Chapter 16

The air conditioner hummed as it pumped out cool air, the breeze reaching me where I lounged on the sofa.

Heavenly. Absolute paradise.

In my experience, the happiness of being in a cool room is directly proportional to the heat outside. The more unbearable it is outdoors, the more blissful this indoor chill becomes.

Glancing out the window, I spotted someone trudging along, drenched in sweat—a living testament to the brutal conditions outside.

The weather forecast said it would hit 35 degrees today. Shin had looked utterly defeated when he saw that this morning. When he left the house, he actually groaned "Ugh..." the moment he stepped outside.

...Honestly, what kind of masochist goes out in this heat? He said he'd be back by two, and by then, he'll be absolutely miserable.

"...Heh."

I'm in a great mood. While my landlord suffers outside, I'm sprawled under the AC, doing absolutely nothing. Now this is what I call proper exploitation.

"......"

Then again, Shin only has himself to blame. Who goes to school on a perfectly good Saturday? He mumbled something about "research," but still.

The clock read just past one. Still some time before Shin's scheduled return.

Shaking my head slightly, I got up and headed to the kitchen. Maybe some iced coffee.

I poured the chilled coffee into a glass and returned to the sofa, taking a sip.

"...Ahh."

The quiet room was filled only with the whir of the AC.

...So peaceful. What a difference from last year.

This time last year, I'd been stuck in some desert, hunting monsters. Camped out for days, waiting for those sand-burrowing creatures to emerge. Had to huddle in magical rock shadows the whole damn time.

And the kicker? When I asked what the kills were for, they said, "The queen's cosmetics." If it had been "to stop a plague ravaging the city," fine, but cosmetics? I nearly screamed at them. Would've too, if not for that curse silencing me.

"...Hah."

I exhaled sharply, forcing myself to cool down before my blood boiled over.

...Calm down. That's all in the past now. Another sip of coffee.

The clock showed just past two. Shin should be back soon.

Lost in memories, I hadn't noticed the time passing.

"I'm hooome—"

Right on cue, his voice carried from the genkan. I grabbed a chilled towel and went to meet him.

"Welcome back."

There he stood—a sweaty, disheveled mess, looking every bit the fool. Just as wretched as expected.

This is what he gets for not staying home on his day off.

I thrust the towel at him and herded him toward the shower. The last thing I need is him catching a cold from all that sweat. Who does he think would nurse him back to health?

Later, I set homemade ice cream and coffee in front of the freshly showered Shin.

This time, I'd put extra effort into the coffee too.

According to my research, the key to perfect iced coffee is brewing it strong, then chilling it rapidly—pouring it directly over a glass full of ice. Seemed worth trying for today's dessert pairing.

The result? ...I glanced at Shin across the table. He was gulping it down without a second thought.

Yeah, figures.

Shin wolfs everything down with the same blank enthusiasm. Hard to tell if that's rewarding or pointless.

"Mmm, this is really good," he said between spoonfuls of ice cream, face radiating simpleminded joy.

Looking at that expression, my earlier brooding started to feel ridiculous. Without realizing it, I'd forgotten all about the other world—about everything I'd been pondering before he came home.