NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 44. Under Interrogation
'...We would put sunscreen on each other, build sandcastles, play in the water... Yes, with so many things to do, who would even notice all the little details? It's a shame that the option of a beach party isn't feasible, as both the time and the place are inappropriate...'
Aware that a beach party was far from being a possibility, especially since at that moment she didn't even know if there was a beach within a reasonable distance, Lucy didn't waste time thinking about how she could convince Rina to join such an activity with Yara. Instead, she started focusing on forming a response that would realistically describe how crackers are baked, so she wouldn't come across as talking nonsense.
"...How did I bake the salty crackers? Well, I used a large oven, powered by gas. Yes, if you try to bake them in a wood-fired oven, they’ll probably burn because you can't maintain a constant temperature, so a gas oven is necessary. Anyway, it's more like a drying process at high temperatures than actual baking. Also, the salty crackers need to be turned every five minutes while they're in the oven...", Lucy finally said, after finishing the handful of biscuits she had stuffed into her mouth when Yara asked her about the crackers-making process, trying to maintain a monotone tone to suggest that she wasn't particularly interested in such technical details.
However, Yara didn't seem to understand that Lucy wasn't in the mood to discuss such things, so she began asking for more details.
"A gas oven? ...I've never heard of such a thing before. Is it similar to one that uses fire-attribute mana cores?"
'It seems that when it comes to reading the atmosphere, Rina and Yara are quite similar: neither knows when to stop asking questions...', Lucy thought to herself, unable to enjoy the salty crackers because she was worried she might eventually say something suspicious.
"Probably. Since I spent most of my childhood in the wilderness, I haven't had the chance to see what an oven powered by mana cores looks like, so I can't give you an exact answer," Lucy decided to play the role of someone disconnected from society again, to make it easier to justify her lack of knowledge.
"Oh, so I was right when I thought you didn't belong to the lionkins' settlement. So, where are you from?", Yara directly expressed her curiosity about Lucy's origins.
Considering both her unusual class and the extremely valuable items in her possession, Yara believed it was highly likely that Lucy was either part of a secret society with close ties to demons or an apprentice of a legendary hero.
"...I'm sorry, but I don't want everyone to know my origins. That's something I can only share with those very close to me, whom I trust...", Lucy said after a brief moment of hesitation. Initially, she wanted to tell Yara the same story she had told Rina's grandmother, but considering that Yara likely knew much more about the world than someone living in an isolated village, she decided to abandon the idea to avoid getting tangled up in explanations. Besides, she couldn't remember exactly the story about her origins that she had told in front of Rina, so there was a risk that Rina would realize she had lied if some details didn't match.
"I understand, it's not wise to trust someone you haven't even known for a day...", Yara said with a hint of disappointment in her voice. Although Lucy didn't think Yara's feelings could be hurt so easily, seeing a very beautiful girl sad because of her was quite hard to bear.
"Well, maybe I can't tell you now, but in the future...", Lucy blurted out without thinking.
"Really, Lucy? So, you're planning to accept the proposal I made?," Yara suddenly asked, very excited. Lucy almost forgot everything and was ready to agree after making eye contact with her bright, grateful eyes.
'No, no... This isn't good! I haven't discussed this matter with Rina yet. Damn it, the moment I let my guard down a bit, I fell into the trap of her beauty!', Lucy made an effort to regain her composure, knowing that the probability of Rina losing her mind if she accepted Yara's proposal at that moment was over 95 percent.
"That...", Lucy began, shyly turning her gaze towards Rina.
To Lucy's surprise, Rina was unusually calm, seemingly wanting to hear what Lucy's intentions were as well. Honestly, Lucy couldn't tell if this was a good or bad sign for her.
'Damn. And here I thought talking about salty crackers and ovens was stressful...', Lucy started to miss the situation she had been in just a few moments ago, now really feeling like she was standing in front of a jury.
"Well, Yara, this isn't a decision I can make on my own. I need to discuss it with Rina first...", Lucy finally said, but the fact that she didn't respond directly with a "no" to Yara's question made it clear to everyone present that she personally didn't have anything against the idea.
Lucy didn't really want to discuss Yara's proposal with Rina at that moment because it was clear from Rina's sulky expression that the chances of her agreeing to let Yara enter a relationship with them were extremely slim. Maybe if she had 2-3 days to shower Rina with affection and boost her confidence in their relationship, the situation wouldn't seem so bleak. However, it seemed that Rina and Yara had reached a silent understanding, both waiting quietly to hear what Lucy had to say next, so Lucy couldn't change the subject without seeming like she was afraid to make a decision.
'Heh, I'm trying to protect their feelings, and the two of them are teaming up against me...', Lucy thought, realizing that having multiple girlfriends wasn't always a dream scenario; it could be extremely stressful.
"So, Rina, what do you think? Would you want Yara to be in a relationship with us?", Lucy decided to stop beating around the bush. Why should she be the only one walking on eggshells? If she kept this up, she'd probably end up like those young men from harem anime, too afraid to have an opinion for fear of upsetting their girlfriends.
"Not really...", Rina replied, trying to hide behind a mask of indifference the fact that she already felt defeated. Now that it was clear Lucy was open to Yara's proposal, Rina knew her chances of getting rid of the young dark elf woman were slim. The only option would be to emotionally blackmail Lucy by throwing a jealous fit or starting to cry, but Rina believed that such a thing would probably harm her relationship with Lucy, as Lucy would always blame her in her mind, thinking that she had to refuse such a beauty just to please her.
However, to ensure she wouldn't lose too much and that Yara wouldn't cause problems, Rina couldn't give up the fight. If nothing else, it might help her vent her frustration, especially since she had discovered she enjoyed watching Lucy stress out.
"...Do you think you could give more details?", Lucy asked again, a bit taken aback by Rina's attitude. She still hadn't found the best way to approach Rina when she was in her kuudere mode.
"Well, because I think she's a bad person...", Rina decided to start with what bothered her about Yara. "Not only was she on the side of those who had bad intentions for the people in my village, but she also seems like someone who is extremely casual about relationships, as from the way she treated my tail, I'm sure at least 10 beastkin girls have passed through her bed. Considering how many species there are apart from demihumans, who knows what her total number of ex-girlfriends and one-night stands might be?", Rina continued, looking at Yara with an accusatory gaze.
