By evening, with the off-road vehicle still parked with the Sons of Calydon, Phaga and Ellen could only look for a nearby town to stay the night.
"Hello, you two. It's been quite a while. The transport routes have finally reopened—Cheesetopia is reopening too."
A gentle voice came from ahead. Phaga and Ellen looked up, momentarily surprised, and saw Kasa—the wheat-skinned girl—still dressed in her hot pants and cropped top, standing by the door posting flyers.
When she spotted Phaga and Ellen approaching, Kasa's eyes lit up.
She recognized them immediately: they were the guests who had come during the Sons of Calydon's funeral feast, only to leave early for certain reasons.
Kasa had felt a bit regretful back then, so now that the chance presented itself, she naturally wanted to make up for it.
On impulse, she called out to them.
Phaga glanced at Ellen. Ellen blinked at him, signaling that he should decide.
With a helpless shrug and a soft chuckle, Phaga stepped forward and asked, "Do you offer lodging here?"
"Of course Cheesetopia does offer lodging!"
Kasa's eyes shone instantly. She hadn't expected customers so soon after reopening—and ones who seemed to want both food and accommodation.
Without hesitation, she invited them inside. As they entered, the wind chimes by the door rang out crisply, bright and cheerful, just like Kasa's mood.
"Here's the menu. Just check off the dishes you'd like."
Kasa slid over the menu and a pen. Phaga and Ellen began discussing what to order.
As they talked, Kasa reached under the counter and took out two keys.
"Rooms 107 and 108 in the back courtyard—two single rooms. These are your room numbers and keys. Please don't lose them before checkout—"
"We don't need two rooms!"
The instant Kasa brought out the keys, before even Phaga could react, a black blur flashed past. The checked menu and keys were slapped right back into Kasa's arms.
"Just make what's on the menu," Ellen said seriously. "When it's ready, please deliver it to the room. Thank you."
With that, Ellen hopped down from the counter. While Phaga stood there dumbfounded, she pushed him forward with all her might—putting her whole body into it, even her chest contributing to the effort.
Even though things were getting rather… cramped, she didn't say a word, stubbornly shoving him along.
From a distance came the man's pleading voice:
"Ellen, slow down… And honestly, there's no need to rush this much. It's still early. After dinner—no, even after dinner it'll still be early…"
"Don't give me that. Time is money, don't you know? And as Victoria Housekeeping, we need to greet tomorrow looking refreshed. We can't let people see us exhausted."
"How do you even have the nerve to say that?"
"Mm… I don't care. Anyway! Today! We're going to bed early!!!"
One room. A single room. Going to bed early…
Kasa's face flushed. Even though she was already a shop owner, Outer Ring kids grew up fast—and Kasa was right at that age where her heart was prone to wandering.
Ellen's words sent her thoughts drifting.
A lone man and woman, a single room. Strong woman, weaker man. At night, bodies pressed together, the man's thighs pinned beneath her, the domineering shark Thiren lifting his chin with her tail and saying, Hey, little one, smile for me…
N-no no no!
Kasa shook her head repeatedly and slapped her cheeks several times.
Useless. Her face was still burning hot, the heat rising with her accelerating heartbeat.
Her thoughts kept drifting anyway. The image of a delicate, helpless young man pressed down by a fierce, domineering shark girl made Kasa—
Mm!
A soft whimper escaped her lips, steam practically rising from her head.
"Boss? Hey, boss?"
Startled by the voice, Kasa turned her head—but remembering how she must look, she quickly raised the menu to cover the lower half of her face.
Only her flustered eyes peeked out as she looked toward the corner of Cheesetopia. Seeing just Ellen's head poking out, Kasa immediately tensed, her voice going a little shaky.
"D-do you need anything else?"
"I thought about it. It'd be better if you just leave the food outside the door later. Knock twice and leave—we'll come get it ourselves."
Ellen said it casually and turned to go.
Kasa finally let out a breath, collapsing into the chair behind her.
The soft seat enveloped her completely, the sense of release intoxicating. She draped an arm over her forehead, the warm yellow light filtering through her elbow blurring her vision.
…Heh.
Leaving the food outside the room…
A poor, pretty boy locked in a room by an evil great shark.
Am I… an accomplice?
The thought jolted Kasa upright. She stared at her hands, pupils trembling.
After a moment, she shook her head and, still flushed, staggered into the kitchen.
At this point, just cook.
I'm just a cook. I don't know anything. Even if the Sons of Calydon catch criminals, it won't be me.
Right. If anyone's getting caught, it'll be the shark first.
Clang, clang—spatulas rang against the pan as dish after dish came out fresh.
Before long, Kasa pushed the serving cart, summoning her courage as she headed for Room 107.
She arrived. Looked up. Confirmed: 107.
Taking a deep breath, Kasa steeled herself.
I'll just knock and leave.
Quickly. Nothing will happen. I won't hear anything.
Kasa raised her hand and knocked lightly with the back of her fist.
"…Tail… so cold…"
Her knuckles froze in midair.
Kasa blinked.
Huh…?
What was going on inside?
"Wait—this step… it's supposed to come later, not now… Ah— I'm really not ready yet…"
N-no.
No no no no—
Heat rushed straight to Kasa's face. Her ears burned. Her teeth clenched so hard her jaw ached.
They… they wouldn't… right?
"I told you not to move. And keep your breathing down," Phaga said calmly. "I'm just applying oil to your tail—don't make it sound like something else."
…Oil.
Tail oil.
Kasa sucked in a sharp breath and clutched her chest. The redness faded slightly—but not completely.
I see… I completely misunderstood. They're perfectly proper guests. Totally proper.
"Is that so?" Ellen's voice came again, lower now, lazy. "Then I'll behave… But I'm exhausted today. Phaga, could you give me a massage? Just my back."
Okay. Just a massage. That's normal.
"…All right," Phaga replied after a pause.
"But if it's a massage, you should probably put your clothes back on. You'll catch a chill."
WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!
Put her clothes back on?!
I—I can't handle this! I'm not built for this kind of scene!
"No way," Ellen said immediately. "And anyway, you were the most tired today, Phaga. Maybe I should be the one giving you a massage instead."
"Wait—don't just get up like that—hey, the blanket—!"
"Hehe… your back is really warm, Phaga."
"…Suddenly I don't feel like working anymore. Just staying like this feels kind of nice…"
Silence.
…
Kasa collapsed on the spot.