The Secret Cabinet

Aine entered the room, looked around at us, and seemed startled.

“Huh? Karan-san and Setia are here too? (Having to deal with multiple partners right off the bat is setting the bar way too high…)”

Aine was muttering something under her breath.

“You’re late, Aine. You’re the last one.”

“S-sorry. I was taking extra care getting ready…”

Come to think of it, she’d neatly pinned up her hair and was wearing what looked like freshly washed pajamas.

Had she dressed up a little because she was coming to visit my room?

“Well then, everyone, we will now begin the unveiling of a brand-new item created by Kinoshita Construction Company!”

“Oooh.”

Karan-san applauded out of obligation, Aine looked surprised, and Setia tilted her head slightly, staring blankly as she clapped along.

“Behold this cabinet! Isn’t it rather stylish?”

Speaking like a host on a television shopping channel, I pulled away the sheet covering the cabinet.

“Oooh…”

Their reactions were underwhelming.

Well, that was understandable.

The cabinet I’d made was certainly luxurious, but Gaurea Fortress already had plenty of furniture of this caliber.

A long, solid-looking cabinet body rested on four short legs.

It was large overall, with a sturdy, substantial design.

The wood grain was beautiful, and the carvings decorating the front were elegant.

But this cabinet’s true value wasn’t merely in its appearance.

“And now, I bestow upon Aine, who worked so hard cleaning the toilet all by herself, the honor of opening these doors first!”

For some reason, that announcement brought the sparkle back to Aine’s eyes, which had been filled with disappointment until then.

“Are you sure?”

“I made this to cheer you up, Aine. I’m counting on you to keep helping me as my personal maid.”

“My lord…”

Aine’s eyes grew moist with emotion.

“Go on, open it. There’s something wonderful inside.”

When she opened the double doors, a refrigerator appeared before us.

“What is this?”

“It’s called a refrigerator. It’s a device for keeping all sorts of things cold. This one slides forward to open. Try pulling that handle.”

Even I didn’t know what was inside the refrigerator yet.

Aine cautiously slid the refrigerator door open.

“Oh! Look at all this stuff!”

“What are these bottles?”

“That’s cola. Oh, there are energy drinks too. Come to think of it, Kawakami loved energy drinks, didn’t he?”

I wondered how Kawakami was doing now that he’d become a Frost Mage.

He’d definitely be delighted if he saw this.

And not just Kawakami. I was sure Takenotsuka, who’d become a Paladin, and Imanaka-san, who’d become a Saintess, would be overjoyed too.

After all, there weren’t just drinks inside. There were snacks like potato chips and chocolate as well.

And that wasn’t all.

“There are some large bottles too.”

“Let’s see… This says champagne. Moët? It looks French, so I can’t really read it.”

“What is champagne?”

Karan-san was also peering into the refrigerator with great interest.

“Champagne is an alcoholic drink. It’s all fizzy and bubbly.”

“Fizzy and bubbly?”

Karan-san frowned thoughtfully, apparently unable to imagine what I meant.

“No need to stand on ceremony tonight. Eat and drink whatever you like.”

Besides snacks, the refrigerator contained cheese, cured ham, and other things that looked perfect for accompanying alcohol.

I’d never even seen caviar before. I wondered if it was any good.

We took everything out and arranged it on the low table.

“What would you like, Aine?”

“What about you, my lord?”

“I think I’ll have some cola. It’s been a long time.”

“Then I’ll have the same.”

“What about you, Karan-san?”

“I’ll try that fizzy champagne you mentioned.”

She was an adult, so there was no problem with that.

“And Setia?”

“I-I’d be perfectly happy just knowing you thought of me…”

“Come on, there’s no need to hold back.”

“Then I’ll have some champagne too… I’m sorry.”

That was unexpected.

“Do you like alcohol?”

“I-I absolutely love it, sir. I’m sorry.”

Apparently, members of the Wuran Tribe started drinking wine when they were around ten years old.

Despite her appearance, Setia might actually have a high tolerance for alcohol.

Once everyone had received a cup filled with their chosen drink, we were ready.

“Well then, cheers!”

Aine took a sip of cola and pressed her hands to her cheeks.

“It’s bursting inside my mouth! And it has such a strange smell…”

“Don’t you like it?”

“No, it just surprised me. And somehow, the taste makes me want to keep drinking…”

Aine seemed to have taken a liking to cola.

But Karan-san and Setia were in even better spirits.

“What remarkably delicate bubbles. I’ve had sparkling wine before, but I’ve never tasted anything of such exceptional quality.”

“It’s delicious, yes. Um, would it be all right if I had another glass? I’m sorry.”

Setia was showing a level of assertiveness I’d never have expected from her.

Delighted, I refilled both their glasses.

“Drink as much as you like. There’s plenty more. Here, have some cheese and cured ham too.”

“In that case, I’ll gladly help myself.”

“Excuse me, I’ll have some. I’m terribly sorry.”

Looking back, I think that was where things went wrong…

The champagne bottle was empty in no time, and a drunken Setia was shouting.

“Please forgive me! Please forgive me! I’m sorry I’m such a quiet girl! Rhinoceros!”

You were being plenty talkative right now.

“Setia, you’re drunk, aren’t you?”

“No, not at all!”

That was obviously a lie.

“More importantly, please listen to me!”

With her breath reeking of alcohol, Setia clung desperately to me.

She would never have behaved like this normally.

“Sure. What’s wrong?”

“…I love you.”

She suddenly confessed her love for me!?

“Th-thank you.”

“I’ve loved you ever since you saved me without a thought for your own safety. I made up my mind at that very moment.”

“A-about what?”

“That I would die for you, my lord.”

That’s way too intense!

“I really mean it… For you, my lord… I’d… Zzz… Zzz…”

Oh dear, Setia had fallen asleep.

I supposed I had no choice but to carry her over to my bed.

It was right there, after all.

Still, I hadn’t expected Setia to care about me quite that much.

When I returned after putting Setia to bed, Aine was staring at me with a mischievous grin.

“What?”

“You’re just so adorable when you’re being pushed around by a mentally unstable girl, my lord.”

You really are hopeless!

“Do you enjoy seeing me in trouble that much?”

“No. I enjoy seeing you completely at a loss, my lord.”

“That distinction is so subtle I can’t even tell the difference.”

“More importantly, are you sure that’s all right?”

“What’s all right? Ahhh!”

When I looked over, Karan-san was just finishing a can of plum-wine sour.

And that wasn’t all.

There were several empty cans and bottles scattered in front of her.

“Karan-san, did you drink all of these by yourself?”

“Yes, I did. Alcohol from another world is delicious.”

Uh… At first glance, Karan-san seemed no different from usual.

Even after drinking, she didn’t appear intoxicated and remained as cool and composed as ever.

“My lord…”

“What is it?”

“Please give me another drink.”

What should I do?

She’d already consumed an enormous amount of alcohol.

There were still a few bottles left in the refrigerator, but…

“I think you’ve had enough for tonight…”

“No!”

“Huh?”

“Karan wants more! I wanna, I wanna, I wannaaaa!”

She’d turned into a toddler!?

Was this Karan-san’s second form…?

“Takeeeru, gimme another drink, pleeease.”

“J-just one more, then.”

I reached into the cabinet and pulled something out at random. It turned out to be a canned mandarin-orange shochu cocktail with twenty-five percent fruit juice.

Wasn’t this the sort of drink you could gulp down without even noticing?

“Ehehe, feed it to me.”

“Huh?”

“My arms are too weak. So Takeru has to give me my drink.”

Karan-san threw herself onto my lap and leaned against me.

Then she started rubbing her face against my chest.

She was kind of like a cat.

“That expression on your face is simply wonderful, my lord. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you ever need rescuing.”

Meanwhile, Aine was growing increasingly delighted at the sight of my bewilderment.

“Takeeeru, hurry up with my drink! If you don’t give it to me, Karan’s gonna cryyyy!”

“I’ll die! I’ll die for you, my loooord! Zzz… Zzz…”

Setia’s sleeptalking mingled with Karan-san’s whining.

And so, the chaotic night wore on, remaining every bit as chaotic until the end.