Chapter 292 - Drinking

"Alright, it's a bit early, but let's go get a drink!"

After completing the formalities and receiving his rewards, Evan-san said so while stretching.

"Takumi, come with us."

"N~ what do I do…"

Should I go drinking~ It's important to socialize, but can I bring the kids with me there?

"What is it, come with us."

"Evan, you can't be so forceful. He has children with him."

"Ah, right."

As my reply was ambiguous, Scott-san was reading too much into it."

"Well, I could go once I leave the twins in someone's care, but…"

""Ehh~""

"Allen wants to go too~"

"Elena too~"

I was thinking of going back to the Ruven mansion and asking Rebecca-san to take care of the kids, but the kids were vehemently against it.

"Didn't want you to return home early so you could see Rebecca-san soon?"

""Can see Obaa~sama anytime!""

Allen and Elena spat out clearly.

Well, even if we come home late tonight, we are sure to see her tomorrow morning.

"Oh? What, are you pipsqueaks going too?"

""Going~""

"Alright, let's go then."

""Oh~!""

The children and Evan-san had become good friends, so the three of them were about to leave the guild already.

"Let us go too, Takumi-san."

"Right."

I started to follow after Scott-san, but Meredith-san stopped me in a hurry.

"O, oi! Wait a moment please!"

"What is the matter, Meredith-san? Did something happen to the child?"

The Pastel Rabbit he was holding in one hand was very obedient, but from the way Meredith-san was panicking, I wondered if something had happened to it.

"No, that's not it! I'm going too!"

"N? Erm… for a drink?"

It seems he wasn't talking about Pastel Rabbit.

He had heard that we were going out for a drink and wanted to join us.

"Old man, you finally got hold of what you wanted, so quickly return home."

"Getting a Pastel Rabbit for that amount of money is making me pained! At least let me buy you a drink!"

"You don't really have to mind it."

"No, but…"

Apparently, he was concerned about the Pastel Rabbit's minimal request fee.

"Old man, I really think you don't have to mind it so much. This fellow might look like a newcomer, but he's definitely not one, and he earns way more than you."

"… Evan-san, please stop right there. You thought I was a newcomer!?"

"N? Well, I heard that you just came of age. That usually means that you are a newcomer, right? Well, you can't really be called a newcomer, can you?"

… Ah, come to think of it, the rumors said that "Setsuna" was young, so he probably got the wrong idea of how old I am because of it.

"It's my fault for not correcting you first, but… it's the truth that I am a relatively new adventurer, but I'm already over 20 years old, okay?"

"Haah!?"

"… Eh?"

Evan-san let out an exaggerated voice of surprise, while Scott-san opened his eyes wide in silence. Was it that unexpected?

"Seriously? You are not joking?"

"I wouldn't say a joke like that."

"I thought that your speech and conduct were proper, but your appearances suggest you are similar in age to the orphan kids… like the fellows from the Black Cat, so I thought the rumors must have been the truth!"

I thought that I was obviously a senior to Kane-kun and his Black Cat party members, but… is my self-evaluation different from the evaluation of others?

"Well, let's stop talking about my age for now. Meredith-san, I don't really need compensation, so let's see~… how old is your daughter, Meredith-san?"

"She will be seven this year…"

"Then, please give my children an opportunity to play with your daughter."

"Huh?"

"These kids accompany me wherever I go, so they don't have any friends over here. That's why, please let them play together the next time."

"I, I have no problem with that, but…"

"It's decided then. I will get back to you soon~"

I decided on a price on my own, forcibly made Meredith-san agree, and quickly moved to the cafeteria attached to the inn where Evan-san and Scott-san were staying.

"Here it is, thank you for waiting."

When we ordered the recommended dishes and drinks, the drinks were brought out first.

""… Alcohol.""

There were three large glasses of ale and two smaller glasses of fruit water.

However, from the children's perspective, the glasses of fruit water were behind the ale. So when they saw what was placed on the table, the children, who didn't like alcohol, looked disappointed.

""I hate alcohol.""

"There's no need for you two to drink it, alright! Rather, you cannot drink it, you two have your fruit water! It's over here!"

Evan-san and Scott-san who were watching our exchange chuckled.

"Haha, you hate alcohol?"

"Is not delish~"

"Is bitter~"

"Your impressions suggest that you tried drinking it before."

"They had a taste when I had taken my eyes off of them. Even though I had warned them not to do it."

""Ahahaha~""

When I told them what had happened before, Evan-san and Scott-san started laughing and the twins pouted.

""Muu~""

Allen and Elena suddenly rose from their chairs and picked up the glasses with ale.

"Allen, Elena, I don't think you are going to drink, but… what are you doing with the ale?"

""...""

Then, the twins turned away from us.

"Ou? What is it?"

"What is it, young lad and lass. Do you need something from us?"

""Will give to you!""

""""Hah?""""

Allen and Elena turned towards the adventurers dining at the table next to ours and presented the glasses to them.

"Pipsqueaks!? What are you doing!?"

""No need for alcohol~""

"Nonono, that's ours, okay!?"

""I dunno~""

Allen and Elena left the ale on the table next to them and returned to their seats as if nothing had happened.

"Allen, Elena, are you trying to get back at them for laughing at you?"

""N~? I dunno?""

Apparently, they hadn't thought of doing this as payback or anything in particular.

"Oi, Evan, can we drink this~"

"Hahaha, you got your ale confiscated by kids, how funny!"

"Shuddup."

The adventurers at the table next to ours seemed to know Evan-san and Scott-san and they were laughing as hard as they could.

"Ah~ you can have that ale."

"Ou, thanks Lil' bro. We won't be holding back then."

I gave them the ales to drink, and ordered another batch.

""Ordering more alcohol~?""

"Look, Evan-san got laughed at too, so it's fine already, no?"

""N~ I guess~""

The children seemed to be in a good mood and tasted the fruit water with a nonchalant look on their faces.