the three of us hugged each other with Celes without caring aboutĀ being seen.
Until the very end, Celes was unable to fully grasp the situation.
ā¦ā¦.H-hey, I was on a date with Laurier, right?