Chapter 43
Chapter 43
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: The Twenty-Fourth Fragment, Carpediem
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After tossing and turning all night with various thoughts, Judah finally managed to fall asleep late into the night. As soon as he woke up with the dawn, the events from last night came rushing back. The realization that they had kissed made him grin from ear to ear, a silly "hee hee" escaping his lips.
Feeling like he was smiling in a creepy way, Judah cleared his throat with a cough and stopped. This wasn't the time to be grinning like an idiot.
"She'll be waking up soon, so I should make some hangover soup for her."
Recalling a simple recipe for a brothy dish, he headed to the kitchen. He tied on an apron, pulled out ingredients, and started cooking. Midway through, a delicious aroma must have wafted out, because the door suddenly burst open. Heavy footsteps thudded closer. Turning his head, he saw Tia scratching her messy hair, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, and picking at her eye boogers. Still under the influence of the alcohol, she staggered toward him like a zombie.
"You're awake?"
"Yeah... Sleep well?"
He hadn't slept well, but his mood was great. Seeing her greet him so casually, it seemed she didn't remember last night's events. He'd keep it as his little secret, though it left him a bit disappointed. He replied to her.
"Yes. Of course."
Tia came to stand beside him, grabbed a cup, and poured herself some cold water from the fridge. She gulped it down so refreshingly that it made the listener feel cooled just hearing it. After draining the glass clean, she let out a satisfied "Ahhh" and looked at Judah.
"By the way, how did I get in last night...? ...Huh?"
"Yes?"
She trailed off mid-sentence, so he turned to see what was wrong. Their eyes met, and her pupils shook side to side. Her expression turned confused, her face flushed red, and her mouth hung open without a word.
"Tia?"
"J-Judah. L-Last night, did I... to you... kiss you by any chance? That was a dream... right?"
After a brief silence, Judah let out a chuckle.
"Think it was a dream? Sorry to say, it wasn't."
Judah scooped up some bubbling soup with a ladle, tasted it, and answered without hesitation. If she was going to suspect anyway, better to be upfront. Tia stared blankly down at him slurping the soup, her face practically exploding with embarrassment.
"S-Sorry. When I get drunk, I... lose control. That... I'm sorry. Really. I-I'm not usually like that...."
"It's fine. You were cute. And it was Tia, so I actually liked it. I like you, Tia."
"......"
No response. The silence stretched on. Judah stirred the soup idly with the ladle, then turned to look up at her. There was still a significant height difference, but in two years, he'd catch up. Or maybe not even then? Five years. In five years, he'd be much taller than her, he was sure. As he mused on such random thoughts while gazing up at her, Tia felt utterly bewildered.
*What the hell did this kid just say?*
Kissing a young Judah senseless last night had already been out of her mind, but now hearing "I like you" from his mouth made her face burn even hotter. She knew this wasn't right. They were master and disciple, like family. Still, lately, she couldn't help feeling drawn to him more and more.
*Am I in heat?*
No, not yet. Her overloaded brain could at least manage that much thought. It was still too early for heat. But after holding back for years, it felt like withdrawal symptoms—her body craved Judah as a mate. Sure, he looked young, but at his age, he could impregnate a female. Lately, he'd been growing quite handsome too; in a few years, he'd be a fine man. And that one accidental glimpse in the bathroom—his penis was impressively sized for a kid. Forgetting her original train of thought, she licked her lips following the flow of her instincts.
*Wait a minute. What did Judah just say to me?*
He said he liked her, right?
"......!"
As a mature adult, Tia completely lost her composure. If she hadn't remembered her drunken mistake from last night so vividly, it wouldn't have been this bad—but it was crystal clear. What she'd done, what she'd said, until the film cut out at the end....
Feeling like she couldn't stand there any longer, Tia bolted to her room like she was fleeing.
"Hm."
Judah blankly watched her vanish in an instant, then lowered his head. He was embarrassed too. Confessing his feelings had taken courage. He'd debated whether to say it, then just blurted it out—and the reaction wasn't bad.
Fortunately, she didn't seem to dislike it. Out of curiosity, he opened her status window to check her affection: exactly 70 short of lover level at 69. At 70, it'd be lover level—would that mean they could date for real then?
As he pondered that, the soup bubbled furiously. Snapping back to attention, he closed her window. The hangover soup was boiling over with foam. He adjusted the heat, skimmed the scum, and finished preparing breakfast.
For once, instead of bread and soup, he made rice, side dishes of greens, and stew. Somehow, it ended up mostly greens. Worried it might not suit her carnivorous beastkin tastes, he quickly grabbed some sausages, scored them, and tossed them on the frying pan. Nicknamed "octopus sausages." Satisfied as they grilled to a golden crisp, he heard a knock: knock knock knock.
"Huh?"
—Excuse me! Is anyone home?
He hadn't misheard. Someone had come to the house. Hearing the polite knocks from outside, Judah meant to call Tia to get the door, then remembered she'd shut herself in her room. He didn't know what she was so embarrassed about, but if she felt guilty toward him, he wanted to tell her it was a pointless waste of time.
Knock knock knock!
As he'd said before, Judah was thrilled about sharing their first kiss, and his confession wasn't a lie. Whether her confusion stemmed from his age, he felt a pang of regret.
Knock knock knock!
*Why are they knocking so persistently, though?*
Judah transferred the octopus sausages from the pan to a plate and scanned the kitchen. Nothing would catch fire if he stepped away briefly.
—Anyone home!
Someone outside kept calling politely.
No one visits in the morning—who could it be?
With his apron still on, Judah shouted, "Coming!" and headed to the entrance.
"Who is—"
Opening the door wide and asking, Judah froze mid-sentence.
〈Azure Lance Knight, Jeanne d'Artroar.〉
There she stood in casual clothes. Spotting Judah, she bowed politely in greeting. He knew he still looked like a child, so passersby often spoke casually to him. But this Azure Lance Knight was different. Even seeing him as a kid, she bowed deeply with utmost courtesy.
"Good day. I'm Jeanne d'Artroar. We've met before, haven't we?"
"Ah. Yes. Hello. But what brings you here? More importantly, how did you find this place?"
They weren't close enough for her to know his home. Plus, the location wasn't easy for strangers to find. Yet she smiled lightly at his question.
"The residents of Serenia Castle are kinder than I expected. When I said I was looking for Judah, everyone pointed me the way. It wasn't hard at all."
She nodded toward a man not far behind her. He waved at Judah once, then went on his way.
"...Lucky. So, what can I do for you?"
"I'm not sure if I should discuss it here, but I have a request—no, correction. I'd like to propose a commission."
"A commission?"
"Yes. That's right."
Judah eyed the Azure Lance Knight dubiously. Her commission would likely reward affection or trust, helping recruit her as a companion later. But what kind of request made her come all the way to his house? It felt a bit suspicious.
"I'll pay properly. And it's not difficult."
Seeing his hesitant expression, Jeanne hurriedly mentioned the reward. But his face didn't change.
"It's not about the pay—it's the commission itself. I'm not a mercenary or adventurer..., but let's talk inside. Have you had breakfast?"
"...Breakfast?"
Jeanne's eyes widened as she looked at him. Come to think of it, he was wearing an apron. She'd arrived while he was cooking. She'd thought it was a decent time, but apparently too early. She bowed slightly in apology.
"I'm sorry. I seem to have come too early. I'll come back later. When's good?"
"No. I was asking if you've eaten. Not telling you to come back later."
It might sound cheeky. But Jeanne didn't seem offended, just puzzled as she shook her head.
"I haven't eaten yet, but why do you ask..."
"Then eat with us. Come in. We'll eat, then chat over tea."
Judah left those words and headed back inside first. Left at the wide-open entrance, Jeanne glanced around awkwardly, unsure what to do. This was a first. Getting offered a meal without an invitation or appointment was utterly foreign to her. Though she thought it rude, leaving now would be ruder too. Resigned, she stepped inside.
"Pardon the intrusion."