Atelier Tanaka Volume 3 Chapter 4 part3

I pressed my body against the wall and got close to the doorway leading to the kitchen.

I peered inside the room and strained my ears to try to hear inside. They were already talking. Sophichan was standing at the stove boiling water and Ester-chan was quite close to her.

"Sophia, there's something I wanted to ask you. Is that okay?"

"Y-Yesh, what is it!?"

Ester-chan looked serious.

Sophichan straightened her back and corrected her posture.

"I've been thinking, and I think the person he likes…is you."

"Eh?"

Something entirely unexpected happened.

A fastball right down the middle of the plate.

"Back in Doris' city, he said he had someone he liked."

"Ah, r-right…."

"I think he really likes you."

The loli bitch was looking at my maid.

Due to their difference in height, the former was looking up at the latter.

However, given the distinct power difference between the two, it looks like the opposite. Rather, Sophichan looks like she's about to start crying. Ester-chan's eyes were serious and she had the imposing look of a noble that would cause any commoner to tremble.

"No, there's no way that's possible!"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm j-just a simple town girl! There's no way an amazing person like Tanaksan would ever fall in love with me! Y-You're much better suited for him E-Ester-sama!"

"No, that's not true. My love for him is unrequited."

"But…."

"Honestly, you're much closer to him than I am. Haven't you noticed his eyes often move to you when he thinks you're not looking? You can't tell me it's not at all possible."

"That's, umm, I-I guess I've noticed…."

What!? She noticed that!?

I read about that in some magazine. Women are sensitive to the gaze of the opposite sex. I never thought women would pay enough attention to me to notice me looking at their chests.

Damn. I'll have to be careful from now on.

Well, whatever, I need to focus on their conversation.

"Exactly. If you've noticed, I wonder if you've thought about how you feel about him."

"N-No, I don't think about Tanaksan like that! Besides, I-I work as his maid, umm, and there's s-someone else I like…."

"…really?"

"Y-Yes! It's true! It really is!"

It's like that.

Sophichan has someone she likes.

I see. That's how it is.

"…may I ask who it is?"

"No, I'm not sure I'm ready to say…."

"Is it Allen?"

"Eh!?"

Sophichan's body trembled.

Your reaction is too obvious maid-chan. Even a virgin like me can read you.

"You really are a good girl, Sophia. You're worried about my own feelings towards Allen."

"No, u-umm…."

"I was in love with Allen at one point, but those feelings are in the past. Please, don't worry about me."

B-But, well…isn't there a chance that you two will get back together?"

"I don't think so."

The blonde lolita's response was immediate.

I have no doubt that she's only saying that in order to avoid hurting Sophichan's feelings. That blonde couple should just get back together. Reconcile with Allen already and leave me Sophichan.

"Umm, I believe you."

The blonde loli gave Sophichan a satisfied smile.

"Sorry for making you feel uncomfortable. Sophie."

"…it's fine."

I'm shocked.

I'm completely shocked.

How else can I say I'm shocked?

I understand how she feels now but it still hurt me to hear it.

"However, Allen is a lady's man, so you may have a hard time with him."

"Eh? W-Well, about that, I've never…."

"What? Sophie, have you never been with a man?"

"…."

The loli bitch asked the question that had been weighing on my mind. I guess she does say some good things on occasion. This is it. I've been anxiously waiting to hear the answer to this question for several days now.

Then, Sophichan nodded.

"…I never have."

It's here.

She still possesses her hymen.

"Then you should cherish your first time. There will be only one 'first' for you."

"That's…true. But I…with Allen-sama…."

If she still has her hymen, I have a chance.

Nevertheless, after seeing Sophichan's reaction, my situation is equivalent to being in the ninth inning with bases loaded and two outs.

This situation is regrettable.

Recently, I've been taking my happiness for granted. I was living under the same roof as her with her working as my maid. I never took the time to truly appreciate how great it was.

I don't want this.

"…."

I have to do something.

I don't have time to wait for the elixir of youth.

"By the way, Sophie, what's in that bottle?"

"Eh?"

"That bottle filled with yellow liquid beside the stove."

She was talking about a transparent glass bottle filled with a mysterious yellow liquid.

"…."

As soon as Sophichan realized what Ester-chan was talking about, her face went rigid.

"I-It's nothing! It's something Tanaksan likes. Umm, I-I always mix it in with his tea, but a lot of other people don't like the taste!"

"Oh, how interesting. I want to try it too!"

"…."

Oh, this is the first I've ever heard about this.

Has Sophichan been making me her special tea this entire time? I'd be incredibly happy if that were true. A maid who went the extra step to make extra delicious tea for her master. Even if it's something so insignificant, it means there's still a chance.

That's right. It's still too early for me to give up.

"Can I have some?"

"No, t-this isn't ready to drink."

"Is that so?"

"Y-Yes. It needs to ferment for a while."

"I see. Well, that's too bad."

"Eventually, o-once it's ready, I'd be happy if you'd try some. Until then, p-please forgive me."

"You don't need to panic. I wasn't angry."

"Thank you very much."

I need some time to think.

I need to find a solution as quickly as possible.

I guess I'll take a walk.

***

I left the dormitory and took a walk through the crowded streets of the capital.

Thoughts of love between a man and woman swirled around in my mind.

I was obsessing over everything I felt was wrong with me. First, I thought about my appearance. I'm a busamen in his mid-thirties, I'm not very tall, and I have a below average body. No, in a medieval world like this where most of the men work hard jobs that train their bodies, I'm sure I'm at the bottom when it comes to looks.

Would it be possible for a man like that to win the heart of a beautiful young woman?

Of course not.

I've become deluded by having all of these beautiful girls surrounding me. A woman in her thirties could be with an ikemen in his twenties, but if think about it rationally, it's not possible for a man like me.

Then, how can a man like me win the heart of a beautiful woman?

I have to make up for my lack of good looks in other ways.

"Other ways…."

The only thing that comes to mind is money.

I remember reading in a magazine that money equals love.

After all, look at how lavish weddings are. Hundreds of flowers, everyone throwing rice, releasing doves, a grand hall, and releasing a thousand balloons to finish it all off. How nice, an extravagant wedding that costs several months salary.

"…that's why it will be bad for me if I don't have a lot of money."

I still have around two hundred gold coins from the dragon extermination party. One gold coin is worth one hundred silver and one silver is worth about ten thousand yen. That means I have around two hundred million yen on hand.

"Sophichan should have about the same amount…."

A couple hundred gold won't be enough to impress her.

She's also the daughter of a family that owns a restaurant in the heart of the capital. If her parents own that land and that building, she and her family probably have a lot of valuable assets.

They'd want someone with just as much money or assets to marry their daughter.

And if I consider Sophichan's beauty, she could easily marry a noble.

When I consider everything I have to offer….

"…I have no chance."

In the first place, I want someone that will love me back. I don't want to buy someone's love. Even if I use money to create an opportunity for love, it won't matter unless the girl actually loves me back.

"…."

Still, if I start a relationship with money, I'll never be able to get the idea that she only wants money out of my mind. I don't think I could ever expect a person like that to develop real feelings for me. I want someone that can love me and not my money. If I married someone that loved my money, I'd expect to receive divorce papers before our honeymoon.

"…."

What should I do? I don't see any clear path.

Should I ask the noble mage for love advice?

I continued walking through the streets, desperately trying to come up with a way to win Sophichan's love when I realized where my legs were taking me.

I walked down a certain street that I recognized before coming face-to-face with a building I hadn't seen in a while. It was the house I once owned.

"It's been a long time."

It was Edita Sensei's atelier.

It seems that my legs carried me here while I was lost in thought.

My mind must be desperately seeking the comfort of the blonde loli elf.

The loli with the body to heal my soul.

"…should I stop by and say a few words?"

I don't want to bother her, but she did say I can stop by any time.

I walked up to the front door and gave it a light knock. After waiting a brief moment, there was no response so I knocked a few more times a little harder this time. When you're on the second floor of this house, you can't hear someone knocking on the front door. It's something I've learned from experience.

Then, Sensei appeared.

She cracked the door open just enough to poke half of her face out. I'm guessing she was still sleeping. Her eyes looked sleepy and she had bedhead.

"…oh, you're here?"

"Were you asleep?"

It's already past noon.

Her daily life really seems to be abnormal.

It kind of adds to her cuteness though.

"What's wrong? Suddenly coming to my home like this…."

"Umm, I just happened to be in the area and thought I'd stop by and say hello."

The blonde loli that just got out of bed looks as if the softness of her hair and skin has increased by thirty percent.

Thank you, God, for bestowing this beacon of cuteness on me.

"…you came to say hi? Is that really all?"

"Yeah, well, I had some free time."

"…."

Edita Sensei kept staring at me.

I wonder if she's in a bad mood after I woke her up. She looks sort of annoyed. Her eyebrow even seemed to be twitching. This annoyed expression actually suited her European look with her blonde hair and blue eyes.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd be asleep. I can come back another time."

"I-I get it. Wait a minute, okay? Wait right here."

"Eh, are you sure?"

"Wait here properly!"

I silently nodded as Sensei went back inside without fully closing the door. I was able to hear the sound of her rushing about inside. Occasionally, she'd run upstairs to the second floor before quickly coming back down.

She must be quickly trying to clean up after I surprised her.

Maybe she's a messy person.

She's the type of loli that has a messy room. The most attractive kind. I wanted to dive naked into a pile of her dirty clothes.

"…."

Then, the sound of her sprinting downstairs and to the door.

There was a brief pause before the door opened and Sensei reappeared.

"All good. C-Come in."

"Umm, I'm really sorry if I'm causing you trouble…."

"I told you it's fine. Just come in already."

"Pardon my intrusion."

Following Sensei's instructions, I stepped into my old home.

***

Chapter end