Chapter 52: Chapter 52: An Average Morning

After spending several days in that room, I woke up in the middle of the night. This is my room in Cortina’s house. Finia kept insisting on sleeping with me, but as expected, laying down with a beautiful girl… sleep never came.

So I insisted on a single bedroom. Because both she and Cortina expected me to ask for a single room, they gave their permission fairly easily.

In the first place, privacy is of major importance to me since I’m keeping so many secrets. Being a man in my previous life, I had various desires. Namely, alcohol, women, and gambling.

Luckily I had no interest in gambling, and I was unpopular with women, so I incurred very few expenses there. It’s been seven years since I was reborn, gambling and women notwithstanding, it’s about time I started to miss my only pleasure, booze.

So I decided to sneak around. Up to this point in our travels, I’d snuck a bottle into our luggage, so I was in the process of taking it into my room.

“Right about now, that Lyell ??????? ought to be in a panic.” I chuckled to myself.

As a child, I can’t possibly buy alcohol on my own. Which is to say, I snuck off with some of the good stuff that Lyell had kept hidden from Maria. Maria had told him that drinking in front of a child was bad, so he would have to settle for some light wine at home. That’s why that guy set some good stuff off to the side to enjoy later.

I popped the seal and poured some into a wooden cup. I used this cup during the journey here, so it’s not suspicious at all for me to bring it into my room. A strong scent floated up from the cup into my nose. The faint smell of a cypress cask mixed into the air in the room.

“…???????, holding out on me ain’tcha?”

A clear amber hue, a strong fragrance, it’s a good drink. You don’t even need to take a sip to know. Since I considered him my rival in my previous life, I rarely shared a drink with Lyell, but I can’t deny, he has good taste. Though I did drink with Gadius a lot.

After enjoying the fragrance a bit longer, I slowly raised the cup to my lips. As the distance closes I feel the scent gets stronger….

…Before I realize, it’s already morning.

“Huh!? What was…!”

I sprung up, and tumbled in anguish with a headache. The inside of my skull was throbbing, how many times did I have this same sensation in my previous life.

“You, You’re kidding… a hangover? After one tiny sip!?”

It seems my frail body has an extreme weakness to alcohol. To think I’d be laid out by a single sip. The sun is already rising outside while the refreshing morning air seeps through the window.

“First… I’ve got to hide you quickly.”

The bottle is one thing, but most of the contents of the cup spilled out. Thanks to that, my room strongly smells of alcohol. I pop the window open to help ventilate while holding my aching head. It was at this time someone knocked on my door.

“It’s morning Lady Nicole, please get up soon.” “Ah, Finia. Yeah, I’m up. I’m changing right now, please don’t come in.” “Is that so? Then let me help you.” “N, Nono! Umm.. I… I’m fine by myself!” I quickly shouted back at Finia to keep her from entering the room.

“By any chance… Did you wet the bed?” “How rude!”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Sure, as a girl I can’t hold in my business as easily as I used to. It can’t be helped that girls can’t hold it in the same way a guy can, their bodies are just not made the same. And if your body is young, the slightest bit of carelessness… well, yea, it’s over. Yup. I’ll admit it, there were accidents in my past.

But this is completely unrelated. The problem is the smell of alcohol, not piss. For the sake of my pride, I want this to be known that it’s not the same!

“Alright then. Lady Cortina has already finished breakfast, so please hurry Lady Nicole. Afterward, you can do laundry in secret.” “I got it. But I haven’t wet the bed!”

Finia walked away with light steps. Even so, Cortina, the night owl is already up and about, when does she even sleep?

In any case, if I open the window the alcohol smell will dissipate quickly. Although it’s a little unsafe, this is known to the townspeople as Cortina’s house, there’s probably few who’d try to sneak in. And so I started changing out of my pajamas for real. Since I have comfortable pajamas, they’re easy to take off, but the clothes Finia and Cortina got me are more complicated and don’t really fit my tastes.

I wore a tight-fitting shirt and a short jacket. Below I put on some shorts and knee-socks leaving little exposed. It looks like activewear, but with my appearance of a proper young lady, it gives off a sense of mismatching, I found it pretty surprising.

As I head to the dining room on the first floor, I find Finia waiting for me as she’d already finished preparing breakfast. Cortina, who already finished her food, was enjoying an after-meal coffee.

Finia lets out a small sigh as she sees me. It seems she can’t suppress her sorrow at my choice to avoid wearing skirts. Cortina meanwhile stared appraisingly at my thighs before throwing me a thumbs-up.

On the table, there was hot milk, ham and eggs, and a piece of toast laid out. Coffee was too bitter for me to drink now. On the bright side, I’m aware that along with this change in palate I’m weak to alcohol.

After I arrived at the table and got to eating, Finia went behind me and started taking care of my hair. It may seem rude in the middle of a meal, but it can’t be helped since I can’t do it myself. It was decided that Michelle, Letina, and I will be shown around town after this. I’ve got no time.

Since we’re going to invite Letina, first impressions are important.

“It’s already that time?”

Looking at Finia caring for my hair, I started to think we were running short on time. There’s a magic tool that tells time called a clock, but in Cortina’s house, there’s only one in the living room and another in Cortina’s room. It’s pretty expensive.

“No, it’s just I got lost for a moment looking at Lady Nicole’s hair. It feels good to the touch is all.” “…Should we stop doing this during meals?” “My apologies, this is my healing.” “Ah, sure…”

It’s quite pleasant feeling the soft touch of Finia on my hair, so please don’t stop. Cortina pulls me over and sits me on her lap. The soft touch on the back of my head feels comfy so I just let them do as they want.

Half-eaten toast, and half-eaten ham and eggs. This is the limit of what I can stomach.

“Burp— Thank you for this meal.” “You’re very welcome. Your hair is done.”

My hair is long, extending straight to the middle of my back. I can say with confidence that if I got it cut Mari and Finia would be sad. It’s set so that the sideburns were tucked behind my ears and tied behind my neck. Finia would set my hair during meals without fail so far.