20. After
“What a ridiculous job…”
Dragging my exhausted body along, I walked alone through the night streets.
Taking the quest had been fine, but I had completely forgotten how little I knew about this world. When I looked at the shopping list the old lady gave me, more than half the items were things I had never even heard of.
Every time I asked the old lady what something was, she got angry and said, “You don’t even know that at your age?” So I had to go around asking shopkeepers one by one for the names of things that looked similar until I finally finished all the shopping.
Because of that, what should have been a quick errand turned into something no different from a child running errands, and the old lady was completely fed up with me.
Still, I completed the quest properly, got her signature, and hurried back to Lorraine.
I managed to reach the Adventurers’ Guild before sunset, and even though the day was almost over, the ever-alluring Lorraine handled the quest completion procedures for me.
On top of that, perhaps as a reward or comfort after finishing a job, the Lorraine I saw at that moment looked even more seductive and beautiful than she had during the day.
Well, never mind that. I received my first pay in this world from Lorraine and was now on my way back. Not that I actually had a place to return to.
“For now, I’ll head there…”
After finishing a job and moving around nonstop, I needed a place to rest my worn-out body. Plus, it was a spot every adventurer had to visit at least once. I headed toward the place I was looking for.
The shop I sought was easy to spot thanks to its lively atmosphere and the large signboard out front shaped like a beer mug. I pushed open the familiar small swinging doors with both hands and stepped inside.
(As expected of a tavern… it’s loud as hell…)
The place I had been looking for was the adventurers’ favorite tavern.
Taverns were perfect for gathering party members, collecting information, and filling your stomach. For me right now, it was more than just killing two birds with one stone — it was the ideal shop.
There were plenty of things I wanted to do, but the most urgent need was food. The only thing I had eaten today was that single skewer from Tong. I hadn’t drunk anything either. If I had arrived in this world during summer, I would have died from dehydration and heatstroke for sure.
I didn’t know if this town even had seasons, but I had somehow survived. Still, my throat was parched and my body craved fluids.
Mustering the last of my strength, I made my way to the counter and sat down on a round stool.
Behind the counter was what looked like the tavern master, an older man busily making cocktails. At the same time, meat was sizzling in the kitchen right in front of him. There was no way he could take my order right now.
I looked around the tavern again, searching for someone dressed like a maid.
I had seen several on my way here, so I figured there would be at least one nearby. Sure enough, I spotted a girl in a maid-like outfit having her ass groped by a bald adventurer-looking guy. I turned toward her and called out loudly enough to be heard over the tavern noise.
“Excuse meee!!”
The waitress in the maid outfit noticed me immediately. She gave a small bow to the bald guy groping her and hurried over. The bald adventurers glared at me a little, but I ignored them.
“Welcome! What can I get for you?” “Yeah. Can I get something to eat and some water?” “Water…?” “Uh, yeah. Is that a problem?” “No! It’s just that almost everyone who comes here orders alcohol…”
Of course. Who comes to a tavern and orders water first? If you just want water, there’s no point coming here.
But I’m not very good with alcohol. Actually, I can’t even drink beer…
It’s bitter, you know? People talk about “smooth finish” or whatever, but wouldn’t carbonated water be better? Am I the only one who thinks that?
Still… I’m twenty-two now. If I’m going to live as an adventurer from now on, I’ll probably come here with party members eventually. If I’m the only one who can’t drink beer, it could create a rift. I might end up getting left out.
No way. I’ll start getting used to it now. Time to show them the new, adult version of Takuma.
“Sorry. Actually, make that a beer.” “Beer, got it! And for food, what would you like? We have hearty options like pork or beef steak, and our house specialty stew.” “Then I’ll take the stew.” “Coming right up! I’ll take payment first, if that’s alright.” “Got it.”
I handed the waitress seven copper coins and looked around the tavern once more.
Half a day had already passed since I came to this world, but I was starting to get used to the environment full of different races.
The fact that I had seen this kind of thing before in stories probably helped a lot.
There were still many ingredients and items unique to this world that I didn’t understand, but quite a few things matched my original world.
The beer was a perfect example, and so was the stew.
I had been worried during today’s shopping, but it looked like I could manage somehow…
“Sorry to keep you waiting! Here’s your beer and stew!” “Ah, thank… you…???”
The two items placed in front of me were indeed the food and drink I knew.
The stew was fine. It contained some vegetables I had seen earlier but couldn’t name, but they were slowly simmering in a white broth and looked delicious.
The problem was the beer.
The beer itself was fine. The issue was the mug it came in. The mug in front of me was the size of a large stein — easily over 500 ml.
The golden color of the beer and the rising foam looked incredibly tempting, but there was no way a beer beginner like me could finish this.
“Enjoy your meal~” “Hey, wait a second!” “Is something wrong?”
I stopped the waitress who was about to leave and pointed at the beer mug.
“This is the large size, right?” “No, this is the regular size…” “Huh?”
This is regular? It looks like it could hold more than 500 ml easily.
Maybe I just haven’t drunk much beer, and this is actually the normal size here? But the canned beer I know is usually around 350 ml…
“S-sorry. Did you want the large one?” “No, no. I thought I was ordering the normal size.” “Then you’re good. This is our regular size.” “I… see… Thanks, that’s all.” “Yes. Excuse me.”
She bowed and hurried off to the next customer.
“I’m terrified of you, other world…”