An Old Man from the Countryside Becomes a Swords Saint: I Was Just a Rural Sword Teacher, But My Successful Students Won’t Leave Me Alone! - Chapter 80

“I’m back,” I said.

It was after working a bit of a sweat at the Knights’ HQ. At this hour, the sun is arcing west and the blazing heat will pass the horizon soon. I open the door of my new house that I’m still a little unfamiliar with.

“… Mm. Welcome back,” Miu said, sounding like she said it offhandedly.

And it’s also unfamiliar to me that there’s someone to welcome me back. It’s not like I don’t like it.

When I was back in the dojo at my parents’ house, I usually had my parents greet me, so now that I think about it, it isn’t that important, but I can’t help but feel that it’s significant that a younger girl is waiting for me at home. I guess I have to get used to it.

It seems Miu was sitting in a chair in the living room and had some spare time. She looks at me for a few moments and begins to lift her upper body off the table.

“Oh? Something smells good,” I said.

I noticed the aroma of food that I didn’t have when I left in the morning.

Yeah, this is probably a simmered dish. Pot-au-feu, stew, or something like that. It is a basic recipe that you can easily make delicious even if you are not accustomed to cooking.

I’ve got a feeling that Lucy and Ms. Halwi did a good job in this area, rather than a primary education or housework in general.

To put it the other way around, simmered food can be made by putting the ingredients and water in a pot and putting them on the fire. It doesn’t taste bad unless you used too much of something. It is one of the dishes that anyone can easily cook as long as they know a recipe for. You could say that it is suitable for teaching amateurs who do not know a thing about cooking.

“… I’m hungry,” Miu said after an adorable growling noise echoed in the house.

“Yeah? Did I make you wait?” I asked.

Miu’s eyes opened a bit and then she turned away shyly. It’s cute.

However, I was just thinking that Miu would eat first, so it was a little surprising that she had been waiting. I’m sure she doesn’t hate me, but she doesn’t feel like she’s too fond of me either, so it’s a complicated feeling that makes me happy and embarrassed.

“… It’s better to eat meals with someone,” Miu said awkwardly.

“Haa-haa-haa! That’s true, isn’t it?” I said.

I couldn’t help but smile. I wonder by how much Miu intends to accumulate her cute points.

While thinking about the meal’s aroma, I also think that proper exercise is important. A pleasant feeling of hunger hits my whole body. I’m not too worried because of my current job, but if I eat and sleep repeatedly, I’ll soon become a pig.

“Well then, let’s eat, shall we?” I asked.

“Mm,” Miu said, beginning to move.

First, she scoops up the contents of a pot and transfers it to a bowl. Pot-au-feu with a grab-bag mix of ingredients was served on the table.

There’s sausage in here, and is this a potato? The skin wasn’t peeled well, and the cuts are uneven in size, but it’s still Miu’s hard work. Above all, the deliciousness of pot-au-feu does not change even if she is not good at handling kitchen knives.

“I’m digging in,” I said.

""

“… Digging in,” Miu mumbled.

We say a short bit of appreciation before we enjoy the meal properly.

…… Mm, it’s delicious. There is some bitterness due to the scum, but it is completely acceptable. It is a little demanding for Miu, who may not have cooked before, to keep skimming the scum while the stew boiled.

“Yeah. It’s delicious,” I said.

“… Mm. I see,” Miu said.

We never forget to thank the people who cooked the food. It doesn’t matter whether the other person is a restaurateur, a mother, or Miu.

That’s why I tell them that it’s delicious. In terms of emotional rehabilitation for Miu, this area is an indispensable element.

Miu’s face seemed to be pouting a little. There probably isn’t anyone who’s unhappy to be praised for their work. At this rate, I would like to continue praising and extending compliments to Miu.

“… Oh, by the way,” Miu said, after a bite or two of stew.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Something arrived in a box for you, Pops. It’s put it in the back.”

“Hmm, thank you…. what is it?”

“Dunno,” Miu said.

I wonder what it is? I don’t remember getting anything delivered to me.

I’ve completely moved out of the inn I’ve been indebted to since I came to Barltrain, and only Alexia, Lucy, and Ibroix know I live here. I met Selena earlier today but didn’t tell her where I lived now.

Among them, someone sent me a box… then it had to be one of them.

I think it’s Ibroix. It’s probably a “thank you” for capturing Bishop Lebios. Other than that, I can’t think of anyone else.

That was some good out of that annoyance, or a rather request that is difficult to talk about, but let’s just get what I can get out of it. I don’t think they sent garbage or junk as a reward. Whether it’s money or objects, there is no problem at this age. Do I check it out after eating?

“Oh, right, I have something to tell you,” I said.

“… What?” Miu said, looking up from her bowl.

Miu doesn’t seem to know how her manners, or to put it better, it’s appropriate at her age. To put it worse, she doesn’t seem disciplined.

Cooking is necessary for living, so even if you teach it first, it doesn’t mean that you will die just because you don’t know how to eat it properly. Ms. Halwi probably couldn’t handle that much in that short period of time.

In that case, it is naturally my job to educate her. If you enter the Magician’s Academy, you will have the opportunity to eat with your fellow students, so I’d like to do something about it. I don’t want her to be embarrassed.

“It seems that important people from a neighboring country will come here soon,” I said. “I’m likely to join the security detail.”

“Hmph.”

Miu didn’t seem to think it was anything remarkable.

Well, it’s impossible for her to be interested. However, I may be away from home for a few days, so I have to tell her my schedule.

“So, as you can see, I don’t have any well-tailored clothes. I’m thinking of going out to buy them soon. Alexia will probably be my guide, do you want to come with me?” I asked.

“… I’m not going,” Miu said.

Her reaction is as usual.

Here and there. Don’t play with the sausages using your fork.

“I understand it’s a boring story for you, Miu, but you can’t play with your food,” I said.

“… Hmph,” Miu said.

She gave up and reluctantly speared it.

However, the angle looked a bit askew. I wonder why? It’s cute, but what to do about this?

“… Is Alexia that knight lady?” Miu asked.

“Yeah, yeah, she was the silver-haired woman you met at the Knights’ HQ,” I said.

“… Ah, her,” Miu said.

I wonder what’s wrong? Certainly, from Miu’s point of view, Alexia doesn’t have a very good image in her mind.

But even so, it’s no longer a hostile relationship, so I’d like them to build a good relationship, if not good friends. My colleague… is it okay to call her a colleague? Well, she’s also a person in the same workplace as me.

“I think I’m done,” I said.

“.. Mm.’

I was eating while we talked and now I feel my belly swelling. I couldn’t eat too much, so let’s leave it here today.

I glance at the pot, but it seems that there’s still more, so the rest will be for tomorrow.

By the way, Miu finished much faster than I did. Maybe, but I don’t have the consciousness to eat slowly because her life up until now was so unpredictable.

She always eats like she’s starved. I’d like to somehow tell her that the world she lives in is different now, but it doesn’t make much sense to just repeat those words. Let’s just leave it at her slowly getting used to this as she continues her new life.

“Now then,” I said.

I drop the dishes in the sink and go to the back of the house. I’ll wash them later.

I’m a little worried about the box that should have been from Ibroix, so I’m eager to open it here.

However, although it was a show of gratitude, there is not much to go on to figure out what he sent. I said I’d get what I could get, but I don’t want to get anything that I couldn’t afford.

“Oh, is this it?”

I see a wooden box sloppily shoved in the corner. I was imagining a little smaller one, but it’s surprisingly big. Should I be fortunate that it was a size that even Miu could carry?

I looked at the wooden box seriously and tried to lift it, but it didn’t feel too heavy. Well, what is it? I can’t really predict the contents.

Well, I’ll know if I open it, right?

“Heave, ho,” I say as I open the box, slightly excited and slightly anxious.

The lid lifts without any resistance.

“… Is that what it was?”

The contents were cloth.

More specifically, it was clothes.

It’s obviously not my size either. Even if you look at the pattern and size, it is definitely a woman’s, and it’s also small in size.

There was a wide variety of styles, from the plain ones that could be used for nightwear to the cute ones that she probably wouldn’t look good in.

“…”

This is for Miu.

But even if Ibroix knew I would get a house, he wouldn’t know that he would live with Miu. At least I haven’t told him.

Then, there is only one suspect left.

“… I wonder if I’ll have to say thank you next time.”

Specifically, to the sender of the luggage and also the little tyrant who planned this.

By the way, the bottom of the clothes also contained a large amount of dalc coins. I’m happy, but it’s the one on top that I’m having the most trouble with.

Ah, whatever. Could I get Miu something delicious with this?