I Got Fired As an Adventurer, So I’m Starting Anew As an Alchemist! Frontier Exploration? Alright, Leave It to Me!

139.2. It’s Best To Ask A Maid About A Woman, Isn’t It?

We arrived at a high-end restaurant, the kind of place I had never set foot in before.

The area around the central fountain is full of upscale shops and restaurants.

I knew of it because it’s near the Adventurer’s Guild, but I’d never been inside, of course.

This alchemist, however, walked into such a fancy restaurant without any hesitation.

“Craft, it’s been a while.”

A chubby man approached with a smile and greeted the alchemist.

“Hey, Dezile. I heard you’ve started running a restaurant in addition to your tavern.”

“Yeah, I usually leave this place to the serious manager, but when I heard Craft made a reservation, I had to come in today.”

“Ha! It feels weird to see you not dealing with adventurers, Dezile!”

“I know, right? Well, enjoy the food we’re proud of today!”

“Absolutely!”

Taking a closer look at the chubby man, I realized it was Dezile, the innkeeper of the tavern for adventurers. I’d met him a few times before, but today, he was dressed in a quality suit, so I didn’t recognize him at first.

We were led to a private room, just the two of us.

Why am I feeling so nervous?

The course meal started with appetizers.

Despite being a former adventurer, the alchemist ate without hesitation.

Ah, so that’s why all these spoons and forks are laid out—it’s because you’re supposed to use them from the outside in.

“Craft, you used to be an adventurer, right? Where did you learn your manners?”

“Hm? Oh, I had a maid named Ryuuko at home, and sometimes she’d serve course meals. She taught me the basics. I also picked up a few tips from Kyle when we were invited by the Margrave.”

“I see.”

When dining with a margrave, proper etiquette would naturally be required.

When we were summoned by His Majesty the King, we ate in a separate room with the other adventurers and common folk, so I didn’t pay much attention to that.

But now that I’m in Raidoc-sama’s party, knowing proper manners might become important.

“Maybe I should learn some etiquette too.”

“Then, how about we dine together again? This restaurant’s pretty relaxed, so no one will be too fussy about it.”

“You’re right.”

It was only after I responded that I realized—wait, isn’t this another date invitation!?

This guy… he just naturally pushes things forward!

“Um, well…”

“We’ll split the bill next time.”

With a carefree smile, I could only softly reply, “Yes… that sounds good.”

The meal… was delicious and fun. Annoyingly so.

Since the alchemist was a former adventurer, we had a lot of shared topics to talk about, and the conversation never ran dry. Annoyingly so.

When we left the restaurant, it was already dark. I braced myself, worried he might suggest going somewhere else, but instead, we parted ways easily. Annoyingly so.

Back at the inn, Eva and Marilyn bombarded me with questions. I thought they weren’t interested in romance, but their eyes were practically sparkling. Annoyingly so.

I brushed them off with some vague answers and collapsed onto my bed, feeling more exhausted than after training or battle. Annoyingly so.

I slept like a log, not even realizing how irrational my sense of frustration was.

◆

“Welcome back, Master.”

“Yeah, I’m home.”

As I returned home, my maid Ryuuko greeted me.

“Did it go well?”

“Yeah, thanks to your advice, Ryuuko!”

If Ryuuko hadn’t given me pointers, it would’ve just ended with a simple dinner.

That would’ve been insincere.

“If you don’t mind, could you walk me through what you did, in bullet points?”

That’s a tall order.

I recalled today’s events and gave a brief rundown.

– Dress properly.

– Don’t just treat her to a meal; give her a tangible apology.

– As Ryuuko suggested, avoid the ring finger on the left hand.

– Establish a proper friendship.

– Offer a meal that’s enjoyable and not too formal.

– Made plans to dine together again, for her to study manners.

“How’s that?”

“I see. There are plenty of rooms in this mansion, so it’ll be fine whenever more people join.”

“Huh? Oh, got it.”

I wasn’t sure why the conversation jumped like that, but I assumed she was talking about new disciples for Master Jabir. So, I nodded in agreement.

Then Ryuuko muttered softly.

“Guiding my master properly is also part of my duty.”

I didn’t quite get what she meant, but I felt reassured having such a dependable maid.