NOVEL NEXT Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Shiro
Chapter 25: Shiro
On the way back to the inn, I can tell that the people around us are secretly glancing at Shiro.
Well, it’s understandable. He’s huge.
I thought he was about 2 meters tall, but when he stood up, he was about 2.2 meters tall. I’m around 180 centimeters tall myself, so he makes me look small. It’s like an adult and a child standing together.
Shiro doesn’t speak, but he’s quietly following along for now.
Kuro is talking non-stop to Shiro. Maybe she’s feeling like a senior.
Please don’t anger him.
Occasionally, Shiro nods back mysteriously. He doesn’t seem particularly bothered, so I guess it’s okay.
At least now, we probably won’t easily be attacked by thugs or thieves.
On the contrary, Shiro has become the biggest threat… If he were to attack, it seems like he’d finish us off in an instant.
Will it really be okay to go to Triangle Rock together?
Back at the inn, I pay the extra fee for Shiro and prepare our meal in the courtyard.
It’s just the usual stew with meat, vegetables, and potatoes thrown in and boiled with miso after skimming off the scum.
Kuro and I work together on the cooking.
Shiro squats down and keeps staring at the pot.
“Guugya guugya.”
“……”
Kuro chases Shiro away as if she’s in the way, but Shiro quietly watches the pot from a distance.
Gradually, a pleasant aroma fills the courtyard.
“Guugya? Guugyagugya.”
“Is it ready yet?”
This time, I’ve made a generous amount for three people, with plenty of meat and potatoes piled high. Since we’re returning earlier than planned, we have plenty of ingredients.
“Here you go.”
I dish out servings for Kuro and Shiro and hand them spoons.
“……?”
“Guugyagugyagugya!”
Kuro happily eats as usual, giggling away.
Shiro alternates between looking at us and his bowl, so I offer it to him.
He takes the bowl and quietly starts eating with his spoon, savoring each bite.
Feeling awkward observing him, I focus on my own bowl.
“Mmm, it’s delicious.”
“Guugyagugyagugya!”
The meat and vegetables are delicious as always, and the sticky potatoes have a satisfying texture and flavor with the broth and miso. Drinking it down, I feel a warmth spreading in my stomach.
Before I know it, Shiro’s bowl is empty.
“There’s plenty more, feel free to have seconds.”
“Guugyagugya!”
Kuro holds Shiro’s bowl and serves him more stew. Shiro’s face looks slightly fuzzy as he watches Kuro.
When Kuro hands him the bowl, he starts eating slowly and quietly again, savoring each bite.
His demeanor is quite different from when we first met. He eats slowly until the pot is empty.
After finishing his meal, he takes a deep breath, smiles at me, and says, “Bonus.”
Despite being a big ogre-like man, his well-proportioned face is quite striking. If I were a maiden, I’d be smitten.
Overall, the atmosphere has become much softer. Somehow, I feel like I can trust him more now. Initially, due to his appearance and racial characteristics, I couldn’t help but be cautious, but now he seems quite approachable.
Wait, did he just speak?
It was a whisper, but I think I heard him call my name.
Well, let’s just take it as gratitude.
Hmm… maybe I should just take him back to the hideout. He doesn’t talk much, so he probably won’t leak any information. Besides, I quite like him personally. He seems to get along well with Kuro too. He looks cool, and I wouldn’t mind having him around. Most importantly, he seems capable of handling the stagnant physical work.
“Shiro, I have something to discuss with you.”
“……?”
“I’m actually thinking of going to my house from tomorrow for a while. But it’s quite a distance from Savoia, so it’ll take about two days to travel. Will you come with me?”
“……(Nods)”
He’s decided quite readily.
Perhaps Shiro has been living a nomadic lifestyle until now, so he doesn’t seem to care much about where we go at this point. Maybe after eating together, he thought it would be okay to go with me. Successfully lured in.
“Well then, see you tomorrow. I’ll be going shopping for things to bring back to the hideout this afternoon. Will you come with me?”
“……(Nods)”
“Alright then, see you later.”
…
With that said, we met up and headed out for shopping, mainly at the market, in the afternoon. I bought various items that seemed necessary for Shiro in the future. Kuro seemed to want a set of brushes and hair oil. She stared at the products with her black eyes, so I bought them for her. I hope it calms her hair down… But this oil has a scent of almonds. Almonds… I want to mix it with chocolate. I’ll see if there are any other nutty scents next time I come.
While wandering around the market, we unexpectedly ran into Melanie, whom we had just said goodbye to yesterday. It’s a bit embarrassing to meet again right after saying goodbye… She was initially surprised to see Shiro, but she blushed and became entranced halfway through. Well, I understand how she feels. Azir was wild and quite handsome, but Shiro seems more likely to be popular with women. His expression softened even more after eating, making him even more appealing. In the end, the small profit we made this time was quickly blown away, and we’re somewhat in the red. Next time, I’ll earn more! But having Shiro around makes me feel much safer walking through the city. I probably won’t get into any trouble, and even if I do, I feel like he’ll handle it. Kuro is happily playing around, even getting piggyback rides from Shiro. They’ve really become quite close.
Getting carried away, we ended up strolling through other markets, and before we knew it, it was evening. Thanks to Shiro, I was able to relax and enjoy wandering around, as I had been quite tense while moving around the city before. I hurried to finish the necessary shopping. After returning to the inn, I prepare for tomorrow’s departure.
“Kuro, I’ve made dinner!”
“Guugya guugya!”
“……?”
“Ah, Shiro, please help within your capabilities.”
“……(Nods)”
Shiro seemed to be helping Kuro with tasks like fetching water. It seems I made slightly more than what we had for lunch, but Shiro ate it all slowly and thoroughly, just like he did with lunch. Given his large stature, he seems to eat as much as he makes.
After eating, Kuro spends a long time combing her hair. After about an hour of doing so, her hair volume has settled to about half. Just with oil and a brush… amazing. The volume is still quite substantial, but now her face is visible. She usually couldn’t see it much, but she has a cute face, so just styling her hair changes his impression a lot. Standing next to Shiro, they make quite a picture. They’re both handsome and beautiful when silent. Both with white and black hair, and both have horns. It seems to highlight each other’s personality. I wonder how I look mixed in with them… I should at least try to improve my outfit somehow. By the way, Shiro had two horns. They were pure white like his hair, small, and slightly curved, resembling tiny ivory.
Oh no, where am I going to sleep…
For now, we decided to sleep in a line, with Kuro in the middle.
Sorry, Kuro.
Shiro’s a little smelly because he hasn’t taken a bath.
But seriously, I can’t move at all.
The bed is way too small.
Ever since I fed Shiro, he’s been smiling at me, making me feel a little embarrassed.
I might not be able to sleep like this.
As I play with Kuro’s slightly damp hair, I smell almonds.
It’s a pretty nice scent.
Selling perfume with this scent might be a good idea.
As I absentmindedly sniffed the scent, I quickly fell asleep.