Chapter 43

The welcoming party for Adèle proceeded smoothly from start to finish, and it was time to end.

When they left the shop, they parted ways with the branch manager and the four of them walked down the night street to return to the dormitory.

"Thank you very much today."

Adèle, walking beside me, expressed her gratitude.

"For what?"

I asked while watching Leonoora, who was swaying as she walked in front, and Erika, who was supporting her.

"For the welcoming party, but also for showing me around. I really enjoyed it."

"Is that so... Hey, Adèle, why did you transfer here?"

I had always been curious about why she came all the way from the capital.

"Yes... Perhaps we should talk about that. Sieg, would you like to have another drink? You haven't had much, have you?"

I had only had two glasses of whiskey on the rocks.

"Are we going to a bar? I didn't know that."

"No... it's not a room for inviting people. It's my first day here, after all."

"Would you like to come to my room?"

I thought it was a bit odd to invite her, but I wanted to hear the reason.

"Is that okay?"

"Yeah... but I only have whiskey."

"That's fine. Actually, my grandfather gave me some wine. Let's drink it together."

Grandfather... he's a noble, right?

It must be expensive...

"Is that okay? It's good wine, right."

"It's no fun drinking alone."

I can understand that.

I usually drink at home, but Helen is there.

"Alright... Leonoora is out of the question."

Leonoora was completely drunk and was clinging to Erika as they walked.

"Probably. Erika said she's weak too, so let's drink with the two of us and Helen."

Helen doesn't drink, though.

"Huh? What are you two doing so close? It's cheating, cheating. Erika, our husband is cheating on us!"

Leonoora was completely drunk.

She had drunk more than usual and was probably happy that Adèle had come.

"Alright, alright. Let's go home."

"You're being taken home by Erika. My wife, I love you."

"Alright, alright."

We continued walking and returned to the dormitory. Erika took Leonoora upstairs to the second floor.

"Then I'll come over later. I'll help too."

Adèle said this and went up the stairs, taking Leonoora to her room with Erika.

"Is she going to be okay?"

She must have been happy that Adèle came, but she drank a bit too much.

"Should we prepare some medicine for a hangover?"

"Yeah, let's do that."

Helen and I entered the room.

We sat at the table and started making medicine for Leonoora's hangover.

Just as we finished, the doorbell rang, so I went to the entrance and opened the door.

"Good evening."

Of course, Adèle was standing there.

"Come in, then."

"Thank you for having me."

Adèle entered the room and closed the door.

"Is Leonoora okay?"

"I made her drink some water and let her sleep. She should be fine."

"Alright... Sit down, then."

I invited Adèle to sit at the table.

"Thank you... Oh? Were you making medicine?"

Adèle sat down and looked at the pills on the table.

"Yeah. It's for a hangover. I'll give it to Leonoora tomorrow."

"I see... You're so kind."

As she said this, Adèle took out wine and glasses from a spatial magic and placed them on the table.

She opened the wine and poured it into two glasses.

"It's not that. I wouldn't have thought of it if Helen hadn't suggested it."

"Still, you're trying to change... Here you go."

Adèle placed one glass in front of me.

"Thanks. Is there anything before we toast?"

"Thank you for inviting me."

"Alright... Cheers."

"Cheers."

We clinked our glasses and took a sip of wine.

You said you're trying to change? Yeah, I guess I need to change.

"Why do you think that? Is it because of August?"

"Well, that's part of it. But more importantly, it's because I didn't remember you. That's just not right."

I had worked in the same place for three years and didn't remember her.

I was that uninterested in others.

"I see..."

"Hey, Adèle. Why did you come to see me off?"

"Because I was frustrated. We graduated from the same school, but there was such a big difference in our abilities... And you didn't even notice me."

It was a matter of pride.

"I'm sorry. I really think everyone else is incompetent."

"If you have that much ability, you might think that. But try to hide it a bit."

That's true.

"Yeah, I've been doing that lately."

"That's good. Still, it's surprising that you took on apprentices with that attitude."

"I have to rebuild the branch. It's important to increase the number of new people, but the growth of the current members is also essential. Besides, 10th-rank members are as inexperienced as newbies, so there's no difference in teaching them."

It wouldn't change even if they weren't apprentices.

"How about the two of them?"

"They're not bad. They lack experience because there's no work, but they have a good sense. Most importantly, they have good personalities. Erika only sees the good in people, and Leonoora is incredibly bright. I don't have those qualities. It's very helpful, and they even ignore my wrong statements."

"That's true. Leonoora is bright, and I felt that Erika has a very good personality."

Leonoora is an old friend I've known since childhood, but what about Erika, whom I met for the first time today?

"What about them?"

"At the welcoming party, she asked me about Sieg's past. She did that to avoid making Sieg more self-conscious."

I see... I thought Erika was stepping on a landmine, but she judged it wasn't a landmine and tried to clear the air by bringing it up.

That's a very advanced technique... I could never do that in a lifetime.

"I'm not that self-conscious."

"Then look me in the eye. You've been confident all the time, but today your gaze has been wandering all day."

I really feel like a middle school student in puberty.

"Aren't you angry? Do you have any resentment?"

"No, I'm not angry, and I don't have any resentment. We're drinking together, aren't we?"

"Alright..."

"If you're that concerned, how about taking me out for dinner next time?"

Dinner...

"Do you want to eat?"

"You're the one who invited me, aren't you?"

...Oh, it's just a social formality in the letter.

"Helen, Helen"

I shook Helen, who was curled up at the table.

"What is it?"

"Should we go?"

"Tell me a reason not to go."

"I only know the bar from earlier."

We usually go to Erika's house.

"Sieg, you're very smart. What do you do when you encounter something you don't know or understand during work?"

"Look it up."

"That's the answer."

I see...

I just need to look it up.

I can ask Erika or the branch manager.

"Adèle, give me a moment. I can't take you to a regular pub."

You're a noble, after all.

"No, it's fine. Anywhere is okay... By the way, are you really going to have a meeting with a cat..."

Leonoora must have said that...

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