123-Relationship between two people




 
 I drank a cup of warm green tea in a toast. The unique astringency and aroma of green tea spread in my mouth at once.

 And I let out a breath of relief.

 Ah, the tea I usually drink is good, but green tea is not bad either. It makes me want senbei or Japanese sweets.

 Of course, I will buy this as a souvenir, but Erna's mother and father are very fussy about tea leaves, so they will be angry with me if I don't learn how to brew it properly. I'll ask the landlady to teach me how to make a good cup of green tea later. My repertoire of after-dinner drinks has increased.

 Now, I'm thirsty and ready to eat.

 As I quietly put the cup of green tea down, I was reaching for a fork or a spoon when I suddenly realized that a pair of chopsticks had been placed in front of me.

 I noticed that there were chopsticks in front of me.

 Oh, chopsticks. I have handmade chopsticks in the mansion, but I don't use them very often. Because there are many dishes that are easier to eat with a spoon and fork, and I thought it was strange that only one person suddenly started using chopsticks. I don't think I'll use them unless I'm serving grilled fish or zaru soba noodles.

'What is it?' What are these two sticks?

'It's next to the fork and spoon, and I suppose it's a type of dishware but how does it work?'

 Aleusha and Ilya in front of me were unfamiliar with the chopsticks, or maybe they were just trying to hold one of them.

''Are they supposed to be used in pairs like a knife and a fork?''

 While Aleusha gives me a quizzical look, she holds one chopstick at a time, like a knife and fork.

''Oh, I guess I might be that type.''

 I don't think he's doing it on purpose, and I feel sorry for him if he laughs, but it's funny.

 I watch them both, holding my laughter in front of me.

'But how are we supposed to eat with this? Is he going to stab me?

What? Isn't that a little trivial?

So how do you eat it?

"...........

 Aleusha and Illya look at each other and have a difficult look on their faces.

'What's this? A spit?

 Irvine and Malt in the back seemed to have finally noticed the chopsticks after emptying their cups of ale.

 Rumba and Malt ate with their spoons and forks without a care in the world. I don't know if they didn't use what they didn't understand or if they were just in view.

 The three of us, who didn't know how to use chopsticks, looked around at us in front of them, looking uneasy.

 I dare not notice it and tipped my green tea again.

 The person enjoying this situation the most is Tori, who is next to me.

 Because Tori, who usually has a good human smile on her face, is shaking her shoulders with a nasty smile from earlier.

''........Isn't that enough?''

Right! I've had enough fun.

 Tory responded happily to the voice of the secretary sitting next to Rumba.

'Nah! Well, Triella, you enjoyed watching our reactions, didn't you?

It's mean!

No, I was just wondering how people would react. I'm sorry.

 Aleusha and Illya give me a jittery look, but Tori doesn't seem to mind and laughs.

 Thanks to that, I was able to enjoy myself too, so I'm not complaining.

''So, how do you use this?''

 Irvine, who wasn't greatly embarrassed, asked out of pure curiosity. On the other hand, Aleusha and Illya, who had tried a lot of trial and error, had a bitter expression on their faces. It's probably because they know their shame by asking for the correct answer.

''These are called chopsticks, and they're used by holding them with one hand like this and holding them between them.

"That's disgusting!

Isn't that terrible?

 When asked by Irvine, Torrie showed him a sample, and a frank opinion jumped out at him from Irvine and Aleusha.

 As a Japanese man who has used chopsticks many times, I can look at them without any discomfort, but to someone who has never seen them before, it might be so. Foreigners are often surprised at how handy the Japanese are.

 

'Look, look, it's not creepy, is it?

Stop it! I feel like a bug!

 Torrie thrusts out while opening and closing the chopsticks, but Irvine backed away like he was looking at something creepy. Well, it's not surprising that he would think so if he was thrust out while opening and closing them like that.

''Toriela-san, creepy ... you're handy, aren't you?

That kind of language hurts my feelings even more!

 Tory crumbled stiffly at Aleusha's insinuation.

'All Kagla people eat from this, right?

"...Really? Are you going to tease us with a lie?

 Maybe it's because she was teased once, but Ilya is skeptical.

''It's true? I'll show you how to use chopsticks if you'd like.

Oh, please.

 As if she didn't want them to have a strange misunderstanding, the proprietress, a Kagura man, began to teach Aleusha and Ilya how to do it.

'You really do pinch them like this, don't you?

'So it wasn't a lie by Ms. Trierra.

 Aleusha and Ilya moved their chopsticks awkwardly as the proprietress put her hand on them.

 Seeing this, Malt stopped shoveling his rice with his spoon and set his eyes on the chopsticks.

 Then he and Irvine looked at each other and nodded.

''Landlady, I'd like us to learn how to use chopsticks, too.''

 The two of them would get the big idea of asking the landlady to teach them how to use chopsticks and hold their hands. This is not a bad strategy.

 Because to learn how to use chopsticks, hand to hand contact naturally.

Yes, that's fine. Then, Sanosuke-san, teach them how to use the chopsticks. I'll teach Aleusha-san and Ilya-san.

"'Sanosuke, no! Change!

 However, their plan is defeated, and a young man, Sanosuke, dressed in employee's clothes, arrives on the scene. The two men's expressions change from the beautiful proprietress to a pouting Sanosuke, and their expressions change to despair.

 That's right. The landlady is busy with Aleusha and Illya right now.

''Well then, let me tell you something.

 Sannosuke came up next to Irvine and showed him a sample with his chopsticks. In response, Irvine and Malt didn't look at the sample, but whispered in Sannosuke's ear.

'Sanosuke! We're supposed to understand each other! Take a turn with the landlady. That way you get to hold the lady's hand for the great cause of teaching her how to handle chopsticks, okay?

That's right, Sanosuke. If we take turns, we'll both be happy, right?

 The two of them begin to square-shoulder each other familiarly, calling out "Sannosuke" repeatedly.

 Hearing this, Sanosuke's voice becomes more and more unhappy.

'.........................The proprietress is my wife, is there something wrong?

It's nothing.

 Irvine and Malt became completely docile after hearing those words, and Sanosuke had to teach them how to use chopsticks in a very polite manner.



Excuse me, Mr. Sanosuke? You've got your fingers in your hand. It hurts! I'm sorry!

 Irvine suffers under the attack of her husband, Sanosuke.

 I sip the warm miso soup while watching as I enjoy it.

 Sigh, the taste of miso spreads in my mouth.

 Ah, the second most nostalgic taste after soy sauce. It's amazing how good it tastes just by dissolving a little bit of dashi and miso and adding some vegetables.

Oh, it's so good!

 I let out a breath of relief and pick up my chopsticks, missing my food.

''Oh, can you use them, Alfried-sama?''

Yes, I watched the landlady and Mr. Sannosuke teach.

 I eat my food with chopsticks for such a random reason.

 Oops! After all, the food we eat there is different. The rice is much better than the rice I made in the house or my home. The grains of the rice are more prominent and sweeter than usual. I can feel the taste of the rice itself very strongly.

 Is it because of the difference in the way of cooking rice? I only made minor adjustments based on the rice I used to use in my previous life, so I guess I still wasn't getting the most out of Kagura's rice. I'll have to ask this at all costs. The rest of the time, there might be a difference in Kamado or something. 

 While I'm thinking about this, while I'm savoring my rice and miso soup, a frustrated voice comes up from Tory.

''Oh no, you're better at handling it than I am. I practiced to surprise you, but........

 No wonder she was enjoying herself so much.

 The secretary's hand is gently placed on the back of a frustrated Torrie.

 While smiling at Torrie, who raises her face.

''He's the one who has that much dexterity with magic, right? It's a mistake to compare him to the chairman.

I need you to comfort me properly.

 I'm just curious, what the hell is going on with Tory and his secretary's relationship?