Atelier Tanaka

Book 6: Chapter 6 (5)



Book 6: Chapter 6 (5)

Aufschnaiter Family

“D-Don’t you think you’re overdoing it?”

“I can handle it.”

The same evening my relationship with the JC ended, I was drinking away my sorrows at the bar on Richard’s airship. I was on my fifth glass of an expensive liquor handed to me by a maid working behind the bar.

Drill-chan decided to join me and took the seat beside me. We passed each other as she was aimlessly wandering around the ship. She asked where I was headed and I gave her an honest answer. She decided to join me on her own.

Considering she already started drinking earlier in the day, she must have a good alcohol tolerance.

A virgin who can hold her liquor is cute.

“Still, there’s something about your face that makes me certain there’s a reason you’re drinking so much.”

“You’ve known there was something off about my face since we first met.”

“T-That’s not what I meant….”

“Sure. Sorry, then.”

I’m fine.

A few more drinks won’t hurt.

“Is it about something that happened yesterday? Or did something happen today?”

“No, there’s nothing going on.”

“Ara~n? You’re awfully curt today, aren’t you?”

Oops, I slipped up a little there.

This is the first time I’ve ever had drinks with a girl. No, to be more accurate, this is the first time I’ve ever had drinks with a girl that’s chosen to be there without receiving any form of payment.

Her choosing to be here has led to my love for her to grow.

In this moment of despair, she’s the only one offering me any happiness.

However, happiness is fleeting.

“What’s going on with you?”

I remember that look in her eyes.

Back in the library, we were watching the BL scene between Professor Bus and Pi-chan. She was intently watching them with the same glitter in her eyes that she has now. She knew she had information she could use against the two of them. She’s looking for a similar opportunity now.

That’s fine.

I want to vent anyway. Besides, my drinking partner is a beautiful loli with big breasts and an intact hymen. I might regret it later, but I’m going to indulge her. This can be my thanks for drinking with me. Maybe if I give her some good info, she’ll go out for drinks with me again.

“I’ve made some mistakes and I’m reflecting on them with the help of some expensive alcohol.”

“Mistakes? That must be rare for you.”

“That’s a lie. My entire life is nothing but one mistake after another that has led me to wasting my night drinking at this bar.”

“Is that supposed to be an insult to me?”

“I actually have a lot of respect for how you live your life.”

She lives her life to the fullest. While others may talk about wanting to do something someday, she chooses to do whatever thought enters her mind. These desires may be fleeting, but she does what she thinks is best for herself. A good word to describe her is ‘adaptable.’ How else would she end up with a high demon as a servant?

I’m glad I can share a drink with her.

“You can flatter me all you want, we’re still not having sex.”

“Thank you for the update, but I’m not in the mood anyway.”

I’ve drank too much and I doubt I could get it up anyway.

Tonight is all about drinking.

“…fu~n?”

“What is it?”

“Nothing, really. I was just thinking Gerosu would love to see you like this.”

“Please, don’t. I don’t think I could live with myself if I started complaining to a man over drinks.”

“You shouldn’t think of it as complaining. You’re just opening up.”

“That’s one way of thinking about it.”

Has Drill-chan always been so insightful?

I love that about her.

We should get married.

Aah, maybe it’s because I’ve been apart from Sophia-chan for so long, but I’m feeling strongly attracted to Drill-chan. It might be because she’s the only girl around me that has a hymen.

It must be nice to be Gerosu. I envy him.

I want to be personally trained by Drill-chan.

“…there really is something wrong with you.”

“I’m just in the mood to drink and having you here just improves my mood further.”

“And you are trying to hit on me too.”

“It doesn’t mean anything. Just drunken ramblings.”

“Hmm? Well, then, Mr. Rambling Drunk, I have a question for you.”

“Ask away.”

Drill-chan’s eyes moved and she looked past me for a moment.

It looked like she was staring at something over my shoulder. I set my glass down on the counter and glanced over my shoulder, but I could only see the empty doorway leading out to the hall.

“Is someone out there?”

“No, it’s nothing. This could get interesting, so best not to mention it.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You really are an idiot, aren’t you?”

“Guilty.”

“A self-aware idiot.”

“I don’t know what you’re hoping to get out of this, Doris-san, but I’m afraid you might be wasting your time.”

“You think so? So, there’s nothing else you want to tell me?.”

“That’s right.”

I played with my glass on the counter, tipping it back and forth.

Now that I think about it, it’s been a long time since I’ve had to cut alcohol with water or a mixer. Ever since I got my recovery magic, I haven’t had to worry about the alcohol upsetting my stomach. This might be the most useful feature of my recovery magic.

Alcohol is delicious. It shouldn’t be tainted by mixers.

“Hey, can I have another?”

Drill-chan shook her empty glass at the maid.

She’s not done yet?

I’m not going to let her outdo me.

“Excuse me, I’ll have another one of these.”

“Is that a good idea? You could buy a house for the price of one bottle of that.”

It’s so cute that Drill-chan is willing to keep this middle-aged busamen company. I wonder if she has nothing better to do. Maybe she’s decided that I’m a decent drinking companion. If so, I’ll definitely keep up with her.

After all, all of my drinks are on Richard’s coin.

Hell, if it means I get to drink with Drill-chan, I’d happily pay for everything.

There’s just something irresistible about her.

“That doesn’t matter. So, what do you say? Would you like a glass?”

“Eh? Y-You’re serious?”

“I don’t mind opening another bottle for you. After all, we’re neighbors in territory and it’s important that we deepen our relationship. I hope that the Ahan family and myself can grow closer. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I don’t dislike you as much as I thought.”

“…really? If that’s how it is, sure, I’ll take a glass.”

The maid bartender nodded and took out a new glass for Drill-chan. She then grabbed an identical bottle to the one I had been drinking from and poured the familiar amber liquor into the glass. She poured about  double shots worth of liquor.

I guess Drill-chan takes her liquor straight.

Two glasses were lined up side-by-side on the counter.

“I’d like to propose a toast to the deepening of ties between Viscount Ahan and Baron Tanaka.”

“I’ll drink to that.”

I’m going to drink until I pass out tonight.

I’m going to give into the alcohol.

No matter how much I hated myself for what I’d done and dreaded our arrival back in the capital, the airship continued at the same pace as always toward the Penny Empire. I told the captain that I wanted to stop in Dragon City before returning to the capital.

When we next stop, my life as a noble of the Penny Empire will be over.

I don’t know if I can take this anymore. My heart feels like it’s about to beat out of my chest.

It wasn’t long before Dragon City appeared below us.

I don’t feel as if it’s been that long since I was last here. It’s a similar feeling to returning home after the New Year’s holidays with work the following Monday. In total, I’ve only been away for close to a month.

And yet, why is the city almost unrecognizable?

What happened?

The cityscape was nothing like what I remembered.

“W-Wow you built some incredibly tall buildings here.”

“Yeah, we sure did….”

Drill-chan and I were standing on the deck looking out over my city.

A massive skyscraper had been added to the centre of my city. The top of the tower pierced the clouds and even from my vantage point on the airship, I was unable to see the tip. If I were to compare it to Tokyo Tower, the Burj Khalifa, or any other skyscrapers, this one would be the tallest by far.

I came out on the deck to get some fresh air and collect myself before my dreaded conversation with Gon-chan, but the sight of this tower has now taken over my thoughts. There’s no doubt that Christina allowed herself to get carried away.

What were you thinking building something like that, loligon?

Richard is going to be angry when he finds out.

This is taller than any building in Kalis and it’s not even close.

“…is something like that safe? Did you get permission to build it?”

“Uh, I’m not sure….”

“I wonder if there’s another building in your country that’s close to being as tall as this.”

The answer to that seems obvious.

I can already imagine how the petty and vain nobles of the Penny Empire will react.

I doubt there’s anything they could do to take down this skyscraper considering its creator is the loligon, but if they tried, it would lead to a war between an Ancient Dragon and myself and the Penny Empire.

I can see how much time and effort went into the minute details of its outer wall.

This is clearly her masterpiece.

“I’m going to see what’s happened here.”

“Life with you is never a dull moment.”

I already had enough on my plate and now I have to deal with this.

***

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