Chiba’s using his cheat skills and living a different lifestyle than most, so he’s probably still that high-schooler from Tokyo.
“...I think I understand what you mean. Even when I tell him what I want, I feel he misunderstands a lot,” said Kiyori.
These guys probably aren’t going to last very long as a couple.
“Wasn’t the whole reason you started talking to Chiba that you wanted to go adventuring in the forest? Why haven’t you gone yet? Shouldn’t you bring that up ASAP?”
“Well...I asked him, but he says he only does hunting where he doesn’t take any damage. He says there’s no work for a healer to do, so I’m still serving at the hospital.”
That sounds like something Chiba would say.
Since he gains experience points at 16x the normal rate, he can level up even on weak monsters.
So there’s no point in going purposely into danger. He doesn’t want to get hurt. And even more than that, he doesn’t want anyone finding out about his cheat skills, so he probably doesn’t want her to see him racking up the XP like it’s nothing. How can he say shit like, I’m gonna be the strongest when he’s like that?
“So there’s no reason for you to be going out with him, then, right?”
Kiyori said she reached out to him because she wanted to challenge herself.
Even if she was a fan of his, her discontent is only going to grow.
“Honestly, part of me is disappointed. But I don’t know very much about men, and it’s true that his strength attracts me, so I’d like to do what I can to keep this connection.”
“Hmm. Well, he’s your first one, right? You might feel like he’s important, but that doesn’t mean you have to be stuck with him.”
“Y-You’re pretty candid, Miss Haru. M-My first... It’s true that I’ve never gone out with a man before, but how did you know...?”
“Chiba told me, of course. He’s the type of blabs about stuff like that to other girls. You might want to be careful.”
Kiyori turned so red I felt bad for her.
Maybe I said too much.
But I felt like she’d been seeing him without really understanding the type of guy he was, so of course I would want to say something.
“Frankly, he probably makes all kinds of obnoxious sexual demands, too, right? That’s what you’re here to talk to me about, isn’t it?”
Apparently I hit the bull’s-eye. She clenched her frankfurter and hung her head.
Man, I feel bad for her. I didn’t really get the church or the Sister thing, but it seemed like she’d been pretty sheltered from all of this.
“Mr. Chiba seems dissatisfied with me. He’s always saying, ‘This is how Haru did it.’”
Ugh, he’s the worst.
He has no idea how much a thing like that can grind down a girl’s self-esteem. Even if he’s just unaware, it’s too cruel.
Well, I guess I should lecture him, as someone he knows from the other world.
But Kiyori’s too insecure, too.
I thought she had started chatting with Chiba because she knew how cute she was, but apparently for her it was really an act of courage. She’s lived in such a small world.
I guess she just has to consider her first guy bad luck and work on upping her pride and her skill at picking guys. Yeah. This kind of thing comes down to feelings and experience.
“I know I’m probably being a nuisance, Miss Haru, but my feelings for Mr. Chiba haven’t changed, and I want to do the work to improve myself as much as I can. I’ll figure out a way to thank you, s-so could you please teach me?”
“You don’t have to worry about thanking me. This is one of those times where it’s inconvenient to not have the net.”
“A net...?
“Never mind. Ready? I’m going to start, so watch and copy me.”
I figured something like this would happen, hence the wieners.
＊
When I went downstairs after sex with Sumo for the first time in a while, the pub was hopping.
I figured it must be the soldiers, and it was Mr. Bisque’s squad with a man I didn’t recognize.
“Haru, over here.”
Fluffy Hair from the other day waved 20 rubers.
“Coming!” I said, grabbing their drinks. When I got to the table, the man was glaring at me with a crabby face.
“Is this place all country bumpkin girls or what? Do you guys really have fun drinking in this dump?”
The other soldiers put on placating smiles.
This guy had a mustache that screamed “military man,” and there were weird medals pinned to his chest.
Oh, is this the guy they were talking about last time? The hectosquad commander from the capital?
Well excuse me for being such a bumpkin. I dunno what counts as hip in this world. And anyhow, I’m sure in your world even the capital is stuck in the ancient times with horses in the streets. Go step in some shit, asshole.
“My, you’re quite the dandy, sir. Are you newly stationed here?”
Even though I was thinking about horseshit, I could still put on a smile. Don’t underestimate my sales talk.
The hectosquad commander just hmph’d at me and stroked his mustache. Mr. Bisque explained in his place, “This is Commander Buffness. He’s just been assigned to our hectosquad.”
“Well, I guess you can’t be picky about where you drink out in the sticks. Hey, you. I’ll pay. Give this man his money back.”
He took the 20 rubers Fluffy Hair gave me and put 500 on the table.
“If there are other girls you want, call them over. Drink your fill.”
Then he furnished his men with women. The soldiers got so happy it was smarmy, and they named the girls they wanted.
The Buffness guy’s face had an oddly huge cross-shaped scar on it. His eyes were so dark you couldn’t tell what he was looking at.
“Lady. You don’t need to flatter me. If you have time to do that, make my men happy.”
Mr. Bisque sitting next to him nodded and said, “Our hectosquad commander is so nice.” His smile seemed fine at first, but then I noticed that it actually looked fake, like a sticker he’d plastered on.
“And don’t talk back in bed. Let them do whatever they want.”
This guy scared me.
He was the kind who just used people up. He’d grind them down and make them his property.
“Of course!”
But I still smiled. I’m a pro, so I smiled.
The hectosquad commander twisted his mouth into a sneer. I’ve never seen such a sinister smile in my whole life.