[Well, thanks for the thought, but I'd feel bad making Shizuku work.] (Toru)
[But I ate a lot of food..... Don’t you need a lot money for food expenses in the human world?] (Shizuku)
[Well, sure it does.] (Toru)
[Because I don't have money, I want to do something in return.] (Shizuku)
Yeah, thanks. Your feelings are more than enough.
[The talk about Lia aside, working in the family restaurant is indeed impossible. Perhaps, it’ll be possible in the future.] (Toru)
[I think I can do it right away.] (Shizuku)
Saying so, Shizuku went off toward the kitchen.
[Wait, where are you going?] (Toru)
[Can I use the ingredients?] (Shizuku)
[Sure, but.....] (Toru)
When I was wondering about what she'd do, Shizuku began to stretch the remaining bread by hitting it. Then she applied olive oil and pizza sauce, and put various topping ingredients on it.
(That can't be.....!)
Shizuku baked the bread in the oven and took it out while imitating me, referring to the details I spoke.
[The Authentic Pizza Bread!] (Shizuku)
It looked exactly same as the one I cooked a while ago.
[The taste is also delicious.....] (Toru)
[To be able to copy an object means I have a good memory. Thus, I could also copy the actions.] (Shizuku)
Well, is there such a meaning? But watching her behavior so far, Shizuku is indeed a wise slime.
When exploring the dungeon, there is a possibility that I can't just return to my room to go to work. The family restaurant where I work is open 24 hours, and since around this time there should be not many customers come, why don't we go there to teach Shizuku various things?
Setting aside about tomorrow, it may be possible to have her replace me working there when the need comes.
[All right, why don't we go to take a look at the restaurant a bit?] (Toru)
[Yes, thank you very much!] (Shizuku)
However, I noticed some problems.
[Speaking of which, Shizuku is too big to get into my pocket now..... What should we do?] (Toru)
[I can't go in Lia-sama's appearance!?] (Shizuku)
[I want to show you the place where outsiders couldn't enter.] (Toru)
Besides, if I bring a beautiful blonde girl like Lia to my workplace, there will be an uproar.
[In other words, all I need to do is hide, right? In that case, please wear me, because I will become clothes!] (Shizuku)
Wh-What did you say?
[To be more accurate, I will cover Goshujin-sama's body and transform myself into clothes. Goshujin-sama just needs to get naked.] (Shizuku)
[Is that even possible? Haven't your body gotten considerably bigger?] (Toru)
Shizuku's body mass is much bigger than clothing's.
[There is a quite a lot of space between a body and clothes. If you stick closely to the body, it should be fine.] (Toru)
Wearing a slime, that sounds somewhat interesting. Let's try it! But, before that.....
[Could you transform into Lia first? It's tricky to stick on to me with your current figure.] (Toru)
[Um, yeah.....] (Shizuku)
I went to the bathroom with Shizuku who was in Lia's form.
[Then, please strip.] (Shizuku)
[Y-Yeah.....] (Toru)
It was pretty embarassing somehow. Shizuku in Lia's appearance hugged me and then melted. Immediately, she turned into the perfect shirt and jeans. However, there was the feeling of a jelly-like object clinging on to my body.
[Ouch!!] (Toru)
Shizuku was squeezing my crotch.
[F-Forgive me..... This child is somewhat cute.... So I just.....] (Shizuku)
What would you do if this guy becomes not cute anymore?
[Erk, it's getting bigger! This is just as written in the thin book..... It was so cute before, but I'm a bit scared now.....] (Shizuku)
Please don't elaborate it.
[Excuse me..... Because it's embarassing, could you please make the pants part hollow?] (Toru)
[Yes, I'm sorry.] (Shizuku)
Yup. The slime clothes were pretty good. There was a strange feeling and an accident at first, but when I got used to it, it felt comfortable.
[The temperature can also be adjusted to some extent. For heating using energy combustion and for cooling using evaporation.] (Shizuku)
[I don't feel any change, though.] (Toru)
[For that, I need food and water.] (Shizuku)
Will the amount of her meals increase by adjusting the temperature? In any case, I think that my food expenses will be swelling up for sure.
[I have taken two days off for moving, so let's visit my part-time workplace to show my face.] (Toru)
[Yes!] (Shizuku)
I went outside wearing slime clothes.
[Wow, it's really different from the world above the ground that I've heard about from my friends.] (Shizuku)
[Actually, it's a different world, but I will explain that later.] (Toru)
[Understood.] (Shizuku)
She doesn't ask any further questions. It’s proof of her cleverness.
[I’d like you to remember this first.] (Toru)
I pointed to a car.
[That's a car. It's something like a horse-drawn carriage, but with a different speed. Please be careful because you will die if you get hit by a car.] (Toru)
[Yes! There were also cars inside the thin book.] (Shizuku)
I think a car inside the thin book isn't a ride, but more like used as a hotel. I taught Shizuku about the sidewalks, roadways, traffic lights, and etc. while heading to the family restaurant.
[This is my workplace.] (Toru)
[Understood. Go out from the Japanese-style room and walk 20 steps to the left, 123 steps to the right, and cross the road in front of the signal.....] (Shizuku)
Amazing! I don't know about the distance becase she uses the step counts, but the direction is accurate. There are only a few people around because it's still 3 o'clock in the morning. It might be just right to sell oil.
(TL : I don't understand what's the meaning of "to sell oil" here, so I translated it literally)
[Well then, Shizuku should pretend to be clothes properly because we'll enter the restaurant.] (Toru)
[Yes!] (Shizuku)
I opened the door of the family restaurant where I work. The sound of the electronic bell told the clerk that visitors had come.
[Welcom--- Oh, it's just Suzuki-kun.] (Hisano)
Hisano-san welcomed me.
[Sorry for taking days off. I will go back to work tomorrow.] (Toru)
[You are just moving in, right? Then, it can't be helped..... By the way, how was your new apartment? Did ghosts really come out?] (Hisano)
[N-No, there were no such things like ghosts.] (Toru)
[What? How boring~] (Hisano)
But the female knight, elf magician, and a slime, did come out.
Hirano-san is a woman in her thirties who's also a part-timer like me. Her words are sometimes spicy but she is good at looking after the others. She often took the night shift because of the high hourly wage, but abundant free time.
[I'll back to work tomorrow so I was thinking to organize the locker.] (Toru)
[Oh, how diligent of you. But, was Suzuki-kun always this eager to do work?] (Hirano)
[Because I like cooking.] (Toru)
[Well, right. You do indeed like cooking.] (Hirano)
She seems to be convinced.
[Speaking of which, who's in charge of the kitchen now?] (Hirano)
[Manager. It was Segawa-kun's shift but she suddenly took a day off. It's girl stuff, I guess.] (Hirano)
I see. There were times when she suddenly took a break from part-time job because of personal matters. The poor Store Manager would need to fill her place.
[I'm going to greet Store Manager a bit.] (Toru)
[Sure, go ahead.] (Hirano)
I parted with Hirano-san and called out Store Manager from the hall.
[Hello, Store Manager.] (Toru)
[Oh, Suzuki-kun. Are you ready to go back to work tomorrow?] (Store Manager)
[Yes. Give me the shift.] (Toru)
[I'm glad. I heard a story that you moved into a terrific apartment. There was a rumor that once you enter, you wouldn't be able to come out again.] (Store Manager)
I don't find that rumor amusing in various meanings.
By the way, Store Manager is the sole staff of this family restaurant, but he is very gentle toward the part-timers. Before working here, I thought Store Manager was an important person here. However, now I only see him as pitiful boss that lets his part-time workers lead him around. The person at the top of the hierarchy in this shop is Hisano-san.
[It must be difficult to be a manager. You have to take a night shift replacing Segawa-san. Weren't you also working during the day?] (Toru)
[That's right. But Segawa-kun is a college student, her personal life takes precedence over working part-time at a family restaurant. Besides, I'd be troubled if she wanted to quit.] (Store Manager)
This could be a chance.
[Oh right, Store Manager. Why don't you take a rest for a while? I'm still on my day off, but I can handle the kitchen for about an hour.] (Toru)
The Store Manager's face brightens up.
[Really? But I can't pay you for this.] (Store Manager)
[No, it's fine. I just want to regain the tempo for tomorrow. I'm going to change my clothes.] (Toru)
I went to the locker room to show Shizuku the uniform.
[I just need to transform into this, right?] (Shizuku)
[Yeah, as expected of Shizuku.] (Toru)
Shizuku changed her body into the uniform in an instant. We went to the kitchen.
[Go ahead to take a rest, Store Manager!] (Toru)
[Oh? Well, there is some administrative work to do, so I guess I'll take the offer. I'll be back in thirty minutes or so.] (Store Manager)
Store Manager is weak to pushes so I thought he wouldn't be able to refuse if I changed my clothes. I think he’ll return before one hour passes.
While watching the Store Manager leaving the kitchen, I spoke to Shizuku.
[Okay, I will teach you how to cook the dishes that are frequently ordered. The recipes are written there.] (Toru)
Well, this family restaurant mainly serves meals that have been cooked in the central kitchen. Oven and IH cooking utensils were mostly used for re-heating. Because of that, I could make almost all of the dishes on the menu.
I belived in Shizuku's memory, and taught her all of the recipes at once. She listened quietly.
[How's that?] (Toru)
[Yes, I have learned everything.] (Shizuku)
[Oh, I see. As expected of Shizuku.] (Toru)
[I'm happy to be praised by Goshujin-sama.] (Shizuku)
That saves me from some trouble. I do not even remember everything I've said.
When I was thinking about such a thing.....
[Suzuki-kun~ the "Late-night Youth Group" has come.] (Hisano)
[What about Store Manager?] (Toru)
[Dunno, I guess he went out to smoke. Please make their orders at once.] (Hisano)
The "Late-night Youth Group" doesn't come here to make a commotion, but they come in large numbers and are ordering together all at once.
[They are our customers and I've said it to Store Manager myself. I guess I have no choice....] (Toru)
[I'll do it!] (Shizuku)
Huh? I heard a cheerful voice from the uniform. No, it was Shizuku's.
Then my body began to move by itself.
[W-wait....] (Toru)
[Just watch me, Goshujin-sama!] (Shizuku)
Shizuku took control over my body’s movement. When I thought ‘what to do’, I started cooking the orders.
[Seriously? All the dishes were made precisely.] (Toru)
[Ehehe~] (Shizuku)
Shizuku truly remembered all contents of my one-time explanation.
It was when I thought that I could leave it all to her.....
[Wait a moment! Don't put that gratin into the oven yet.] (Toru)
[Fo-Forgive me, was it wrong?] (Shizuku)
[No, nothing wrong. But put a little more cheese on it and add another 10 seconds to the timer.] (Toru)
[I think that I made it as per manual.] (Shizuku)
[That customer always orders a gratin and likes the burnt cheese. If we increase it a little, it'll be more delicious for him, and make him want to come back again.] (Toru)
[Understood! Goshujin-sama is really kind.] (Shizuku)
[Is that so?] (Toru)
[Yes! You are cool!] (Shizuku)
◆◆◆
In the end, I got home at 5 o'clock. I went to the bathroom to take off Shizuku... I mean, to separate.
[Even though I need to work from 8 o'clock to 15 o'clock later, I haven't slept much since yesterday.] (Toru)
[I think Goshujin-sama should stay at home with Lia-sama.....] (Shizuku)
[I can't afford to do that. I have to go to work. Moreover, I wish I could set a surveillance camera before Deet comes back. There is no problem at present. But if I keep the iron door closed, she won’t be able to came back here.] (Toru)
In any case, I thought about going to sleep soon and slowly entered the bed where Lia was sleeping. Shizuku, in her original form, was slowly approaching with the typical movement of a slime.
[May I sleep with you?] (Shizuku)
[Sure, but don't get caught by Lia.] (Toru)
Shizuku entered the bed after making trembling movements to show her joy.
[Yes! Goshijin-sama's bed..... is warm and comfortable.....] (Shizuku)
[Hmm?] (Toru)
[The stone floor of the dungeon was cold. I'm really glad I left the lower floor of the dungeon and met Goshujin-sama.] (Shizuku)
While listening to such a story from Shizuku, I was gradually lulled into a deep sleep.
**Proofreader : Meihua**
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