Chapter 122: Both I and Rinaar
An hour had passed since I started helping at the bakery.
Despite the rain, customers kept coming without interruption.
Rain had gone off on deliveries as she was, and I helped at the counter by putting bread into bags and handing them over.
And now the flow of customers had finally stopped, and I was taking a breath of relief.
Standing at the counter and serving customers is quite difficult.
Or rather, quite a few of the students I am in charge of had come.
According to Rinaar, who had been serving customers together with me next to me, it is popular even among the students, and academy students come frequently.
"Instructor, thank you very much. When it’s just one person it’s hard, you know~"
"No, I’m glad if I was of help. Sorry for being inexperienced..."
"No, no, it was actually quite good! Everyone went home with smiles, didn’t they?"
"I’m relieved to hear you say that."
Rinaar looked at my face, smiled, and encouraged me while wiping the counter with a cloth.
I am not good at customer service, but I made an effort not to make people uncomfortable as much as possible and tried not to stop smiling.
When I nodded to Rinaar with a wry smile, Eima’s voice called from the back of the shop behind us.
"Shall we take a short break?"
"Yeees, Instructor Raide, let’s go!"
"Yeah."
Placing her brown apron on top of the counter, Rinaar slipped past me.
Rinaar headed to the entrance door, opened it, hung the "On Break" sign, and closed it.
When she turned around and walked toward me, she took one of my hands and pulled me toward the back of the shop.
I am happy to see Rinaar’s energetic figure, but I did not think she was this lively.
During training she had the quiet impression of reading everyone’s atmosphere and coordinating well.
I often saw her smiling, but the current Rinaar who is happily laughing and pulling my hand is also attractive.
...When academy starts I will have to add to Rinaar’s notes.
While being pulled by the hand and advancing, there was Eima who had prepared wooden cups on the table.
When Eima saw the figure of Rinaar pulling my hand, she smiled troubledly and spoke.
"Hey, Rinaar. Raide is troubled, isn’t he?"
"The Instructor is fine with just my strength. Right?"
"That’s right... To trouble me, Rinaar’s full strength would be needed, wouldn’t it?"
"That’s right. Come on, let’s sit?"
"Geez... I’m sorry, Raide."
I lightly waved one hand to Eima and smiled as if saying it was fine.
Sitting in a chair and drinking the fruit juice water Eima had prepared, I took a breath.
When I looked carefully around the room again, there were walls that seemed newly done here and there, and I tilted my head.
Even if they were repaired, when was it done?
I felt like I had heard that Erika prepared it in quite a hurry...
Noticing that I was looking at the walls that seemed new, Eima sat in a chair, smiled, and explained.
Apparently what had been repaired was not only the walls, but everything inside the building.
The places that were about to break had been repaired by Fia and Lea with magic.
They had been told to keep it a secret from the two, and Eima and Rinaar had agreed.
But they were told with an enjoyable laugh that it was fine to tell me.
Rinaar, perhaps recalling the two’s magic, spoke while looking at the walls enviously.
"It was amazing. I was surprised that magic can do things like this~"
"...Those two are special, you know?"
"I know, but there’s still possibility, right?"
"There is, there is... All right, I’ll ask the two if they can come to training."
"Really!? Thank you very much, Instructor!"
Perhaps quite happy, Rinaar grasped one of my hands with both of hers and rejoiced with a full smile.
With that energy restored, she said she would help with Rain’s deliveries and dashed out of the house.
At the wind-like energy, I laughed that I really would have to increase the notes.
Eima, while still gazing at the door on the inn side that Rinaar had left through, murmured a little happily.
"Recently she hadn’t been energetic... I’m glad."
"I’m glad she became energetic. Eima too, you don’t have to be considerate toward me, okay?"
"...Eh?"
When Eima turned her face from the door toward me, after a slightly surprised expression she made an awkward expression.
I had only helped for a short time today, but I felt an atmosphere as if she was being a little too considerate toward me.
Above all, when I entered the bakery she awkwardly averted her gaze; I did not miss that.
Perhaps because Rinaar was present she immediately smiled and spoke to me, and I was relieved, but...
I smiled as gently as possible and spoke so as not to make her be considerate.
"I don’t mind that sort of thing. Rather, I’m glad I was able to save the two of you. So if you treat me normally, I’ll be happy... and if there’s anything troubling you, I want you to come right away without being considerate."
"Normally...?"
"Nn...?"
At my words Eima slightly flushed her cheeks red, averted her face, and made a serious expression.
I am not so insensitive as not to notice Eima’s reaction.
If she seeks me I intend to love her seriously, and toward Rinaar I will even prostrate myself to receive forgiveness.
Making a serious expression, I quietly waited for Eima to begin speaking.
A little silence continued; in terms of time it was probably short, but it felt long.
Eima quietly turned her face toward me and, as if resolving herself, gradually began speaking.
"Both I and Rinaar... cannot treat you normally, Raide."
"...Rinaar too?"
"Because I’m a parent, I understand. And I also... but I’m still a married woman..."
"I think it’s the same as not being a married couple. You’ve already submitted the documents, right?"
"I have. But... still..."
Probably the reply of approval from the country has not come.
When a couple runs a shop and moreover has a child, aid comes from the country.
So in Eima’s case the procedures are probably taking time.
I smiled gently and touched the hands of Eima who was holding the cup with both hands.
Her hands twitched in reaction, and she looked at my face with an indescribable expression.
"There’s no need to hurry. I’ll wait."
"You’re a cruel person... Telling someone like me right now that you’ll wait..."
"I’d like an answer before I become unable to wait, okay?"
Eima looked down with a troubled expression, and I released her hands, scratched the back of my hair with one hand, and smiled wryly.
I had said I would wait so as not to trouble her that much, but it seemed to have had the opposite effect.
What should I do... While worrying a little, I suddenly thought of something and changed the subject.
"Come to think of it, have the new products been finished?"
"Eh? No, not yet..."
"Hmm, I have one idea... how about it?"
"An idea?"
To Eima who raised her face, I smiled and explained the idea.
Bread in the Overworld is basically soft, but there are no varieties of flavor.
It is only the difference of whether the butter flavor is a little strong or the shape is different.
There are not even things that seem easy to think of like hot dogs or hamburgers.
Therefore, when one created them in the game the shop would prosper and one could make money.
In that case, within the range I know, there are many things I can teach as ideas.
Of course, I intend to make them things that even Eima and her daughter can do easily.
When Eima who heard the idea finally regained her energy and smiled for me, I patted my chest in relief.
Perhaps wanting to make prototypes before Rinaar returned, she took one of my hands and pulled me toward the oven and kitchen.
Looking at the profile of Eima with a joyful expression I smiled, and at the same time thought they are parent and child.
The figure of her pulling my hand closely resembled Rinaar’s back.
When I slightly squeezed Eima’s hand back, she turned her face around as if startled and flushed her cheeks red.
Even while making prototypes in the kitchen her cheeks remained red, but the awkwardness from earlier was not seen.
Character Profiles
＊Rinaar
Height: 160 cm
Age: 16
Glossy chestnut hair — wavy hair grown longer than the shoulders.
Face is soft and slender. Personality is reliable.
Body type is slender; although slender, there is a moderate amount of flesh in attractive places such as the hips and legs.
Breasts are a little smaller than melons and firm.
One of the students in the year Raide is in charge of.
Because her parents run a bakery, she herself also helps at the bakery.
Perhaps because of that she is good at looking after others and skilled at reading the atmosphere of a place, and often gets involved among the students.
She has intense disgust toward her father who tried to sell her and her mother, and does not even want to see his face.
After the incident she was saved by Raide, feels gratitude, and becomes aware of a fluttering heart.
Having been saved further, the fluttering has become romantic feelings.
＊Eima
Height: 163 cm
Age: 35
Glossy chestnut hair — wavy hair grown to about mid-back.
Face is soft and a little slender. Personality is clear and brisk. Atmosphere is calm.
Body type is slender; although slender, there is a moderate amount of flesh in attractive places such as the hips and legs.
Breasts bear melons.
Mother of Rinaar, a student in the year Raide is in charge of.
She runs a bakery with her husband and, because she handles customer service, speaks in a clear, brisk manner.
She never loses her smile and is skilled at gauging the distance with people.
She is in despair over her husband trying to sell her and her daughter, but for her daughter’s sake she somehow keeps her heart from breaking.
After the incident she was saved by Raide and feels gratitude.
In fact, when she was being rescued she could hear Raide’s voice a little.
While thinking it is improper, she is aware of a fluttering heart like love.
Having been saved further, she has fallen in love with Raide.
On the country’s documents she is still a married woman, so she thinks it is improper and restrains herself.