Chapter 99

Chapter 1

Even if we call it a date, we're in a small town called Bezato, where there's nothing much to do.

There are no movie theaters, karaoke places, or game centers.

In this world, even the capital city probably doesn't have any of those, and there's nowhere that feels like a proper place for a couple to go.

So, in the end, we just end up wandering around the usual main street.

However, even so, the atmosphere of the town seems to change when you say it's a date.

I'm sure it's the same for Ferrin.

We've walked around the town together many times to eat, but today we're both a bit nervous, which makes me feel quite inexperienced.

(If only Ferrin looked a bit more ordinary...)

I know it's a luxury to think that way.

At 32, I've had dating experience, but the girl next to me is so extraordinary that my social anxiety is exploding, and I can't keep the conversation going.

"Um, do you want something to drink?"

"Y-Yeah!"

"Is there anything you want to drink?"

"Hmm... A-alcohol?"

"Eh? At this time!?"

"Ahh, just kidding! Just kidding! It was a joke!"

I reflexively thought, "Alcohol during the day?" but then I realized that's just my Earthly common sense.

In this world, hunters sometimes drink alcohol in the morning, and there are people who drink during the day on Earth too...

Besides, when I mentioned drinking, Ferrin reacted strongly to alcohol.

(Hmm, maybe it's okay? It might help ease the tension.)

I looked around and spotted the uncle who runs the food stall I've bought from a few times. I decided to ask him about alcohol.

"Uncle! Is there any place around here that serves alcohol at a food stall?"

"Hey, kid. So you've started drinking, huh?"

"I had my first drink the other day..."

"Most places that serve food have alcohol, but—"

He glanced at Ferrin, who was behind me.

"Hmm. Go a bit north from here, turn right at the clothing store. You'll see a square ahead, and there's a pretty good place across from it."

"Thanks a lot!"

I couldn't tell what kind of place it was from his description, but the uncle's expression made me feel like he understood something, and I felt a strange sense of trust.

It was as if I could hear a voice saying, "Kid, do your best!"

If that's the case, I might as well go check it out.

I bought two skewers as a thank you and walked with Ferrin, eating as we went. Sure enough, a square came into view.

"And there—"

"Wow! An open terrace!!"

A quaint building stood there, with a few tables and chairs set up on the street under a roof, allowing for outdoor dining.

I'm used to this in the modern world, but in Bezato, you either go into a building or eat at a food stall, so I was quite impressed by this nice little place.

Here, we can drink at our own pace while enjoying the square, and if we get hungry, we can have a meal too.

Thanks a lot, Uncle!

"I've never seen a place like this before!"

"Me neither. It looks like we can relax here! And it's pretty empty at this time!"

Two well-dressed ladies were enjoying tea at the open terrace, so it didn't seem like the place was closed.

We went inside and asked for a table on the open terrace. When we sat down, we were given a wooden menu with items written on both sides.

"Have you ever had alcohol, Ferrin?"

"No, no! I've always known that people drink a lot, so I wanted to try it once!"

"I see. Then you might want to try a few different kinds. How about starting with something light? I'm not a big fan of ale, so I'll skip that."

While talking, we decided to start with fruit wine. It's like a beginner's drink, so it should be fine for a first-timer.

It comes out quickly, unlike food, so I explained the Japanese custom and said "cheers" while clinking glasses with Ferrin.

As I watched Ferrin take a sip with a curious look, she said—

"This is delicious!"

I felt relieved as she said that, and when I took a sip, it was just as I expected.

It was quite easy to drink, and for someone who got knocked out by wine last time, it was just right.

But... what was disappointing was that it wasn't chilled.

While I don't mind drinking wine at room temperature, I'd prefer it to be cold, especially for something you want to drink in one go.

Especially on a hot, sunny day like this.

"Didn't you like it, Loki?"

Ferrin must have been watching me as I took a sip and thought about it. She looked a bit worried, so I quickly clarified.

"No, it's even easier to drink than wine. On Earth, drinks like this are always chilled, even the glasses."

"Really? You chill the glasses too!?"

"Of course, it makes them even colder and more refreshing, especially on a hot day like this."

"I see... That does sound better!"

"In this world, chilling things probably relies on magic items or magic, so it's not easy to do."

"Hmm... Then, wait a moment!"

She ran off somewhere, and I watched her go, wondering—

"Could she—"

"Hehehe, I brought it! [Ice Magic]!"

"Wow!"

Sure enough, she's a goddess.

She's so capable that I almost want to say I love her.

Ferrin immediately covered the glasses with both hands, tilted her head slightly, and whispered, "Glass, be cold. Drink, be cold," in a cute voice.

Click... Click...

The glasses started to turn a bit white, making a slightly eerie sound. It was clear from the outside that they were getting cold.

"Don't freeze them completely, just chill them, okay?"

"Then, this should be enough, right?"

She stopped and brought the glass to me.

"How's this? Loki, I'd love to hear your thoughts!"

Since she asked, I had to be the guinea pig.

This is Ferrin's glass, but I can't say something as immature as that.

With a pounding heart, I grabbed the glass and felt the pleasant coldness in my hand.

When I took a sip of the fruit wine—

"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm