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“I’m telling you, Arje. Vampires live much longer than ordinary creatures, you see… Hey, are you listening?”
“Oh, yes. I’m listening. I’m listening very carefully.”

The truth is, I’m just tuning her out, but I decide to nod and say that anyway.
Having returned from Renshia and finally free, we were back at May, the café that served as both Satsuki-san’s home and her shop.
A “Closed” sign hung at the entrance to May, but Satsuki-san happened to be outside when we ran into her, so she led us straight into the living quarters.
Right now, in the room that served as the living room of those quarters, Iris-san was laying out a massive spread of snacks and alcohol, hosting a drinking party.
In other words, as soon as we got back, we got caught up with a drunkard.

“Iris-chan. You really shouldn’t drink too much. Even though the curtains are drawn, it’s still daytime.”
“Come join us, Satsuki…”
“No matter how much you ask Iris-chan, I’m going to flat-out refuse. In Kingdomese, that’s ‘Yankee, go home.’”

Maybe because she mixed the language of the Republic and the language of the Kingdom, the translation felt a little off, but either way, it seemed Satsuki-san didn’t drink.
Iris-san, who’d been turned down, puffed out her cheeks dramatically to show her displeasure.

“Muuu… I’m drinking all by myself here, you know? Can’t you see I’m lonely all by lonesome?”
“Vampires are generally weak when it comes to alcohol. You know that, right?”
“Is that so?”
“Well, yes… Iris-chan is an exception. Normal vampires are usually so sensitive to alcohol that they pass out after just one small cup, so you shouldn’t drink carelessly either, Arje-chan.”

I was curious about the reason behind this, but since Satsuki-san was speaking with unusual seriousness, I just nodded obediently.
Vampires can’t hold their liquor, huh. Maybe I should keep that in mind.

By the way, as soon as Kuro-san got home, she dashed out for a walk as if she were fleeing.
It seemed she knew just how troublesome a drunk can be. Satsuki-san had taken the Honey Eater meat she brought.

Iris-san was naturally affectionate, but it seems that trait gets amplified when she’s had a drink.
To be honest, getting hit on while drinking is a hassle, so I’d rather just leave her alone and take a nap, but I don’t know what she might do if I did that, so I’m reluctantly putting up with it.

Kuzuha-chan was sitting at the table with me, but she was clearly ignoring Iris-san’s and was intently munching on the appetizers. It seemed she got pretty hungry on the trip from Renshia to here.
Since our meal on the way here was simple—things like bread, which is good for keeping you full—I guess it can’t be helped. Kuzuha-chan sure does eat a lot, though.

Every appetizer laid out on the table was exquisite; you can’t go wrong with any of them. The flavors are on the bold side to pair well with alcohol, so you naturally keep reaching for more.
As if voicing my admiration, Kuzuha-chan said with a beaming smile,

“Satsuki-san’s cooking is delicious!”
“Hehe. I’m glad to hear that. Oh, I highly recommend this one. It’s noodles and ingredients seasoned with a sweet-and-spicy sauce… Umm, supposedly it’s called yakisoba. How do you like it, Arje-chan?”
“Yes, it’s delicious.”

There were a few dishes mixed in that feel strangely familiar, but that’s part of the charm.
Apparently, everything was Satsuki-san’s own creation, but I wonder where she learned the recipes.

Judging by the kimonos amongst other things, this other world shared many cultural similarities with the world I came from. Did these traditions develop naturally, or was there someone else who was reincarnated here besides me, and did they bring them over?
Either way, there’s no reason to turn down a taste of home. As I was honestly savoring the meal, Iris-san let out a sigh that reeked of alcohol.

“Sigh, if only Shino were here…”
“Shino… is that one of your employees?”
“Yes. Shino Ichinose. She’s our barista—the one in charge of coffee. She left yesterday, saying she was going to look for some good beans… She was really disappointed she didn’t get to meet you, Arje-chan.”
“Oh, really?”

It seemed we just missed each other. I wonder what kind of person she was.
The people at this shop weren’t bad, but they’re all a bit eccentric, so I wonder if Shino-san was like that too.

“Come to think of it, I heard from someone in the council… you accompanied Akisame-san on an inspection trip to Rensia, didn’t you?”
“Ah, yes. It was a lovely place.”
“Fufu. I bet it was. They harvest great honey there every year, and it’s such a peaceful place. Well then, why don’t Satsuki-chan here whip you up a cake using some Renshia honey?”

Satsuki-san smiled and stood up—just then, the bell signaling a customer rang out. Although the “Closed” sign was up, it seemed the door wasn’t locked.
Of all the people, it was the owner, Satsuki-san, who reacted most keenly to the sound that had carried from the café all the way to the living quarters.

“Please wait a moment; I’ll go see what they want.”
“It’s our day off today, so turn them away unless it’s something really urgent, Satsuki.”
“I know, I know. Anyway, I have to stop by the Merchant Guild later to follow up on that road repair project I submitted the other day.”

Waving her hand lightly, Satsuki-san left the table. She returned less than a few minutes later.
Satsuki smiled at me as she returned and said,

“Arje-chan, you have a visitor.”
“For me…? Got it. Thank you.”

A visitor. The first person who comes to mind when I hear that is Zeno-kun.
There should still be a few days before he returns to the Merchant Guild, but it’s possible he might come back early. If that happens, word would have reached me.
I hadn’t told anyone where I was staying, but I did go to the Merchant Guild with Fumitsuki-san. Anyone who was there at the time would probably have a pretty good idea that I’m here.

It would also give me a good excuse to get away from that drunk, so this works out perfectly. Coming to that conclusion, I decided to welcome the visitor.
If it’s who I expect, I’ll have to properly repay the favor from back then.