Chapter 23

Yuki is a big fan of sewing.

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"Frau-san, I'm done!"

Yuri's carefree voice echoed through the hideout, and Frau, who was relaxing in the living room, hurried over to Yuri's side at the sound of those words. The usually stern and brave Frau now looked somewhat apologetic, and even a bit dejected.

Without any concern for Frau's state, Yuri handed over what he was holding.

"How does this look?"

"...Thank you. You've done such a beautiful job that the seams are almost invisible."

"If this is good enough, please let me know anytime."

"I'm really sorry. It's not that I can't do it myself..."

Frau took the well-worn vest from Yuri. She was looking at the pocket area, which had been made to hold small items but had broken. This was the story of how Yuri had repaired it. Frau, being a seasoned adventurer, was not completely incapable of mending clothes. However, this vest, which she had used for a long time, had visible wear and tear in many places. Given that Frau was not particularly skilled at sewing, it was difficult for her to repair it. The most noticeable damage was the torn pocket, but other parts were also frayed. Yuri had carefully mended all of it.

"Still, your skills are truly remarkable."

"Is that so? I just enjoy this kind of thing."

Yuri smiled, saying, "Liking something makes you good at it." Not understanding the meaning, Frau tilted her head, and Yuri laughed, explaining, "You get better because you like it." His gentle smile brought a sense of relief to those who saw it. ...In the modern Japan he once lived in, Yuri's feminine hobbies were often called "creepy," but in this different world, they were highly valued. In fact, he was welcomed with open arms by everyone.

However, this might be because of the clan, "Crimson Lynx." The members are only those recognized by the leader, Ali. At that point, twisted individuals are not welcome. Even if someone is a bit twisted, they are corrected during daily training. Therefore, the members who welcomed Yuri were good-natured companions. Moreover, everyone was now under Yuri's spell, thanks to his cooking. When they go on missions far away, the only thing they lament is not being able to eat Yuri's meals. It's quite straightforward.

With Frau's costume repairs complete, Yuri picked up the clothes he had set aside for mending from the laundry. It was decided that each member would basically take care of their own room cleaning and laundry, but doing all the laundry was quite a challenge. So, while they would wash and hang their clothes before leaving, they would ask the remaining members, including Yuri, to take them down. Therefore, when taking down the laundry, Yuri would set aside the clothes that needed mending and work on them in his free time. When the members found out, they all looked apologetic, but when Yuri said he had nothing else to do and was just passing time, they couldn't strongly object. After all, everyone had seen Yuri look dejected when Ali took the clothes to mend herself, and even Ali, after a moment of hesitation, returned the clothes to Yuri. He looked like a puppy.

...In the end, everyone was quite indulgent with Yuri.

Yuki skillfully mended the frayed hem of a shirt, stitch by stitch. Using his magical sewing thread, it wouldn't fray again. If the shirt itself were to tear, that would be a different matter, but the thread wouldn't fray. ...After all, this sewing thread is a magical item, and once sewn, it can never be cut. ...That means, even if you try to adjust it with ordinary scissors, it won't work. However, in such a case, you can use Yuri's special thread-cutting scissors.

"Letting you do all the work makes me feel uncomfortable. I can mend minor frays. Can I help?"

"Huh? But, Frau-san, don't you have work to do?"

"I'm staying home today. I have nothing to do. ...Or would it be a bother for me to help?"

"No, not at all. Here, take this needle and thread."

"Sure," Yuri handed her a needle threaded with thread. Frau carefully accepted it. This item came from Yuri's sewing set, which means it's a magical item. The instructors, including Frau, knew this. ...Knowing this, Frau's head ached a bit. She thought, "Don't just lend magical items to anyone." However, since it was Yuri, she knew it was pointless to say such things, so she started sewing next to him. Although she didn't have the skill, she was a top-notch adventurer and could handle basic tasks.

Still, Yuri's skills were far from ordinary. While Frau mended one piece, Yuri could easily mend three. Moreover, his stitches were so fine that they were almost invisible. Sometimes, perhaps feeling playful, he would not only mend the frayed areas but also add patterns with embroidery thread. He did this only for the women's clothing, considering that men might get angry or dislike it. ...However, he often added embroidery to his own shirt sleeves.

Yuri's current attire was standard town clothing provided by Ali. His school uniform was imbued with a terrifying divine blessing. The design was already eye-catching, and if someone accidentally appraised it, it would be a disaster. Therefore, his school uniform was stored in his magical school bag. So, Yuri would occasionally customize the provided shirts to his liking.

For example, he would add embroidery to the buttonholes as a focal point, or add small embroidery to the collar edges, or add embroidery to less noticeable areas like the hem and sleeves. He seemed to enjoy customizing them, and since he was having fun, everyone let him be. After all, no one was inconvenienced by it.

"Still, isn't it boring for you, Yuri, to do all these chores?"

"Huh?"

After mending some clothes, Frau suddenly spoke. Yuri, who had been working diligently, or rather, happily humming a tune, looked at Frau curiously. His entire body seemed to ask, "What's the matter?" For him, sewing was a beloved hobby. Even if it was mending, it was a fun hobby.

Usually, household chores are considered chores. Housewives can be said to be fighting a daily battle. Cooking, cleaning, and laundry, as well as mending clothes, are all chores. People do them reluctantly because they have to, even though they find them troublesome.

However, Yuri was different. For him, it was a hobby. A beloved task. It was as enjoyable as playing. Just like how ordinary people enjoy reading or exercising, he found household chores incredibly enjoyable. ...In a way, if you change your perspective, he was an endlessly convenient person.

"I love doing this. In fact, I'm happy to be a houseguest and do what I love."

"...I see."

"Yes, that's right."

Frau smiled wryly at Yuri's cheerful smile. She started to say something about him, but then stopped. What is right and what is normal can vary from person to person. For Frau, it was a chore, but for Yuri, it was a joy. If that's the case, it's fine, she decided.

"By the way, who will be here for tea time today?"

"The apprentices won't be back yet, so it will probably just be Tiphana and me. Ali might come back, too."

"I see. Got it."

With that, Yuri returned to mending the clothes.

Tea time was a new schedule that started after Yuri joined "Crimson Lynx." It wasn't every day, but on days with some free time, around 3 PM, a time was set aside for tea and snacks. When asked if such a thing was necessary, Yuri smiled and said, "I love making snacks, too." Plus, the snacks were delicious.

Not every day, but those who were around during tea time all savored the snacks Yuri prepared. Frau smiled, wondering what kind of snack he would bring today. Despite her stern demeanor, Frau was a woman and loved sweets.

However, she felt a bit sorry for Brook, who was out on a job today. Brook, known as a cool swordsman, was actually a big fan of sweets. He also enjoyed alcohol, but he preferred fruit wines, which were more feminine. Knowing it didn't suit him, he only drank such things during family gatherings.

So, Frau felt a bit sorry that Brook would miss out on Yuri's snacks. ...However, she didn't know that Brook was already satisfied with the jam sandwiches in the lunch box Yuri had made for him.

Thus, in the afternoon, time passed leisurely in the hideout.

For others, these might be chores, but for Yuri, they were hobbies...

He basically enjoys a leisurely and carefree life in this different world.

...Isn't he enjoying it a bit too much?

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