5. Signora (3)
When I opened my eyes, it was already broad daylight. I felt like I passed out for a moment and woke up with a heavy hangover. My throat burned. As is my habit, I took out a canteen from my ‘backpack’ and drank cold water.
I raised my upper body with a half-fuzzy mind, and only then did my vision gradually become clearer. As always, it was my room. Judging by the clear memory of last night, it appears that he was not drunk.
I searched through my memories of last night. Yes, I came in at dawn yesterday. So, I guess I just woke up now, and then my thoughts went all the way to what happened right after I got back to my dorm last night. Fissle, I remembered the girl’s name.
It was early morning when the drinking party ended. The drinking party, which started late at night, ended when the knights, exhausted from the fatigue of battle, began to fall asleep one by one. Of course, as soon as I returned from Liyue, I was also exhausted as I was working as a supply officer without a place in Bajia.
So I decided not to bother bragging about my drinking capacity. It seemed like some of the Templars were planning to stay up all night drinking, but I didn’t want to drink that much. So when I came to my senses and arrived at the hotel, I felt puzzled.
The lights were still on in the dorm. It’s early in the morning and Piseul is already asleep, so why is the light on?
The question was resolved as soon as I opened the door to the dorm. In the dining room that served as the lodging’s hall, a girl was asleep with her face buried in her table.
You could tell just by looking at the golden hair. Fissle, that’s when I thought, Oops.
I went out after making dinner plans with Fissle. Of course, in the meantime, he was caught up in an attack by the Chuchu tribe, but that fact did not change. So, if you think about it, I was going home at dawn, arbitrarily breaking my promise.
I had a similar situation. First of all, Fissle was a senior adventurer and an agent with outstanding combat skills. He had naturally assumed that he had been called up for battle or had jumped into battle himself. If not, he figured, at least now that the battle was going on, he would have taken refuge somewhere. Since the market alley is close to the main gate, I thought I would have gone towards the square like most Mond citizens did.
But Fissle chose neither. He just waited all night for me. A tablecloth was covered over the table where Fissle was lying on his stomach, sleeping soundly.
Below there was a dish prepared by Fissle. Thinking like that, I suddenly felt frustrated, as if my chest was filled with water. I felt guilty.
I took my promise to Fissle too lightly. I should have at least left a message, but since the situation was so sudden, I couldn’t think about it that far. Come to think of it, I would also feel worried if the person I had a dinner date with didn’t return until late at night. Even more so if it was the day of a large-scale attack by the Chuchu tribe.
I carefully approached Fissle’s side. Fisl was sleeping soundly with his arms resting on his back. The colorful sounds were quiet. While she was wondering what to do, I gently stroked the side of her head.
Her glossy hair slipped through the cracks of her fingers. The skin of her lightly brushed piseul was extremely soft. Still, she showed no sign of waking up.
I was silent for a moment. Then, in the end, I whispered in a low voice.
“…… Fissle, are you sleeping?”
It was then. Fissle let out a soft gasp of her own, as if my calling her voice was some kind of magic spell. Then, the pupils began to flutter, and soon a hazy emerald-colored eye was revealed.
Piseul and I met our eyes. And for a moment of silence, Fisl was just staring at me. She seemed to be half asleep yet.
Fiseul’s face relaxed. A sweet laugh that would never normally escape came from her lips.
“hehehe, Siwoo.”
Fissle grabbed my hand, which was stroking the side of her head, with both of her hands. She pulled away and she wrapped her arms around me tightly. The process was so natural that I didn’t even have a chance to say anything.
The moment I said, uh-uh, her arm was grabbed by Fiseul. Fissle hugged her arm tightly and started nuzzling her face. Her appearance was reminiscent of the cuteness of a puppy or cat.
“I missed you, Siwoo… Where have you been… ….”
Because the awkward posture was so uncomfortable, I had no choice but to free myself and drag a chair with my free hand to sit down. Fissle was holding onto my arm tightly and wouldn’t let go.
Fiseul’s voice was still dripping with sleepiness. Should I put him to sleep again like this? But that didn’t seem to be a good idea. Because then it seemed like I would have to stay here all night.
And more than anything, Fissle must have been very worried, so it was important for her to alleviate her worries. With that thought in mind, I sighed and cleared my throat. It was to awaken some attention.
“Fisle, I’m sorry. I’m a little late because I have something important to do. “The Chuchu tribe attacked Mond Castle.”
“Raid…… ?”
Fissle’s voice was still languid. Even the smell of alcohol coming from my body seemed not enough to make Fissle feel uncomfortable. Or maybe Fissle’s image of me included the smell of alcohol, and if so, I felt a little sad.
I continued speaking in a quiet voice.
“Yes, the Chuchu tribe attacked and the Pebonius Knights were in a difficult situation. So I’m late to help the knights a bit. “Everyone’s life is precious.”
Hmm, Fisle’s movements stopped for a moment. That’s right, because she was leaning her face on my arm, Fissle’s cheek was pressed against my arm, which ended up being quite funny. Even so, she reminded us that she is a pretty girl who will not be overlooked no matter where Piseul puts her.
Fisle, who had been silent like that, eventually burst into laughter again.
“I don’t know… All I need is Siwoo, don’t go anywhere…….”
I sighed deeply. It seemed that once Fissle fell asleep, it took quite a long time for her to come to her senses. Or maybe I came back when she was so deeply asleep.
I felt in trouble. Fissle was hugging my arm tightly, so not only her cheek but other parts of her were touching my arm. The soft texture unique to the female body was conveyed through the fabric.
Damn, I was glad I came after drinking. Because it was at least bearable. I was confused about what was going on with Fisle, but the apology came first. I sincerely apologized to Fissle.
“I’m sorry, Fissle. “You’ve been waiting a long time, right?”
Piseul was falling asleep again while leaning on my arm, and only then did the sound of his erratic breathing become slightly disturbed again. What about Fissle? She did and raised her head.
“Yes, I’ve waited a long time… That’s right, Siwoo is mine…….”
It was then. Fissle’s head began to tilt. Suddenly, I felt like I was sensing something strange. The timing of the breaks was a work of art. Curious about what would happen next, I asked Fisl.
“My what?”
“My… ….”
Fissle’s voice gradually began to regain vitality. Fissle opened her eyes again. Her eyes were hazy, but her eyes had definitely returned to her guns compared to before.
“My… ….”
Fissle’s eyes met mine once again. Fissle took her breath away at that point. Her eyes widened, and her gaze quickly moved between her arms and my face, as if she couldn’t understand what was going on.
I burst out laughing. Even his embarrassed appearance was cute, Fissle.
“What are you talking about?”
“Ah, ah… oh…… !”
In response to my sly question, Fissle made an incomprehensible sound, and her face gradually began to turn bright red. And after a while.
Fissle was so startled that she fell out of my arms. She pushed her chair and got behind her. Fissle screamed loudly.
“Woah, this is so cruel! “Wow, you’re touching the princess’s royal body!!!”
It seemed like he had definitely come to his senses, seeing as he had already returned to ‘Piseuleo’. I just shrugged my shoulders at Fissle’s yelling, which I was now used to.
“What are you talking about? It was you who held my arm. “It was so tight that I couldn’t help it.”
“That’s a lie!”
Fisl screamed once again, but the reality did not change. She probably remembered the situation when she opened her eyes just moments ago, so she probably couldn’t deny it any longer.
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Fissle began to feel restless. She looked at me, but eventually couldn’t hold back and asked in a cautious voice.
“Ho, I guess the princess I saw didn’t say anything more about her…… ?”
I said, “Hmm,” And tapped my finger on the table. Each time the knock, knock, knock sound rang out, the sound of Fissle swallowing her dry saliva could be heard. I said with a smile.
“Well? ‘All I need is Siwoo’… ….”
“aaahhh!”
It was even before I finished speaking. Fisl’s scream rang out, and she immediately covered her ears and crouched down. She was invisible but obvious. Fiseul’s eyes will be spinning. Fissle was just embarrassed and she was.
“Well, it’s a lie… Well, you can’t believe you said that…….”
I burst out laughing a little at the sight of Fissul muttering like that. Fissle still had a teasing taste. Normally I would have stopped teasing Fissle at this point, but I decided to add one more comment to her drunkenness.
“Pisle, don’t you like me too much?”
When I told Fisl back what she had heard from Lumine one day, Fisl trembled in shame. Then she shouted in a voice that was noticeably weaker than before.
“Woah, this is so cruel! How dare you insult the princess…… !”
I burst out laughing again when I saw that. Fissle’s voice was now filled with tears.
I guess I should stop now. With that thought in mind, I got up again and walked to Fissle’s side. Fissle flinched and trembled at my presence, but she did not avoid me.
I stroked Fissle’s hair once again. Then, Fissle’s trembling body began to noticeably calm down. Only then was I able to offer a proper apology.
“…… Sorry, Fissle. “I waited a long time.”
At those words, Fiseul’s trembling completely stopped. Fiseul’s stiff body gradually began to lose strength. And silence, I decided to quietly wait for Fissle to speak.
The next time Fissle spoke was a little more time later.
“…… Joy.”
With a snort, Fissle slowly raised her crouching body. It was a fresh face. Her emerald eyes were staring at me.
“Who did this princess wait for?”
At the same time, the way she turned her head in excitement was quite refreshing. Thinking that it shouldn’t be like this, I added another word.
“Just now, it was clear that all I needed was me… ….”
“aaahhh!”
Fissle, who had finally calmed down, once again covered her ears and crouched down. I scratched my cheek. It seemed like it was still too early to completely wash away the shame. Actually, I said it knowing that it would happen.
Fissle immediately raised her head. She cried out with a bright red face.
“Well, that’s a lie! “No mentions in the future!”
“Can you lie while in a daze? … ?”
“Woe, the princess’s wisdom and power are endless! “My servants must not doubt the princess of condemnation!”
In the end, the limit was to gloss over it with that pretentious tone. However, I felt that further provocation would not lead to a productive conversation, so I decided to move on. I decided to save the sweet voice of Piseul I heard at that time somewhere in my heart.
I have to use it again later. I opened her mouth to Fissle again, hiding my sinister intentions.
“…… “Pisl, shall we have a late-night snack after a long time?”
“What kind of late-night snack are you having at this hour?” Ah.”
Fisl was about to grunt when she looked at her table as if something had caught her mind. There, covered with a tablecloth, were the dishes Fissle had prepared for me.
Fiseul looked downcast again. She grunted, averting her gaze in displeasure.
“It must have all cooled down…” ….”
I ignored those words and rolled up the tablecloth. Then, there was a piece of toast with a strange design and boiled pork with cold vegetables.
The plating of the cold vegetable and boiled pork was beautiful, but it was difficult to guess the identity of the purple sauce sprinkled on top. Still, the scent was good.
Surprisingly, Fissle’s cooking skills seemed to be not bad. Since I’m an adventurer who likes to eat on the street, I should know how to cook to some extent.
“Is this enough for dinner?”
“…… Fool.”
As Fisl said that, she lowered her gaze slightly. Her face was slightly red, as if she was embarrassed to show off her homemade food.
I picked up a fork prepared at the table and took a bite of the meat in the cold vegetable stew. And took it to his mouth.
It felt a little less juicy, perhaps because too much time had passed, but the soft and moist texture and the fragrant umami provided by the appropriate seasoning and spices were still the same. This was a great dish.
“…… “It’s delicious, but now I don’t have to stand in the kitchen every time?”
“Hmph, I am grateful for the princess’s grace. “It is a special gift given only to my servants.”
Piseul’s voice began to contain a sense of pride, and it seemed as if his anger had completely subsided. I let out a light laugh and asked.
“Pisl, now that I think about it, what is this sauce?”
“Oh, that’s…… ! A secret magic circle handed down only to the great royal family of “Yuya Pure Land”…….”
Aha, that was the setting. I asked purely because I was curious about the recipe, but it wasn’t a bad idea.
Yes, because this was Fissle.
Thanks to you, I was able to finish the meal as I expected. A meal where you can make fun of Pisel and talk in a friendly atmosphere. Of course, it was too late.
And after finishing the meal with Fissle, it was now deep dawn, and I had fallen asleep as if fainting and had only just woken up. That was enough to open my eyes during the day.
Considering the fatigue I had accumulated so far, I actually felt like I was a little sleep deprived. However, the sun had already risen and my eyes were open, so I had to lie down again to get a good night’s sleep.
In that case, it would be better to at least move the body. At the same time, I got up with the intention of doing some hangover for the sake of it. Then I yawned and trudged down the stairs.
There was no sign of popularity in the restaurant. It was a truly quiet scene with no one around, so I brewed a cup of tea and sipped it. As the hot water washed down my stomach, I felt like my heartburn was subsiding. I needed to cut down on my drinking, and I was making a plan that I always thought about but couldn’t keep.
With a jingle, the door opened. My gaze returned reflexively.
Warm sunlight was pouring down. And even more brilliantly, light golden hair and scarlet eyes reminiscent of the sun.
The pure white flower decoration blended well with her milky skin, giving her a pure feeling. I held my breath at her appearance.
Lumine, the moment that name popped into my head, I woke up. Lumine’s eyes widened as if she didn’t know I was in the restaurant. Since this was the time when I was always going out, my presence would have been surprising even to Lumine.
However, such calculations were quickly thrown away as scraps of paper. Only the reality that Lumine and I existed filled my mind.
“Siwoo!”
Lumine immediately ran towards me. Suddenly, I opened her arms and picked up Lumine. The feeling of being hugged. I always felt this, but I felt a sense of satisfaction that could not be filled with anything else.
I smiled bitterly. The feeling that something was finally filled made me realize how much I had been waiting for Lumine.
“Lumine, did you have a good trip?”
“…… Yes, I missed you a lot.”
And then Rumine buried her face in my arms. The sound of Lumine’s pounding heart could be heard in Lumine’s ears, but it didn’t matter.
I enjoyed this moment for a while. It felt like I had finally returned home.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t Paimon who ruined the reunion between Lumine and I. Soon a cheerful voice rang out. At least it wasn’t Paimon’s voice.
“Hwiyu, isn’t it too hot in broad daylight? “No matter how free the city of Mondra is, wouldn’t it be better to share love in a more secret place?”
Lumine and I were startled by that playful voice. And then I realized that there was another person behind Lumine.
Light green hat, cloak, and eyes. Her dark blue hair was long enough to cover the nape of her neck, but the side braids added a unique touch to the look.
The body was thin and small. So I couldn’t tell if it was a boy or a girl. When I heard the voice, I just thought it might be closer to the voice of a boy who had not yet grown up.
He, or she, smiled. He strummed the strings of the harp he was holding. A sound like “Tiriring” Rang out.
“Hello, my name is Venti. A wandering bard…….”
At the same time, the eyes of the boy who introduced himself as ‘Venti’ drew a line. It was a knowing smile.
“…… He was once called ‘Barvatos’ in Mond. Well, I abandoned my position a long time ago and ran away, so I don’t have that much power anymore.”
Like that, Venti finished his self-introduction with a mischievous smile, saying, “hehehe.”
I was silent for a moment. He just looked at Lumine with a confused gaze. Lumine was blatantly avoiding my gaze. With an awkward smile.
In the end, I sighed as if there was nothing I could do.
…… Apparently, Lumine had brought in a psychopath who mistakenly thought he was the wind god.
On that day, although it was only one day, there was one more guest at our lodging.