Mebius World Online – Mari’s VRMMO Diary, Embarking on a Laid-back Adventure as a Novice - Chapter 17
1-17. Mari-nee and The Production Craftsman
I was taken by Roulette-san to an underground establishment that resembled a bar from a drama.
The floors, walls, chairs, tables, and counters inside the establishment were all uniformly coated with varnish and polished, indicating that they were treated with great care.
The lighting indirectly illuminated the interior, keeping the brightness subdued to the point where faces could not be easily recognized even among customers when a bit farther away.
Although I have never been to such a place in reality, and I have skipped through the ages to adulthood, I particularly like calm spaces like this.
“We’ll take the room at the far end.”
When Roulette-san casually called out to a slender, middle-aged man who was polishing glasses behind the counter, he silently nodded.
The room at the far end was a private space intentionally separated from the table seats.
The door was quite thick, and once inside and the door closed, no outside sounds could be heard.
Seated as recommended, Roulette-san poured water into a glass from a pitcher on the table and placed it in front of me.
“Two more people will be coming, so please wait a bit longer.”
“Understood. Oh, in the meantime, I wanted to thank Roulette-san.”
“Thank me?”
Wondering what it could be, Roulette-san tilted her head, and I conveyed Zela-san’s words.
“She’s a senior jester named Zela-san, and when she saw the stuffed animal you made, she praised it a lot. She said the craftsmanship and materials are of high quality.”
“Oh, it’s delightful to be praised by someone from here.”
“Also, I’ve given the name to the kid I received. Nero.”
“!”
When I called, Nero jumped onto the table and made a gesture of chirping towards Roulette-san.
“It really seems alive. May I touch it?”
“Of course.”
Nero seemed to recognize his creator, approaching Roulette-san on his own.
As Roulette-san petted his head, Nero pushed his head against Roulette-san’s hand, behaving as if he were seeking affection.
“Oh my, maybe he’s a bit of a spoiled one.”
“It could be. But he’s strong and a very reliable little fellow. By the way, when I had Nero perform an attack, something resembling lightning came out. Do you have any idea about that?”
“Lightning… come to think of it, I used a Lightning Tiger magic stone for his eyes.”
“Lightning Tiger?”
“It’s a field boss beyond the ‘Trial Forest,’ manipulating lightning as an enemy. Perhaps Nero inherited that attribute.”
“To think you made it with a magic stone from such a formidable opponent… I’ll definitely pay for it.”
“We’re friends, so don’t worry about it. Besides, having seen him in his ‘alive’ state, I almost feel like thanking you as a producer.”
While stroking Nero’s throat with her fingertips, Roulette-san smiled happily.
Once it was said to that extent, I couldn’t say anything.
“…I understand. But in that case, as promised before, you’ll accept a share, right?”
Saying this, I took out the stewed hamburgers that Estelle and I had made.
The dishes seemed to retain their freshly cooked state even after being placed in the item box, as steam was still rising.
“Hehehe, it seems I’ve been outplayed. Alright, I can’t refuse a share, can I?”
“That’s right. We made plenty, so please eat as much as you like.”
Handing her a wooden spoon, Roulette-san took a bite-sized piece of the hamburger along with white sauce and put it in her mouth.
“Hot… mmm! This tastes like money. I’ve thought about this before, but it’s not just delicious; the taste is very gentle.”
A gentle taste, huh?
Come to think of it, Maki mentioned something similar during breakfast.
It was a unique expression like “the genre of older sister’s cooking,” but maybe it gives a sense of a home-cooked meal.
I haven’t done anything particularly special, and the person making it doesn’t quite get it, but I’m genuinely happy when they enjoy it.
This time, I poured water into a glass from the pitcher and handed it to Roulette-san. She thanked me, cooled her mouth with water, and immediately started eating again.
I’m glad she likes it.
Quietly, Roulette-san continued to move his spoon, and when the hamburger was about halfway gone, the door to the room suddenly opened.
“What the hell, you’re eating something delicious.”
The one who appeared was a short but stocky man with short hair and a beard.
Deeply carved facial features, eyes that seemed to glare, exuding an intimidating aura.
What is it? I feel a sense of déjà vu… Ah, he looks like a shrunken Nio statue.
This guy is properly dressed, but he’s clearly in work clothes, not quite fitting the atmosphere of the room.
Well, I’m still in beginner gear, so it’s about the same.
By the way, Roulette-san was elegantly wearing a khaki-colored long dress with slits.
“Maria-chan’s cooking is really delicious. I won’t share it with Mareus, you know?”
“Don’t need it. I don’t want that kinda thing.”
“Mareus-chan, honestly. If you keep saying things like that, you’ll get turned down by girls again.”
The next person to appear was a tall woman with shoulder-length blue hair, wearing a suit-like outfit.
She looked like a capable secretary, with a consciously high-pitched voice, but an unmistakable deep bass was mixed in.
Her voice was reminiscent of a person who once handled a robot identical to a human sent from the future to either annihilate or save humanity in a movie broadcast on TV long ago.
“Bah! Why, Kanna, why bring that up!?”
“Why? Because Mareus-chan confessed to a girl, got some incomprehensible confession in return like ‘Can you nod beside me?’ and got scared. She came to me for advice.”
“Ugh! Forget about it right now!”
Suddenly, a scuffle broke out. Um, what should I do?
“Maria-san looks surprised, so both of you, settle down!”
Roulette-san’s fist fell forcefully on the heads of the two, making a dull sound.
Can the human body produce sounds like that?
Ignoring the two holding their heads and crouching, Roulette-san turned toward me.
“The one who spectacularly messed up is Mareus, who specializes in forging, and the one who looks like a secretary but specializes in woodworking is Kanna. What they want to consult with you about today involves the three of us.”
“Haa…”
Finally, I responded with a sigh.
What is it? Even before receiving the consultation, I already felt utterly exhausted.