Chapter 43: Unfinished cocktail

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Along with a sense of accomplishment, a comfortable feeling of fatigue had enveloped me.

That’s right, I finally did it.

On the king-size bed in my room, Gram and Lane were sleeping in their underwear, breathing softly. They fell asleep because of how good my massage was. Gram looked a little downcast when I massaged the area above her upper thigh, but when the massage moved on to her back and legs, she began to drift off and eventually fell soundly asleep.

I’d feel bad for waking her up, so when it was Lane’s turn, I asked her to lay down on the side of the bed near the edge. It was truly fortunate that the bed was really large.

My thanks to you, Chris, for making the bed so big.

Now then, where should I sleep? Regardless of the space between them, I couldn’t just dive in between the two of them… The bed itself was enough for three people though, since Chris liked to go wild in the sheets; she liked to experiment in different positions for both of us. You could say that the warrior princess of Regalta was truly a rambunctious general.

…

Come to think of it, I’d spent a few hours giving a very thorough massage to two people, so naturally I’d be feeling quite thirsty.

“Goku No. 1, bring me some pineapple juice from the storage room.”

The Gokus had found some pineapples in the forest, which I had turned into juice. It’s a perfect drink for a hot night, but I was wondering if I could put some alcohol into it.

I could make some Havana Beach Cocktails by mixing together some rum, pineapple juice, and sugar syrup. It is normally a strong cocktail made for a short glass, but I didn’t have a shaker, and tonight I felt like drinking a long glass with a little less rum anyway.

“Mmh…. Oh, I fell asleep…” Lane woke up just as I was drinking a light Havana Beach. “Lotte-sama, please wake up. Our treatment is over.”

“Hmm…. Where is this?”

“We’re in Okami’s sleeping room, remember?”

At those word, Gram quickly went wide-awake and instantly bolted up from the bed.

I greeted them by raising my glass slightly. “Both of you were sleeping peacefully so I didn’t want to wake you up. How are you feeling now?”

“Uh… well…” Gram said without making eye contact, which looked super cute by the way.

Meanwhile, Lane was stretching her neck. She then spread her hands widely above her head, letting out her auspicious bosom for the world to see.

“Oh wow. I thought yesterday’s treatment was already amazing, but this… Tonight’s massage made me feels like my whole body was melting. I feel bad to the other soldiers, but is there a way you can give another treatment like this in secret?”

If it’s for you, Lane, I wouldn’t mind giving a massage session every night!

However, I’m not sure that I could keep my rationale if I kept doing that every night. I’m sure at one point I’ll just yell, ‘Please hold me tightly tonight!’ or something like that. Even right now, the only thing that barely kept me from doing it is because both of them were in the room; I’m too hesitant to ask both of them to do it with me.    

“But of course. Feel free to request it again if you ever feel exhausted and need another massage treatment.”

Gram was putting on her clothes. That’s too bad, I guess it’s time for me to bid farewell to the fluffy nakedness. That being said, I wouldn’t mind chatting a bit longer with both of them tonight.

“Oh, right, are you two thirsty? I’d recommend this drink, it’s quite tasty.” I showed Gram my glass.

“What’s that?”

“A Havana Beach, it’s pineapple juice mixed with rum.”

“Okami, why are you drinking alcohol again…” Gram had a look full of concern. I’m sure she’s worried that I would get drunk and do something stupid like the other day.

“Don’t worry, this time it’s really alright. I’m already reflecting on my mistakes, so I’m only using a little bit of rum.”

 “I’ll have one then.”

Since Lane wanted to try a glass, Gram ended up having one too.

“It’s really good…”

It was sweet and easy to drink, so they both drank it all at once. Lane made a clinking sound with the leftover ice in the glass.

“It’s the first time I’m drinking rum like this. Usually, I dilute it with water, or just drink it straight.”

“This kind of drink usually has more rum in it, but I made it for myself.”

When I asked them if they wanted a refill, they both asked for more. They seemed to really like the cocktail.

Maybe it’d be a good idea to put cocktails on the menu from now on. Also, let’s try to make a shaker next. It might take awhile before I can fully carry it out, but I’m sure this will become another specialty of Shirou’s Inn.

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A hot, steamy night of debauchery with the help of alcoholic drink is what I’d hoped would happen afterward, but after the third glass they just went back to their rooms.

I’m crying a river alone in my room right now.

I guess the only option for me tonight is self-massage…

I think the reason it ended up like this is because I only had pineapple and rum; I’m lacking the ingredients to make Sex on the Beach cocktails; I didn’t have vodka, melon liqueur, or raspberry liqueur. Pineapple juice alone wouldn’t cut it.

And most important of all, what I’m lacking is the courage to invite both of them to shake it with me! [1]

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The next day, I went canoeing for the first time in a really long time.

This was the boat Cecily had built for me, but I hadn’t been in one since we’d found the entrance to the dungeon together, since I had been too afraid of capsizing to get on it before.

Now that I have Cima, who can go underwater, I’m much more certain that I’ll be safe even if the boat capsizes. Moreover, today Lane and Gram are with me, since it’s a rest day.

The two strongest women in the survey team are here to protect me, so there’s nothing to worry about. The only thing that could happen is if they both assaulted me, which is something I’d actually prefer. With that, we got into the canoe with fishing rods and lunch boxes.

At first, Lane was paddling the canoe, but I came up with a good idea.

“Cima, can you push the canoe?”

Cima, who was swimming alongside us, put her hands on the back of the boat and moved her tail fin, and we picked up speed. The boat was moving pretty quickly now.

“Hooh, this is like a fast-moving boat.” Lane stopped paddling as she watched Cima swim.

The speed of a sailboat is about 7 to 15 kilometers per hour, which is about the speed of a bicycle. In comparison, Cima’s top speed is 40 kilometers per hour, which is more than twice that. Sailing ships are affected by the direction of the wind, which is not a problem for the golem; if we can make more Cimas and have them pull boats, it might even be possible to sail long distances.

“Gram-sama, how far is the nearest land mass from this island?”

“Land, huh… The nearest would be the Bawanda region to the east. It is the territory of the Kingdom of Regalta, which is now the front line.”

Bawanda Region… Isn’t the place that Chris was heading to is named Bawanda Castle?

“Approximately, how far away is it from here?”

“I would say about 280 km or so.”

I don’t know how fast the Cimas can take me if I have three of them, but it should take around 12 to 15 hours to reach there.

“However, it’s a dangerous place right now, due to the fighting and devastation; besides, a battlefield is no place for a man.”

Certainly, going to Bawanda seems to be dangerous right now.

“What is it, don’t tell me you’re planning to go to the mainland by boat?”

“Well… I was wondering if I could get to the mainland by asking the golems to take me there…”

“Hmmmm… I suppose it is possible if the fine weather keeps up, however…” Gram folded her arms in thought.

“As I thought, it might be too dangerous, right?”

“The voyage itself might be possible, but all the ports in the Bawanda region are blockaded. Well, I could get you some identification, but it is still dangerous for a man to travel alone.”

I guess it would be considered insane for a man on this world to travel alone. To begin with, travelling through a war-torn world is perilous for anyone.

“It might be farther ahead, but the capital of the former Kingdom of Regalta is a better option to get into the mainland. I heard that the security there has become more stable recently.”

The Royal Capital City of Regalta was actually the city that I escaped together with Chris. At that time, the city looked devastated by the war. However, if the security and daily lives are already restored to normal, I think I’d like to go there…

“Would it be possible for me to have something like a travel pass to guarantee my safety?”

“If you’re asking for a border pass, then it’s no problem. This island was declared part of the Empire when it was discovered, and since Okami is an inhabitant of the island, it stands to reason that you’re considered an imperial citizen. Moreover, since you are reported as a collaborator in the dungeon survey, your identification document can easily be issued.”

“If I were to hazard a guess,” she continued, “you’ll be given the title of island chief as a representative of the islanders.”

Huh? Isn’t that just like a choreman position? Well, I’m the only one living on the island, so I guess I can’t force the position to someone else.

“The island chief?”

“That’s right. Also, it’s a position that comes with a small stipend. Ah, but I wouldn’t expect too much.”

So I guess I’ll be working for a small salary. Again. [2]

But then again, it’d be nice to have some security in a world where you have nowhere to go.

Let’s ask Gram for her help in making that identification document.

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1 Really, Shirou? You’re missing out big time here.

2 LOL. Even being in another world, Shirou still can’t escape his fate of being an employee of a black company.