Chapter 22 - Cooling Off in the Stream
Having thoroughly enjoyed the venison dishes and feeling filled with a sense of satiety and happiness, we were relaxing in the living room drinking apple mint tea.
Flora had brewed it using apple mint grown at Fiona-san's house.
"Ah, the tea Flora brews is delicious."
"Fufu, thank you very much."
Just as Aisha said, the tea brewed by Flora and Fiona-san was incredibly fragrant. I had asked for the secret and tried it myself, but it never quite turned out well.
The sense for timing the steeping of the tea leaves, the temperature intervals, and adjusting for the day's temperature must be extraordinary. I wonder how many cups of tea one would have to brew to reach that level.
This isn't something that comes as easily as the Pico Fruit secret ingredient from earlier.
I inhaled the scent of the apple mint as if to savor it, then took a sip.
The faint taste of sweet green apple and a refreshing flavor spread gently through my mouth. I like the taste of this calming tea.
"How about it? Do I look like a noble lady?"
Aisha sipped her tea with careful movements while maintaining a composed expression. Then, with slow movements, she placed the teacup on the table...
Thump! The table made a loud sound.
"Haha, what kind of noble lady would make such a blunder? Besides, your legs are wide open."
"Shut up. There's something wrong with your table if it makes such a loud noise even when I put it down carefully."
"As if that's possible."
Perhaps her interest had cooled after being mocked by Toak, as Aisha began drinking her tea while leaning her elbow on the table.
Noble etiquette, which requires one to keep their nerves sharpened, probably isn't suited for the lazy Aisha. There are quite a lot of things to be careful about in that regard.
"Aldo's movements are much more beautiful than Aisha's."
"It's true. He hasn't made a single sound for a while now, and his way of drinking is elegant."
Toak and Flora looked over at me with voices of admiration.
"I-Is that so?"
Once you become an A-rank adventurer, you start receiving designated requests from nobles. When that happens, it becomes our job to go and hear the detailed request contents, so it was necessary to master noble etiquette to a degree that wasn't rude.
I must have been unconsciously careful while drinking the tea.
Well, being a bit elegant in the way I drink tea shouldn't make me seem suspicious.
The Guildmaster drilled it into me until my ears were sore, so I feel a certain resistance to breaking etiquette even now.
We spent some time chatting in the living room while drinking tea.
"Alright, Aldo. Let's go fishing. I want to eat salted fish for dinner."
Toak, holding his fishing gear, spoke up.
Since his surly face had softened slightly, I could tell he was actually looking forward to it.
"Right. Let's go fishing. We're going to the stream nearby, but what will Flora and Aisha do?"
"Let's see. It's not bad to relax outside once in a while. Shall we go to the stream too?"
"Yes, I'll go as well."
I was worried because Aisha had pushed her work onto her family and I had suddenly called Flora out, but both of them seemed to have no particular problems.
"Understood. Then let's all go together."
◆ ◆ ◆
Walking from my house, we reached the stream in less than two minutes.
The weather was fine today as well, with a cloudless blue sky stretching out above.
The warm spring sunlight felt pleasant.
A breeze that felt like a caress on the cheek blew, and the wildflowers growing by the stream swayed rustlingly.
Just listening to the flow of the water made me feel cool and comfortable.
While feeling nature, we walked along the stream to search for our target, the river fish.
"My stomach is full, so I feel like sleeping here."
"Ah, I get that—"
Walking behind Toak and me, Flora and Aisha murmured peacefully.
Perhaps because of the fullness from lunch, I have the confidence that I could fall asleep immediately if I lay down in the grass. Will I be okay? I hope I don't fall asleep while fishing.
Bathed in the warm sunlight, I unintentionally let out a yawn.
Looking to my side, Toak was yawning in the same way. He didn't let out a sound like I did, but tears gathered in the corners of his eyes and he looked a bit sleepy.
"Shall we wash our faces in the stream to wake ourselves up?"
If we wash our faces with cold water, the sleepiness should fly away.
I think it would be a bit painful to continue fishing, which involves waiting for prey, in this state.
"Ah, I agree. It's warm today, so it would feel good to put our feet in the river."
"That sounds lovely."
Aisha and Flora reacted happily to my suggestion.
Ah, putting our feet in the water would indeed feel very good.
"...I guess so. At this rate, I might fall asleep while fishing."
Toak had shown signs of wanting to start fishing quickly, but perhaps he couldn't beat the sleepiness, as he agreed to cool off in the stream for a bit.
"Look, over there has some nice stones and looks perfect. Let's go, Flora!"
"Eh, wait a moment! Aisha, you're too fast!"
Aisha pointed ahead and took Flora's arm, running off.
Flora was surprised by the sudden dash and moved her legs, but since she wasn't particularly good at exercise, she seemed to be doing her best just to keep up.
We also started running, chasing after the swaying long red hair and long golden hair.
The place Aisha and Flora reached was a spot where the width of the stream widened.
There were four stones poking their faces out of the water, and it looked like we could settle down comfortably there.
"...Haa, haa, Aisha, you're fast."
When Toak and I caught up, Flora was a bit out of breath.
It wasn't even thirty meters, but it seemed tough for Flora, who didn't do much intense exercise, to match the fast-paced Aisha.
"You have to run once in a while or your physical strength will drop, you know? You won't be able to run when the time comes."
It's true that it would be a problem if you couldn't run when attacked by monsters.
Of course, to prevent such things from happening, the hunters like Lauren-san, Kyle, and I would thin out any monsters we find, but you never know what might happen.
What Aisha said was correct.
"Aisha has stamina because she moves around the large vineyard, doesn't she?"
"That's right."
"There's that, but it's also because she's always running away from her younger sister."
From beside the proudly nodding Aisha, Toak spoke the truth.
"............That is also for 'when the time comes'."
Hearing Toak's words, Aisha sent him a flat stare, then started taking off her shoes as if to gloss it over.
Give me back my feelings of admiration.
While exasperated by Aisha's words, Toak and I also took off our shoes, and Flora, whose breathing had settled, took off hers as well.
Before entering the stream, Toak and I, who were very sleepy, crouched down to wash our faces.
The water splashing on my face felt wonderful.
As the cold water hit my face and took away the heat, the hazy sleepiness that had taken hold of my head vanished all at once.
"Ah—that's refreshing."
"Yeah, not bad."
Toak let out the words while soaking even his head in the water.
That looked so pleasant that I imitated him and plunged my head into the water.
The chilly water covered my entire head and felt great. When I lifted my head, I felt a sharp sense of exhilaration. The water trickling down my neck was also comfortable.
My sleepiness was completely gone.
I brushed my wet hair up and back.
"Ahaha, Toak, your hair becomes straight when it gets wet. Usually it's all spiky and poofy."
Toak's blonde hair, which was usually spiky, was now falling straight down.
I couldn't help but laugh at Toak, who looked younger than usual with bangs.
"Shut up, it'll go back once it dries."
Toak spoke with a displeased face, but even that expression looked like a child sulking now, which was amusing.
Noticing me with a teasing smile, Toak stepped into the stream with a splashing sound as if to show his displeasure.
Aisha and Flora must have entered while we were washing our faces, as they were sitting side by side looking comfortable.
Following Toak, I also put my feet into the stream.
The cold water wrapping around my feet as a current felt wonderful.
This gentle flow of water is nice. The depth was ten centimeters below the knees, so even in the deepest central part, it probably wouldn't reach the knees.
Exhaling at the pleasantness of the water, I waded through to the stones.
"Pfft, kufufu."
As Toak and I approached, Aisha, seeing Toak, burst out laughing.
Along with that, Flora also turned her gaze toward Toak and—
"Ah, Toak-san... right? Your hair is down and you've become a bit cute, haven't you?"
"Guh..."
Flora's pure words seemed to hit home, and Toak sat down heavily on the stone in front of Aisha with a distorted face.
"E-Erm, I'm sorry. Did I offend you?"
"............"
Seeing Toak like that, Flora apologized apologetically, but from Toak's perspective of wanting to be left alone, it must have been like having a wound gouged.
"Um..."
Seeing the wrinkles deepen on Toak's face, Flora became flustered.
Toak is clumsy at expressing his feelings. He has a craftsman's temperament.
I've talked to people with that kind of temperament many times during my adventurer days, so I kind of understand.
The atmosphere between the two was growing heavier and heavier, but Aisha's laughter blew it away.
"Kuh! Ahahaha! Flora, I know you mean no harm, but you shouldn't bully Toak so much, it's pitiful. Kufufufufu—waph!?"
Water was splashed onto the face of Aisha, who was pointing at Toak and laughing.
"Hey, what are you doing!?"
"I just shut that noisy mouth of yours."
Toak spoke with a refreshed expression as he watched Aisha desperately wipe the water from her face.
Seeing that, Aisha, with a vein popping on her forehead, splashed water back at Toak.
"Uoooh!?"
Perhaps because it hit his face and neck, Toak let out a pathetic cry.
"Ahaha, making such a weird voice is so uncool."
"You bastard, you've done it now!"
Ah, dear, a water fight is about to start...