Only I know that this world will end – 105 | Sousaku – 創作

Proof that we are alive

"Come on, don't be shy. Sit down wherever you like."

Arthur said this to the two of them and then disappeared into the back of the bar. Perhaps, that is where the food is stored. After making some rattling noises, he eventually returned with a dry sausage in his hand.

"Aren't you going to sit down?”

Pointing at Akira's party, who were standing around the entrance, Arthur said with a puzzled look on his face.
Akira and Nao exchanged glances, unsure how many times they had done this, and then slowly sat down on the round chair away from the girl, who was still sleeping.

"I'd really like to serve you a cocktail, but I don't have any ice. If it's okay to make it at room temperature, I'll prepare whatever you want. What do you think?”
"……Don't worry. I'm fine."
"How about some whiskey? If it's straight, you can enjoy the flavor that only room temperature can bring out."
"I'm not in the mood for drinking."

Akira shook his head.
Seeing this, Arthur muttered “I see...” and then turned his attention to Nao.

"How about the young lady?”
"I don't want it either."
"Hmm... I see. Then, may I have a drink?”

Arthur said this, and without waiting for Akira's party to reply, he took a bottle of whiskey and a glass from the shelf and poured the contents into the glass.
Next, he placed a plastic bottle of mineral water in front of Akira's party, and then deftly sliced up the dry sausage he had brought with a knife and served it on a plate.

"If it's not enough, I'll get you some more."

Akira bowed his head slightly in response to this.
Monsters started appearing in the world, and it became difficult to secure food and water. In particular, fresh foods such as meat went bad quickly due to the fact that refrigerators could no longer be used. Because the people who survived gathered together in search of food that could be preserved to a certain extent, items such as canned goods, including dry sausages, have become quite valuable.
Seeing him so willingly give us such a precious item, it seemed that Arthur must have a lot of trust in them.

(……No. Maybe that's just how much he wants us to go with him to the Killer Bee's hive)

As Akira was thinking about this, Nao gave him a small nudge with her elbow.
When he turned his head, Nao was whispering into Akira's ear.

"Is it okay to eat this? There's no poison in it, is there?”
"If he puts poison in it, it will only reduce the number of fighters going to the hive, so I don't think there's any point in doing that……"

Nao seemed to be lost in thought over Akira's words.
When she glanced at Arthur, she pushed the plate toward him.

"Please try some of this."

Nao said, looking at Arthur.

"Hahahahaha! You're so suspicious! That's fine. It's good to be cautious. Very well, then, if you'll excuse me, I'll take one."

Arthur laughed at Nao's words and picked up a piece of meat from the plate that had been pushed in front of him, and without hesitation, he put it in his mouth. He chewed and swallowed the food in his mouth, and then smiled.

"……Umu. This is delicious. How about it? Are you satisfied now?”

Nao snorted at Arthur's words. Then, as if still in doubt, she looked at Arthur's face, and eventually picked up one of the dry sausage slices on the plate and put it in her mouth.

"……Delicious."

Speaking in a small voice, Nao said.
It was probably an unconscious slip of the tongue. Noticing her expression, Nao bit her lip as if regretting the words she had just said.
Arthur laughed, as if enjoying the sight of Nao, and then turned to Akira and opened his mouth.

"You too, Ichijou-kun, don't be shy and eat as much as you like. It has been proven that it is not poisonous."
"Thank you."

Akira reached for the dry sausage on the plate.
As soon as he put it in his mouth, the perfect amount of saltiness filled his mouth. Akira could feel his body naturally wanting some liquor as the delicious flavor of the meat overflowed the more he chewed.

"……It's delicious, that's for sure. Makes you want to drink alcohol."
"Hahaha! That's right, that's right!! I've picked it out with great care and love. There was no way that could be bad. ……Oh, by the way. I can still serve you some alcohol, you know? After all, this is a bar! "

Akira smiled slightly at Arthur's words.

"…………Then, let's order from the master. I'd like the same thing as you, Arthur."

When he said that, Nao gave him a stunned look.

"Ichijou…… You're still wounded, remember? Even though you have Auto Regen, you're not fully healed yet."
"But if you eat something this delicious, you'll feel like drinking. That goes for you too, Nao-san, right?”
"…………Well."

After a short pause, Nao nodded to indicate her agreement.
Then, as if hesitating, she let her eyes wander, and Nao murmured in a shy voice.

"Well then, I think I'll have some too."
"Yes, right away."

Arthur smiled and took two more glasses from the cupboard. After pouring the whiskey into the bottle, he placed them in front of Akira and Nao.

"You can drink the mineral water I gave you earlier to cleanse your palate."

After saying that, Arthur picked up his glass and slowly rotated it around in his hand, taking a sip as if savoring the taste.
Akira's party also slowly tilted their glasses.
The aroma spreading in their mouths immediately stimulated their sense of smell. The fragrance spread through his whole body, penetrating his head, and Akira felt his vision grow hazy for a moment at the high alcohol content of the drink, the first alcoholic drink he'd had in a while since the draft beer he'd shared with Nao at the pub.

"――――Delicious."

Akira said, exhaling slowly.
Arthur laughed again at those words.

"Good food is always good. Even if the world ended up like this. I think that being able to enjoy such delicious food is also proof that we are alive in this world."

Then Arthur looked at Akira.

"The everyday life we had enjoyed was suddenly destroyed and vanished. The days of just accepting the happiness that was there have ended. ……Ichijou-kun. What is the proof that you are alive in this world?”
"The proof that I'm……"

It was just as Akira spoke those words.

"Hmm-mmm…………"

Was Akira's party too loud? The girl, who had been sleeping deeply without moving, moaned.

"Whoa, it looks like she's waking up."

Arthur said as he tilted the glass in his hand and murmured.
As if that word was the catalyst. The girl, who had been slumped over the counter, slowly sat up.

"Hmm…………"

The girl sat up and looked around drowsily. Her eyes, which moved slowly, captured Arthur, then turned to Akira's party, and stopped.

"…………Who are you people?”

A gruff, low voice that did not attempt to hide the speaker's caution. Her eyes, which still retained a hint of childlike innocence, were narrowed with a dangerous glint, and from her delicate body, a killing intent that did not match her appearance was emitted.
Akira saw this and intuitively understood, thinking “Ah, I see...”, and being convinced.
The girl who was Arthur's companion. Hanayagi Ayaka was definitely a delinquent, those popularly called Yankees in school.