Chapter Eighty-five: First, let’s Take a Break! Let’s Eat! We Can Talk Afterwards!
A heavy silence falls over the room, sending a chill down my spine. It is so quiet you can almost hear people swallowing. Mr. Ed and Ms. Aria tightly hold hands, while Mr. Xenon has his hand on his chin, deep in thought. As I unknowingly clench my sweaty palms, something suddenly touches my tense arm. I look down to see Gomamiso, who was supposed to be on my lap, now standing up with its front paws on my arm. With its front paws neatly together and its eyes sparkling, Gomamiso looks almost too cute—or rather, too calculated in its cuteness.
‘Hey, I’m hungry!’
“What?! That’s what you have to say in this tense atmosphere?! Miso, can’t you read the air a little?”
‘Air is for inhaling and exhaling!’
“So witty!”
Of all things, it is demanding food. Truly the epitome of doing things at one’s own pace. I lightly poke Gomamiso’s head with my finger, but the cat just puffs out its chest proudly while making excuses. This furball really is going its own way!
However, Gomamiso’s inability to read the room is enough to break the frozen atmosphere. Mr. Tori, who has seemed thoroughly beaten down, slowly raises his face. His palm smoothes over his head, which is damp with either cold sweat or nervous sweat.
“…This situation indeed requires urgent investigation… but first, you Gourmands need to rest.”
“Tori…”
“All we’ve heard is that ‘the Saint’ party has departed.’ There’s no word of any immediate crisis. You have time to rest and prepare for the journey.”
His gaze, still somewhat tense but gentle, was on us.
As a Guildmaster, he must want a quick solution or plan of action, but he’s considerate of our physical and mental state. Some might see this as leniency, others as humanity, but to me, it is a very welcome offer. After such an adventure, to embark on a long journey without a chance to catch my breath… would be a bit tough for a novice adventurer like me. If Mr. Tori hadn’t suggested it, I had decided to at least propose some shopping time. That’s how intense our adventure had been.
Then, Mr. Ville’s expression, which had been tense, softened at Mr. Tori’s words and gaze.
“You’re right. Let’s do that.”
“You can get this time’s reward from Sheila. The calculations should be done soon. I still have to wrestle with paperwork for a while.”
“This is a good opportunity for you. Why don’t you try to get used to paperwork a bit?”
“That’s a terrifying idea! No matter how much I do it, I never get used to paperwork!”
Mr. Ville, seeming to relax, leaned back on the sofa and raised the corner of his lips in a teasing manner. Mr. Tori shrugged in response, his face showing nothing but a wry smile. He really doesn’t like paperwork, huh… He must have imagined the paperwork he still had to deal with. Mr. Ville, watching Mr. Tori slump his shoulders again, chuckled.
The exchange between the Guildmaster and the party leader, now back to their usual selves, seemed to ease the tension among the other members as well. A smile returned to Ms. Aria’s tightly pressed lips, Mr. Ed exhaled in relief, and even Mr. Xenon’s intense gaze seemed to soften a bit.
“Well then, we’ll come back to discuss future plans another day. For today, we’ll eat some of our cook’s food and take it easy.”
“That’s right. We can’t think straight on empty stomachs. Let’s eat properly and then consider the details.”
“Agreed! Both Aria and I are starving!”
“First, let’s eat!”
As Mr. Ville stood up from the sofa, everyone else followed suit, chattering about food.
Ah, I see. They’re craving some nourishment. It’s time for the cook to shine.
Fortunately, I prepared a meal set during our last break, so if I can manifest the Camping Car, we should be able to eat right away!
“Let’s use the courtyard for our meal, like when we packed the luggage last time! Mr. Tori, is it okay if we use the courtyard?”
“The courtyard? Ah, right, your skill has restrictions. There might be other adventurers around, but feel free to use it.”
“Thank you! It’s a skill I can only use outdoors, so that’s a big help.”
“Rin, Rin! What’s for dinner today?”
“I prepared some roasted ‘pork’ fillet, so we’ll have it in rice bowls. If I reduce the broth a bit and pour it over the rice, it should be delicious!”
It’s important to get permission from the Guildmaster, who’s probably also the facility manager, to use the space. Other adventurers seem to be using it for skill practice too, so it might be open for anyone to use, but I think it’s important to get proper permission. Ms. Aria, who had somehow appeared beside me, was peering into my face with eyes full of expectation. When I told her the menu, her sparkling eyes narrowed in delight.
A beautiful woman’s smile—truly priceless.
Behind me, her husband is exaggeratedly grinding his teeth, but I guess this is what you call a staged act. At the same time, I feel an impact on my shin. It is Gomamiso rubbing its forehead against me. As if saying "Don’t forget about me," it opens its bright red mouth and meows insistently.
‘What about me? What about my food?’
“I’ll give you something too, Gomamiso. Stop headbutting me!”
Hmm… We still have some cockatrice meat, but I want to try it myself… If I remember correctly, among the mountain of loot that Ms. Aria and Mr. Ed brought back from the dungeon, there were some small cave bass… We ate the big ones, but there should be a few left that are just the right size for grilling whole with salt…! I removed the gills and innards on the day I got them, but I wonder if it’s okay to give them whole?
“Hey, Miso. Can you eat a whole fish?”
“I’m a carnivore! I can gobble up small fry easily!”
“I see. Then, Gomamiso, you’ll have cave bass, alright?”
I’ve heard that "cats don’t do well eating fish," so I asked the cat itself, but well… it doesn’t seem like there’s anything to worry about.
Gomamiso jumps onto my shoulder, purring and rubbing its head against my cheek.
“Well then, shall we eat?”
With Mr. Tori waving papers at us instead of his hand to see us off, we left the office that was almost buried in documents and files.
Feeling the eager gazes of the group ready to eat, I ran through careful mental simulations to minimize any waste.
Alright. From here on, it’s a race against time!
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