The Archmage’s Restaurant

# 58

Chapter.14 Pure Apple

“But why have you been drinking so much lately? “If you’ve been like this for 50 years, I don’t think it’s time for you to get addicted to alcohol again.”

“that is… . She’s been very lethargic lately. Why don’t they just recklessly close down the store? “As I started to do that, I became haggard day by day, and since they wouldn’t tell me why, I felt frustrated and depressed.”

The more I listen to Mr. Benen’s story, the more I feel that it is something amazing. It seems like love itself is transcendent, yet it is impossible to think about one person for this long.

The reason Mr. Benen is depressed right now is not because he wants to find love. It’s just that it’s hard to see the woman I love closing down her store and losing strength because of that.

It was a sublime love. A love that doesn’t expect anything in return.

Another woman in noble love.

Since it wasn’t long ago that I experienced Verna’s situation, which never came to fruition, I didn’t want to make Mr. Benen become like Verna.

Would you say that you feel a desire to help? I’m not some sort of matchmaker.

“You usually give me a lot of apples, so I’ll have a drink with you today. “This is a fragrant liquor. Try it.”

For now, let’s be a romanticist who provides comfort. So I poured whiskey into a glass.

“Thank you.”

Of course, I didn’t explain that it was expensive alcohol or anything like that. Because that’s not important. It is simply a drink dedicated to this man to whom I have devoted my love for 50 years.

And the next day.

I found Mr. Laine on my way to the market. She is the town’s harbinger and news source. If you want to get information about the city, it’s right to go to Mr. Laine.

“Reine, do you know anything about the person named Miel from the repair shop down the street over there?”

“yes? “Miel?”

“yes.”

When asked directly, Mr. Laine tilted his head. Still, it is Mr. Layne who gives the answer.

“I’m good at sewing, so I sometimes entrust my sewing work to you. “We are close friends, but I don’t know all the details.”

“Umm, really?”

“What’s wrong? “Don’t you have someone who can sew for you?”

“Haha, it’s not because I need sewing.”

Why is Lurin popping up here again?

This couple explains that they retired as wizards and went into hiding in Great City because they had someone they wanted to be with in the past, so even if they are misunderstood, they have nothing to say.

If you leave Rurin to do the sewing for you, it’s obvious that instead of repairing it, your clothes will get torn even more and become rags.

Anyway, I explained the situation. Focusing on the fact that Mr. Miel is about to quit the store and does not tell Mr. Benen why.

“Reine knows a lot of people around here, so I thought she might know something. How about this?”

Then Mr. Layne nods his head with a very pitiful face.

“For some reason, I heard you said that you haven’t been accepting a lot of work lately. Was there a reason for that? Umm what should I do… . Is it like this? “I’m a bit of a friend, so I’ll go and have a look!”

“really? “Yes, I would appreciate it.”

“Do not worry. I will try my best. However, Miel has no thoughts at all, and if Benen’s love is one-sided, I don’t think I can get more involved. “You can’t force a person’s heart.”

“That’s natural. Rather than specifically connecting the two, I just want to know why you want to quit the store.”

“Then I understand!”

Mr. Layne nodded his head loudly. And then he shouted towards the inside.

“husband! “Look at the store!”

“what? “I’m on duty later this afternoon?”

“It’s my turn and I have somewhere to go, so just watch. It’s LC’s request, so you’re refusing it? “It’s okay if you don’t know your benefactor, right?”

“what? “Is this guy’s girlfriend?”

Mr. Knoll pops out.

“What did you say just now?”

When Mr. Layne raises his eyebrows, he looks the other way. I thought so. Why do you say things you cannot take responsibility for?

“Have a nice trip. Hahaha! Well, if it’s El’s job, you can’t do it.”

Leaving behind Mr. Knoll, who almost starved due to his pointless rebellion, I arrived in front of Mr. Laine and Mr. Miel’s store.

***

Miel trusted and followed Benen since he was young. Benen was two years older than me, took good care of me in many ways, and was the person who supported me the most when my mother passed away.

As a result, Benen naturally took center stage in my heart.

However, Miel felt that Benen always thought of him as his own younger brother. This is because there were many times when I did things that made me think that I was not viewed as a woman.

If your hands accidentally touch each other, you avoid it first and run away. The way he always tries to nag me.

Although she didn’t hate it, Miel always felt like Benen was just a younger brother to her.

Meanwhile, her father came to Miel with a wedding invitation. The year I turned 28.

At first, she refused, but she thought that if Benen did not see her as a woman, she should sort things out. So, let’s take a chance. That’s what I thought.

If Benen tries to stop this wedding brought by his father, let’s confess. That was my feeling. That’s her winning strategy.

“Brother, my father is trying to get me married. “I think I’ll be leaving for another city at the end of this month.”

After saying that, the two continued to walk away. Benen said nothing. When she was almost giving up and biting her lip, Benen came to visit the day before she was scheduled to leave for a neighboring city.

he said Let’s meet at night. I have a story to tell.

Miel was overjoyed. This was because no matter how I looked at it, I felt like they were trying to catch me.

However, Benen was not at the appointed place. Miel was frustrated.

Out of desperation, she left for a neighboring city, but she had no intention of marrying a complete stranger.

They broke off the engagement and wandered around the empire for several years. There was nothing I didn’t try. But fortunately, she was good with her hands, so she never had to starve, and just when she thought she had finally forgotten Benen, she returned to Grace City.

It was the 10th year since I left.

***

It was a bit difficult to listen to Mr. Miel’s story, but thanks to Mr. Raine’s help, I was able to hear the general story.

This is thanks to the meaningful smile Mr. Laine smiled as he looked at Mr. Miel, who jumped up when he heard that Mr. Bennen had recently been drinking and harmed his health.

“He was there… It didn’t come out. so… I am… .”

“Wait. As far as I know, Mr. Benen went to the meeting place, but I heard that Mr. Miel did not come?”

“yes?”

Yes, apparently Mr. Benen said that yesterday. That part was strange, so when I intervened, both Reine and Miel narrowed their eyebrows and shook their heads.

“that… ? It can’t be… .”

Are these people misunderstanding each other for over 20 years because of the wrong meeting place? Isn’t this a couple that should have already been established?

“It is true that Mr. Bennen is having physical problems these days. But Mr. Miel, why are you doing this? The reason why I’m trying to close the store… I want to know. I wonder if Miel is feeling unwell too… ?”

“I’m sorry, it’s personal, but I can’t tell you.”

“is that so? But nothing will be solved like this. We’ll keep it confidential, so please consult with us. “I will help where I can.”

Mr. Miel’s complexion suddenly darkened. Then he sighed and opened his mouth as if he couldn’t do it.

“Are you sure you can’t tell him?”

“yes. “I promise.”

When I nodded firmly, Mr. Miel thought for a while longer, but eventually began to open his mouth.

“Actually, as I get older, my eyes get blurry and I have trouble seeing small things. So I can’t sew… .”

While speaking, Miel continued to hesitate. It seemed like he didn’t want Mr. Benen to know that he was getting older. Is it girlish shyness?

“Was that the reason? “There is a solution for that.”

I nodded towards Miel and Reine.

***

A magnifying glass helps you do detailed work when your eyesight is blurry. You may feel tired, but you won’t have any problems continuing to receive small amounts of work.

“you! Did you hear? I heard Miel is opening a store again! Your face has improved a lot! What on earth happened… . I don’t know the English… . ha ha ha!”

Mr. Benen, who came in in the evening, started laughing while saying that.

“Well, isn’t the health problem solved? “Actually, there is a very capable doctor called Elena’s clinic near Mr. Miel’s store.”

“Is that really true? “Is she sick?”

Mr. Benen looks like his world is collapsing. I shook my head.

“Well, it’s not a serious illness. There is something more important than that. Please sit down first.”

“Of course… .”

Mr. Benen placed the apple he brought and sat down. Perhaps because I was in a good mood, I felt like I brought more apples today.

Then the dragon’s hand moves towards the apple basket.

“Mr. Benen, do you know that? “I’ll tell you one thing.”

I poured whiskey in front of Mr. Benen and opened my mouth.

“What is this?”

“I heard that Mr. Miel also went to the meeting place that day 25 years ago?”

“what?”

Mr. Benen, who had been drinking whiskey, suddenly woke up in the middle of the night with an expression that asked what that was.

“no… . That can’t be possible. “I waited for her until morning.”

“Well, maybe there was some big misunderstanding there. “The truth of that day, which you two have been ignoring until now, will only be resolved when you two talk about it in person.”

“Is that really true? “She really came?”

“For now, that’s all I know.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

In the end, it is a problem for two people to solve. There’s only so much people around you can do for you.

After hearing what I said, Mr. Benn ran out of the restaurant.

And it didn’t come back. That day.

To tell a later story, after that, Mr. Benen sold me the orchard land that he loved so much and used the money to buy a house in the middle of Great City.

Thanks to that, the dragon was hit by a mountain of apples.

Even if you try to close the orchard, you have to dispose of all the apples that are growing now. It would be a waste to throw it away, right? I feed it to the buffalo, I feed it to the dragon, I feed it to the people around me.

“you! I’m sick of this now! “Why is rice like an apple!”

“They say apples are great for breakfast.”

“It’s not morning!”

“You’re awake now, so it’s morning.”

I thrust an apple at the dragon, who was crying.