I Got Transferred in the Middle of a Mountain. In Retaliation, I Chose Amenity over Strength. - Chapter 92

Most of the taverns in this world double as inns.

Generally, stand-alone inns are quite rare, but since there are many people entering and leaving this town, they also have the so-called ‘proper inns’ that have facilities such as rooms for guests, bakery, a stable, a warehouse, and a courtyard for parking carriages. If it’s located outside town, it will also have a slaughterhouse and brewery.

The rich guys who want to be comfortable during their stay will inform the inn prior to their arrival. In some cases, they will also bring their own carpet and sleeping paraphernalia.

As for the unreliable inns, they only have a single bed for the guest and pretty much nothing else. Inns that are trying to promote themselves as being ‘proper’ even if they’re not will usually cram two or more people on the bed and get as many people as they can to sleep on the floor.

Inns usually have fleas, lice and bedbugs, and those are the things I hate about them. And yet here we are, going to cram three guys inside a room of such an inn. The subjugation team has returned, so all the inns are crowded, but somebody — either Butler or Retze — already reserved a room prior to our drinking episode.

When it was decided that a subjugation team would be dispatched, folks who ran away took refuge in the towns and villages in the west. Those who were willing to take the risk to do lucrative trade despite the danger also came. When the second subjugation team was dispatched, a lot of people returned, and there were also a lot of newcomers other than adventurers.

It has become boisterous, and the security has become poor, but it has also become a good opportunity for promoting wet area renovations and bags.

The only time Ash and I were left alone was when Butler stuffed the trio inside their rooms, so nothing happened — it felt like I was teased by Butler.

He has that calm smile plastered on his face, but then, Butler is usually expressionless, or else fanning the flames by adding some side comments and expressions so that the information can be properly conveyed. He’s smiling from beginning to end, though.

「Ash, can you walk? 」

「No problem. 」

She’s expressionless, and her answers are clear and short, but she’s obviously drunk. Hey, stop walking just because I asked you if you can. And what are you doing, stopping in front of the wall?

I guided Ash, who was standing in rapt attention in front of the wall, and we left the pub. Hey, Butler, thanks for opening the door and waiting for us, but don’t you have any plans of switching places with me?

There are a few people walking here and there on the main street, but those who saw Ash’s face hurriedly moved away…Her eyes are completely glassy and her gaze uncannily steady.

Ash looks like she’ll just continue walking in a straight line towards who knows where, so I hold her by the elbow as I guide her along until we reach the 『Ash Fox’s Back 』street. She had been walking in a straight line before, but she started leaning on me midway through, so she’s probably super drunk by now.

Butler is behind us, acting like air.

「Jean. 」

「What is it? 」

「Mm. 」

Don’t just say ‘mm’, it’s not ‘mm’, right!?

「Jean. 」

「Yup. 」

「…Brothel 」

「What? 」

「Mm 」

You really can’t hold a convo with a drunk, huh.

「Jean. 」

「Yeah. 」

「…Hair 」

「Hair? 」

Ash’s face is closer than usual as I glanced at her. Our eyes met.

「Mm 」

No, wait, Ash’s eyes aren’t focused anymore. Not sure if the wine climbed to her head, but her eyes that had been staring straight ahead earlier are now misty. The reddish rims of her eyes nicely set off her white skin, and I find it a bit seductive… Her features seem a bit softer now. Even her shoulders seem delicate? And stop with the ‘mm’.

「Ash. 」

「Mm 」

「It’s dangerous getting drunk in front of people so stop it. 」

「Mm 」

I watched Ash and Butler enter their home, then I also returned to mine. Let’s eat some ochazuke, ochazuke it is. Oh, let’s make a tai ochazuke.

I fillet the seabream into three pieces, sear the fatty side of the skin, toss them into ice water, then take them out and drain them well. I put half of the fish into storage. I’ll make an arajiru — miso made soup from fish bones — or maybe have it as sashimi later. Actually, I want to make dashi, but I don’t want to take too much time now.

I use kombu and lots of katsuobushi to make the dashi, then take the white rice out from 【Storage】. A black bowl suits ochazuke well.

I arranged the pink sea bream onto the white rice, and sprinkled a lot of sesame seeds and some minced perilla. Pour lots of golden dashi, and itadakimasu~

Ahh, bliss.

Yeah, let’s make some salted salmon, pickled plums, and roe stock next time. I should also prepare dashi for ochazuke. And ramen, too.

***

The next day, Ash came to my house with an extremely terrifying expression to apologize for being dead drunk yesterday..

「Did you eat? If you can eat, I can bake some bread for you. 」

She seems like she has a hangover; I feel bad for not being able to give her some mussel miso soup, or ochazuke.

What else works, hm? Ginger and lemon might do the trick. Yeah, then that’ll do.

I take a small bottle and pour its contents into a cup. It’s a syrup made from stewing peeled and chopped fresh ginger, lime, lemon and some sugar. I pour hot water into the cup to dissolve the syrup. Actually, my initial plan is to make some ginger ale later by adding carbonated water.

[No, my stomach is a bit…」

I asked her if want some bread while handing the cup, but she refused.

「Mm, it’s hard to — sweet? 」

「It’s syrup made from ginger and citrus. It’ll help your stomach, so just drink lots of water and rest, okay. 」

Ash didn’t look good, so I took her back to her house. She could have visited me once she’s feeling better. So how about the trio in the inn? I wonder how they’re feeling now. They’re probably used to hangovers, and besides, men are responsible for themselves.

____

T/N: Drunk Ash with Jean is so cute ~ Jean seemed pretty unsettled! (///^.^///) Well, ochazuke is a Japanese comfort food, and it’s also a popular hangover remedy. Anyway, is it just me? But there’s a lot of subtle hints here…Black bowl ー Jean’s hair/ color…And the color combo of his meal!!  perhaps he subconsciously thought of Ash’s white skin and pink-rimmed golden eyes

(๑>◡<๑)

T/N to self: You…aren’t you thinking too much? ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ♡ Here, sea bream ochazuke

Ctto: Tsunagu Japan