When I got out of bed this morning, I went to wash my face, then prepared breakfast with Lina. After we finished eating, I sent her off to work.
"Lina, bye-bye. Lani, wave to your sister."
"By-by."
Lani could speak a little now, though her pronunciation was still unclear.
"Mm, bye-bye," Lina said before heading inside the guild.
After that, Lani and I returned home. I put her down on the floor and let her play within my sight while I began my chores.
First was laundry. I sorted the clothes, loaded them into laundry bags, tossed them into the washing machine, and started the wash.
While the machine was running, I carried Lani outside to check the electricity and water reservoir levels, then refilled them. After that, I inspected the chicken coop, cow shed, and pigpen to see which animals were ready to eat.
All the livestock had been brought out from the dungeon. Thanks to my speed, nobody had ever seen me move them. Their magic cores disappeared the moment they left the dungeon, turning them into ordinary animals.
The stone golem I appointed as the Feeding Manager had already given them their food. He was responsible for taking care of the livestock that would eventually become ingredients, and for collecting eggs. But milking the cows was something I had to do myself, because they were afraid of the golem.
While I was milking the cows, Lani ran and rolled around across the grass, as adorable as always.
Next was checking the farmland. I had planted rice, wheat, potatoes, carrots, and watermelons. The fields weren't large—but enough for us to eat.
I irrigated them by turning on a valve. Water flowed through pipes to sprinklers that watered the crops. The stone golem I named the Vegetable Manager handled irrigation, harvesting, and sowing. After harvesting, he would store the produce temporarily in the warehouse until I transferred it into the storage hole.
Then I checked the greenhouse. Inside, I used hydroponics to grow lettuce, tomatoes, and strawberries. Hydroponics didn't require soil—the roots just had to touch nutrient-rich water to grow.
The crops grew faster than with normal planting, and they didn't even need washing before being eaten raw. But not every crop was suitable for hydroponic cultivation.
Next was the cheese house, which I built simply because you could make so many delicious dishes with cheese. For now, the cheese wasn't finished, so we couldn't enjoy any yet.
All of that took only one hour. Afterward, we returned to the house to clean. Once the washing machine stopped, I hurried outside to hang the laundry while the weather was good, then continued tidying up.
The rooftop, once empty, had now been filled with flowers. I'd also built a pavilion and a hanging chair. In one corner of the pavilion's floor was a hidden compartment containing a small fridge for drinks.
After lunch, Lani and I relaxed in the washitsu, playing with building blocks. Lani liked sitting on my lap while she played.
Suddenly, she turned around and hugged me with her tiny arms.
"Ge-ge, you and sissie both smell so, so good. I like that."
I didn't fully understand what Lani meant, but I picked her up and answered anyway.
"I like you too."
After that, Lani grew sleepy, so I gently coaxed her to take her nap. Once she was asleep, I went to check whether the laundry had dried. I folded everything neatly and returned it to my room and Lina's room.
Before Lani woke up, I took out the game console Lina didn't know about to pass the time. When she finally opened her eyes, I quickly tossed the console back into the storage hole and patted her head.
"Lani, you're awake. Let's go meet your sister."
"Kay."
"Come on, let brother carry you."
With nothing else to do, we went to wait for Lina to get off work—and to chat with the other adventurers.
As soon as I arrived at the guild, I looked toward the line at Lina's Counter No. 2. It was longer than everyone else's again today.
We greeted Lina, then went to sit down. I had barely taken my seat when Dex walked toward me.
"Karen."
He handed me several quest papers. Sometimes Dex asked me to retrieve ingredients from level eighty-something because, after all, I was still an adventurer.
"Alright. Take care of Lani for me."
I always finished before Lina got off work. When I returned to the guild, I found Dex to report the completion and pick Lani up. He was sitting in the hall chatting with other adventurers.
"Guild master, I'm back."
"You're still this fast."
"Please say it properly — it's my task completion time that's still this fast, or everyone will misunderstand. Lani, were you well-behaved?"
I took her back from Dex's arms as she answered:
"Yesh."
"And what about the guild master?"
I asked playfully. Lani made a thinking face, then answered slowly:
"…Yesh?"
"Why the question mark!?"
Dex immediately snapped back, and everyone burst into laughter. Even I couldn't hold it in.
"Hahahahaha!!!"
The other adventurers sensed the opportunity and ganged up on Dex.
"Dex, you weren't well-behaved."
"Guild master, you're being naughty."
"Should we punish the naughty guild master~?"
"Yeah!!! Hahahahaha!!!"
Their perfect timing made Dex slam the table and stand up with an obviously annoyed expression.
"Shut up! You all are disgusting! Karen, come with me!"
"Yes."
We followed him to the dismantling room to collect the quested materials, then headed to Sally's Counter No. 3 since the line was shorter.
"Sally, calculate the total amount," Dex said.
"Yes, da—guild master."
During the payment process, someone suddenly started hitting on Lina right in front of me. But first, I wanted to see how she would handle it.
"Beautiful lady, would you honor me with your company for dinner after work?"
I'd never seen this guy before. A newcomer, maybe? He was pretty handsome, the type who would definitely be popular as an idol.
"Sir, I'm sorry, but if you don't have business here, could you please let the person behind you step up?"
Lina answered him coldly, though she still maintained a polite smile out of professional courtesy.
"No. I want to hear your answer first."
The man rested his cheek on the counter and spoke in a deliberately cute tone. Disgusting. I really wanted to punch him. Lina was already getting annoyed.
"My answer is no. Please step aside for the next person."
"No way. You really won't enjoy a beautiful candlelit dinner with me? I can pluck the stars from the sky for you and make you the most dazzling woman in the world."
As expected of a playboy—spouting unrealistic nonsense. Lina was already the brightest existence; why would she need help from someone like him? So arrogant.
"I don't need that. Please stop wasting everyone's time."
"Stop pretending to be shy. Being invited to dinner by me is your honor. If you don't hurry up and accept, you'll be the one wasting time."
Persistent, shameless, and proud of it. Honor? Where did this guy get his confidence from—his face? Completely shameless. And Lina was getting more irritated by the second.
"Who gave you the confidence to act this high and mighty? Does the option to give up not exist in your tiny brain?"
Lina well said! The playboy finally got irritated.
"So you refuse the easy way, take the hard way, huh? Today, you must coming with me!"
He reached across the counter, trying to grab Lina's hand and force her to agree. But the moment his hand crossed the counter, I caught his wrist.
He looked at me, furious, and yelled.
"What the hell are you doing? Let go!"
"Sorry, but you crossed the line. So before your hand breaks, I suggest you pull it back quickly."
His wrist was thin—clearly never trained. One squeeze could probably snap it. The sword at his waist was definitely just for show.
"And why should I listen to you?"
Why? Because I tightened my grip on his wrist, making him scream in pain.
"Aaaagh—! Let go! Let go…!"
He instantly pulled his hand back, and as promised, I let go. While he was clutching his wrist and groaning, I placed Lani on the counter and let her go to Lina. Then I turned back to the playboy and asked:
"Is this your first time here?"
"So what if it is?"
First day and already causing trouble. Definitely in need of some discipline. Especially handsome boys like him—they always needed to be taught a lesson by their seniors.
Then I continued to ask questions, even if they were meaningless—I just wanted to see what kind of impressive words he would blurt out.
"What is your Adventurer rank?"
"Indigo… Red rank!"
The playboy was obviously lying. Did he think that claiming to be a Red-rank adventurer would make everyone afraid to touch him? How foolish. This is the age of checking ID cards by color.
"Verbal claims won't do. You need to show your ID."
At my words, the playboy started to panic, like a wanted criminal facing the police, too afraid to pull out his ID for proof.
Then he bolted, but I was faster, grabbing his collar and stopping him in his tracks. I kicked him in the knee, forcing him to kneel.
He really had no strength at all, making it effortless to subdue him. I pressed down on his shoulders, ensuring he couldn't escape, and prepared him for his social death.
"Why run? Falsifying your adventurer rank is a serious offense."
Anyone caught lying about their adventurer rank would have their license revoked by the Adventurers' Guild and be blacklisted, never allowed to work as an adventurer again.
To prevent them from assuming a false identity in another city and starting over, the city lord had the right to restrict their personal freedom.
"Let me go! Hey, don't just stand there, come help me!"
The playboy began shouting at everyone around. Was he a noble? If so, I would have to report him to the king. But he wasn't; he was just a pretty boy.
Those who had been waiting in line or chatting gradually gathered around and began verbally abusing him. I stayed quiet, observing the dialogue between them and the playboy.
"Help you? We haven't even slapped your face yet, and you're already grinning?"
"That confidence must come from your looks, huh?"
"Such ignorance is terrifying."
"What?! I'm going to be a Rainbow-rank adventurer, and you all dare treat me like this!"
"Anyone could say that. I used to say the same thing."
"Seems like you've never been beaten up in a dungeon."
"See? Ignorance really is terrifying."
"Hey! Why do you keep saying I'm ignorant?! I know there are two Rainbow-rank adventurers here, and if they invite me to join them as a companion, you're all finished!"
What was this playboy even talking about?