Chapter 18: Our Circle
「Hahahaha! So that’s why you were asking who she was! Oh that’s a good one! 」
Toack laughed as he clapped his hands while we sat in the living room.
「… Settle down already」
Aisha said as she suddenly got her head off the table and glared at Toack.
I can’t even laugh at this since I was the one who had no idea who she was.
I felt Aisha’s sharp gaze suddenly stabbing at me, as if she was telling me that this was all my fault.
Was Toack not surprised seeing how Aisha looked? I thought there was a chance that he would have thought that a stranger had come if I asked him about it. That was how surprising it was for me because of how different she looked.
「I bet she was dressed up by her younger sister Ena, right? She was probably like “Don’t go to eat lunch with people in your work clothes. Here, wear this and go”」
With a smile on his face, Toack teased Aisha as he touched the sleeve of her dress.
「……. 」
He seemed to have hit the mark, so Aisha could not refute what he was saying and only brushed away his hand. I feel like I could almost see wrinkles forming on Aisha’s pretty looking face cause of how she’s knitting her brows at him.
「I have no idea which one’s the older sister and which one’s the younger one-」
Is it because of Aisha’s bargaining attempt from a while ago? Toack is taking this opportunity to get Aisha back while she’s weak.
If he bullies her this much she’s going to retaliate later. Is he going to be okay?
I stood up as I started to feel somewhat uneasy from imagining that happening and went to prepare some food that I picked out.
It’s good that Aisha brought raisins. Aside from the raisins from Aisha that we can snack on, we can also eat the pico and erue that I harvested when I was with Loren-san.
「Oi, hold on a sec, Aisha. Stand up and spin for me so I can take a look」
「…I’m not doing that. That kind of embarrassing thing」
While I was getting the utensils and a plate to put the fruits and nuts on, the two continued their conversation like that. They get along pretty well despite their age difference.
It’s probably because they grew up in the same village and knew each other from a young age. I can’t imagine what they were like when they were younger, but I would have liked to have seen it.
「Here, I brought us some light snacks」
When I took out the plate, Aisha got up happily and escaped from Toack’s bantering.
On the other hand, Toack seems to be a bit sad that I came back so soon. His disappointment was showing all over his face.
「Ara, I thought it was only going to be raisins. I’m so tired of eating raisins.」
Aisha said with a happy face when she saw what was on the plate. As I thought, she was tired of eating raisins since she grows them at her place.
She was happy that she’s going to get to eat something other than raisins.
「That isn’t something that a grape farmer would say」
「Try eating raisins every morning. You’ll be tired of it in three days」
I’m jealous that she gets to have raisins every day, but there’s no doubt that anyone would get tired of them if they eat them every day.
I got lots of raisins from Aisha, but I don’t want end up in that state.
「What kind of food can you make with raisins? 」
「You can mix them with anything, you know? You can mix them in to bake bread, make salads, cook things combing them with apples, and even with chicken」
Aisha answered my question while she scraped the erue fruit with her spoon.
She answered smoothly as someone who appreciates food well.
Everything she said sounded tasty. It would be a waste to just eat the raisins by themselves here, so I think I’ll try cooking something with them.
「I see. Teach me a simple way to cook with them after」
「Sure」
For a while after that, we picked up our spoons and silently dug at the body of the erues.
◆ ◆ ◆
After snacking on the fruits, Aisha said she wanted a full tour around my house so I decided to show her around.
However, since I have just moved in recently, there’s not really any furniture or accessories in my house, so I don’t think there’s much to see.
「Hehhh, that’s a big bath」
Aisha’s said with an impressed voice in the bathroom.
「The people who lived here before seemed to really liked bathing. They designed this room’s layout in such a way that narrows down the size of the changing room for a bigger bath」
「So that’s why the changing room is this small. But, isn’t it hard to fill up a bath this big by yourself? 」
「I’m confident in my physical abilities, and I love bathing as well」
The truth is I rely on the power of the magic tools, but it wouldn’t do much good if too many people know about it. Magic tools are valuable items that usually only nobles use, so it would start some weird misunderstandings.
We walked through the changing room one behind the other, as there wasn’t enough space for a grown man and woman to go through together side-by-side.
「What is this empty room here for? 」
Aisha asked as she got out into the hallway and saw the next room.
「This is the bedroom. The bed isn’t finished yet though」
「…Toack, hurry up and finish the bed for him」
「I’m here because you said you wanted to have lunch together all of a sudden」
When Aisha muttered from down the hallway, Toack’s voice of protest flew out from the living room as he was relaxing there.
Aisha then walked back as if she couldn’t hear him.
Well, this is an average villager’s house so it was pretty loud and clear.
We continued as I showed a bitter smile.
「You sure you want to keep going? All that’s left is the storage room 」
I moved the magic tools and swords that I had from the living room in there, so it would be a little troubling if she stared around in that room like the bathhouse.
There are also some high grade materials that I put in there which could be exchanged for money in the case of an emergency. I don’t invite people over often, but since I don’t know what will happen from now on, I should make a secret place to store those items above the ceiling or under the floor.
「…Oh? Never mind then 」
Aisha said as she took a glance at me before turning back.
I was a bit worried since she said that she wanted a full house tour, but now I’m a little relieved.
Since I just moved in and I should have had nothing to store in a storage room, I should not have said that I have a storage room at all.
When I was walking back with Aisha from the hallway to the living room, I heard knocking noises coming from the door.
From the gentle knocking noises, I knew that it was Flora.
「That’s probably Flora」
The knocks would be loud if it was Aisha.
When I was thinking that, I heard Toack calling out “Someone’s here-” from the living room.
「Yeah yeah, you don’t have to get it because you have never really talked to her」
「I know that」
Aisha and I headed for the door in small steps. Certainly, it would suddenly surprise Flora if Toack went to get the door since she is shy.
「Welcome」
「H, Hello」
When I opened the door, Flora was there in a white blouse and a blue one piece dress.
The blouse was a little different from the one that she usually wore, as the neck area had a fine rose embroidery and there was a blue ribbon on the chest area. Furthermore, her dress that was swaying in the wind was not just dark blue, but also mixed with a refreshing blue that was a slightly brighter shade.
It’s clothes like these that highlight Flora’s pure and neat style of look. Her long hair that is usually straightened out is braided carefully today and she has a mature feel to her.
「U,umm」
「Hurry up and invite her in」
Just when Flora was shying away from me looking at her in silence, Aisha, who was next to me, tapped my shoulder and told me to invite her in.
Clothes and hairstyles can really change how a woman looks, so it’s not strange for them to look so different.
「Ah, right. Please come on in」
「O, Okay, ojamashimasu」
Flora changed into slippers and came in after I invited her inside.
「Sorry for suddenly calling you here」
「No, it’s alright. Today’s afternoon work wasn’t that important. And Aisha had always invited me out randomly since we were kids」
She said “Aisha had always invited her out randomly” like it was trouble. If Toack or I were the ones who said that, Aisha would be looking at us with cold eyes.
However, Aisha was silent and did not care. She has nerves of steel right now compared to her usual self.
「This is Aldo-san’s new house, huh. This is my first time here… 」
Flora said as she looked around curiously, then her face turned red as if she was reminded of what happened the last time she was here.
We’re the only ones here who know of that scene.
Aisha showed a bitter smile, and Toack was looking over here grinning.
「Okay okay, let’s start cooking since Flora’s here now. My stomach is already growling」
「Y, yeah」
Aisha changed the topic with a bright tone. With that, Flora seems to have stopped thinking about it as well.
Just when we were going to move our crowd into the kitchen, Toack spoke up.
「Oi, is it okay for me to introduce myself? 」
「I want to say that you can… but Flora will get nervous if there’s someone here she’s not familiar with 」
「Y, yes. Please, go ahead」
Flora answered stiffly since Toack came out.
「I’m Toack, someone who lives around here. I make furniture for a living」
Although Toack was trying to speak in a tone as gently as possible, to other people he still looked like he was a man with an angry look on his face.
「His personality is peevish and he’s not very straight forward though 」
「He always looks angry but he’s not really angry」
「What are you guys saying?! 」
Aisha and I added on to Toack’s too formal of an introduction, and he replied in an upset tone.
「Ufufufu. … Ah, s, sorry about that. The conversation between you three was funny」
As Flora’s stiff expression softened up, Toack also quieted down as if he was surprised by that.
Then, Flora somehow made eye contact with Toack’s scary-looking face and said,
「I’m the village chief’s daughter, Flora. Nice to meet you」
「Ah, nice to meet you」
I was worried, but the introduction between those two seemed to have worked out pretty well.
Flora has relaxed, and it’s nice that our circle will be getting bigger from here on.