Wataru Nishmy is a hero.
And because of that, he stopped using the suite, as well as lowered the rank of his meals.
Although inn fees were provided by Haku, he decided that to set it aside for the payments since it couldn’t be helped.
Wataru moved into a normal room, but it wasn’t particularly troubling either. Rather, the futon was considerably comfortable. He felt that it’d be fine even if he just stayed in one of them from the start next time he came.
He’d want to come and stay at the onsen inn even if there weren’t a dungeon.
“… But this debt is horrible huh… haah…”
Wataru sighed while eating cream stew in the dining room.
“Oh? What’s wrong, Pudding An-chan?”
“It’s Gozoh. Thanks for the pudding yesterday. So, what’s with the sighing?”
“Ah, I’m Wataru. And well, it’s just… I have a bit of a debt.”
Wataru gave a small laugh as though to lie to himself.
“Haah, so that’s it? Something serious happened right after that yesterday huh. After you brought Kehma to the room? What happened?”
“Well, it was just something with this.
Saying that, he showed him the dice.
“I was just a little self-confident.”
“Ahaha, I’ll take care.”
Wataru smiled wryly, figuring that her name sounded familiar, and it that was probably because of her punishment.
“Let’s see, in debt to Kehma? I haven’t seen that guy gambling at all, but… between you and me, my relations with Kehma are good. I could tell him you need to wait a little to pay if you need.”
“Ah is that so? It’s all good then.”
While saying that, Gozoh drank another swig of alcohol from his clay decanter.
“Wait, is that alcohol? I heard that this inn didn’t deal in alcohol though?”
“Itadakimasu.”
To tell the truth, Wataru hadn’t drank alcohol before. Summoned to this world at the age of seventeen, he continued with his Japanese customs even here and didn’t drink or use tobacco until the age of twenty. And now that he thought about it, he was already twenty. Though he was already at the age he could drink, there hadn’t been any chances.
… The alcohol had an amazingly intense flavor. However, Wataru didn’t think he disliked that.
“Hooh, you’re a good drinker.”
“First time? Fumu, then you’re a natural. Well, drink up, I have others.”
“Aye, you should drink alcohol even if something bad happens.”
Gozoh took out another clay decanter he brought in with him and drank as well.
While the two were drinking, Gozoh’s companion, Roppu, came along. Although Gozoh was a dwarf, Roppu was a human woman.
“Oh, you’re drinking! And you, I haven’t seen your face, Newcomer-san?”
“Heeh, you were a hero huh.”
“Hero!? Isn’t that S-Rank? Eeh, amazing, wait you were drinking with him without knowing that? … Let me in!”
And so, Roppu began drinking alcohol with them.
Luckily or not, no one stopped them.
“Eeeh, twenty three hundred!? You racked up a huge amount.”
“Oi oi, that’s rude. A demon or devil would’ve let him go with around fifty gold!”
“Eeh, you can pay it? S-Rank is amazing~”
“Riiight, it’s better to stop before causing one of those~. Well, drink up, drink up. Today’s on me!”
“Itadakimaaasu!”
Wataru continued drinking whatever alcohol Gozoh took out.
“Hey heeeey, Wataru-kun. What did you do to Kehma-san? I don’t think twenty-three hundred gold is normal.”
“Yeah, that Jou-chan huh… Wataru did something bad then?”
“Wooaah~, Wataru-kun is cool~… but it’s useless you know? Slaves are a person’s property. And besides, that child’s madly in love with Kehma-san, she’s not dissatisfied with her current position at all!”
“Alright, drink up. Today’s my treat, there’s still alcohol!”
“Itadakimaaaasu!”
He left it all to Gozoh and drank the alcohol Gozoh took out with vigor. With a burp, he sat the clay decanter he’d emptied onto the table.
“Hey Gozoh, it’s not too early to go to Kantra’s place you know? He said there’s still alcohol at the smithy’s spot you know? And it’s fine even if we make more noise there you know?”
“I’m coming, Gozoh-san!”
“Yes, certainly. I’ll have Rei bring it all. Are deep-fried potatoes alright?”
“I want those soft and flaky fried things!”
In this way, they hit it off with Wataru spewing his complaints. However, as for them becoming comrades that would travel the world under the name of [Team Bacchus], that is a story for another day. [2]
Furthermore, [Team Bacchus]’ main directive was to [Drink All of the Delicious Alcohol From Around the World].
“Mmm~, so alcohol was such a delicious thing~”
The next day, Wataru woke up feeling refreshed, not even having a hangover.
He didn’t know if it was in his original nature, or perhaps because of a hero’s abilities. However, he was able to enjoy alcohol without needing to worry about how he’d feel the next day. That would be good to do from then on.
Since he’d planned on going to the dungeon [Cave of Desires] today, he would have had to change his plans if he’d had a hangover.
So he intended to go as far in as he could today.
“… Guess it’s time?”
Wataru, equipped with his skills as a hero, went into the dungeon.