“Therese! No, no I don’t! I’m not serious! I just want the kiddo to experience the same feeling I have . . .” L’Arc stuttered, rushing to dig his own grave.

“You’re not serious? That’s quite rude of you,” Sadeena said. Motoyasu, in his past life, probably had more luck than this. It was only hearsay, but he’d apparently picked up his fair share of women. When I looked at him now, of course, he was just a pathetic, filolial-obsessed moron.

“Anyway! I’m just going to teach you all that I can handle my drink!” L’Arc raged. “Once I do that, kiddo here can experience the same terror that I’ve been going through!” After that outburst, Therese gave him a gentle, and at the same time pitying, look.

“L’Arc, everyone has things they can do and things they can’t. It’s still not too late to back down. Okay?” she told him.

“Why are you trying to get me to stop?” he replied. “I won’t know unless I try!”

“I’m trying to get you to stop because I already know what will happen. I’m the one who’ll have to pick up the pieces after she drinks you under the table,” Therese said pretty sharply. I mean, it definitely was a pain to take care of a drunk. I had some experience with that myself.

They were a noisy bunch though. I’d give them that much.

“I’m sorry you got asked to cook almost as soon as you got here,” Raphtalia apologized to me, but I just waved it off. No need to worry about that. I cooked pretty much every day back home. It was habit by now.

So we ended that day with an impromptu outdoor party in the garden at the castle.

“Everyone! Let’s have lots of fun today!” Filo shouted out. In order to cheer everyone up, she had started singing with some of the other gathered musicians.

“Raph,” said Raph-chan. She was in command of the visuals, using her illusion magic to set off fireworks.

“Pen!” Chris was backing her up, waving a mysterious glowing stick like he was at some kind of idol concert. Filo was putting all her training from Melty to good use, and the whole venue was filled with a gentle and relaxed atmosphere.

“Wow. I wish I could share this scene with everyone working so hard out there for us now,” L’Arc said, looking out across the scene with a smile on his face. Then he started to eat my food. “Kiddo, you’ve really upped your game in the kitchen.” He just made pointless small talk, stuffing his cheeks with my pilaf. I was really getting sick of him calling me “kiddo” too. How hard would it be for him to learn my name, like a civilized person?