Ch5 - Hearty Meal

 

The first place that Rufus-san and Thomas-san brought me to after we got to Distodia was the money exchanger. I can't go around buying things with gold coins right? 

I'm exchanging a gold coin for eight silver plates, thirteen silver coins, fifty-five copper plates and fifty copper coins. The whole exchange will cost me one silver coin. 

While the money exchanger is counting the plates and coins, I had a look at each of the different plates and coins. From what I can see, a silver coin is a little smaller than a gold coin and a copper coin is a little smaller than a silver coin. A plate is about two times longer than a coin and that's why the copper plates were split into two bags. Finishing the exchange, I was given four bags of money. One bag for the silver plates and silver coins, two bags for the copper plates and one bag for the copper coins. 

After the exchange, the money exchanger stared at me for a while. He must be annoyed at me for making him do extra work by exchanging a gold coin. But surprisingly, he didn't look like he was annoyed at all, he even sent me off with a smile instead.

---

 

The Sun was already setting when we reached the entrance of the inn that Rufus-san and Thomas-san recommended. It's a two-storey building made of wood, with a huge sign labelling 'Sunset Valley Inn' above the entrance door.

We parted ways after they introduced me to the innkeeper of Sunset Valley Inn.

---

 

"So… Kalia-chan, right? Would you like to have your dinner before I show you to your room?"

The innkeeper asked me in a polite tone.

The innkeeper's name is Sisti, she has light brown hair with emerald green eyes and looks to be around her mid-twenties.  She gives off a kind and mature aura which makes it easy for me to talk to her.

"Yeah, that would be great!"

I answered her with the brightest smile I could manage today. 

"I-I will go prepare your dinner right away! Just have a seat at any table you like."

Sisti-san said with a bright red face before dashing into the kitchen. 

Have I done something wrong?

---

 

A few minutes later, Sisti-san came out from the kitchen with a plate in her hand.

My eyes brightened up at the sight of the food being placed in front of me. 

"Did you cook this yourself?"

"Yes, I did."

Sisti-san replied with a smile.

"Enjoy it while it's still hot."

I nodded in response while smiling back at her. 

What Sisti-san prepared for me is a plate of fried rice with a piece of meat on top of it. The meat looks juicy and tender while the rice are steaming hot with a fragrant smell leaking out of it. Just looking at it already makes me drool, unable to wait anymore.

"Itadakimasu!"

I started digging in without further delays, leaking out a blissful expression as I eat. Sisti-san then took a seat opposite of me, looking at me while I  eat the meal she prepared with a smile on her face. We started chatting for a bit while I'm having my meal.

---

 

"Haaaaa~ I'm satisfied now. All that's left is to have a bath, and a good night's sleep after that."

I am currently lying on the bed in the room Sisti-san prepared for me. After having a fulfilling meal, I can't help but laze around for a bit first. It's been a long day after all.

After getting shown to my room by Sisti-san just now, I was surprised that there's a toilet and a bathroom located in the corner of the room. This world is more modern than I thought considering how DHO was supposed to be made resembling the medieval era. 

After finally gathering enough willpower, I get off the bed and with heavy footsteps, I started preparing for a bath. After getting into the changing room, I came to a sudden realization: How am I going to wash myself?

By pushing aside the fact that I became a real girl, I managed to survive without thinking about it, until now. I guess this is as far as I can get for ignoring something important. I don't even think that I can look at my naked body without being embarrassed. 

While I'm having a conflict with myself in the changing room, a sudden chill passed through my entire body, reminding me of something that I had been trying to ignore for a while now. I need to use the toilet…

---

 

A few minutes later after using the toilet, I'm lying down on the bed again. 

My face is still burning red from embarrassment. The sensation of what I just went through are still fresh in my head. 

"Haaa~"

I sighed, exhausted from all the hardships that I'm currently going through. I decided to skip bathing for today and do it tomorrow instead, or whenever I feel like I'm ready. Good luck, my future self!

With that, my exhaustion slowly snatched my consciousness away from me, bit by bit, until I finally fall asleep. 

---

 

"-up, Onii-chan! Onii-chan! Wake up! Hic…"

The next moment when my eyes opened, I found a girl crying on top of me.

The girl has long pale blue hair, tied up in a ponytail and amethyst coloured eyes. She looks to be about the same age as my character which is around sixteen years old, wearing a light pink miniskirt yukata armour decorated in a flower pattern. 

What have I done to make a cute girl come crying to me?

When she notices that I'm awake, she strongly holds onto my shoulders while staring deep into my eyes. I'm also unable to avoid her gaze as I'm being held firmly with no way to escape. Seeing a cute girl looking at me so seriously is really making me feel embarrassed.

"Onii-chan! You're my Onii-chan, right?"

Onii-chan? The only person that calls me that is my little sister… Is she perhaps...

"Lily?"

The moment she heard what I said, her anxiety and worry seem to just disappear as she beams into a smile and hugs me tightly, but her tears still never stop flowing as she cried her heart out. She just keeps crying "Onii-chan" again and again while hugging me, like she is afraid that I'll disappear if she lets go.

It looks like she really is my little sister, Liliana. I had no idea that she also plays DHO though. 

---

 

Author's note: 

Itadakimasu - often translated as "Thanks for the food." A Japanese tradition of saying grace before eating.

Onii-chan - a cute way of calling older brother in Japanese. 

 

Extra:

Sisti's thought when she saw Kalia's smile:
'Did my heart just skipped a bit for a girl?'