Chapter 45

The day after Adele's welcome party, when I arrived at the branch office, the three girls were already there.

However, Erika was talking on the phone, which the branch chief had installed during the previous weekend.

"Wow... really? Thank you."

Seeing the polite girl speaking informally, it must be Lutz, right?

"Hey, good morning."

Leaving Erika on the phone, I greeted Adele and Leonora.

By the way, Leonora wasn't wearing her usual large triangular hat.

"Good morning."

"Good morning, Sieg..."

Adele, who had been drinking quite a bit, seemed normal, but Leonora looked pale.

"Leonora, are you okay?"

"My head hurts so much..."

So that's why she's not wearing her hat?

"Here, take this hangover medicine."

I went to Leonora and handed her a pill.

"What? You bought it specially for me?"

"I made it myself. It works better than over-the-counter stuff."

"Thanks... Having a kind husband is a real treasure..."

Leonora sighed deeply as she took the medicine.

"Still, you're a bit of a tyrant, aren't you?"

"Sieg, you really hold grudges, don't you?"

"I don't hold grudges. But you're not that strong, so you should be more careful."

"I know. The wine at that place was a bit strong. It's a real lady-killer."

Seriously, she really likes that pickup book...

"Indeed, the wine was a bit strong. But wasn't it to enhance the meal?"

It seems Adele also found it strong.

"Hmm... Well, in moderation."

"Hey, Sieg! Got a minute?"

Hearing a voice, I looked towards the stairs and saw the branch chief.

"Is something wrong?"

I walked over and approached the branch chief.

"As I said yesterday, I'm going on a business trip. I'm leaving the branch in your hands."

Oh, right, he mentioned that.

"Where are you going?"

"To the capital for about two weeks. I have to meet various people."

The branch chief has a proper job, too.

"While you're there, could you ask the head office to send us some more people?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself? He's your master, right?"

"I already did."

"Well, I'll see the head office chief, so I'll mention it... Oh, do you have any messages for him?"

Messages?

"No, I don't."

"Alright... That's like you. Well, I'm off."

"Wait, branch chief, can I ask you something?"

He started to walk down the stairs.

"Hmm? What is it?"

The branch chief followed me down to the empty, lonely entrance on the first floor.

"Are you familiar with the restaurants in this town?"

"Well, somewhat. I don't drink much, but I do go out alone sometimes, and there are business dinners."

I thought so.

Since he's a branch chief, he probably knows such places.

"Can you recommend a nice place?"

"What do you mean by 'nice'?"

Hmm? What do I mean?

"Actually, I have a dinner date with Adele. I only know the place we went to yesterday."

"The place we went to yesterday is fine. It's cheap and delicious."

"Adele is a noble lady, though."

"Oh, I see... Wait, aren't you two not dating?"

"Why would you think we're dating?"

"Why did you bring it up?"

"We're not dating."

"I see... So you're not dating... Hmm, I don't know many such places myself."

What kind of places?

"You know more than I do, right?"

"Well, the best is probably the Side Hotel."

Huh? The hotel I stayed at on my first day.

The one where Adele gave me a discount voucher.

"It's a hotel, isn't it? Were you listening?"

"No, they have a restaurant on the top floor that's open to non-guests. On nice days, you can go to the rooftop, and it's quite popular."

Oh, right, the hotel staff mentioned the rooftop restaurant.

"Is it expensive?"

"Well, it's somewhat pricey."

Would I go that far for Adele?

No, I did make the reservation, and even if it's just a formality, I did invite her.

Considering the discount voucher, I should probably spend that much...

"What about reservations?"

"Call them. It's better to book early, especially the day before a holiday."

"I'm not booking a room."

We're not that far apart, and I can just go home normally.

"Alright... Well, good luck."

"Huh? I'll do my best."

What for?

Money? Is it that expensive?

"Well, I'm off. I'm leaving the branch to you, but contact me if anything happens. The number for my house in the capital is with Erika."

His house in the capital?

Is he from the capital...

"Understood. Take care."

"Sure. I'll bring back some souvenirs."

"Thanks."

"Alright, I'm counting on you."

With that, the branch chief left, and I returned to the second floor.

Erika had already finished her call and was at her desk.

"Ah, good morning, Sieg."

I sat down, and Erika greeted me with her usual smile.

"Good morning."

"Did the branch chief leave?"

"Yeah, he's going to be away for two weeks. What was the call about?"

"Oh, that. It was from Lutz, but before that, it was from the town hall's Ruprecht."

So it was Lutz.

And Ruprecht...

"A request?"

"Yes. He wants us to come to the town hall for a request."

They came at the same time...

Well, I'll take it as a result of my sales efforts.

"Leonora, how's your head?"

"I get your intention, but it sounds like an insult."

It does sound like one...

"I'm just being considerate, as a kind master."

"Thank you... I'm glad to have such a good master. The medicine worked, and my headache is gone, and I feel less fatigued."

My medicine is really effective.

"Can you go to the town hall and check the request? And take Adele with you."

"Got it. What about the military?"

"I'll go with Erika."

It's better to take my cousin.

"Alright. Adele, let's go."

"Sure."

Leonora and Adele stood up.

"Let's go, too."

"Sure."

Erika and I also stood up, went downstairs, and left the branch office.

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