Sir Tucky!

　Don!　An empty mug is slammed on the table with a sound of "Oh, oh........

　Oh, oh.....
　That mild-mannered Fujiyan is getting angry.

　I haven't seen him since the time when I erased the game data by mistake in the past.
　It's nostalgic, but this is not the time.

　How did it happen?

　◇

Lady Takatsuki, are you here?

　One day around noon.
　I was having lunch with Lucy in the Adventurer's Guild cafeteria space when a shopkeeper I met at Fujiyan's came up to me.
　It's a man with rabbit ears.

'Makoto-kun is over there!
　Marie showed me around.

I didn't know Makoto-kun was acquainted with such a cute little rabbit-eared girl.
　For some reason, Marie sat down at the table with me.
　Don't you have to work?

Hello, it's been a while," says the man with the rabbit ears.
Hi, I'm a friend of the master. I'm Nina from Fujiwara Shoten.
　This girl's name is Nina.

Can I help you with something? And Lucy.
　Be a little more affable.
　But Nina never cracks a smile.

'Oh!　You are Master Takatsuki's companion, Master Lucy.　I hear you're an amazing fire magician.
'What?　Yes, I do. You know it well.
　Lucy is puzzled by the sudden praise.
　It's a bit coy.

It's a good idea to have this as a sign that you're getting to know the future great mage," she said, handing out some sweets.
　There seems to be one for Marie as well.

"Wow!　This is so good.
Sweet. I've never had it before and it's delicious!
　Lucy and Marie are chattering away.
　Probably those are chocolates.
　As expected of Fujiyan, they even stock such things.

So, what can I do for you? I ask Nina.
'It was!　I have a message for you from the master. Let's have dinner at 6pm today at Nekomimi-Tei.
You've always been here.
　The staff are all beast-eared Fujiyan's favorite restaurant.

''How may I help you?''
'Come to think of it, I haven't seen you in about a month, and I might want to see you too. It's okay.
That's good to hear. Master will be pleased.
'What?　What am I supposed to do today?
　Lucy turns to me as if she's sulking.
　Not that I thought it would be okay to be separate sometimes, but don't look at me like that.

'If you'd like to join us, your companion, Lucy, would like to join us.
　Nina invited me to go.
'I want to go too!'
　Even Marie sticks her head in the sand.

'Miss Marie, is your work good?'
I'll stay up all night...
That's impossible.
Makoto, you're cold!
　'Terrible~' said Marie as she went back to the reception desk.

''Well then, I'll be waiting for you at the shop.
　Nina left too.


'Hey,' said Lucy, tugging at her sleeve.
What the f*ck?
The owner of Fujiwara Store is a hard-working merchant from another world, right?　You were a friend of the truth!
Oh, you know Lucy?

What are you talking about?　Speaking of the owner of Fujiwara Store, it's rumored that he's been running a number of successful businesses in the past year and has ties to the McAllen Lords. It's said that he knows everything about the city's underbelly, grabbing the weaknesses of the merchants he opposes and silencing them one after another. He's a big shot on the list of people in this city who should not be opposed!
Well.....
　I didn't know that.
　When I asked Fujiyan about this town, all he'd say was, "No, it's not much," that's all he'd say.
　It seems that they are using their cheat skills to climb steadily up the ladder.

'Well, let's train until the evening.
'Yeah, I think we're done for the day, don't you?'
Well, I'm going to train by myself.
That's not true!　I'll do my best!
　I trained hard until the evening.

　◇

""Pleased"

　In the evening, at Nekomimi-tei.
　Today, it's me, Fujiyan and Lucy.
　And Nina, the store clerk, is also there.
　I wonder if Lucy was careful not to be left alone with the girls?

　The food here is good and there is a wide variety of drinks.　
　And all the waiters are cat ears (of the beastly race).

　I don't know how good they are, but I think the waitresses are cute, minus the cat ears.
　We were shown to a large table in the back of the restaurant, which is always crowded.
　Fujiyan seems to be a regular and VIP customer.

Ha, nice to meet you. I'm Lucy, the wizard.
　Lucy is unusually nervous.
'It's nice to meet you. My name is Fujiwara, and like Takky-dono, you can call me Fujiyan. Please feel free to call me Fujiyan, just like Tacky-dono.
My name is Nina. I'm employed by the Fujiwara store, and I'm also an adventurer.
　And he showed me his silver badge.

'It's awesome,'
No, no, no, no.
　It's an adventurer rank, and one wall is said to be silver.
　It is said that adventurers can reach the Iron rank if they work hard.
　The Silver rank and above can only be reached if the guild trusts you, such as being called in for emergency quests when strong demons appear.
　Although she was being humble, Nina-san should be quite strong.

''We're bronze ranked. We have to do our best, Lucy.''
''Wow, I've got the skills of a king grade!
　Oh, come on, don't be so stubborn.
　I'm sure the well-informed Fujiyan knows that you don't know how to use it at all.

'Oh no, but Lord Tuckey does it too. To have such a beautiful elven wizard as your companion.
Come in. Miss Lucy.
What?　Oh, thank you.
　Fujiyan rejoices and Nina pours the drinks.
　Lucy is encouraged to do so.
　Ah, this is going to get crushed quickly.

　I chewed on some pasta with lots of bone-in meat and tomato sauce and garlic toast.
　I knew this place was good.

　◇

The truth is!　He's too stoic!
　Lucy is drunk.
　When Lucy gets drunk, she has a pattern of falling asleep and a rough pattern, but today it's the latter.
　Cumbersome.

I don't get tired of practicing every day. And yet, Marie is making a pass at you.
Doesn't the second half matter?
　They're just being nice to me, that's all.

''But I've heard rumors about you two. Defeating a gryphon in bronze rank is amazing. Even I can't win alone.
'That was just lucky. I just got burned.
"Burns?　Do the gryphons of this world breathe fire?
'Yes. I'm scared.
True. Don't lie to me.
　I said something random and Lucy stuck me with it.
　It wasn't cool, like I got burned by my friends' magic or something.


　We were chatting happily like that, but when we talked about Jean and Emily, with whom we've been close lately, Fujiyan's expression became more and more grim.
　Huh?　What did I say?

　Gulp, Fujiyan who empties his ale.
.........
　He is silent.

'Master?'
　Nina looks troubled.
'Fujiyan?'
　I talk to my friend, who is not talking much.

　Lucy is asleep.　
　'You've fallen.

'Lord Tuckey!
　An empty glass is slammed on the table with a bang.

'Yes,'
Why don't you invite me to your party?
Huh?
　Is that what you mean when you say you're angry?

'I've been waiting for you all along!　You said you could have a party if you were strong enough!
Oh, yeah...
The Master was always anxious that Master Tuckey would be here by now.
　Uh-oh.
　Well, that's bad luck.

I'm going to miss you, sir. I invited you to join me in the first place in this town.
'Sorry, Fujiyan. I thought I'd level up a bit more.
At Takatsuki-sama's level, simple dungeons should be no problem.
　Right, right.
　What a lot of experience I've gained.

I'm looking forward to working with you, Fujiyan. Let's get a party together as a group A.
'Oh!　I've been waiting to hear those words!

　I shake his hand firmly.

　I made the decision without consulting Lucy, but I guess it's a good one.
　It's okay.