Living frugally then enjoying luxury is easy. But switching from luxury to frugal living? That's torture.
Charlie could confidently say he knew that better than anyone.
As a modern person who once lived in a world with electricity, hot water, air conditioning, instant food, and cell phones with stable signals, he now had to live in a world with medieval civilization.
Fortunately, while running Quests in the Planar World: Gotoubun no Hanayome, he looted supplies in a large mall that was originally prepared to meet the living needs of the Nakano quintuplets and Uesugi Fuutarou.
Sliced bread, frozen meat, seasonings, chili sauce, even wet wipes... He pocketed a lot of items into the Space-Time Cache, which had a time stagnation function. Thus, Charlie didn't have to worry about the items spoiling due to expiration.
Back to the main topic.
Today, Charlie chose to enjoy the beauty of the 18th Floor and postpone the trip to the 19th Floor until tomorrow. He wasn't the type to rush. Excelia could be sought later—what was the point of power if you didn't know how to enjoy life?
On the shore of a calm lake, a tent had been erected, a mat laid out, and on a portable stove from the modern world, a fire was burning steadily.
Charlie was grilling slices of beef and chicken seasoned with yakiniku, the aroma was incredibly tempting. Thin smoke rose into the air, mixing with the savory smell of meat and the distinctive Japanese sauce that made anyone's stomach growl.
*SWISH!*
The sound of rustling leaves was heard.
"Charlie… is that the smell of meat?" Aishia's voice was heard first.
"It smells so good…" Est followed from behind, her small hand holding the hem of her skirt.
Charlie glanced at the two girls who had just returned from the lake, and his gaze inadvertently fell on Est's legs.
The knee-high black socks that covered her thighs were soaking wet. Lake water was still dripping from the ends, making them cling tightly to her skin, highlighting the shape of her smooth white legs beneath the thin, wet fabric.
"Est, take off your socks first. Hang them up to dry."
There was no hidden motive, no dark desire. This was purely his logical thinking. It was just that Charlie didn't expect Est's response to be beyond his expectations.
Est's usually expressionless face now showed signs of hesitation for the first time. Her two hands clasped each other in front of her thighs, as if wanting to hide something.
"Onii-chan said that I have to take off these socks? Are you actually demanding that I show you my bare legs... Onii-chan is really a pervert."
Her tone remained flat and calm, but her cheeks flushed slightly. Her gaze didn't dare to meet Charlie's eyes directly.
Charlie was stunned by the accusation.
"Huh?"
He really didn't understand. The girl hadn't shown the slightest reaction when she was naked. But just because he told her to take off her socks, her reaction was like this?
Charlie sighed softly. He really didn't understand Est's logic, maybe it was due to cultural differences, but he didn't want to force her.
"Never mind. If you don't want to take them off, don't force yourself. Aishia, dry her socks."
"Understood."
*SWOOSH!*
Aishia approached, placing her palm in the air near Est's legs. A gentle wave of warm wind enveloped the wet socks. A moment later, the fabric was dry again, and Est was no longer embarrassed.
"Charlie, I want to try grilling too."
"I also want to help Onii-chan."
"Alright, but be careful. Don't get too close to the fire."
Not refusing Aishia and Est's offer, Charlie let them help him.
Aishia took a skewer of meat and put it on the grill. Est followed, imitating her movements.
Several minutes passed.
Aishia tried to flip her meat—but waited too long. When she flipped it, the surface was already burnt black.
"Failed." she muttered flatly, staring at her grilled result.
Est also raised her skewer. The meat at the end looked more like charcoal.
"Is this edible?"
Having already anticipated this result, Charlie wasn't surprised. "You two better just wait, let me do the grilling."
Aishia stared at him for a moment, then nodded lightly. "Okay. It will certainly be more efficient that way."
Est also sat down next to Aishia, still staring at her burnt meat before secretly hiding it behind her back.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
While the aroma of grilled meat wafted by the shore of the 18th Floor lake, far from the hustle and bustle, Charlie was serving the last pieces to Est and Aishia. The three of them sat cross-legged on a simple mat, enjoying their meal under the crystal lights hanging from the ceiling.
However, that peace was soon contrasted by the chaos that was happening in Rivira.
Murder!
In an inn, an adventurer was killed by a woman for an item he had obtained on the 30th Floor of the Dungeon for a special mission he completed.
As the representative of the city of Rivira, Bors investigated the murder incident.
He was a giant of a man with matching muscles. His aura was menacing, strong enough to make anyone who saw him flinch, finished off with a black eyepatch over one eye. His upper body was protected by a sleeveless combat cloth that emphasized his broad shoulders and massive biceps.
He was the type of man who would say, "What's mine is mine, and what's yours is also mine." directly to another adventurer's face without hesitation. Without a doubt, he was the most powerful resident of Rivira.
"Bors!"
Someone called from behind. Bors turned around with an displeased expression.
"Loki Familia? Why come at a time like this?"
His brow furrowed at the sight of the approaching group. At the front was the captain of Loki Familia: Finn. Behind him, the strongest fighters of the group were also present: Aiz, Tiona, Tione, Riveria, and Lefiya.
"Is there a problem, Bors?" Finn asked, his tone calm but clearly examining the other party's reaction.
"Haaa…"
With a heavy sigh, Bors realized there was no point in hiding the truth. He revealed what had happened. In the end, sooner or later, all the adventurers in this city would hear about it anyway.
"There was a murder at Willy's inn."
"Huh?"
The Loki Familia group fell silent, shocked by the statement.
Rivira was considered a safe zone amidst the dangers of the Dungeon, with an unwritten law prohibiting any form of murder between adventurers. This was a serious violation of the balance that had been maintained for many years.