A Close Call…
A mug of ale, ice-cold and frosty, came out from my storage—and froze the moment it hit the air…
“… Wahaha, impressive as always, Joan.”
“Thank you for your kind words.”
“… Pardon me, Young lady, but what kind of work did you do in your previous life?”
Sebastian asked.
“Um, I guess you’d say I was a salesperson for home appliances… or rather, magic tools, in this world’s terms. Why do you ask?”
“Since earlier, you’ve been bringing out exactly what the master desires. I thought perhaps you once served someone like him.”
“Ah, I see what you mean. But honestly, I’ve just been thinking about what I would want in that situation and acting accordingly. Plus, with things like dried squid or seaweed crackers—those Eastern dishes go best with Eastern alcohol. And for fried foods like chicken wings, an ale with a smooth throat-feel works best. And I figured it’d be even better ice-cold. Well, I can say that because I liked alcohol in my previous life. But more than that, I’ve always loved seeing people surprised or happy. It’s just the way I am.”
“I see, that explains a lot. I understand now.”
“Oh, and I also enjoy observing people. Especially those I want to get along with—I’ll watch their behavior to figure out what kind of things they’re into. Then I just bring it up in conversation.”
“Can you really figure that out just by watching?”
Asked Rottenmeier.
“You don’t need to know everything. You’re just looking for a way to start a conversation. If you need to know more, you can just ask them directly. And if you don’t have an opening, you can make one—by offering food or sweets, for example. Like today… Rottenmeier, you’ve been leaning more toward sweet things than salty, haven’t you? You probably haven’t noticed yourself, but I think today it’s not physical fatigue but mental stress that’s weighing on you.”
“Eh… yes, I have been craving sweets today. I do have stamina, but… I do feel oddly tired.”
“In that case, how about this for your fatigue?”
I presented her with a brape butter sandwich.
“Thank you. I heard about these from Nancy and was curious… munch… it’s delicious.”
“… This is how I do it. Show a little concern, then offer to listen. But of course, some people won’t open up so easily. In those cases, just being gentle and saying ‘even just talking can help you feel better’ usually gets them to talk. If someone’s willing to vent to you, it means they trust you. And from there, you can build a good relationship.
As for why I gave Sacchan that orc stew—it’s because I figured I’d need to offer something in exchange for information.”
““““……….””””
Huh? Why is everyone sighing and hanging their heads?
“Haaah~ Okay, Joan, we get it. You’ve mastered the art of charming people. But honestly, one wrong step and you’d be a con artist.”
“Ahaha, I got told that a lot in my previous life, too. I often ended up getting pampered and treated kindly by all sorts of bosses—ones people found scary or intimidating. They called me a ‘middle-aged man killer.’”
“… Young lady, you don’t happen to have a skill like Charm, do you?”
Sebastian asked with a completely serious face.
“Nonono, of course not! That’d be way too dangerous.”
“Dangerous, you say?”
“Yeah, I mean, when you say ‘charm,’ it brings to mind the image of seducing men and bending them to your will. I’m not some femme fatale. I just win everyone over the wholesome way—through their stomachs!!”
“*”Pfft… Wahahaha!””
“”Hehehe.””
Why are they laughing now?
Did I say something funny?
“Y-Yeah… hahaha… she’s got us all hooked through the stomach, that’s for sure! Wahahahaha!”
“Ehehe. Really, she has. Will can’t even live without Joan’s dried sweet potatoes anymore—it’s part of his hypertension prevention, after all. Hehe.”
“That’s true. Nancy’s family, and even Kate’s, they’re all firmly in her grasp.”
“Oh my, and that’s not all. I heard that the private soldiers of Lampail are so hooked on Young lady’s cooking that they go out hunting monsters and butchering the meat just for her. Looks like this detachment might be heading that way too. I suppose it’ll be sea monsters in this region?”
W-Wait a minute, everyone, that’s going too far!
Sure, I thought if I could win their stomachs, we might get along, so I cooked a bunch of things, but still…
More importantly—Rottenmeier, what’s this about?
They hunted down monsters and butchered them just for me?
Wasn’t that just a coincidence, since they happened to go on a hunt?
Wait… were they offering me meat?
I think I need to have a chat with Dai and Kira tomorrow…
And I should probably put the brakes on this private force here too…
I mean, sea monsters are intriguing, sure, but just because they’re interesting doesn’t mean they’ll be edible!
What do you think about this chapter?
