Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Sophomore Jinx (5)
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Anyway, even though it's limited to until big sis Mina gets back, now that Ermina and Karin have decided to join up, I've resolved to prepare as thoroughly as possible.
At least Ermina has some fighting ability of her own, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her a specialist when it comes to demon gods, so I'm not too worried about her. But Karin, as far as I know, has no talent for combat.
That's why I'd come to the shop run by big sis Reimi—to make sure nothing went wrong if at all possible, and at the very least equip her with something to protect herself in a dangerous situation.
“So you're really heading into the labyrinth with those kids from the academy, huh.”
“Sounds like you saw that coming.”
“A little? Fate doesn't always line up so neatly.”
“Fair enough. Still, I was hoping it wouldn't come to this.”
“But it's the cafe manager's decision, so there must've been good reason.”
“Yeah. And if anything, our relationships at the academy weren't bad.”
“What? Hearing you had good relationships with girls is making me a little jealous.”
“It wasn't like that.”
“If it had been, you probably never would've left the academy in the first place.”
Big sis Reimi said that with a smile, setting down the monocle she'd been wearing for a moment to rub her eyes. I knew she handled magic tools and artifacts, which meant she also did gem crafting, but this was the first time I'd seen her up close, meticulously engraving something while using a magic-infused monocle to magnify it.
She closed her right eye, came over to sit beside me, and rested her head on my shoulder. In a voice that was languid rather than her usual crisp tone, she murmured:
“I wish I could go with you. Combat's not my specialty either.”
“...Who knows.”
I wanted to minimize the number of people as much as possible and set out with danger reduced to the absolute minimum. The labyrinth doesn't let you grow strong without taking risks, but we weren't going in there to gain experience and power this time.
That said, I could sort of understand what Cosetica-nee was getting at, and I knew what big sis Reimi meant by her words, so I kept my mouth shut.
The phrase “I'll gratefully accept the sentiment” fit perfectly.
To be completely honest, I wasn't entirely used to having someone worry about me and look out for me without expecting anything in return, so it left me a bit awkward.
Still, maybe it was time I started trusting those around me more.
After leaning quietly against me for a bit, her red hair draping down below my shoulder, she seemed satisfied and got up, stretching before returning to her workstation.
“I'm focusing on survival and protection for now, but is there any other function you might need?”
“Since it's the labyrinth, it'd be good to have tracking in case we get lost.”
“I can add it, but no guarantees it'll work. Location and space magic don't function well in there.”
“Still, better to have it as insurance. None of us are exactly labyrinth veterans.”
“Fair point, then.”
She stepped into the workshop for a moment and came back out with something, pressing it firmly against the gem she'd been working on. The sapphire, which had been blue just moments ago, turned purple.
She fixed it back onto the anvil and resumed her focused crafting with the familiar clicking sounds.
Is this what it feels like to watch someone brew coffee on an espresso machine? The sounds might not seem pleasant at first glance, but sitting back and watching her work felt strangely relaxing.
After concentrating for a while, she looked up at me and asked:
“Not getting bored?”
“Nah. It's more interesting to watch than I thought.”
“Kinda embarrassing.”
She said it was embarrassing but didn't shy away or chase me off—instead, she continued her work with a pleased expression. That had to come from confidence and pride in what she did.
Running the cafe was fun and all, but it didn't really inspire that kind of pride. In the real world, there are barista competitions, bean selections for contests, World Coffee Events, and such, so maybe the competitive scene breeds that sense of pride.
I spent about thirty minutes observing her craft compared to my own work. Finally, big sis Reimi announced that the first stage was done and she had to wait for the dye to stabilize before standing up.
I wondered where she'd go to rest, but as expected, it was my cafe. I unlocked the door and let us in.
“Mmm. If you wanna hang out with the cafe manager, this is the best spot.”
“Can't argue with that, in a way.”
“When do you plan to hand over that thing you were just working on once it's done?”
“Probably call Karin over sometime this week to explain it to her.”
“Makes sense. Oof, hearing this makes me feel like you're gonna up and leave somewhere.”
“Not going anywhere. Unless something crazy happens.”
We spent the time until the espresso machine warmed up enjoying a moment alone, but during that, she grumbled about whether I was really leaving for somewhere else.
The ultimate goal in my life was to live quietly running a small cafe in some peaceful spot, and if necessary along the way, I'd thwart plots like demon lord or demon god revivals.
When I went to the academy this time, seeing how dire things were for Ermina and her companions—worse than I'd imagined—made something clear. I'd completely failed to achieve the level of growth the game required.
Christoph and Yumin, who hadn't awakened, probably wouldn't even be allowed on the battlefield.
And if I didn't stop the conspiracy, my own life was done for, no question. So from now on, I planned to hustle around solving problems for a while.
Ideally without Ermina.
But if a mission absolutely required her, then together.
That meant I'd be away now and then—maybe often—and in a sense, she wasn't wrong that I might end up “going somewhere else.”
“Big sis.”
“Yeah?”
“I might have to step out for a bit sometimes, so don't go anywhere and greet me when I get back.”
She gave me a blank look for a second after hearing that, then chuckled softly—my words must've hit the right note.
“Got it. That's how it should be. Not like I'm going anywhere forever.”
“You planning to settle down here for life too, Reimi-nee?”
“Yeah. This is my home. Why would I leave my house behind?”
“I worked hard to set up my own place too, so leaving doesn't appeal. The houses I inherited from my family? Zero attachment.”
“That's the charm of living on your own, right?”
“Figured that out way too late. If I'd known, I'd have bolted before enrollment.”
“Heh, then you'd have come here around the same time as me.”
“What would that have been like?”
“Nah, would've been rough. Back then I was furious at the Magic Tower, dealing with rude adventurers left and right—total hysterics.”
“Haha, really?”
“Well, probably would've melted seeing the cafe manager smile so kindly. Might've griped about 'what's this coffee crap' at first, then tasted it, loved it, felt embarrassed for no reason, realized you're someone I could open up to, and ended up just like now.”
“Just like now, huh.”
“Meaning I like you.”
Seeing big sis Reimi toss out lines like that more casually lately made me embarrassed instead.
She kept saying it, but hearing affection expressed so directly was rare for me—it was hard not to fidget.
We sipped our coffee in silence for a bit. After taking a bite of the chocolate I'd pulled out for her hard-working self and swallowing it whole, she finally spoke again.
“Anyway, the cafe manager's strong, so I'm not worried about you.”
“Yeah.”
“Just take good care of the others. Strong or rich people don't always get how it is for those who aren't. If they charge ahead thinking it'll be fine, things can go south fast from behind.”
“Agreed.”
“Mm. Just look after Karin enough that she doesn't start seeing you as a guy.”
“Hard to picture.”
My junior with her hearty appetite and sneaky shameless streak seeing me that way didn't ring true at all. If anything, she felt like a female friend—someone I'd never even approach romantically in ten years.
Big sis Reimi giggled at my bemused expression, removed her monocle to wipe it clean with a cloth, and put it back on.
The warm coffee seemed to melt her through and through, slouching her into a spine-wrecking posture. She stared at me intently for a moment, then beckoned me over.
I approached without suspicion, and she pulled me into a hug, patting my back.
“You've been through a lot lately. Stress from the academy stuff, and now labyrinth troubles on top. I hope peaceful days come back soon.”
“...They will. Soon.”
In truth, even the sequel storyline—whose enemies I didn't know yet—wouldn't erase what we'd built so far.
Wrap this up right, and we can return to normal life.
I stayed in her embrace a while longer—smaller than me, but comforting—and quietly reaffirmed my resolve.