The Master of the Tower Dreaming of What Lies Beyond (3)
Leana was humming in the kitchen as she prepped the fish.
"Grilled fish today?"
"Look forward to it. I got some really plump sea bass from the market."
I'd come to help, but the fish was already filleted down to the bones. The flesh was firm and packed—perfect for frying up in oil.
"You're gonna season it with salt and pepper, right?"
"On fish?"
"Then where?"
"Hmm, well... It's a sea fish, so it'll be salty enough already."
"What...?"
"Sea water's salty, you know? These guys grew up drinking it. Adding more salt feels off, doesn't it? Unless you like your food super salty, Clerk."
I was floored, at a total loss for words. Leana was sharp as a tack—no denying that from how she handled the guild ledgers and paperwork. That's why, after I taught her about salting last time, her cooking had been spot-on ever since.
But no salt because it's from the sea? From Leana, not Celestine? Sigh... This was something else.
"Come here. Let me do it."
"You, Clerk? You can cook?"
Better than you danced on the tip of my tongue. I wasn't a pro, but I had the basics down.
"A little. Hand me the salt and pepper."
I sprinkled them evenly over the lined-up fillets, then heated oil in the pan. Once it was good and hot, I laid the fish skin-side down.
I didn't know the exact reason, but starting skin-side kept the shape intact and boosted the flavor.
"Oh, I see. If you start with the flesh, it sticks to the pan and falls apart. So you sear the skin first to render the fat, huh."
"Huh? Oh, yeah, something like that?"
"What do you mean? It's obvious just looking at it, Clerk."
Smart as ever. A total cooking newbie, and she grasped the principle on sight.
"Smells amazing."
Celestine poked her head into the kitchen, drawn by the aroma, and sidled up beside me.
"Whoa, grilled fish."
"You like fish?"
"I dooo. But I never got much. Back in the sect, they only gave us half portions."
Leana's face fell in genuine pity at that.
"Starving a sweet kid like her. That abstinence sect is total garbage."
"Garbage. What do they even gain from all that deprivation?"
"Right? Still, Celestine, don't eat too much. Look—your clothes don't fit anymore."
Celestine had been borrowing Leana's outfits since joining the guild. Leana had a surprising wardrobe and offered them freely, no need to buy new ones.
But every piece was deeply plunging at the chest. They'd fit Celestine fine at first, but lately, they were on the verge of bursting. Partly because she was a tad bigger than Leana, but mostly... those breasts.
How did they grow that fast in just a few weeks? Even her usual black shirt for quests had this overwhelming presence now. Leana had a solid chest herself, but Celestine's were... something else.
Ahem...
Catching my gaze, Celestine cleared her throat, covered up, and backed away. She shuffled right out of the kitchen.
Leana smacked my arm.
"Clerk."
"Yeah?"
"Celestine's off-limits."
"What? What're you talking about?"
"She's barely twenty. Have some conscience."
"I wasn't even thinking anything!"
"I know you sneak peeks at Celestine's chest all the time."
"It's not sneaking—my eyes just go there. If something like that was walking around, you telling me you wouldn't look?"
"Fair. But still no. We've only got three members now. If something weird happens and we're back to two, I'll be swamped."
"I'm not doing anything!"
"If you're gonna mess around, wait till we recruit more and the guild's stable. Seriously, not now."
"What do you even take me for...?"
"What else? A demon hunter clerk who ogles his guildmates' chests. Anyway, I'll finish up."
Leana flashed a sly smile and left the kitchen. I hadn't done a thing, and now I was the sleazy one. Though Celestine's chest pulling my eyes was unavoidable.
"Dig in, everyone. I didn't make it, but still."
We gathered around the round table, and Leana served the perfectly grilled fillets onto our plates with tongs.
"Celestine, have plenty~?"
She'd just told her not to overeat in the kitchen, yet Leana piled three pieces on Celestine's plate.
"This okay, Clerk? Lemon juice?"
"Yeah, squeeze some on."
She even cut a lemon into quarters and juiced it over by hand. Only two years older, but Leana looked like Celestine's doting young mom.
I got it—Celestine was adorable. That soft, innocent face, a bit slow on the uptake, rarely smiling... like a big, fluffy animal. A little dim, sure, but obedient, well-behaved, and surprisingly diligent and tidy despite her looks.
On off days, she'd bustle around cleaning or doing laundry nonstop. Clumsy at first, but she'd watch Leana over her shoulder and pick it up fast. How could Leana not adore her?
Plus, that perfume scent wafting from her...
"Hey, Celestine, you wear perfume?"
"Perfume...? Nooo...? Is it sweat? Sorry...?"
She yanked her shirt collar, sniffed her neck frantically.
"No, not that. You just always smell like perfume, so I wondered."
"Perfume...? I don't use any... The sect banned makeup, never even tried."
What? Then what was that perfume smell?
I glanced at Leana; she leaned toward Celestine.
"What perfume smell?"
"Doesn't she smell like perfume?"
"Hmm."
Leana stood, buried her face in Celestine's nape, and inhaled deeply.
"Eek! Stop~!"
"Just skin smell? What perfume?"
"No, definitely perfume."
I went to Celestine's other side, sniffed her nape.
"Smells like perfume!"
"Your nose broken or something? No perfume."
"Really none? Huh. Am I the only one?"
"Weird. Probably some impure motive on your part, Clerk."
"What impure motive?"
"Hitting on Celestine right now?"
"It's not hitting on—there is perfume!"
With the guild leader and clerk sniffing her from both sides, bickering, Celestine's face turned beet red.
Hmm...
Leana, still clueless, tried lifting Celestine's arm next. Celestine freaked, shoved her chair back, and bolted up.
"Eeeek! Both of you, stop!"
"Sorry, sorry. Back to our seats, Clerk. You scared her."
Even sitting back down, the situation baffled me. That distinct perfume had clung to Celestine since day one. I'd smelled it clearly even with Blind Vision active—no mistake there. It sacrificed sight for hyper-sensitive other senses.
She doesn't wear any, Leana smells nothing. No reason for them to lie. So was I hallucinating her scent as perfume? Why?
Game knowledge and lore had zilch on this. Of course not—some deranged setup where one girl's natural scent mimics perfume? Useless dating sim fluff in a dark fantasy game.
Beats me...
Celestine still blushed furiously, head down, rubbing her nape. Her halo flickered erratically—she'd been rattled bad.
"Okay, enough smell talk—time to eaaat~ Let's try the Clerk's yummy sea bass!"
Leana beamed, forked a big chunk, ate it, and scrunched her brows in delight.
"Mmm! Too good! Clerk, you handle quests—I'll manage the guild and cook?"
"Should I? Guess our guild becomes a law firm or accounting office then."
"Sounds great. Add a clinic too? With Celestine here."
While we bantered, Celestine stayed silent. No surprise—she was too busy devouring the sea bass.
Adorable to death, seriously.
The next day, Celestine and I wrapped a quest and returned to the guild. Some nonsense about fetching the "Golden Golem's Eye" from wherever. Supposedly spotted in the Lumiere Mountains—total wild goose chase. Turned out to be an eagle egg in a tree nest, glinting in the sun.
No such thing anyway. I'd already nabbed it in my playthrough for Nightrend materials.
Checked just in case, but empty-handed. Celestine, filthy from mountain trekking, kept casting holy heals on her thighs as we walked.
Weight gain from overeating must've hit hard.
"Ease up on the food from now on. Your body's heavier suddenly."
"Not tired for you, Clerk?"
"Nah, I'm used to mountains."
"Amazing... Whew, so tired..."
Turning into our guild's alley, I spotted three folks in uniform before the guild—border guards, by the insignia and standard arming swords.
Why were border guards at a guild? A commission maybe?
Leana, chatting with them, saw me and waved.
"Clerk! Hurry over!"