Dream Life Vol II Chapter 40.2: “A New Companion?”

　The Rock Boar she had killed was a small one, weighing about a hundred kilograms. We roughly cut it up in the woods and discarded the parts we didn’t need, but we still got quite a bit of meat.

　We often give away our surplus meat to our neighbors, so I asked her to cut it up into pieces for us to give to our neighbors.

　We kept about 20 kg of the ribs, shoulders, and thighs for us, and went to distribute the rest to our neighbors.

　We distributed the meat to several houses, mainly to our neighbors, Mr. Litorf and Mr. Novello, and in return they gave us fruit, smoked meat, and stew in a pot.

　Somehow, I went back to my house, smiling, thinking it was just like the old Japanese neighborhood.

　By this time, Sharon had finished cooking a simple stir-fry of vegetables, and had also put the salted and spiced ribs in the hot oven.

　Liddy also returned with bread and a jar of wine in his hand. Then he asked, “Are you finished preparing the bath?” He asked.

　I said, “It’s done,” and he headed for the bathroom with a happy look on his face.

　Beatrice, sitting in a chair at the dining table, heard our conversation and asked, “You have a bath?” I asked.

“I built the bath, and it’s rather nice. You can go in after Liddy.” (Zack)

　She was dumbfounded and muttered, “How grand is this house?”

　Our bath is quite large, so even Beatrice should be fine. This was because I made it large enough to accommodate my father and his squires when they visited the house, but I didn’t think it would be useful in a place like this.

　Liddy came out of the bath.

　She was dressed in a bathrobe, but since there were no other men around except me, she didn’t mind at all. At first, I had trouble looking at her, but recently I’ve gotten used to it.

　When I ask her to “show Beatrice how to get in,” she begged and says, “Just let me have one cold beer.”

　Her gesture was so cute that I told her, “Just one” and poured it into a mug from a small beer keg Liddy had bought, chilled it to a crisp with the pseudo-Peltier effect spell, and handed it to her.

　She took it lovingly and drank it down in one gulp. I thought her image overlapped with father, but I didn’t point that out.

　Beatrice looked surprised for the umpteenth time today, but I told her that I would let her have a drink after her bath and sent her to the bathroom.

　Sharon’s cooking was almost done, and all that was left was to take a bath and start eating, but Beatrice didn’t come out immediately. On the contrary, Liddy, who was supposed to do nothing but explain, did not come out either.

　I was curious to know what was going on and tried to talk to them in front of the bath area. But I couldn’t help overhearing voices coming from inside.

　From inside, I heard Liddy’s voice saying, “Really, what’s in that chest?” and Beatrice’s slightly annoyed voice saying, “Don’t touch it without permission.”

(This is not some GL/yuri thing, right? I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that and tell them to hurry up.) (Zack)

“Sharon and I aren’t cleaned up yet! Stop playing around and get out of there!” (Zack)

　I shouted, and from inside, “You should come join us. You’ll see some great stuff,” came Liddy’s cheerful voice.

　She shouldn’t have been drunk after just one beer, but it seemed that she was a little drunk.

　After Liddy’s reply, I asked her if she was drunk.

“Just now, I had a drink inside the stall. I need another one…” (Liddy)

　Since Beatrice is a woman, I forgot about Liddy’s phobia.

　“Sorry. I didn’t think about Liddy,” I apologized, and she replied in a jovial voice, “I don’t hate her, she’s fine. I just needed a little momentum,” she laughed.

　Beatrice came out of the bath, but her guest bathrobe was so amazing that I was at a loss for things to look at. She was trying to close her towel over her collar in front of me, but she couldn’t close it completely, and her cleavage was clearly visible. The length of the bathrobe was also just barely tight enough to show off her bountiful thighs. Furthermore, there was a yellow and black striped tiger tail swinging from behind her bathrobe.

　I summoned all my mental strength not to stare at her.

　But maybe it looked like she was embarrassed, Beatrice’s cheeks flushed a little, and she said, “I’m going to change into the clothes I am wearing,” and retreated to the back.

　By the time Sharon next headed for the bathroom, Beatrice returned.

　As if to sweep the situation under the rug, she said,

“That’s amazing, by the way. It was my first time taking a bath, and I didn’t realize how good it felt.” (Beatrice)

　I replied, “I know.” Then I handed her a cold beer.

　She was surprised that she could drink cold beer in this October season, and she downed the beer mug, which held more than 500 ml of beer, in one gulp.

“Phuwa. I can understand why Lydiane asked for at least one glass. I didn’t know it was this good.” (Beatrice)

　She looks at me with a greedy expression, probably because she hasn’t had enough yet, but I shook my head and said, “Wait until we’re ready to eat,” and took the empty mug.

　After Sharon left, I took a bath, but the water was much less hot than usual.

　I soak myself in the hot water to relieve my fatigue, thinking that I would run out of hot water if I were to enter the bath with a man of that size.

(Is she a new companion… No, I don’t know yet. Liddy seems to be okay with her, but I have to listen to Sharon’s feelings. I want her to join us because we can go deeper into the forest… Of course. One of the reasons is that she’s a wild beauty. I’ll be honest about that…) (Zack)

　I was soaking in the hot water, and for some reason I was making excuses to myself.

　When I got out of the bath, I went straight into the celebration.

　We laid out the food we had shared from the neighborhood and Sharon’s cooking, and finally put the main dish, oven-roasted wild boar, on the table.

　Sharon and I enjoy grape juice with ice, Liddy with chilled wine, and Beatrice with chilled beer.

　As we eat, Beatrice is constantly praising our lifestyle.

“The baths are terrific, but I like having cold drinks. I think you have more luxury than a poor aristocrat’s mansion.” (Beatrice)

　I chuckled at the part about the poor aristocrat’s mansion, and she immediately bowed her head and apologized.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean your parents’ house.” (Beatrice)

“No, it’s fine. My family is poor, but we have a good life. We have a big bath, after all, and we even own a brewery.” (Zack)

　In fact, the Lockhart family is not as poor today as it used to be. We have a steady cash income from scotch sales, so we are not that strapped for cash. In other knight’s domains, they have to hire mercenaries and adventurers to exterminate monsters, and they also have to socialize with other nobles, so a good amount of cash is disappearing. On the other hand, in the village of Rathmore, monsters are dealt with by the village patrol, there are no nearby noble domains, and there is no association with the court, so very little cash is spent.

　If one only looks at the lives of the villagers, they are more peaceful and have a higher standard of living than those of the great noble lords, and they believe that they are happier.

　After finishing the meal and cleaning up, time passes slowly.

　Liddy and Beatrice were quietly sharing a drink.

　I had something I wanted to ask Beatrice.

　When I said, “Can I ask you one thing?”, she quietly nodded.

“If you go deeper into the forest, you will end up at the foot of the Caem Mountains, right? How strong are the monsters when you get that deep?” (Zack)

　She mumbled, after thinking for a moment, “Well…”

“You know that there are a variety of monsters in the forest, right? Basically, it’s the same as the monsters in the forest, but it’s easier to understand if you think that the strength goes up a few ranks…” (Beatrice)

　She explained that there are various types of monsters in the forest, such as beast, insect, plant, ogre, and deadly spirit types, and that the mountain is basically composed of the same type of monsters.

　However, as is true for all monsters, the strength of the monsters in the mountains is a rank higher, and there are even more powerful monsters such as dragon species and giants. It is said that all parties entering the mountain from the forest need to be at least 5th rank or at least level 35.

　Beatrice had a slightly different opinion, saying that it would be necessary to be accompanied by an excellent magician who was at least level 40 and capable of attacking all targets.

“I see. So that means we’re still only in the woods.” (Zack)

　Beatrice looked a little puzzled.

“What are you in such a hurry for? At your age, you are more than capable. Even if you take another ten years, you will still be twenty years old. Why don’t you take your time and get stronger?” (Beatrice)

　I laughed and said, “I don’t mean to sound hasty.”

“I want to be at least level fifty on my magic skills and level forty on my Sword Arts by the time I graduate in at least five years. At the current rate of my progress, my magic skill level will be in the 40s and my Sword Arts level will be in the upper 30s. That’s why I want to fight stronger enemies.” (Zack)

　Liddy and Sharon know my secret, so they don’t say anything, but Beatrice, who knows nothing about it, is taken aback by my words.

“Do you want to become a royal court magician at the age of 15? Over 40, someone who can stand shoulder to shoulder with a veteran mercenary in swordsmanship… I feel like you can do it, but is there a reason why you’re in such a hurry…? No, I won’t ask right now. I’ll leave it at that. It’s probably not something you would say to me who you just met.” (Beatrice)

　With a slightly lonely expression, she muttered to convince herself,

“Understood. Let’s help each other as much as possible. Leave it to me, your older sister Beatrice.” (Zack)

　She said playfully, laughing, but she narrowed my eyes, saying, “But if you do something unreasonable, I’ll punish you.”

　The day ended there, and Beatrice went back to her inn regretfully.

　On her way back, she looked up at our house and seemed to mumble something, but I couldn’t quite make it out.