Otherworld Dagashi Shop Yahagi-Chapter 34: Until the Bottle is Empty

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Things are going exactly as I planned.

I’ve already moved the hindrances, Merle and Mira, out of the picture.

Yuusuke was staggering as he walked with me holding him.

With him like that, he will fall asleep on the bed as soon as we get to a room.

Once that happens, he will be as I pleased.

Undress him, make him comfortable, and then…… enjoy Yuusuke’s sleeping face to my heart’s content.

For making him drink so much just to satisfy my own desires, am I perhaps a bad woman?

However, that’s alright.

The teacher at the institute said that top-notch researchers must be faithful to their own desires.

It would be more comfortable for Yuusuke if the second…… third button of his shirt is unbuttoned, right……

S- S- Should I hold his hand as well?

If he finds out, will I be reported to the police?

No, no, I have to be at least that proactive.

I’ve been passive in love my whole life.

I’m gonna say goodbye to my weak self!

◇

When I woke up, the place was dark.

This is…… not my room.

Ah, right, I should be in Minerva’s house.

I was convinced by the familiar scenery of the guest room.

It may be vague, but I remember the events last night.

The drunk me had stayed overnight at Minerva’s house.

I checked my appearance and found that my shoes and jacket had been removed and I was comfortably dressed.

The clothing taken off from me were carefully hung on hangers, so Minerva must have taken them off for me.

I’ve troubled him once again.

I’ll have to make it up to him by cooking breakfast tomorrow.

Even when I just make him coffee, Minerva already gets happy.

He may look and sound scary, but he has a cute side to him.

Outside the window, the stars were twinkling.

I woke up at an odd time, but my mind feels surprisingly clear.

I feel a little light-headed when I get up, but it doesn’t feel bad.

[I want some water……]

I must have used up all the water in my body to break down the alcohol.

Each and every cell in my body seemed to be asking for water.

Normally, I would have asked Minerva to magically make water for me, but at this hour, I think he’s already sleeping.

Thinking that there might be some water left in the kitchen, I wandered out of the bedroom.

I found some water in a kettle in the kitchen and drank all its contents at once.

It tasted good.

I heard that there’s a saying in this world about “drinking 1000 rims worth of water to sober one up”, but I think it’s worth more than 1000 rims to me right now.

While we’re at it, I guess I’ll also use the bathroom. 𝐛𝗲𝗱𝐧𝗼𝐯𝗲𝗹．𝐧𝐞𝘁

Minerva told me to feel free to use his facilities anytime.

Whether I’m just gonna stay awake or go back to sleep, I want to refresh myself.

Come to think of it, Minerva usually doesn’t take a bath in the onsen.

He hasn’t used it once since he bathed together with me.

I wonder if he doesn’t like going in with others?

When I came to the bath, I noticed that the lights were on.

It seems like he forgot to turn off the lights before going to bed.

I took off my clothes and opened the bathroom door.

[……………………]

There was something black and shimmering floating in the round bathtub.

Long hair.

Beneath it, there’s a white body swaying with the warm water.

Wait, a woman!?

The moment our eyes met, I looked away.

[I’m sorry!]

I hurriedly closed the door and put on my clothes.

What the heck, was that Minerva’s girlfriend?

Even though I feel annoyed that he would intentionally hide him away on the days I’m crashing in his house, Minerva may have had his own reasons.

Still, this feels awkward.

I had just seen my friend’s girlfriend naked.

Even though it was only for a moment, I saw her breasts quite clearly.

I’ve done something bad…….

I waited in the kitchen for her to return so I could apologize properly.

I took out Merle’s favorite mini cola and simultaneously popped seven of them into my mouth.

The mini cola has a calming effect.

As I chewed on the crunchy ramune candy, the pounding in my heart started to calm down.

Waiting for her to arrive, I decided to apologize sincerely, without making excuses.

After a long time, I finally heard the bathroom door open.

[I apologize for earlier.]

As the woman entered the room, I deeply bowed.

She was a beautiful woman with long black hair and looked to be in her mid-twenties.

She had a kind of stiff look on her face, but I guess she was angry at me for seeing her naked.

[I am a friend of Minerva’s, Yahagi Yuusuke.]

[Yuusuke……]

[Yes, that’s my first name.]

Arehh, have I seen this woman somewhere……

Errr, I think I’ve seen her a few times.

Was she a customer of mine?

No, no, if that were the case, I would have remembered her clearly.

Then, is she an adventurer I saw in the dungeon?

I don’t think so either.

If I’m not mistaken, her image should be illustrated in a menko……

[…………Ahh!]

I couldn’t help raising my voice.

After all, standing in front of me was the wanted witch Michelle.

Come to think of it, Minerva had mentioned before that she was acquainted with the witch Michelle.

Both of them are skilled adventurers, so they might have such a relationship.

[Ummm…… Are you Minerva’s friend or something like that?]

[Yuusuke, you’re mistaken……]

The witch Michelle looked somewhat familiar though.

[What do you mean, I’m mistaken?]

[It’s me.]

[Even if you say “it’s me”, we shouldn’t be acquainted……]

[I’m Minerva.]

Looking like she was about to cry, the witch Michelle said.

That means……

She’s Minerva without the silver mask!?

He…… She was my regular, someone who takes good care of me, my best friend recently, the person I’m with every day, someone who makes me dinner…… Even though she has a scary voice, she sometimes speaks like a girl, and before I knew it, her behavior had started looking suspicious, and the person who I entered the onsen with…… That Minerva was actually the witch Michelle!?

[There were a few times when I thought things were strange. But every time I thought about it, I reconsidered, thinking that there’s no way such a thing could happen……]

[I’m sorry. I think it was my Recognition Inhibition Magic that was making you do that. However, I wanted Yuusuke to realize my identity, so I’ve recently been reducing the power of my magic.]

Still, am I so thick-headed that I didn’t notice until she came out to me!?

[I never thought that the man I thought was my best friend was the witch Michelle……]

Minerva…… No, Michelle asked with a sad look on her face.

[Does that make you hate me now?]

I take out my mini cola again and throw some into my mouth.

I can’t count how many of these I’ve already eaten.

Chewing on it, the distinctive aroma of the ramune candy filled my mouth.

[It’s not like that. Sit down. You want some too, Michelle? This calms people down.]

Michelle took the bottle I offered to her and put some ramune candies into her mouth.

The bottle she returned to me was empty.