Daily Life Without Caro

I shifted my mindset and headed to work.

“Ah, Kent-san, welcome back. Caro-chan’s escort came a little while ago and she headed home. She looked quite sad that she couldn’t say goodbye to you,” Marie-san informed me.

“She left a letter at the house.”

“I see. Well, I’m sure it’ll be tough without her here, but I’m counting on you.”

Rachel-san was already at her post, working. A little later, Patty-san finished her shower, came down to the shop, and started her shift.

The hole Caro-san left was massive, and the burden on the storefront side became particularly heavy. Emily-san was doing her best to compensate, but as long as she was in charge of the kitchen, she couldn’t actively help with other tasks, so the extra weight fell on the newcomer, Patty-san.

“Marie-san, I’ll handle the workshop side, so could you take care of the storefront?”

“Understood. I’ll leave it to you, Kent-san.”

Marie’s Bakery had most of its processes mechanized, so it no longer required a high level of craftsmanship. As long as the measurements and timing were correct, I could produce bread similar to Marie-san’s. Marie-san took off her flour-stained clothes and changed into a maid uniform with the same design as Emily-san’s—though the colors were slightly different—which had been prepared before I knew it.

“Marie-san, where did this outfit come from?”

“This? You know that shop we went to with the others before? I had them make it there. For some reason, Emily and I have the same measurements. Rachel-chan took my measurements and made the pattern for me.”

Emily-san’s maid uniform was a physical manifestation of my own tastes. Seeing Marie-san wearing it made her look incredibly attractive.

“Welcome. I’ll leave some cold water and a wet towel here for you. Please call me if you need anything.”

Marie-san, who rarely worked the floor, was serving customers with remarkably efficient movements. Both Rachel-san and I were surprised by this.

“I thought Marie-san was a bread artisan to her core, but she’s really a natural at this.”

“Mom used to serve customers like this during the times I was at school, you know? But today might be the first time she’s worn a matching outfit with Emily. Actually, we had an outfit ready for Caro-oneechan, too…”

Rachel-san spoke to Catherine, who was standing at the register. Catherine sounded a bit disappointed.

“Yes, yes, stop the idle chatter and get to work, work!”

““Sorry!””

Rachel-san and Catherine, who got dragged into it, were scolded by Marie-san.

With Marie-san joining the storefront side, the shop managed to keep running somehow.

“We managed to finish, didn’t we?”

“Good work. It really was tough with just Caro-chan gone,” Marie-san replied with a slightly exhausted expression. Completely worn out, we finished our work and returned to my house.

“Let’s just prepare something simple for dinner today.”

“I’ll help, Big Brother.”

Rachel-san and I went into the kitchen and began preparing dinner.

“Frozen food should be fine… let’s see…”

Rachel-san was rummaging through the freezer.

“Okay, Big Brother, heat this up.”

“Sure thing.”

Rachel-san handed me various frozen food items she had pulled out. I began heating them in the microwave. By the time I finished heating the dinner portions and went to the living room, Catherine was already asleep.

“Kent-san, could you take Catherine to her bed?”

“Of course.”

I carried the sleeping Catherine in my arms like a princess to what used to be Caro-san’s room. Her personal belongings were gone, but the bed and bedding remained. After tucking Catherine in, I returned to the living room.

“We’ll prepare Catherine’s portion for when she wakes up, but shall we eat first?” I suggested to Marie-san and Rachel-san.

“Yes, let’s eat.”

“I’m hungry too.”

With that, the three of us began our meal. After we finished, Rachel-san said she would skip the bath here and just take a shower back at her place, then she returned to her room.

Unusually, I was left alone with Marie-san in the living room.

“It’s become a bit lonely, hasn’t it?” Marie-san muttered.

“It has,” I muttered back.

“Shall we take a bath?”

“Yes, let’s.”

Marie-san and I entered the bath together. Since we were both exhausted, we simply washed up, soaked in the tub, and came out. Then, even though it was a bit early, we went into my room to sleep.

“Kent-san, Mama, it’s morning!”

Catherine came to wake us up. It seemed morning had arrived before I knew it. Having slept a bit more than usual, I was able to welcome a refreshed morning. Looking beside me, Marie-san was sleeping while drooling slightly. Of course, since we had both fallen asleep just like that, we were still wearing our jerseys.

“Good morning, Catherine. I’m getting up now. Marie-san, it’s morning. Time to wake up.”

“Oh, it’s already morning…?”

Usually, it was a struggle just to get her up, but Marie-san woke up immediately for once.

The three of us ate the breakfast Catherine had made (a black, charred object) and then headed to work.

From today, we implemented a strategy where we would go all out to bake the bread before the shop opened, and Marie-san would move to the storefront after opening. We had Emily-san work hard on the storefront preparations. Rachel-san and Catherine were assigned to making sweet buns and savory breads until opening. A vast amount of bread was piled up in the workshop. Normally we would carry them to the shop as soon as they were finished, but starting today, we decided to reduce the labor by moving them all at once.

When it was time to open, Marie-san changed into her maid uniform just like yesterday and went to serve customers. The dining area, served by the two women with excellent figures—Marie-san and Emily-san—was very popular with the male customers. The maid uniforms they wore were designed to emphasize the chest area. The male customers found their eyes quite captivated.

“Well, it’s about time to head to school.”

“Kent-san, Rachel-chan, have a safe trip.”

Seen off by Marie-san, who had changed back into her usual work clothes, Rachel-san and I headed to school.

“It feels a bit strange going to school with you, Big Brother.”

“Now that you mention it, maybe it does.”

In our previous world, since we were far apart in age, we had never commuted together except during elementary school. While we recognized each other as siblings, to an outsider, it might have looked like we were a couple.

“Good morning, Kent-kun.”

“Good morning, Patty-san.”

As I sat in my seat, Patty-san spoke to me from the next desk.

“Yesterday was busy, wasn’t it?”

“It was. Do you still feel tired?”

“I’m fine. You look a little worn out though, Kent-kun.”

“Maybe I am.”

After some idle chat, it was time for class.

When lunch break arrived, I headed to the usual spot behind the school building. Rachel-san and Caro-san were already waiting there.

“Kent-san!”

“Caro-san!”

Feeling as if we hadn’t seen each other in years, we naturally embraced.

“You two are really showing off in broad daylight, Big Brother, Caro.”

““Ah!””

We pulled apart as Rachel-san teased us.

“I am late. Now, let us have lunch.”

With Josette-san’s arrival, the four of us enjoyed lunch together as usual.