I found a person collapsed at the roadside. It’s a man with a good physique. A human man collapsed face down.

This man who’s most likely a drunkard, I would normally just pa.s.s by without stopping. The reason I decided to pick this man up today was that he was lying in front of the entrance of my house. Moreover, his face is considerably familiar to me. Although I say that, I wouldn’t say that we are acquaintances. I recognize him only to the degree of seeing him from afar, but we are more or less colleagues…… is that fine to say? Well, we are people from the same workplace, so I can’t just throw him out.

With just such reason, I decided to pick him up after confirming whether he’s alive or not. I instantly regretted though. The man was smelling of sugary liquor. This man, it appears he drank quite a lot. …… Well, he wouldn’t be collapsed here if that wasn’t the case. The people of the Order are eager to drink after all.

My profession is that of the so-called Knight. Strictly speaking, it’s slightly different, but there’s no doubt that I work at the Knights Order. It should be fine to cla.s.sify myself as a Knight. The man whom I’m carrying on my back is also one of the Knights. He should be quite powerful. Most of the Knights are sharing a room in the Knights Order boarding house. Because of my job, I remember most of the faces and names of the Knights of the Knights Order. I remember quite a lot of people outside the Knights Order too. That’s why I recognized this man who I’m not acquaintances with. Because of that, I end up picking up many needless things though.

Seriously, I’m pretty much a woman, you know? Do you think I could lift this giant of a man if I didn’t train my body? Why was he collapsed here in the first place? The boarding house should be in the opposite direction from the bar where the Knights go to drink.

For now, I threw the unnecessarily large man on top of the bed in my room. It didn’t seem he would fit on the sofa in the living room after all. I would be troubled if he caught a cold, so I will put a blanket over him. I’ll also prepare water on the bedside. It’s embarra.s.sing to say about a girl’s room, but my house is an empty, tasteless house. Even if you search, you won’t find anything troubling in my room. I can leave him without worries. I decided to stay on the sofa in the living room. I prepare a herbal tea on the side table and wrap my body in a blanket. I look like almost like a bagworm, but the blanket is comfortable and feels nice on touch.

The man woke up the next day while I was almost done preparing the breakfast. The man making a stupid face looked at me and froze in place with his mouth open wide. What a rude fellow.

「…… Why are you here……? Just where is this…… surely not…… one-night stand? Is this a one-night stand? Have you used your poisonous fangs on me……」

He let out this as soon as he opened his mouth. He looks down and checks his body in panic and then breathes out in relief. What is with those actions? What a rude fellow.

「Sorry to say, but I didn’t keep you company, I also have no interest in you. I will let you eat breakfast, so quickly get going after that」

I will be troubled if he stays any longer. While sighing good grief, I finished preparing the breakfast and sat at the table. I also point at the seat opposite of mine. But still, he isn’t moving. He’s staring at me while making a dumbfounded face. What a foolish face for a Knight.

「You, are you really the infamous devilish queen, Ethel Grantie……?」

He’s a man who keeps on saying rude things.

「Indeed, I certainly am Ethel Grantie, but?」

Quickly sit down. The breakfast will cool down. Why are there so many useless rumors going about although I’m not trying to get involved? Well, the cause is surely because of that insane boss of mine. My boss, how to say this, is an insane, perverted man who expresses himself with only a few words. Well, there’s no need for a detailed explanation. When that man comes out in topic, my mood turns bad.

The man finally took a seat in the silence. Knight Astro Orbit. He who is quite powerful is an ordinary just Knight. Wielding his sword to fight the enemy as a Knight is a suitable occupation for him. On the opposite, I’m a Knight too, but the contents of my work are a little different from ordinary Knights. Naturally, this Astro and many other people from the Order don’t know, but well, it’s irrelevant at the moment.

I confirmed that Astro sat down on the chair and set my hands on the breakfast. What I prepared today is a mouth melting bread, vegetable potage, and a potato salad with a fruit called Uko which is said to be good for hangovers. And a citrus jelly for the desert. Un. It came out nicely.

It can be said that cooking is my sole hobby. Rather, it might be okay to say that that I put too much effort in cooking because there wasn’t anything else that caught my interest. It can’t be helped because I remember a new recipe everytime I go outside for work. Because I got my hands on them as the extension of my work, I tried making the real things before long.

After looking at me for a while, Astro has begun carefully eating the food. What? I made a hangover menu because of you and you think there’s poison inside or something? I’m not holding that much interest for you. Quickly eat up and leave. Because I can’t overlook leaving leftovers, gulp it down at once. Eat fast while savoring the taste.

Astro slowly tasted the soup while being urged by my silence. Is it my imagination that his hand was slightly trembling? Isn’t that too pathetic for a Knight? Gulp, when his throat moves while I’m observing him, Astro began staring at my face. Almost like a rookie Knight who was praised by his demonic instructor.

「Delicious……」

I can’t accept his wondering face, but it’s only natural that my food is delicious. I don’t mind praising myself. It’s the truth after all. It’s my proud dish that takes time and effort. It’s because I only spend my time on cooking when I’m not working. I don’t intend on losing to chefs from anywhere. It’s quite valuable for you to eat my cooking, you know? I don’t invite acquaintances to my house that much after all. One reason is that there are not many people whom I can call friends though.

「If it suits your tastes, eat up quickly and leave」

My mood became better that a while ago. It was a troublesome find, but well, I wouldn’t mind doing this from time to time.

Is what I thought, but that man has appeared in front of my house again and again for some reason. The day I started treating him for a meal every time wasn’t that far.

[]