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Volume 4 Chapter 9.5

Translator: Reflet
Editor: Weasalopes

「Mm～、I found something similar to a bitter gourd, so I thought maybe I could mash it together with rock boar to make gourd champloo. And then there’s also a winter melon-like item (though the shape is different), so I intend to stew that up. Ah, and of course we still have seasonal edamame and miso sauce I can put in, kay？」

「Ooo～。Haruna, I love you！！」

「Thanks」

　This was apparently a direct strike into Makoto’s current appetite, although Haruna had to grimace a bit at how overdramatic she was.

「So Makoto-san, what do you want to eat tomorrow？」

「Tomorrow? Ah, right. Don’t worry too much about it, but if I had to say, it’d be great if I could get a bunch of tasty snacks, I guess? And it’d be amazing if the snacks went well with rice.」

「Gotcha. I’ll think of all sorts of ideas. And the cake？」

「I do kinda want one with plenty of fruit inside, but I’m always fine with keeping it simple.」

　Nodding at Makoto’s request, Haruna began planning even more things than earlier. There would be no issues with stocking up, so all that was left was to meet the requests and go all out. For now, a whole cake cut up into slices with something small on each piece for everyone should satisfy both requests. Everyone here was still young, so there was no doubt they could all easily consume two pieces of cake.

「I finished the planning right now, so all that’s left is to find some tasty looking liquor tomorrow.」

「Gotcha. I’m looking forward to it!」

　Once they finished a simple briefing on tomorrow’s dinner, Haruna unveiled the day’s deliverables. The majority of them just proved how far Haruna’s skills had come, but of course, as for the main weapon…

「Dude, what kind of boss are you planning to screw with……」

　Makoto had no option other than to make an exasperated comment, but this stays between us.

　And the next day.

「Oh？ Rainy, you’re here？」

「Sorry for coming so early. I have something I’d like to discuss with Deary. I have permission from His Highness. Is it alright？」

　Tatsuya, who Haruna had asked to come with her to find some good booze for the night, noticed Rainy waiting for someone to greet her outside. Haruna herself was currently giving the food storage another check to figure out what to stock up on.

「Discuss？ Like what？」

「It’s embarrassing, but I guess I’ll just say it’s about my diet.」

　At the word diet, Tatsuya immediately scanned Rainy’s body. He didn’t think she had to worry about anything, but it was true that she was maybe a bit more all-around bigger than before. Honestly, he was more concerned about her face seeming slightly pale.

「……I don’t think you need to worry about it too much……」

「It’s difficult to even keep it in this shape when I get dragged off to dwarf banquets twice a week……」

「Ah～、I see your pain……」

　Tatsuya understood a lot more when Rainy mentioned dwarf banquets. Indeed, you would have to maintain a diet when attending those functions. Even if you tried to maintain efforts to reverse the negative effects, the moment you ran into an issue and became unable to continue exercising was the moment you put on weight.

「So this is also a countermeasure against alcohol, I assume？」

「Yeah. I don’t even think all the alcohol has left me from two days ago……」

「……Wow, the struggle is real with you……」

「I’m envious of Makoto and Mio……」

　Rainy, who had her own challenges at emotional expression (a bit different than Mio), actually had an empathetic look on her face as she mumbled earnestly. As a girl whose growth period was nearing its end, a dwarf banquet was, in many ways, the cruelest environment.

「Tatsuya-san, thanks for waiting. Wait, Rainy-san？」

「I have something I need to consult with Deary. I have permission from His Highness. Is that ok？」

　Sensing an unusual lack of power in Rainy’s demeanor, Haruna immediately looked over to Tatsuya.

「I’m sure you feel some way about this, but go ahead and let her off this time.」

「Well, if you do indeed have His Highness’s permission, then I’m fine with it as long as you don’t throw yourself at him. Oh, not only is your face kinda pale, but have you put on some weight？」

　With a merciless straight liner from Haruna, Rainy unleashed an atmosphere of gloom. At that very moment, Haruna knew she had stepped hard on a land mine. Before she could correct her mistake, the dull Rainy opened her mouth.

「Haruna, even you would definitely pack on weight if you had to tag along with dwarf banquets more than twice a week……」

「Ah～……」

　Grasping the entire situation with Rainy’s words, Haruna empathized with all her might. Seeing as everyone appeared to agree on this matter, you can easily tell just how dangerous dwarf banquets were to women of other countries. So for Makoto and Mio to go to those things and come out with nothing different with their body in any way was seriously wack. The two of them were clearly drinking more liquids or eating more food than could fit in their stomach, or even their entire body’s capacity. The two of them could give heavy drinkers and food fighters a run for their money.

「But is your body holding up？」

「I’m starting to get the impression that the alcohol isn’t quite leaving my body……」

「……In that case, it would definitely be in your best interest to consult Hiroshi-kun about it.」

　Realizing the gravity of the situation even more than Rainy herself, Haruna decided to have Hiroshi talk it over with her. Although their relations weren’t great, Haruna didn’t dislike her to the point of wanting her to die or anything. Yeah, she was one heck of a pervert, but every time they met Haruna felt like Rainy was gaining more and more common sense, and there was no way she could bear to leave Rainy in this predicament.

「First thing is you need to behave yourself. Rush at Hiroshi-kun even once and I’ll revoke this discussion of yours, okay?」

「I can’t disrobe in front of Deary with this loose body of mine……」

「I wouldn’t say it’s that bad, but well, I get you……」

　No matter how much you understand there are no issues, as a maiden in love, it’s never fine to reveal yourself to your man when you pack on weight. Haruna understood that mentality more than a little. Before coming here, as long as she wasn’t that hard on the eyes she was fine. Or so Haruna had thought, but now that she had fallen in love for the first time, that mindset just sounded ridiculous to her.

　Of course, she also hated the thought of slimming down too much and looking wretched. A maiden in love must always find the best digits to maintain continuously.

「Anyhow, we shouldn’t just talk out here. Come on in.」

「Thank you.」

　Encouraged by Haruna, Rainy timidly entered the house. She was quite meek at the moment, not with her usual presence of mind, but decided to go on in to where Hiroshi was.

「Eh？Wazzup y’all?？Wait, it’s you Rainy？」

　A puzzled expression on his face as he looked at Haruna and Tatsuya come back in, Hiroshi immediately tensed himself when he saw Rainy hiding behind them. Granted, this was to be expected with three previous incidents on her record.

「Hiro, I think it’s fine this time」

「Actually, she’s totally got the short end of the stick. Help her out okay?」

「If y’all say so then I’m cool wit it, but, oh, did yer bod git bigger Rainy？」

「Agh……」

　With Tatsuya and Haruna smoothing things out, Hiroshi kept his guard up but also noticed that detail about Rainy. Groaning at that one comment of his, Rainy put both hands on the ground with a crestfallen pose.

「Ya don’t look so good either, wazzup mate？」

「Well, she’s bound to look like this after going to dwarf banquets twice a week, my guy.」

「Ah, I get it now……」

　At that, Hiroshi grasped the details of Rainy’s slightly off appearance and what she had come to him for. Again, you could really tell just how different the dwarf world was by how quickly everyone here had intercepted Rainy’s ongoing dilemma so far. 

「Actually, I’m thinkin’ yer better off than last I saw ya. I was all like “How does her chest stay intact?”, but right now yer lookin’ kinda just right……」

「Deary, you just don’t get it……」