I Was Reincarnated As An Instructor In An R18 Game... - Chapter 96

The next time I opened my eyes, the world outside the window was completely dark.

I woke to the feeling of someone caressing my cheek, a hand different from either Nimi or Elysia’s.

In the dim room, I could tell from the atmosphere that someone sitting by my bed noticed I was awake and gave a wry smile.

A faint, refreshing scent of mint drifted through the air. I turned toward the presence in the dark, smiled, and spoke.

“Morning. So you came to see me too, Felica.”

“Good morning, Reid. Of course I came. How’s your body holding up?”

“Thanks to sleeping all day, I feel completely refreshed.”

“I see. That’s good to hear.”

Felica let out a relieved breath and asked, “Shall I turn on the light?” before switching it on.

Since it had been completely dark, the light made me squint.

As my eyes gradually adjusted, I saw Felica smiling warmly at me.

Raising my body, I gave a slow stretch and gently twisted my upper body side to side.

…My body feels light. Guess I really was worn out.

Watching my movements, Felica gave an exasperated smile, stroked my cheek gently, and said.

“Your body is important. If you keep taking fatigue lightly, it can lead to something serious. So make sure to rest properly next time, alright?”

“Got it… I’m realizing that now the hard way.”

“Then that’s all I needed to hear.”

I sat beside Felica, who carried a calm, dignified air and a gentle smile, and I embraced her with a smile of my own.

Her large br3asts changed shape as they pressed against my body, and I held her tighter, wanting to feel it more clearly.

Felica shifted awkwardly in my arms, looking embarrassed.

“…That was way too sudden, you know?”

“When I saw your face, I just couldn’t help myself.”

“Uuuuuh.”

When I pulled back a little and said that, Felica blushed and started lightly pounding on my chest.

I stopped her by pulling her into a firm hug, and she looked up at me with puffed-out cheeks.

If Felica is doing this on purpose, knowing how it affects me, that’s terrifying.

She really needs to realize just how cute her actions are.

I let go of Felica, stood up, and headed to the bathroom to rinse my face and mouth for the second time today.

I checked the time. It was 8 p.m., I gave a wry smile, surprised at how long I’d slept.

My body really did feel lighter. I moved around a little and quietly scolded myself for having worried my lovers with how tired I was.

I returned to the living room, smiled at Felica who had been waiting, and as I got ready to head to the tavern, she seemed lost in thought.

Her thoughtful expression caught my eye, and tilting my head, I asked her about it.

“What’s wrong?”

“No… well, I guess it should be fine at this hour. You’re going to the tavern, right?”

“Hm…? Yeah…”

Felica didn’t explain what she meant by “it’s fine,” and just started pushing me forward.

With her pushing me, I stepped outside the inn to find the sky pitch black, with no moon in sight.

The streetlights and the glow from Suzuya lit up the area somewhat, but night is still dark.

Once outside, Felica stopped pushing me, smiled at my face, and walked into the tavern.

…Is there something going on in the tavern?

I took a step to follow Felica into the tavern when I caught a faint scent of baking bread.

It was a fragrant, freshly baked bread smell, but I doubted it came from the tavern and scanned my surroundings.

It was a little late to be baking bread, rather it was probably closing up time.

As I scanned the area, I noticed something different and tilted my head, unsure of what it was.

…Has that door always been there?

The door seemed to be on the opposite side of Suzuya’s grounds from the usual entrance.

As far as I remembered, that place had always been just a stone wall two stories high.

But now, a door was there, as if inviting someone into Suzuya’s grounds.

“See? I told you he’d notice.”

“I said so too, didn’t I?”

“Mmm, I figured he wouldn’t notice right after waking up.”

I turned toward the voices by the tavern entrance and saw Felica smiling awkwardly, with Fia and Lea laughing on either side of her.

Fia walked up to me, then gently rose into the air, her hair and clothes flowing lightly.

Then she gently stroked my cheek, smiled, and nodded as she spoke.

“Looks like you’ve recovered, haven’t you?”

“Sorry for making you worry…”

“You shouldn’t look like that. We didn’t make you rest just so you’d end up looking this down, you know?”

“…I understand. Thank you.”

“Fufu, that’s more like it.”

Fia spoke gently, as if to admonish me, as I looked at her with an apologetic expression.

I closed my eyes for a moment at Fia’s words, then smiled and nodded as I opened them again.

…The maternal instincts in my lovers is too strong.

While I chuckled to myself, Niimi stepped out of the bar and looked at me with a gentle, motherly smile.

As I smiled back at Niimi, a door in the wall opened and I turned my gaze to the door.

Stepping out from inside was Linare, wearing an apron.

I stared at her in surprise, and when Linare spotted me, she broke into a happy smile and hurried over.

“Instructor!”

“…Why is Linare here?”

“Instructor Reid! Thank you so much!”

“Wait, wait, hold on, I have no idea what’s going on here.”

“Allow me to explain everything.”

I turned toward the voice behind me, where Erika’s house stood, and caught my breath slightly.

It wasn’t that I was intimidated, just surprised by Erika’s presence as she walked toward me ahead of Elysia.

Her bearing matched that of a graceful noble lady straight out of the game, radiating an aura that made those around her tense.

Looking at Erica’s expression with a serious expression, I noticed that her face was slightly tense.

…Is she about to engage in some kind of challenge…or rather, negotiate with me?

Her presence now is even stronger than when she first negotiated with me at the academy. She’s clearly putting more weight into this one.

Once she was right in front of me, Erika flashed an elegant smile and started talking.

“First, about the house behind us. It was vacant, so I went ahead and bought it.”

“And you rented it to Eima and her daughter?”

“Yes, that’s right. They said they didn’t feel comfortable living in the area where the incident occurred.”

“…I see.”

I crossed my arms and rubbed my chin with one hand, trying to read Erika’s intentions.

Honestly, I didn’t see what part of this warranted such tension.

The situation with Eima and her daughter made sense, no one would want to stay where they were betrayed by their husband or father.

“Let’s begin the negotiation, Reid-san.”

“…Alright, I’m listening.”

“May I have permission to use the Suzuya name?”

“Hmm…?”

I glanced at Niimi with just my eyes, and she smiled awkwardly with one hand on her cheek.

…Ah, I see. So all that’s left is for me to give the okay.

Erika is putting her all into this negotiation because she can’t afford for me to say no.

My gaze returned to Erika as I kept my expression steady, urging her to continue.

“We won’t interfere in management, but we will handle the accounting. For that, we’ll take a modest fee. I swear on my name we will not skim any profits.”

“…This only benefits us. What exactly are you trying to do by using the Suzuya name?”

Managing the accounts is no simple task, yet Erika, who I trust, is willing to take it on.

If she’s not getting involved in management, then nothing changes, and all the profits stay with us.

Tilting her head slightly, Erika smiled and gestured toward the bakery as she answered.

“First, we’ll bring Eima and her daughter’s bakery under the Suzuya name.”

“…Hm?”

“Next is the church, which is still under negotiation, along with Flower Mist, Flower Garden, and the shoemaker Bowers. I plan to include them all under Suzuya.”

“…Hmmm?”

“I’ve also secured a promise of technical support from Headmaster Croana, you know?”

When I looked over at Fia and Lea in shock, Fia waved her hand gracefully with a smile, while Lea grinned mischievously.

Erika kept pressing on, taking advantage of my surprise.

“We’ll also have the privilege of carrying the Dragonhall family’s symbol, not as sponsors, but as their preferred vendors.”

“The Dragonhall family’s…?”

I looked at Felica, who was grinning happily, then turned my gaze back to Erika.

Erika maintained her graceful smile, though a closer look revealed a light sheen of sweat on her forehead.

In short, Erika is planning to add two new branches to Suzuya: one in the tavern and one in the inn.

…It’s like a corporate group… No, that’s not right.

A knowing smirk crossed my face when I caught on to Erika’s plan. She saw it and returned a gentle smile before speaking.

“Reid-san… you continue to do as you please as you have been doing up until now. Afterwards, ‘we’ will take over and carry forward Suzuya.”

“Truly… I’m one fortunate man.”

“Fufu, you finally realize it now?”

“Ah… truly.”

Erika reached out to gently stroke one of my cheeks, and I smiled back at her.

I let out a quiet sigh, understanding that “we” meant my lovers.

I lowered my linked arms and, still smiling, looked into Erika’s eyes and spoke.

“Use the name of Suzuya. You’ve already obtained Niimi’s permission, haven’t you?”

“Permission… yes, indeed that’s what it is.”

“It’s not?”

“No, that’s not wrong. Then, with negotiations concluded, we’ll start the new Suzuya.”

Erika chuckled, glanced at Niimi for a moment, then looked back at me and made her announcement.

My lovers smiled happily at the announcement. I was surprised as cheers rose even from the previously quiet tavern.

I can’t believe it, but are the adventurers in the bar also in on it? I thought, looking at Erika.

Erika smiled like a playful child and gently played with her vertical curls with one hand.

…Later when they tell me the details, I know I’m going to be surprised… definitely.

As those thoughts crossed my mind, Elysia, standing behind Erika, stepped forward quietly and smiled warmly.

Taking my hand, she guided me toward the tavern as Erika and Linare laughed and chatted together behind us.

Chapter length 4085 characters.