Chapter 42

With nothing else to do, I was reading a book while chatting when Adèle arrived 5 minutes before the end of the workday.

"Hey. Have you finished unpacking?"

"Yes, not yet, but I’ve done the minimum. But, Sieg, what are you reading during work hours?"

Adèle looked at the book with a bewildered expression.

"I thought it might be helpful for getting along with people, but it’s not very useful."

"Actually, it’s quite fun. Adèle, you should read it too."

When Leonora said this, she handed the pickup book to Adèle.

Adèle then flipped through the book quickly.

"Hmm... Sieg, are you pretending to ask for directions to invite someone to dinner?"

It’s a pickup book...

"Do you think I’d do something so unproductive?"

"Productivity? No... I guess not. But, by the way, you did invite me to dinner, didn’t you?"

"Well, we had to have a welcome party, didn’t we?"

"No, I mean... Also, you didn’t even come to the headquarters’ welcome party, did you?"

We were in the same department...

"I don’t like noisy places. But this branch is quiet, so it’s fine."

If there’s no power harassment or forced one-liners, it’s just drinking and eating at a restaurant.

"...You didn’t like the welcome party I organized, did you?"

"...The first one too."

Leonora and Erika whispered to each other.

"Hey, it’s time to go."

The branch manager called from the stairs, and I looked at the clock to see that it was already past the end of the workday.

"Let’s go."

When I put the book back on the shelf, Erika and Leonora started cleaning up.

Once everything was ready, we all left the branch and went to the same bar we had used before.

"Adèle, what would you like to drink?"

The branch manager asked the guest of honor.

"What will everyone else have?"

"Well, I’m abstaining from alcohol, so I’ll have tea."

The branch manager is really abstaining.

He looks like a heavy drinker, though.

"I’m not good with alcohol, so I’ll have juice."

Erika’s cheeks turned red from just a little low-alcohol wine at the last after-work party.

"I’ll have wine."

Leonora isn’t that strong either, but she seems to like wine.

"What about you, Sieg?"

"I’ll have a whiskey on the rocks."

"Going straight for the strong stuff, huh?"

"I like sipping strong drinks. Adèle, don’t worry and order what you like. It’s on the branch manager... right?"

Eh? It’s not supposed to be split, right?

"Yeah, I’ll pay, so don’t worry. It’s not a fancy place, though."

"Okay... then I’ll have wine too."

Adèle is having wine too.

"...Do nobles like wine?"

I asked Erika in a low voice.

"...That’s the image I have. I don’t think Adèle would drink ale."

So Erika thinks so too.

We decided what to order and placed our orders for drinks and food.

When the drinks arrived, I reached for the whiskey.

"Sieg, wait a moment."

"I know, I know."

Adèle is going to make a toast, right?

"Adèle, keep it short."

I want to drink already.

"Got it. We’ve already introduced ourselves, but I’m Adèle, and I’ve been transferred here at Sieg’s invitation. I’m new to alchemy, so I might be a bother, but please take care of me."

"Sure, welcome. Cheers."

We raised our glasses.

"Cheers"

"Cheers"

We toasted, took a sip of our drinks, and started eating.

"Adèle, you were in the capital, right? Is the capital really that big?"

Erika, with her A-level personality, started a conversation with Adèle.

"Yes, it is. It’s big and there are a lot of people. I’m not from the capital, so I was surprised when I first went there."

"Wow, that’s amazing! By the way, Adèle, you’re the same age as Sieg and Leonora, right?"

"Yes, I’m 22."

"You don’t have to use formal language. I’m younger."

Erika is 20, so she’s younger than us.

She’s perfect at housework and the most reliable, but...

"Okay... I’ll speak normally."

Eh? What about me?

Well, it doesn’t matter.

"Sure! You and Sieg are friends, right?"

Hey...

"Yes, good friends."

Yeah...

"Me? Me?"

Leonora, my true friend, asserted herself.

"Sure, sure... a wonderful friend."

Adèle, having known Leonora for a long time, is used to dealing with her.

"You went to the same school as Sieg, right? What was he like?"

Hey, Erika.

Don’t step on a landmine with that smile.

"Sieg was excellent. He always had the top grades."

"Sieg, you’re amazing!"

"Of course, my teacher is the best."

Obviously.

Don’t lump me in with those idiots.

"Sure."

I’ve really grown.

In the past, I would have said what I was thinking, and Adèle would have frowned.

After all, Adèle is also from the same school.

"Also, there was a rumor that his familiar cat was cute."

Helen, probably.

"Indeed, it is."

"It’s smart too."

Erika and Leonora nodded in agreement.

"You were popular, weren’t you?"

I pet Helen.

"Meow."

Helen deliberately rubbed against my hand.

"Ah, you’re being so clingy. Here, have this pork."

"That’s beef, isn’t it?"

Huh?

Thank you for reading.

If you found this work interesting or are curious about the next part, please bookmark it or rate it with ★★★★★. It would be a great encouragement for me.

Thank you!