The moment I stepped inside, the place was bustling just as fondly as ever, and Burns was there to greet us.
"Hey. You're back!"
"Yep. We're home."
"How was Heizen?"
"A lot happened. So, um… the second floor — is it free?"
"Yeah, it's open. The front part of the second floor. Go ahead."
He took one look at Riv and Isibara and got the picture.
"Thank you very much."
I thanked Burns and headed upstairs.
"Oy, oy — isn't that Wof?"
"Haven't seen him around in ages, but I heard he went to Heizen."
"I heard Heizen's been in turmoil. Something must've gone down."
"The guys who went to Forest Wave to make a killing really got it rough, huh. I was thinking about going myself, but I'm glad I didn't."
"You idiot. You just didn't have the travel money."
"And you're any different? You blow all your cash on whores."
"Wha—?! You calling Xiu a whore, you little—!"
"What, you wanna go?!"
Oh, they've started fighting. Nice to see them in good spirits.
"Check it out. He's back and already got two women in the VIP room. Showing off his Night King cred."
"And hey, isn't that Riv from Torquetam?"
"Torquetam went to Haizen too, right?"
"Tch, I'm already sick of Haizen, and now the Night King too?"
People sure are saying a lot.
First of all, I wish they'd stop calling me the Night King so casually.
Getting roped into a conversation would be a hassle, so I quickly slip into a private room near the second floor.
I order a bunch of things and sit down at the table.
Isibara was vaguely nervous.
She was being swallowed up by the room's atmosphere.
Before long, the food we'd ordered arrived and filled the table.
What made me happy was the large butter rice.
I scoop up rice mixed with butter, onion, and garlic with my spoon and eat.
Yeah. This is it. This taste, just like I remembered.
"Mmm... it's been a while... Cider Hall... still so good."
Riv had ordered the ginger pork sauté set meal.
She was savoring thick slices of boar.
Come to think of it, in this world they eat boar but not orcs.
Because they have a human shape, I wouldn't want to eat them either.
"Yummy. I wike this."
"Glad you like it."
Isubara took a liking to the beef stew pie.
What I remember from my past life, though, is the cream stew pie version.
Back when I was a broke college student. We'd all been pulling an all-nighter in a kotatsu, drinking shochu together.
That pretty senior who was always kind of rough around the edges suddenly blurted out something.
Hey, today's Christmas, isn't it?
None of us had even realized until she said it.
But once she pointed it out, we all kind of paused.
Should we buy chicken? Are you stupid, that's way too expensive. Let's just grab something from the convenience store.
Do we want cake? Hmm. Cake, huh? That got us a little riled up, at least.
Then the senior said, how about I whip up something Christmas-y.
Wait? Senior, you can cook? We were half skeptical.
"Course I can. Hang on a sec."
She went back to her room, and what she came back with was a cream stew pie.
We were surprised, but when we tried it, it was delicious — and that surprised us all over again.
That senior… pretty, but rough and zero makeup.
And we were on day three of the all-nighter, so she hadn't even showered, and she didn't care.
That kind of senior… doing something so fancy.
I was honestly a little impressed.
She didn't exactly have allure, though.
"So… what do we do now… kid?"
"I could use some information."
"You got a lead?"
"I do, actually."
"Hmm… where…?"
"Well, obviously."
"What is it?"
It had been quite a while since I'd been to her shop.
We finished eating and headed there right away.
As we got close, Riv seemed to pick up on it too.
I spotted a red-haired woman leaning on the shop counter with her chin propped on her hand.
"Arifa."
"Oh, Wof. And Riv — what a rare combination."
Arifa looked up.
Red hair in a braid, black horns, wide-set orange eyes.
A beautiful woman who radiated an air of boldness at first glance.
As always, she wore an off-the-shoulder top that barely contained her ample chest.
Her tattered, ripped pants were still going strong too.
"It's been a while."
"Mm… big sis… I'm home."
"Welcome back. And you are…?"
"I'm...Wof..."
"A friend."
"Is that so? Name's Arifa. I run this antique shop. Nice to meet you."
"Pleasure. You've got quite the aura about you."
"Oh my, can you tell?"
"Arifa is a third-class delver, and Agaro's big sister."
"Mm... Actually, she's stronger than that."
"Is that so?"
When I asked, Arifa smiled.
"Ahahaha, I've got enough power to hold my own against the people around here. I heard you went to Haizen, did you? How was it?"
"It was fun, despite everything. By the way, it sounds like quite a lot happened back in Hydrangea too."
"Mm... It changed... too much... or something."
At our words, Arifa gave a wry smile.
"The Hayan Trading Company. You see that ridiculously huge building outside?"
"That wasn't there before, was it?"
"That's the Hayan Trading Company's main branch."
"What!?"
"Mm... Their rise to the top... has been... unreal..."
"That enormous building is the trading company's? That's something."
Sure, it was impressive. But that was... the Hayan Trading Company's building?
What's that rabbit even doing.
"Ugh... It's pretty pathetic, honestly. Most of this town's been bought out and turned into Hayan Trading Company stores."
"That many...?"
That rabbit. What on earth is he up to?
I'm getting a sudden rush of secondhand embarrassment.
"Mm... that perverted rabbit... he's really getting into it."
He's way too into this.
This is absolutely going to end up somewhere terrible.
I don't really want to admit it, but I understand why Laada had him sealed away and put to sleep.
Alright. Decision made. I'm going to go punch him later.
"What's this~? Looks like you two know each other~."
"...Well, I suppose... I do bear some responsibility for waking him up."
That's exactly why I'll end his ambitions with these fists.
Just like when we first met.
"You've had your hands full already since getting back. By the way, those gauntlets. They've got an interesting shape."
"These? They're an improved version of the gauntlets I had the witch make for me."
Then the black magic gem glowed a pale blue.
What's going on? The blue woman living inside my mind looks like she's showing off.
"Oh, that glowing part. That's a magic gem, right?"
"Arifa. You know about it?"
"Something similar... I think it's around here somewhere..."
As she spoke, Arifa reached for a shelf behind her.
Oh man, Arifa's rear end, clearly visible through those pants — it's been quite a while since I last saw it.
Definitely big. On par with Ennea's, easily.
But when it comes to shape, Arifa wins hands down. Trained, toned, truly impressive.
"Wof. Riv and I are gonna go look around the shop."
"O-okay. I'll stay here."
"Hey... kid..."
"What is it?"
Riv lightly touched my right shoulder and whispered in my ear.
"Mm... Riv's butt... something to brag about... yeah..."
"Wh-what was that?"
Her sudden remark caught me completely off guard.
Riv gave a sultry smile.
"What about my butt?"
"Nothing... let's go."
"Mm."
Riv headed off, dragging along Isibara, who had absolutely no idea what had just happened.
Just then, I caught a glimpse of Riv's rear, pressed taut against her pants.
I couldn't help but look. I'm a boy, after all.