Field Boss (2)
Having a hobby is a necessary part of life.
In the face of a gloomy reality, harsh truths, or frustrating situations, hobbies act as the lubricant that keeps life running smoothly.
They relieve stress, give you motivation to keep going, and help you overcome whatever is weighing you down.
I have hobbies of my own, too.
One of the biggest is admiring the girls I’ve grown close to since entering the academy—Pamela, Shu Yeon-hwa, and Adelia. Back in Valendia, I also enjoy watching Shasha. All four of them wear outfits that are very easy on the eyes, so simply talking with them is already a feast for the senses. For someone like me who poured his youth into Lukedia, meeting them every day feels like pure happiness.
Atsbal is fun to hang out with, but I don’t exactly “admire” him. He’s a guy, after all.
Still, a hobby can’t be limited to just one thing. Eye candy is eye candy, but there should be other ways to enjoy this world as well.
And I do have another hobby: the pursuit of fine food. Or, as some call it, gourmet exploration.
In Lukedia, there were plenty of dishes that made you wonder whether they could ever exist in reality, yet they were sold openly anyway. Even if they felt a little out of place for the setting, as long as the food itself wasn’t completely absurd—like a Luong-style restaurant selling hamburgers or a steampunk nation with no ocean serving sushi as its signature dish—players didn’t mind the minor inconsistencies.
Lukedia offered a huge variety of dishes, and many of them looked delicious just from their images. The food shown during cooking contest events was especially mouthwatering.
Now that I’m actually inside this world, I can taste all of those dishes for myself. I’ve tried Poison Boar Steak, eaten mapo tofu at a Luong-style restaurant, and sampled cookies at a café in Valendia. Through it all, one truth became clear to me.
This world is genuinely serious about making food taste good.
No matter what you eat, it’s delicious. You can feel the artisan spirit behind every dish. The flavors rival—or even surpass—anything I ate back in the modern world.
Admittedly, my own palate had been ruined by convenience-store meals I grabbed while playing games, but even those were still “modern” in their own way. They prioritized taste above all else and completely ignored health. As long as it tasted good, they’d dump in as much sugar or meat as necessary. Health came second. The equation “high calories = delicious” was celebrated, and that was exactly the kind of intense flavor I encountered here.
Compared to the monotonous, not-always-amazing convenience-store food I used to eat, the taste of this world hit me with overwhelming force.
That was how I discovered the hobby of gourmet exploration in this world.
Yesterday morning, I asked Pamela—who had classes—to head to the academy without me.
“H-huh? Why?”
“Tomorrow I’m getting up early to line up for the limited strawberry cake at the patisserie near the dorm. After that I’ll grab fresh apple pie and croissants from the bakery, then stop by the café for…”
“Ah… I see.”
Pamela, already familiar with my foodie habits, understood immediately without needing the full explanation.
So this morning I bought enough desserts for the entire Portis group and made my way to the clubroom. Pamela, Shu Yeon-hwa, and Atsbal all had morning classes today, so I had the place to myself. By the time I finished shopping it was already late morning, but spending quiet time alone in the clubroom had its own charm.
Just as I was about to pop a piece of apple pie into my mouth—
Thud!
“Everyone, listen! New information on a rampaging monster has—”
“Oh.”
Adelia had burst in.
“This is good.”
“It’s a cake that only sells in limited quantities each day. I lined up early this morning to get it.”
I offered some to Adelia as well, and she joined me in eating the desserts I’d bought. Apparently she hadn’t had breakfast yet either.
“By the way, you mentioned something about a new rampaging monster. What was that about?”
“Ah, that… I’ll explain once the others get back.”
“Understood. Oh, try this cookie too. It tastes even better if you take a sip of juice first.”
“Got it.”
Her tone was blunt, but every time she brought cake or a cookie to her mouth, her eyes sparkled. Adelia’s love of sweets was already noted in her profile, and it became even more obvious during the event story that unlocked after the end of Main Story Chapter 1. Seeing that side of her ahead of time felt like a small victory.
The others wouldn’t return for at least another hour. That meant Adelia and I would be alone in the clubroom until then.
While wondering how to pass the time, a thought struck me.
Right. I should ask her something I’ve been curious about.
With my Penetration skill, awkwardness in conversation wouldn’t be a problem.
I decided to go for it.
Last time I’d asked Shu Yeon-hwa, Pamela, and Shasha why they wore such revealing outfits. This time I’d take a slightly different approach with Adelia.
“Adelia, there’s something I’d like to ask you.”
“Hm? What is it?”
Adelia, who had been sipping the fruit juice she poured, looked up at me.
“I recently learned that women wear revealing clothing to improve mana recovery efficiency.”
“You… only learned that recently?”
“Until now I’ve spent every day honing my spear skills rather than worrying about such things.”
That was the setting I’d been given.
“I see. So what about it?”
Adelia tilted her head, genuinely puzzled. She was the type who could be blunt yet oddly innocent at the same time—often looking a little dazed.
“Wearing revealing outfits improves mana recovery. I could understand that much. But lately a new question has been bothering me.”
I asked her with complete seriousness.
“Aren’t you cold?”
…Pfft.
After a brief silence, Adelia let out a small snort.
“Pfft—ha. Th-that’s what you were wondering? Khh.”
My question seemed to amuse her.
“Was it a funny question?”
“No, it’s just… the way you asked it with such a serious face is a little… pfft. S-sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologize. I thought it might be a sensitive topic for a woman, but my curiosity got the better of me.”
“A sensitive topic… It doesn’t feel particularly sensitive to me.”
“Really? That’s a relief. So, how about it? Aren’t you cold?”
It was a question many players of subculture games secretly wondered about: if the outfit was that skimpy and eye-catching, wasn’t it cold? I asked Adelia directly.
“It’s true that it might look cold at first glance. But there’s no need to worry.”
Adelia smiled and lightly tapped her chest.
“My clothes have a spell on them that keeps out the cold. They can handle a fair amount of chill.”
“A spell? So magic like that exists too.”
“It’s surprisingly common. It’s an application of the temperature-control magic used to keep food from spoiling. Shu Yeon-hwa and Pamela’s outfits have the same enchantment.”
“I see. Thanks for telling me.”
“It’s nothing.”
While I was feeling satisfied that my long-standing question had been answered, Adelia brought up a topic I hadn’t expected.
“So you don’t have to worry about me feeling uncomfortable because of the cold. If anything… yes. The embarrassment I felt the first time I wore it was far more troublesome.”
“Embarrassment?”
Hearing the word “embarrassment” come from a revealingly dressed female character was a topic that demanded my full attention.
“Yes, as you can see.”
Adelia tapped the side of her chest with her hand.
“I’m exposing this much skin, after all. Especially down below—the thighs are completely bare. Even I felt embarrassed until I got used to this outfit.”
I was hearing something incredibly precious right now.
“I see. I thought you’d been fine with it from the very beginning.”
“Of course not. Everyone feels embarrassed at first. But once you get used to it, it stops bothering you. People’s gazes also got used to the outfit, so they don’t linger as much. Well, I still feel some stares, but you stop noticing them after a while.”
“Is that how it works?”
“That’s how it works. Rather than worrying about embarrassment, it’s more important to raise mana recovery efficiency, fight better, and increase my survival rate.”
Honestly, that was an admirable mindset.
Grateful for the honest answer and the setting details, I thanked her sincerely.
“Thank you. It must have been a sensitive subject to talk about.”
“No, it’s fine. Thinking about it, it was a natural question. But… I never expected you, Lee Si-han, to have that kind of doubt. I thought you wouldn’t be interested.”
“Even if I see it every day, I’m still a man. It catches my attention, so naturally the question came up.”
“It still feels strange to hear that it catches your attention as a man.”
“Strange enough to surprise you? To be honest, I’m still doing my best not to stare in a way that would be rude.”
“Wh-what?”
“Just like you said yourself, Adelia—your outfit is quite stimulating for men. Combined with your looks, it’s very easy on the eyes, but I’m making an effort not to be disrespectful.”
Shame Resistance Penetrated
Compliment Resistance Penetrated
Ah, I hadn’t meant to trigger the shame side.
“…Lee Si-han.”
Adelia’s face flushed slightly.
“It’s true that I’ve gotten used to both this outfit and other people’s stares. However… when you say it so directly, I still end up feeling self-conscious.”
“Sorry.”
Adelia held up her palm.
“No, it’s all right. In any case… yes. I’ll take it as a compliment that I possess feminine charm. A compliment.”
From the notification sound, it seemed Adelia was embarrassed yet pleased by my words.
An embarrassed Adelia… that was a rare sight indeed.
After chatting calmly over desserts for about ten more minutes, Adelia’s embarrassment faded and she returned to her usual composed self.
“Adelia, is there anything inconvenient about being in Portis?”
As the leader, I decided to check on any complaints from the group members.
“Inconvenient? Not really… Everyone’s kind and willing to help with my requests, so if anything I feel bad. Ah, there is one thing I should reflect on.”
“Reflect on?”
Adelia grabbed her right shoulder with her left hand and rotated her arm.
“On top of my usual training, I’ve been going out almost every day for the past two weeks fighting rampaging monsters. My body is stiff all over. I never thought it would get this bad. I’ve realized I still lack training.”
Stiffness.
Hearing that word sparked a very good idea in my mind.
“Adelia, then let me take care of that stiffness for you.”
“What?”
“Leave it to me. I’ll get rid of every stiff spot in your body with my own hands.”