I decided to have a grand dinner of succulent fried chicken and highballs again today, so I was singing a song in a good mood while preparing food.
“Damn. There’s no ginger…..”
However, I realised that I didn’t have any ginger in the fridge, essential for seasoning fried food.
What to do? Should I make fried chicken without ginger?
“No, no way. Ginger is necessary.”
Only sauce and garlic seasoning. That alone would give it too strong a taste.
The addition of the refreshing flavour of ginger is what completes a fried dish.
Frying food without ginger is impossible.
It’s still late in the evening. Markets and stores are still open. It’s a hassle, but I’ll just have to go buy some now.
Reluctantly, I grab a light jacket and my wallet, then head outside.
“Kyaa!?”
As soon as I open the door, I feel the impact of something thumping and hear a short scream from a woman.
I leave the door ajar enough for me to peek out and see a blonde-haired woman on her butt in the hallway.
Her forehead is red where the door hit her, her legs are sprawled out.
The woman was rubbing her forehead and groaning, but she quickly came to terms with her situation and stood up.
She took one look at me and looked stunned.
I didn’t know her at all, but was it simply my imagination that I had seen her somewhere before?
Though I tried to recall, no one came to mind.
“Excuse me, could you not open the door so suddenly?”
While I was sunk in my sea of memories, the woman looked at me and said something idiotic.
“Don’t say that like you were just passing by, I don’t know who you are, but you were clearly standing against the door to my flat, weren’t you?”
If this woman walking down the hallway had been startled and fell because I opened the door with too much force, I could understand and wouldn’t be surprised.
I would have honestly apologised for my mistake and reached a hand out to the woman who had fallen on her rear.
However, this woman was obviously at a distance that could only be described as stuck to the door.
In the first place, I didn’t open the door that strongly, and the sense of distance I got from the time it took to bump this woman could only be if she was glued to the door, there was nothing that could convince me otherwise.
“T, that’s not true.”
“If you lie to me, I will report you to management or the city guard, alright? Stalker woman.”
“I’m not a s, stalker!”
I said with a look of scorn, and the woman denied it while showing her agitation.
If this were a greasy middle-aged man and a young woman, they might not believe me when I make a report, but this situation is different.
As Tristan and my family say, I’m not that bad looking.
In fact, when I’ve showed up at aristocratic social meetings and the like, I have had an experience of being stalked by some young lady.
Such an incident was known by the manager and the guards. They would surely not pass it over as and deal with it as me being too overly self-conscious.
“Then, what were you doing? If you say you were just passing by, the way I lightly opened the door wouldn’t have struck you, you know?”
“T, that…….”
When I questioned her, she looked as if she was at a loss for words.
I don’t know what she’s thinking, but she’s the kind of stalker who sticks to the door of someone’s flat. No mercy.
This is my sanctuary from all outside relationships. Anything that interferes will be ruthlessly eliminated.
“Ah, enough! I’m sorry! I’ll properly explain, so please forgive me!”
After staring at the woman with a gaze devoid of any warmth, the woman finally gave up and said.
Oh, you have a reason for stalking me and sticking to my door, huh?
I’d thought it was another desperate excuse, but this time it does seem different.
This woman doesn’t have a single bit of those lustful eyes like those ladies who try to approach me without permission.
It appears that this time, there are circumstances that are unlike any previous incidents. For the sake of continuing my peaceful life, I want to listen thoroughly.
“I understand. I’ll listen to what you have to say.”
“Well then, where should we speak? My room is next door, but I can’t let you in, and to enter your room too….”
“……You live next door?”
I was amazed that this stalker woman lived beside me.
“Going into either of our flats is out of the question. Let’s move to a more comfortable place.”
“T, that’s right.”
There was no way I was going to go into her flat, and there was no way I was going to let her into my flat. Having said that, if we continued in the hallway, it would be a problem if the other residents heard us.
As I walked away resolutely, the woman followed me in relief.
……I seriously wonder what’s up with this woman.
●
“Can’t be helped. Let’s do it here.”
The cafes near the apartment and in the central district were crowded with customers, and it looked like it would be difficult to have a calm conversation in such places.
As a result, we came to Rondel’s cafe, which was located a little far from my apartment. I was very proud of the hideout I had recently found.
For a place I had recently discovered and was like a hideout, I wasn’t too pleased at having to bring other people here, but I couldn’t think of anywhere else to have an undisturbed talk.
I looked through the window from the outside and saw the owner grinding coffee beans.
There appeared to be no customers in the store.
It was not good for the store, but it was good for us because we had something complicated to speak about.
“……Welcome. Please sit as you like.”
As we open the door and enter, Rondel, the owner greets us with a soothing voice.
He seems to have decided not to say anything more than necessary, perhaps because I was with a woman today.
I appreciate such consideration.
The store was lit by a magic lamp, and the warm light highlighted the many antiques set up in the store.
It was a complete change from the refreshing atmosphere in the morning, to a still night scene.
This is also nice. We headed for the chairs in the back.
“Wow, what a wonderful cafe. I didn’t know there was such a place here.”
The woman sitting opposite me looks around the store with a curious look.
If there hadn’t been this unnecessary woman by my side, I could have spent some quality time here. I couldn’t help but become terribly disappointed about that. Next time, I’ll definitely come alone.
“Have you decided on a drink?”
“Not yet. What should I have?”
The woman in front of me was staring at the menu, but it didn’t appear like she would be choosing soon.
Was it because she was pouring through the menu of a store she’d come for the first time, or was it because she was just indecisive? Either way, she must be quite thick-skinned to be able to slowly choose from the menu in such circumstances.
“Owner, one coffee please.”
“Understood.”
She wasn’t ordering, so I went ahead and placed my order for now.
“Coffee? They have that kind of drink?”
“It’s not on the menu. It’s a special.”
“What does that mean? If that’s the case, I’m fine with that too.”
“Coffee is a complex, bitter-tasting drink. I can’t really recommend you to suddenly order it at first sight, you know?”
“It’s like black tea, right? Don’t worry, I’m used to that kind of thing. I’ll have coffee too, please.”
This woman clearly doesn’t get it.
But it would be annoyting to have to explain it to her in detail.
“Understood. Then, two coffees.”
I nodded to the owner who was giving me a worried look, and we managed to order.
The woman puts the menu on the end of the table with a satisfied look on her face.
Every one of her movements and gestures are tinged with refinement, it doesn’t look like she’s just an ordinary woman.
To begin with, the rent for that apartment is high and the screening process is strict to ensure a high level of security.
Not just anyone with money can live there.
I guess she must have not just a good income, but also a good family background.
“Before the drinks arrive, why don’t we introduce ourselves?”
“Yes, you’re right.”
“I am Catalina Macrae. The second daughter of the Macrae family and I play the violin in an orchestra of the Royal Capital.”
“Hm? A violinist in an orchestra?”
When the woman who called herself Catalina said that to me, I felt the loose threads in my memory come together.
“I see. I thought I’d seen you somewhere before, you’re the woman who played violin at the opera house.”
“Oh, you’ve come to see our concert before? That makes me happy to hear.”
When I informed her that I’d seen her at the opera house, Catalina looked somewhat pleased.
No wonder I felt like she was familiar. To think she was a member of that orchestra.
“And who might you be?”
“……..Despite your habit of stalking, you don’t know?”
“Like I said, I had an unavoidable reason for that, so I wasn’t stalking you.”
When I retort in that way, Catalina defends herself with a pained expression on her face.
Well, certainly the second daughter of the Macrae family shouldn’t be stalking someone she didn’t know.
“My name is Zirc Louren. I’m a magic tool specialist based in the Royal Capital.”
“You are Zirc Louren!?”
I said only for Catalina to rattle her chair as she leaned forward.
“You know who I am?”
“Indeed, I know you! You’re that obstinate magic tool specialist who never improves his magic tools no matter how many request letters I send!”
“Then you must be…… Catalina the Complainer? You’ve finally had enough of just complaining to my workshop, so you’ve come all the way to vent your complaints at my home!”
I connected the name Catalina with those request letters.
No doubt, this is Catalina the Complainer.
Considering that, I could understand why she was stuck to the door of my flat.
This woman is not a stalker, but a persistent complainer.
“Who’s a complainer! I only just found out for the first time that you’re Zirc and that’s a completely different matter from what this is about! Ah, it’s gotten all tangled up!”
–
