Mushoku Tensei (LN) - Volume SS - Chapter 33

Short Story:

The Morning of My Day Off 

IT WAS THE DAY AFTER I got back from wrapping up a big work trip, and I had my heart set on spending a quiet day at home. It only counted as a day off if you could properly rest both body and mind, so I got up a little later than usual, then enjoyed a late breakfast. Resting was about relaxing without worrying about the time, after all. Now, what should I do today? Playing with Lucie was one idea, but she’d just gone out to play with her red-headed mama already. I could go after them now, but I could also just wait until they got back. In which case, I had the morning free.

“…Huh?” Or so I thought, until I heard a kerfuffle break out upstairs. From the living room, I threw a glance at the stairs just as Roxy came running down, halfway through putting on her coat. Her hair was mussed up as though she’d just gotten out of bed, and one of her braids was unraveling.

“I…I’m late…”

O God, how shameful, for you to oversleep. I quickly held out the half-eaten bread in my hand to her. Roxy took it with her teeth like she was in a bread-eating competition.

“Thank you, Rudy! I’m off!” With that, she ran out the door. 

She worried me a bit, actually running off with bread in her mouth. If she got into a collision with a transfer student, this could be the start of a “wife starts affair with high school boy” love story.

Maybe if I chased after her now I could nab the transfer student role. Not to brag, but I was pretty sure I could make Roxy’s heart flutter.

First, I’d go, “Oh, you’re that girl!” Then I’d nickname her Bread Girl, and when she hurt herself on sports day, I’d carry her to the nurse’s room. We’d go out to buy supplies together at the school festival, then I’d confess my feelings as we gazed into a campfire on the roof. Roxy would love all those scenes, for sure…except there was no sports day at the University of Magic.

“Huh? Where’s Roxy? I thought I heard her…”

“She left for school.”

“I thought she said there was no school today.”

“Oh, hmm.”

She could have lesson prep or something to do even if there were no classes… I considered that idea for about a second, but this was Roxy. As if she would oversleep and be late when she had things to do. Roxy was clumsy in various ways, but she had her life together.

“When she gets home, tell her food’s ready, okay?”

“Will do.” Maybe Aisha was thinking along the same lines. She disappeared into the kitchen, flapping her hands.

I finished my breakfast. Then, with a cup of tea in one hand, I went to wait by the door. Not long after, the door opened with a click, and a girl came in.

It was Roxy. She made it past the entranceway, then saw me and jumped.

“Do you need something?” she demanded, glaring.

Uh oh. if I teased her now, she’d get huffy.

“Welcome home, m’lady. Your meal is waiting for you. Or would m’lady prefer to take her bath first?”

I teased her anyway. It was a shame to waste the chance. Besides, Roxy was cute when she got in a huff. 

I took her coat, holding out a hand at the same time like an escort.

“Fine. Breakfast, then.” Roxy pouted, but she took my hand without complaining. Roxy, you see, liked that sort of thing.

I sat back and sipped my tea as I watched Roxy munch on her food. As I stared, Roxy’s cheeks turned pink, and she looked away. But she didn’t tell me not to stare or ask what I wanted. Breakfast went by comfortably enough. It was a laid-back affair.

“Do I find you at leisure today, Mistress?”

“Yes, there’s no class today. Do you have today off too, Rudy?”

“I do.”

So Roxy’s schedule was open. There was only one thing for it, then.

“In that case, would the lovely young lady care to accompany me on a date?”

Roxy froze. She looked from the kitchen to the living room, then at me, then glanced away a little and began twirling her hair around her finger.

“A date? With me?”

What she meant was, “You’d settle for me?” Out of respect for Sylphie, Roxy tended to avoid being alone with me where Sylphie couldn’t see us. I was pretty sure Sylphie didn’t mind, but it wasn’t for me to say for sure.

“Why yes. We shall take my steed and ride together to the stream that runs outside the town, then whisper words of love to each other on its bank.”

Roxy considered. “Okay,” she said, then seemed to notice her untidy braid. “Ah, give me a moment to get ready.”

If it meant you’d doll yourself up for me, I’d wait all day.

“But of course.”

And so I got myself a date with Roxy.

The two of us rode together on horseback. I was behind, with Roxy in front, and I held the reins. The top of her head was right in front of me. Looking around us, there were other people on the road. No one was paying us any attention, but from time to time, someone would glance at us with a “huh?” expression. They were Ruquag mercenaries. When I waved, they bowed.

There was something about riding on a horse together. It brought back old memories.

“Master,” I said.

“Rudy, when you call me that…” Roxy began but then stopped. “Never mind. What is it, apprentice? If you’re going to ask to touch my chest from behind, the answer is no.”

She made a bit of a face when I called her “master,” but went along with it. I didn’t touch her breasts, of course. I mean, there’d be plenty of chances for that later.

“Remember that day years ago when you taught me Saint-tier magic at the graduation exam?”

“Yes. You had a hard time because you were too scared of the horse to get on it.”

“I wasn’t scared of the horse,” I said. Roxy looked around at me. “I was scared to go outside,” I explained. If she hadn’t dragged me out, I probably would’ve stayed a shut-in the rest of my life.

“Is that true?”

“It is. I am truly grateful to you. Thank you.”

“I didn’t do anything…” Roxy turned to face forward then started playing with her hair again. Then, she gently squeezed my arm and leaned back into my chest. “You rescued me from the labyrinth, Rudy. We’re even.” I couldn’t see the look on her face, but I felt sure she was giving me a slightly embarrassed smile.