Getting Dead Drunk

I handed a handkerchief to Caro, who had finally calmed down after being pulled into a hug by Marie.

“Caro-san, use this.”

“Thank you very much, Kent-san. Honk.”

As if on cue, Caro blew her nose into the handkerchief.

“I’d feel bad asking you to step outside with your face like that, and fortunately, there are no other customers in the shop right now, so please have some tea and relax for a bit.”

“I’m sorry. Thank you very much.”

At the fairy clerk’s invitation, we gathered around a table in the corner of the shop and sat down in chairs.

“It’s just modest tea, but please, help yourself.”

Cups filled with tea were set out for everyone. Perhaps because they were brought from whatever was on hand, every cup had a different shape.

“Thank you, I’ll enjoy it.”

I gave my thanks, and the four of us sipped the tea that had been served.

“Oh? If it isn’t Marie-san.”

“Welcome back, Master.”

“I’m sorry for the intrusion. Um, this is the owner of this shop. And these are Kent-san and Caro-san, who work at our shop.”

After a while, the owner returned, and Marie introduced us to each other.

“Oh my. Welcome. It’s so lively with this many people in the shop.”

The wife entered following the owner. I got the impression that they were an elderly couple quietly managing the shop together.

The owner and his wife joined our circle and began drinking tea with us.

“Even so, Marie-san, you’ve become incredibly beautiful lately. It’s become quite the rumor in town.”

“Oh, stop it, that’s not true at all.”

Marie replied, looking embarrassed by the owner’s comment.

“No, you’ve become so beautiful it’s surprising even from my perspective as a woman.”

The wife followed up.

“Flattering me like that won’t get you anything!”

After that, we enjoyed our tea time in a peaceful atmosphere.

“Thank you for the tea. Well then, we’ll be taking our leave.”

“Thanks for coming. Come again, okay?”

Since Caro had calmed down and we had stayed quite a long time, we decided to head home. Marie gave a greeting on behalf of the group, and we left the shop as the owners saw us off.

“I’m sorry. It got a bit late because of me.”

“It’s fine, Caro-chan. Thanks to that, I was able to talk about various things with the owner.”

The four of us started heading back to my house, but someone was waiting in front of the shop.

“Ah, Marie-san. I finally caught you.”

“Oh? You’re the clerk from the Bakers’ Guild, what’s the matter?”

A young man who worked as a clerk for the Bakers’ Guild was waiting for Marie in front of the shop.

“I’m sorry to bother you on your day off. Actually, the guild master has called for a meeting. It’s tomorrow afternoon—would that be alright?”

“The shop is closed, so that’s fine.”

Marie replied immediately.

“Actually… I have one more request. The place we used as a venue last time is a business day tomorrow, and the owner said they couldn’t provide the space this time. Since Marie-san’s place is the only other shop with facilities that seem capable of holding a meeting, we were wondering if you could provide the venue…”

“It’s quite small compared to that other shop, but if that’s alright with you, I don’t mind.”

“It’s a huge help to hear you say that.”

The shop used for the previous meeting boasted a large dining space, big enough that there was room to spare even with all the guild members inside. However, Marie’s bakery was only large enough that all the owners would fill up all the seats if they gathered at once. They had been able to borrow the other place last time because it was closed due to a lack of ingredients, but since it was a business day this time, it seemed they couldn’t secure the location.

“Then I’ll go inform the other shops. Excuse me.”

“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”

The clerk hurried off toward the next shop.

“Marie-san, did something happen with the guild?”

“I think it’s probably about Etsigoya, but we won’t know the details until tomorrow.”

When I asked, Marie answered without appearing particularly worried.

When dinner time arrived, the meal Caro had prepared was laid out. Since everyone was home, I had suggested we all make it together, but Caro wouldn’t budge on making it herself, so she ended up preparing everything.

“I made this to express my gratitude for everything you’ve done for me. Please, help yourselves.”

She seemed to have worked hard on it for quite a while, as there was a wide variety of dishes. Rachel had also returned to my house before dinner, and we were all gathered around the table now.

“Since it’s a celebration of Caro-san’s new beginning, we need alcohol, right? Big brother, bring some out.”

Abruptly, Rachel said that to me.

“That sounds lovely. I’d like to have a drink for the first time in a while, too.”

Marie was also enthusiastic.

“Don’t blame me for what happens, okay? Akane, you have to take responsibility.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.”

After making sure Rachel understood, I retrieved beer, shochu, and sake from my terminal.

“Here you go. Drink whatever you like.”

“Then I’ll try the beer.”

“I think I’ll go with the shochu.”

“Um, I’ll have some sake.”

Rachel chose beer, Marie chose shochu, and Caro chose sake.

“I don’t really understand, but which one is good?”

「「「「Catherine, you aren’t allowed to drink!」」」」

“Aww.”

Catherine tried to drink as well, but since she was a minor, everyone stopped her. She looked very grumpy, apparently displeased at being the only one left out.

“I’ll prepare a non-alcoholic one for Catherine, then. Make do with this, okay?”

We began drinking along with the dinner Caro had made, and a fun evening started.

“Hey, hey, Rachel-san.”

“What is it, Caro-san?”

A little while after dinner ended and the drinking mode had set in, a bleary-eyed Caro spoke to Rachel.

“You like me, don’t you? Just be honest and say it!”

“Eh? Eh? Eh?”

Rachel was startled by the sudden change in Caro after the alcohol kicked in.

“Here we go… it’s started.”

Caro was a notoriously bad drunk. Once she was tipsy, she became a handful. I had hesitated because I knew this, but since she had insisted, I decided to let her take full responsibility. I quietly watched the interaction between Caro and Rachel.

“I like you too, Rachel-san! Let’s kiss! Chu.”

With unbelievable strength, Caro pulled Rachel close and stole a kiss.

“Wait, Caro-san! Big brother, don’t just watch, help me!”

“I refuse.”

I turned down Rachel’s plea for help. Caro’s teasing of Rachel continued for a while.

“Kent-san…”

“What’s wrong, Caro-san?”

Caro, whose face had suddenly turned pale, spoke up.

“I feel sick…”

“Whoa, wait a second!”

I hurriedly picked Caro up in a princess carry and rushed into the bathroom.

“Barf barf barf…”

“That was close…”

I managed to make it in time and avoided a total disaster.

“Drink this for now.”

Once we were out of the bathroom, I gave her some liquid stomach medicine and took her to the bed in her room. As soon as Caro lay down, she fell fast asleep.

“Goodnight, Caro-san.”

I quietly closed the door and returned to the living room.

“Big brother… that was scary.”

Rachel said to me with tears in her eyes.

“Caro-san’s personality changes when she gets drunk.”

“I didn’t know that! If you knew, you should have told me!”

Rachel said grumpily.

“That was quite entertaining. I’m really glad I didn’t get caught up in it.”

Marie had maintained a neutral stance, staying out of it and just watching.

“Alcohol is scary…”

Seeing Caro’s transformation, Catherine made a firm resolution to be careful whenever she started drinking.

In the end, we kept drinking after that, and before I knew it, I had fallen asleep on the living room sofa.

“Hm? Is it morning already?”

I woke up as morning came.

“My head hurts a little. Maybe I drank too much?”

When I casually moved my hand, I felt a soft sensation.

(Wait, what is this texture? It actually feels kind of nice.)

I gave it a little squeeze, savoring the feeling. Once I realized what I was touching, I froze. There was someone else sleeping on the sofa where I was. It was Rachel. I had been fondling Rachel’s chest. Incidentally, Marie was sprawled out on the floor near me, sleeping with half her butt hanging out.

“Whoops!”

“Big brother, morning.”

It seemed Rachel had woken up.

“So, what exactly is this hand doing?”

My hand was still squeezing Rachel’s chest.

“Big brother, you pervert.”

“Gwah!”

I took massive mental damage from Rachel’s words.

“Akane, do you need some stomach medicine?”

“My head hurts a bit, so I think I’ll take some.”

Once we calmed down, Rachel and I took some stomach medicine to deal with our hangovers.

“Even so, Marie-san has a wild sleeping posture.”

“She’s always like this.”

A blanket was draped over Marie’s stomach as she lay on the floor, but since half her butt was showing, she looked a bit silly. The two of us observed Marie for a while.

“Morning, Big brother, Big sister Rachel.”

Catherine came out of my room. It seemed she had been sleeping there.

“I’m thinking of making breakfast now, do you feel like you can eat?”

“Thanks. Could you?”

“I’ll have some too.”

Catherine caught a glimpse of Marie’s state but decided she hadn’t seen anything.

At Catherine’s offer, Rachel and I asked her to prepare breakfast.