Chapter 40: Invitation to a party
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Translator: Denryuu; Editor: Ryunakama
Once a month, the guild had an official day of closure. On that day, the reception is unmanned and the employees focus solely on administrative duties. They clock in before noon and knock off in the evening.
The day before that, all employees are invited for a meal together.
「Argan-kun, I’ll see you tonight!」, said a male employee, putting his hands together.
「There’ll be some fine women tonight, like maids who serve adventurers and nobles! It’ll be great if you’re around — if you’re not, I don’t stand a chance! Please be there!」, Implored a senpai that I often sought advice from.
Four men and four women were scheduled to attend the drinking party — eight in total. Finding it strange to dine with unacquainted women, I always turned down meal invitations — it’s not like I had to extract information from them.
「Hilda-chan, the baker, will be coming too!!」
「Well…」
「You’re single and ready to mingle, aren’t you? Isn’t it normal to look for a girl at mixers?」
‘Normal’, you say…?
My colleague was on the verge of tears. After much pleading, I finally agreed.
「Okay, I’ll go, if that’s the case. I’m not used to such things, so please forgive any misstep I make.」
「No, no, you’ll be fine! Thank you, thank you!!」
He shook my hand profusely. Clearly he was yearning to get closer to that girl working at the bakery.
I subsequently learnt that the other guys present would be my senpai, his batchmate and Morley. After work, the four of us would head for the party.
「Phew… the guild entrance is our designated meeting point, so they should be here anytime now…」, muttered my senpai Shane, restlessly staring out the window.
Shane, his batchmate Line and Morley were huddled in a circle, as if they were having a meeting.
「This is teamwork, got it?」, said Shane.
「Got it. The baker for you, and the maid for me. Morley, who’ll it be for you?」, inquired Line.
「Me? From place to place, if I see a pretty face, then don’t mind if I do. I’m not looking for anyone in particular.」
「I said it was teamwork, didn’t I?」
「Don’t just turn a blind eye!」
The duo kicked Morley.
「If they come, I won’t be able to resist!」
「They won’t come.」
「Dream on!」
「Don’t say that…」
From the window, I saw a few vague silhouettes that could belong to the ladies. I informed the others. We left through the back door and approached them at the front. Indeed, they looked plain, but nonetheless had put effort into their looks.
Their slender legs were exposed, probably to appear cute.
Shane had said that the restaurant was nearby. It was literally at a corner, just after we turned into the street.
I was ousted to the furthest seat, while the senpais sat opposite their targets. Opposite me sat a mild-looking, petite girl. Not long after placing our orders, the wine arrived.
We clinked our glasses, made small talk, took sips of wine and ate some snacks.
「Okay, let’s have a self-introduction, shall we?」, started Shane.
Everyone took turns to introduce themselves.
Apparently, the baker and the maid were long-standing friends. The swordsman-like female adventurer had met them through the baker. Since the beginning, Morley had been staring at the adventurer’s ample chest.
Such clear intentions.
Of course, his gaze had been picked up by the other party. It would do you good, Morley, to realise that she’s staring daggers at you.
The last girl, sitting opposite me, was an adventurer as well — a mage, apparently. Her voice was gentle and she appeared well-behaved.
Finally, it was my turn.
「I am Roland Argan, a junior employee. My senpais take good care of me at the workplace. Nice to meet all of you.」
As I nodded my head, the maid raised her hand.
「Milia said that you’re super good at what you do…」
「Oh, yeah, I’ve heard about it too! You’re quiet but you get stuff done!」, continued the baker.
I see, so they knew Milia. As expected of local girls.
「Not really, I simply do what I can.」
While their attention was focused on me, I could feel the piercing gaze of my seniors who had them in mind.
Meanwhile, Morley was still eyeing his crown jewels. What a creep.
The maid and the baker continued asking me questions. Line wanted the former and Shane wanted the latter, if I recall correctly.
「Hilda-san, you work at the bakery that Shane frequents, right? According to him, your bread is delicious. He even gave me a loaf once.」
I cast a sideways glance at Shane. He gave me a nod of affirmation and a thumbs-up under the table.
「Yeah, I love the bread there!」
「Oh! You’re the one who comes every afternoon…?」
「Yes, yes!」
Hope they find a nice room.
Anyway, I knew that the maid worked under Lord Bardell.
「I heard your work is tough. The baron has a thing for sexual harassment, doesn’t he?」, I said jokingly.
This was directed to Morley as well. Seriously man, you’re nasty.
「Yes, indeed. I intend to resign and find a job at the royal capital instead.」
「Line-san had some business in the royal capital before, right?」
I glanced in Line’s direction. He was looking at me like he was looking at a deity.
「Oh, is that so?」
「Yeah. I used to work at the adventurer’s guild there.」
「Hmm, I’ve never lived outside of town before…」
And another ship has sailed.
The female adventurer was drinking her wine quickly.
「Do you like wine?」
「Yup. As an adventurer, any day could be my last, so I drink my fill whenever I can.」
「I know what you mean.」
As I tried to continue the conversation, a clearly tipsy Morley cut in.
「Oi, rookie, don’t just talk to my mega milk-chan like that!」
Not only isn’t she yours, she’s still glaring at you.
「Let me fondle them, just once–」
Before he ruined the night for everyone, I punched him in the ribs, causing him to pass out.
「Looks like he drank a little bit too much, haha」, laughed the others.
Engrossed in their conversations, the other two senpais left Morley alone. I chatted with the adventurer and the timid-looking mage.
「Oh, I’ve heard of you before! Everyone says you’re, like, the best employee! Nobody gets hurt on the quests Argan-san recommends for them!」
「You speak too highly of me.」
「I remember… hearing that too…」
The mage finally spoke up. It appears that she had partied with the adventurer beside her before.
「An adventurer I know… no, everyone I know… says that employee Argan is the best employee…」
「I guide people hoping to draw out their full potential, so I couldn’t have done it without them.」
「What lies beneath that model student’s guise of yours, I wonder?」
「Maybe I’ll talk if you can get me wasted.」
「Hu. Interesting. Keep me company, will you?」
She smiled audaciously and emptied her glass.
「Then you’ll have to keep me company too.」
I smiled and did the same.
With each senior talking one-on-one with their girl of choice, the four of them looked like they got along well. At last, it was time to leave.
「Thank you, Argan-kun! I’ll foot the bill!」
「I’m glad you were here, really!」
The grateful senpais generously paid for my share of the meal.
「Ok, we’ll be taking our leave now!」
「Let’s go for another meal sometime, Roland-san!」
The maid and the baker tactfully avoided my senpais’ invitation to meet again and parted. Despite that, the two men, having glimpsed a moment of happiness, went home in high spirits.
「Rowan, you’re t-too… good wi’ alcohol…」
Seeing as she was too drunk to even speak coherently, I piggybacked her while seeing that the mage got home safely. I bade her good night, and turned around to leave.
「Uhm…」
「Yeah?」
「I’ve… never… taken up a quest from you, because you’re always… busy. From now on, could you… match quests for me…?」
「Of course, if you’re fine with that.」
「!!… Yes! Good… good night…」
The soft-spoken mage had turned beet red despite not having drank at all. She waved until I was out of sight.
Oh right, there’s a lady on my back.
Her name was… Diana, she said?
「Diana-san, which inn are you staying at? Or do you have a house or something?」
「O’er yonder.」
Following confusing instruction after confusing instruction, we finally arrived at a water mill beside a river. It was a completely deserted area. The adventurer got off my back, took my hand to lead me into the house and shut the door.
The muffled but constant splish-splash of water could be heard outside.
「You stay here?」
「Not really. Nobody comes here so it’s quite convenient, according to other adventurers…」
Hm, I see how it is.
She leaned in and gave me a kiss.
「As I said. I could be here today, gone tomorrow, so I live without regrets.」
Moonlight trickled in from a gap in the roof, illuminating her soft, white thighs. With one hand, she loosened her belt, letting it fall to the floor with a loud clatter.
(You know what to do by now.)
◆Morley◆
「Sir, sir. Please, wake up.」
Shaken awake by a waiter, Morley groggily opened his eyes.
「Oh…? I was… sleepin’?」
「Sir, your friends have already left. We will be closing soon.」
「Eh, ah. Mm.」
Strange. I thought I was fondling some huge breasts. Perhaps it had all been a dream.
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