Mebius World Online – Mari’s VRMMO Diary, Embarking on a Laid-back Adventure as a Novice - Chapter 206
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Naoya : AION Mall Otherworldly Store
Ouren/Yuuzen : I Was a Small Fish
206. Mari-nee and Continuation Welcome
When I was finally released by Estelle-san and staggered back to the dorm, Roulette-san and the others were already gone.
They had probably holed themselves up in the annex.
Come to think of it, it was the same after the event, wasn’t it?
I couldn’t help but smile at their unchanged dedication to their craft.
I made my way to where Gils and Vel were waiting for me, and together we began preparations to open the dining hall.
Eventually, Retya-san and Ryle arrived later than usual, and as soon as they saw me, they froze in surprise.
I hadn’t informed either of them, so it was only natural they were worried.
“I’m so sorry for being away for so long!”
Before I could finish my words, Retya-san rushed over and embraced me, cutting me off.
“…”
She said nothing, but the strength in her arms tightened.
It was as if she was confirming my presence.
Though I couldn’t see Retya-san’s face, the slight trembling I felt from her arms and the faint sobs escaping her told me everything.
I gently hugged her back and whispered, “I’m sorry for worrying you… I’m home.”
My final words were shaky, and I wasn’t sure if they came out clearly.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Ryle turning his gaze upward, averting his eyes from Retya-san and me.
His hands were clenched tightly, as if trying to suppress something.
He looked like a dependable young man, reminding me of how Masato used to be when we were kids…
It was only a little later that Retya-san loosened her grip.
When she wiped her eyes, her face was adorned with a gentle smile.
Though I hadn’t looked in a mirror, I was sure I had the same expression.
The warm gaze Gils gave us confirmed it.
After that, we all resumed preparations for the opening.
Thanks to everyone working together, everything progressed swiftly.
However, amidst all of this, one thing bothered me.
At some point, Vel had disappeared.
“Where did he go?”
Not only Retya-san and Ryle, but even Gils didn’t know.
It was unusual for Gils not to know. Vel rarely went out on his own.
As we finished our preparations and were about to open the dining hall, a commotion came from outside the dorm.
“What’s going on?”
Gils voiced what we were all thinking.
He walked to the entrance and opened the door, where we saw Simon-san leading a group of residents…
Even if they were lured by the scent of cassoulet, they were too early.
The answer to the mystery was at Simon-san’s feet.
“Piyo!”
Vel, who had apparently been outside, spread his wings and chirped energetically.
His proud demeanor practically screamed, “I did it!”
“As I was walking down the street, I spotted Vel-boy, which is unusual. I thought something might be up, so I came over, and wouldn’t you know it, Mari-jouchan and the others were cooking! And not just any food, but cassoulet, our local favorite! I couldn’t sit still, so I quickly spread the word.”
“I-I see…”
I should have said, “Thank you,” but the overwhelming sense of déjà vu made that thought slip away.
At a glance, there were dozens of people gathered.
Moreover, it seemed that more people were being called in from the back, with no sign of the flow stopping anytime soon.
Since the entire chain of events was triggered by my dear Vel and fueled by the goodwill of the people, my mind was spinning in confusion, completely lost.
How did things end up like this…?
From there, we were thrown into a whirlwind of non-stop serving online mode, and even the stockpile of food we had prepared ran out midway, forcing us to hurriedly make more.
As the cassoulet I made disappeared one after another, I began to feel emotionally numb.
Finally, when the crowd thinned out, we were able to take a breather.
I slumped over the counter, thinking I’d take a break after thanking Retya-san and the others for their hard work.
But just then, my past self sounded the alarm.
Along with the dreadful words, “That’s a flag, you know?”
“Haha, no way…”
Who could blame me for muttering a line like that, layering flags on top of flags out of sheer exhaustion?
Even if someone did blame me, it would just come back to bite me.
Feeling an ominous premonition, I looked toward the entrance, and there it was—my flag had triggered perfectly.
Standing there in tears were Graham-san and the others.
(Maria: Marianator Lv 50)
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Hey, wait a minute! I haven’t logged out yet! What’s with the ominous message, Zagreus-san?!