Chapter Fifty-one: When Dawn Breaks, Birds Sing In Foreign Lands Too
After baking the potatoes and putting out the fire, I idly listened as everyone chatted merrily over the remaining drinks… or so I thought.
Feeling something fuzzy stroking my head, I open my eyes to meet strawberry-colored irises peering at me intently. Lifting my face in a start, the surroundings are bathed in the brilliant morning sunlight streaming through the car windows.
“…I was… asleep…?!”
“Good morning, Rin. You were sleeping quite soundly.”
With my mind blank and unable to do anything but mutter in response to the unexpected situation, Mr. Ville, with a soft smile, gently stroked my head. It seems that the sensation that woke me up is his doing… But still, despite how much he drank yesterday, Mr. Ville shows no signs of a hangover or stomachache. He truly is something else…
“I thought you were just listening with a smile, but before I knew it, you were asleep, so I was surprised. Anyway, I used a cleaning spell to take care of the plates and stuff.”
“Eh?! Ah, you’re right, everything is sparkling clean! Thank you so much!”
“You were mumbling ‘The dishes’ in your sleep. I couldn’t just leave them, of course.”
As I followed Mr. Ville’s laughter and looked where he was pointing, I saw dishes neatly washed to a sparkling shine piled up on the kitchen counter. It seemed that Mr. Ville, perhaps feeling pressured by my worry about the dishes even in my dreams, had used a cleaning spell on them last night.
Is he… a saint?
While I enjoy cooking, cleaning up is my weakness. Mr. Ville, you practically have a halo!
Stretching my spine with a satisfying crack due to the odd sleeping position, I suddenly notice everyone from the party curled up asleep on the floor, bundled in cloaks and whatnot.
“…Eh? Wh-Why is everyone just sleeping on the floor?!”
“It looked comfy and warm, perfect for sleeping. Is there an issue?”
“Well, yeah, it’s the floor! The floor!”
“I cleansed it too, so I don’t see the problem? Though I may not want to go back to sleeping on bare ground anymore.”
…Apparently, in Mr. Ville’s experienced adventurer view, sleeping outdoors is common, and “If it’s a soft, sheltered surface to sleep on, what’s the issue?”
I get the logic, but I’m still not fully convinced…?
Maybe it’s just ingrained in me that you don’t sleep on a vehicle’s floor…?
This table folds up to make a bed, and the front seats recline flat too, so I better spread the word on setting up proper bedding! We’ll also need bedding supplies like futons and blankets…
Gyugyurururugogogogogyuruuuu…
The all-too-familiar gurgling groan makes me look up to Mr. Ville clutching his stomach with a troubled expression.
From the brilliant sunshine, it seems I massively overslept, huh?
“Shall we have breakfast for now? No hangover or anything?”
“Hmm? Ah, no remaining alcohol effects. The others probably have none either….”
“Understood. I’ll make plenty then!”
…So neither Mr. Ville nor everyone else has any ill effects despite drinking that much, huh? The Gourmands really are something… If that’s the case, everyone will probably wake up hungry, so… what should I make?
Carefully stepping around the still-sleeping figures, I quietly opened the fridge. Untouched ham, leftover tomatoes and cheese, and a well-chilled bottle of forgotten wine. On the kitchen counter, there are a slightly wilted baguette, onions, and potatoes. There is also some leftover bouillabaisse-style soup base…
If we had eggs, I could make eggs with ham, but alas, no such luck.
Hmm… With these ingredients, the quickest option might be bread porridge of sorts.
I can bulk up the remaining soup base with onions, potatoes, ham, and water, then serve it with large chunks of baguette toasted crisp with butter and topped with cheese.
As I roll up my sleeves to start, I notice Ms. Aria, nestled adorably against Mr. Ed in blissful slumber. This relaxed, tranquil atmosphere… I’d feel bad disturbing it with cooking noises…
“The sounds might wake them, huh…”
“Ah, no need to worry about that. It’s about time they woke up anyway.”
“Eh? But isn’t that short on sleep? Are you sure it’s okay?”
“Normally they’d wake at the slightest sense of you stirring. But they must be quite at ease to let their guard down like this around you.”
“You mean they trust me as a comrade that much? I’m honored!”
In fantasy novels and manga, adventurers are often portrayed as being quite sensitive to their surroundings, ready to jump into battle at the slightest movement. But I, with zero stealth ability, can move around freely without rousing anyone…? Is that why…?
I’m so happy though!
Alright, time to cook up a delicious breakfast! Then we can all dig in together over lively chatter!
Aiming to steadily build up that trust, I grab a cutting board and knife, ready to tackle the onions first.
The head pats 😭😭 he is so husband
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