109-099 New Construction Celebration

The night we moved into our new house, there was a huge array of food on the table that we had just bought.

Crab and shrimp, pork shabu-style hot pot, grilled sweetfish, and pork cutlets.

There was no uniformity, but the women had prepared dishes that reminded me of Japan, and they smelled good.

"Well, then, Nao, say hello.

"Oh, me?

Just as I was about to sit down to eat, I was suddenly interrupted by Haruka.

I looked at the other members and they all nodded, so I picked up my cup and stood up.

We've been working hard together and now we have our own house. There have been some dangerous times, but I think the reason why we are still able to live in good health is because we have chosen our work carefully. Let's continue to work hard. And thank you, Haruka, Yuki and Natsuki, for the delicious food. Cheers!

"Cheers!

We all chant and sip from our cups.

Yes, it's delicious. It's juice, not alcohol, but it tastes better than usual, maybe because of the ceramic cup, or maybe because of the atmosphere.

What to start with: ......

Put down the cup and look at the table.

Everything looks good, but I'll start with the ...... pork cutlet.

Each dish is served on a platter so that you can eat a variety of foods, and then you divide the food onto your own plate.

You can then drizzle the homemade inspirational sauce on top.

Pick it up with your chopsticks and put it in your mouth.

As soon as you do, a rich aroma spreads in your mouth, and when you bite into it, the juices overflow, the crispy batter and the sauce mix together, and your cheeks relax.

The sauce was more fruity than the one I had used in Japan, but that was not a bad thing.

The thickly sliced meat was very tender and juicy, something you don't see in most pork cutlet restaurants.

How is it?

Yuki asked me, a little worried.

It's good. The batter is crispy and the inside is juicy. The sweet and spicy sauce is just right. Did Yuki make this?

"Yes. It was the first time I used lard for frying oil. I was a little worried because it was the first time I used lard for frying oil.

No, it's rather refreshing.

No. It's solid at room temperature, unlike salad oil, so that might be a factor.

Lard, by the way, is .......

Oak fat. Meat is also oak. By the way, their pork shabu is also oak. That's Natsuki's work, though.

I don't have a tabletop stove, so I can't shabu-shabu it myself, but the pot with the thinly sliced meat and vegetables looks delicious.

I took a bowl and took a sip of the soup.

...... Oh, it tastes so elegant. It's delicious.

I looked at Natsuki and she was smiling at me.

It's basically salty, but with just a hint of pepper, and the flavor of the vegetables and meat is exquisite.

If you enjoy the meat and vegetables with the soup, you can eat as much as you like.

So, Haruka, go to .......

I'm in charge of grilling. I'm in charge of grilling. Shrimp, crab, grilled ayu fish, and so on. I also baked some bread for you.

Haruka noticed my gaze and pointed to the bread in a basket at the end of the table.

Hmmm... Since Toya is picking at the crabs and shrimp in silence, I might as well try the bread.

I picked one up from the basket. ...... It was soft.

The bread sold around here, even the soft ones, are quite heavy, but this bread is quite light. But this bread was quite light, almost as light as the bread sold in Japan.

I used natural yeast and did a second fermentation. It's not bad. It takes a long time, so I don't want to make it too often.

I took a bite of the bread, watching Haruka chuckle.

Oh, it's soft. The crunchy bread sold here is delicious, but soft bread is still delicious.

And then there was a faint smell.

This smells so good. ......

It's a yeast made from dried fruits. There's also bread with walnuts, so try that too.

Thank you.

As Haruka recommended, I tried the bread with walnuts.

This one is also delicious. The aroma of walnuts and the crunchy texture are indescribable.

When I first came here, I didn't think I'd be able to eat so well when I first ate at the food stalls.

That's true. When I first came here, I didn't expect to be able to eat so well.

Maybe that's the way it is in this world, but those wages are terrible.

All of them nodded in agreement to my words.

The wages were really the minimum to survive, or rather, to live to work.

Haruka and the others did well, didn't they? I respect you.

"Yes. I also tried to change the situation somehow. ......

Because there were three of us. "Because there were three of us: Toya, who could take care of the vanguard, and me and Nao, who could fight with magic without weapons. That's what made the combination work.

It's because of this combination that our skill sets worked so well together.

I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea. ...... No, I should think that Haruka adjusted it so that it would mesh?

I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do that.

He can heal, has otherworldly common sense, has auxiliary skills, and has long range attack skills.

It's a wonder that he doesn't have any close combat skills, and if it weren't for me or Toya, he'd have a hard time in that regard. .......

I look at Haruka and she is smiling at me.

Hmmm.

"Hey guys, can I ask you something while we eat?

I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do it, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it.

I'm thinking of reporting to the guild about the destruction of the orc nest.

I see. Orcs. It's a good thing that the number of Orcs stocked in the magic bag has been greatly reduced, isn't it?

Right. There's no need to drag it out unnecessarily.

I generally agree with you, but before that, why don't we go check the orc nest again?　It's been a while since our last visit, and if the orcs have taken up residence again, ......

There is a possibility that it will be considered a failure ...... or even a false report.

Has it been ......2 weeks since you eradicated the nest?

It is certainly possible that some orcs have emerged from the depths of the forest if it has been that long.

It seems that the orcs we destroyed were only some of the orcs that built nests in the shallow parts of the forest, and that there are many more orcs living in the deeper parts of the forest. According to the data.

After all, the purpose of the request to kill orcs is to prevent orcs from appearing on the roads.

It is impossible to completely eradicate them from the forest.

We have the orc leader's magic stone, but we should follow up on it. So let's go check it out tomorrow.

We nodded in agreement to Haruka's suggestion.

It's been a while since I've been in the eastern forest.

But it would be useful if the orcs came out in moderation.

Orcs are much tastier prey than goblins, both in terms of taste and money.

"Oh, let's keep an orc or two for ourselves. For our own consumption.

I agree!　--Oh, by the way, what about the delivery to Aella-san?　If we sell the orcs to the guild, we'll be in trouble, right?

There you have it: ......

Aella's store has been well received, and I'm sure she'll be able to run it just fine without us supplying her with meat, but I want to help her out as much as I can. She's a lovely elf, and more importantly, we owe her for giving us the inspiration sauce.

The delicious pork cutlets are made possible by this sauce. There are many other uses for this sauce, and it is truly priceless.

I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this.　I'm not sure what to do with it.

That's a good idea. It's a win-win situation for us.

Is that okay with you guys?　...... Yeah, let's do that.

The current inventory will probably last for several months, given the amount of products consumed in Aella's store.

In addition, if you tell Aella about the situation and ask her to reduce the proportion of meat dishes, you can extend the time a little longer.

There will be orcs once in a while, and now that we have a house, we don't need to carry around unnecessary magic bags.

You can keep the materials you might need in your magic bag in the house instead of selling them.

As for the future remuneration, I think we should split half of it into common expenses and half to each of us.

Until now, the policy had been to prohibit wasteful spending and to use everyone's money efficiently, in order to stabilize our lives, but now we had some stability.

According to Haruka, we should take this opportunity to manage our own money by ourselves.

"Hmm, what is the scope of common expenses?

"Well, the common expenses include all the things you need for adventuring, including weapons and armor, food, house repairs, and furniture for the common areas .......　For clothes, you'll need to pay ...... for your daily wear and underwear. You can also furnish your room on your own.

Hmmm, ...... underwear and clothes, the rest of the money is free to spend.

That doesn't sound like a problem at all. You'll have to save up, though.

"Yes, I think that's a good idea. I don't plan to be so extravagant.

"Me too. I don't plan to be that extravagant." "I'll probably only spend it on clothes and the occasional meal.

Haruka sighed and opened her mouth as Toya said this comfortably.

I'm sure you're not the only one.　Just in case, Toya.

"Oh, you're not even 20 years old and you need to worry about your retirement? ......

In Japan, pensions and insurance premiums are automatically saved as part of the social system, but here, it's all your responsibility.

Haruka confronts the sniveling Toya with the reality of the situation.

I'm not sure what to make of this, but I think it's a good idea.

My mom also said that the insurance premiums are expensive, but if you look at the medical costs in the United States, if you're not careful, just one hospitalization can pay for a lifetime of insurance premiums.

As for the annuity, it is not so bad if you consider it as an accumulation type accident insurance.

If you are injured in an accident, you can receive a disability pension for the rest of your life if you have paid the pension.

In addition, there is a portion paid by the national treasury, so it is actually a loss if you don't pay because the amount you get is small.

However, the amount of money you will receive is not large, so if you do not save properly, you will have a hard time making a living.

Needless to say, this is the world we live in.

There is no social security system, so if you don't calculate the necessary funds systematically and save everything by yourself, you will have a very hard time when you can't work anymore.

If you are not careful, your retirement will not exist. You will die.

I mean, even in Japan, you'd have to have a lot of money saved up for retirement. It's nothing like that here, you know.　Unless you want to retire halfway through your life.

I get it!　I get it! I get it!　I'm not going to waste my money!

In the event that you're not sure what you're looking for, you'll be able to find a lot more information on the web.

If that's the case, fine. You're going to get a bride with beast ears, aren't you, Toya?　I told you before, you have to save up for her.

"Oh, yes!　That's it!　We have to give her a good life!　I'm going to be a savings demon!

I'm sure you have no idea what I'm talking about, but I'm sure you're fantasizing about a happy honeymoon," said Toya with a disheveled smile, while the women looked on with disgusted expressions.

It's a good idea if it motivates you. ...... Will there ever be a day when Toya can get a cute wife?

In this world where life is hard, the emphasis is on the ability to make a living, rather than love, in a way. I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what you need to do.

I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this.

There is a big possibility that the range of our activities and the range of activities of young women in general are out of sync.

If you can't find a wife, you might have to buy a slave: .......

In this country, they are not slaves in the strict sense of the word, so they are contracted to take care of the debt, but that in itself is not something to be blamed.

Rather, the person who lent the money is sure to get it back, and the person who was subcontracted is grateful because he will not be forced to work and die. What happens after that depends on each person, but as long as there is money, things tend to go well.

In the end, it's probably because they can afford it.

Even in the original world, there are other countries where people marry for a living and have many children for their retirement.

Even in Japan, if you go back in history a little, there was a time when there was nothing wrong with taking on a prostitute, in fact, it was respected.

In other words, it is just a difference in culture and time.

Incidentally, the adventurers who can buy slaves and marry them are the successful ones.

Most of them grow old and die without marrying, or they die without even growing old. There is no such thing as a leisurely and elegant retirement.

...... Hmmm, I can't imagine getting married just yet, but should I save up some money before I say anything about Toya?