How To Suck Honey With Extras [EN]: Chapter 3

Episode 3

After Work Extra (4)

The subjugation war ended without any major issues.

The retreating monsters crossed over to the adjacent territory, where they were ambushed and annihilated by the soldiers of that territory.

‘Just like in the original story.’

Let’s offer our condolences to the monsters.

After that, the order to disband finally came down.

Everyone could finally return to their beloved homes.

That meant I could go home too.

Yes, to my beloved home.

…Though it’s not my home, but ‘Eilan’s’ home.

‘First, should I go back to this guy’s house and think things over step by step…?’

I glanced down at the back of my hand as ‘Eilan’ and gave a bitter smile.

* * *

By the time Kelman and I, along with the other men from the same village, arrived, the villagers were already waiting for us outside the fence, greeting us happily.

It seemed the news had been delivered in advance.

The families welcomed those who returned.

Parents, wives, or their children hugged them, shedding tears of joy for their safe return.

‘What a heartwarming sight.’

Is it time for the ending credits to roll?

Do I have to watch the credits to wait for the cookie [post-credits] video?

‘Hmm… I feel a bit left out.’

I scratched my cheek, standing there blankly.

There’s no one to welcome me.

This heartwarming scene belongs to them, and I’m not part of it.

I already know ‘Eilan’s’ family situation from inheriting his memories.

This guy doesn’t have any family.

Both of his parents died of illness several years ago.

Do I feel lonely?

Me? Or my memories?

I feel empty.

Should I dance alone in the corner?

“Eilan!”

An old man approached me and spoke.

Who is it? Ah! The village chief!

‘Hmm, I guess the village chief is also classified as an extra [minor, unimportant character].’

Well, the entire population of this village is extras.

This is a village of extras!

“Eilan, you’ve returned safely. I was worried. Well done.”

“…Yes, I’m back. Um… Thank you for your concern.”

I replied politely for the sake of appearances.

“Yes, it’s good that you’re back…”

The village chief’s words were meaningful.

His gaze alternated between those who had returned, including me, and the village entrance where no one else was coming.

That’s the reality of conscription [mandatory military service].

Unfortunately, some don’t make it back.

But the living are living, and the dead are dead.

Now there’s a more important battle to fight: making a living.

Afterward, a light welcome party was held for those who returned.

The welcome party wasn’t anything grand.

Sadly, there’s no room for such extravagance.

They just brought out some of the alcohol and meat stored in the warehouse, but everyone seemed happy enough just chatting.

I guess the joy of returning is a great appetizer.

I also received a drink.

Alcohol….

I like alcohol too! But I hate company dinners.

“Let’s see…”

Curious, I took a small sip.

But my expectations soon crumbled.

“Ugh…”

It’s awful! It tastes terrible!

This isn’t the beer I know.

It’s even more subtle, as if they added water to it.

But if you think about it, this is probably the original taste.

Modern Earth’s civilization is truly blessed.

I never thought I’d miss that cheap domestic canned beer so much.

As I stared at my glass, Kelman came over with his glass.

It’s convenient that names are visible.

I can quickly recognize unfamiliar faces.

However, I’m worried that relying on it too much will make me forget people’s faces.

“Mr. Kelman?”

“…Eilan, are you feeling okay? You keep staring into space.”

He was still worried about me.

Well, from another person’s perspective, it would seem like I’ve been spacing out lately.

“Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine. It’s just… um… it’s my first time. There are a lot of things.”

“A lot of things? Hmm, I see. Well, these things don’t happen often, so don’t worry too much. Forgetting is the best. Yes, indeed.”

That’s not wrong, but my words have a deeper meaning.

I still feel a sense of incongruity living here, and I can’t adapt.

But even if I explained it, he wouldn’t understand.

This place is presumed to be the world in the novel I read, and I’ve possessed a person living there.

I’m not the Eilan you know.

I’m a new! Eilan with a forced overwrite patch from the outside!

“Here! I don’t know what’s going on, but drink up and cheer up!”

Not knowing how I really felt, Kelman patted me on the shoulder, telling me to cheer up.

“By the way, Eilan, what are you going to do from this year on?”

“…Pardon?”

“There won’t be anything like this for a while. So you should start thinking about it, right?”

“Thinking about what, exactly?”

I have so many thoughts right now that my head is about to explode, so I have no idea what you’re talking about.

Is he drunk?

There’s a saying that you should hit drunks and cockroaches if they talk nonsense. Who said that? Me.

“It’s obvious.”

Instead, Kelman sighed as if I were a clueless idiot and said again.

“I mean, shouldn’t you settle down with a nice young lady? Do you understand?”

“That’s what you meant?”

I was wondering what you were talking about.

What this guy is saying is, in other words, this.

‘Hey! When are you getting married?’

That’s what he means.

This annoying meddling exists even in the world of novels?! How terrible!

But it’s not just meddling.

The suitable age for marriage here is considerably lower than in modern Earth.

It’s common to settle down around the age of 16.

No, how can I get married when I have nothing!

The same joke doesn’t really work because ‘Eilan’ has that nothing.

This guy has a field inherited from his ancestors.

For an ordinary territory resident, having a field makes a difference.

Just having land means you won’t starve.

If it’s difficult to farm alone, you can have the villagers help as tenant farmers and live together.

‘Come to think of it, this guy wasn’t born with a dirt spoon in his mouth [born poor]?!’

In some ways, he is.

In other words, he’s a dirt spoon with a field.

‘Ah… that’s what he meant.’

I understood Kelman’s intention and smiled.

This guy is quite shrewd, isn’t he?

“Ahem. Well, that’s what I meant.”

Kelman only drank his alcohol, seemingly embarrassed by my gaze.

Do you think I don’t know what you’re thinking?

Frankly speaking, I’m at least a desirable groom among the young men in the village.

Just in time, he brought up what he really wanted to say to me.

“…Anyway, you should start thinking about it? Um, if you don’t have a particular young lady in mind, how about my sister?”

“Mr. Kelman’s sister?”

What is this?

Is this the common ‘I’ll introduce you to my younger sister’ thing in society?

Before that, this guy’s younger sister?

I quietly searched ‘Eilan’s’ memories.

Hmm… she’s average.

She feels like an ordinary village girl.

And she’s a year older than ‘Eilan’.

‘Older… that’s not bad.’

No, why am I seriously contemplating this?

Marriage isn’t the issue right now.

“How about it? If you’re interested, I can immediately…”

“Um… I’ll think about it for a bit.”

I glossed over it for now.

Since it’s just a drunken story, he’ll probably forget about it tomorrow unless I bring it up first.

More than anything, marriage is absurd.

It’s not a matter to consider for me right now.

So it’s not because I dislike your sister.

Please don’t misunderstand, Mr. Kelman.

I ignored his suggestion and just drank the awful alcohol.

I still miss that cheap canned beer.

* * *

Around dawn, the villagers returned to their homes.

It’s natural since they have to make a living tomorrow.

I also headed home.

The location of the house is clearly remembered, so there’s no need to wander around.

Soon, I saw a small field, and at the end of it, I saw an old but familiar-looking house.

That’s the house where ‘Eilan’ was born and raised.

As soon as I arrived, I felt a strange feeling stirring inside my chest.

‘Is it longing?’

If so, is it Eilan’s memories that are longing?

‘It’s better not to get too immersed.’

I turned my attention elsewhere.

If it’s been a while since I’ve been back, I should check the condition of the house first.

This is common sense.

And I was shocked.

“What, there’s no lock on the door? Wow! It doesn’t even lock? How can I live here with such anxiety?!”

I shuddered at the amazing security awareness here.

The door just opens if you push it roughly.

Aren’t they afraid of thieves?

It feels like a proper traditional countryside.

“Anyway… this is a headache as soon as I get back. The house is a mess.”

I sighed after seeing the state of the house’s interior.

Originally, a house deteriorates if no one lives in it.

Dust accumulation is cute; some parts were rotting or had mold.

Looking closely, there was a small hole in the roof.

That’s what I’ve grasped in the darkness so far.

It’s going to be a pain to fix this from tomorrow?

Putting aside everything else, what should I do about the hole in the roof?

“Cleaning and repairs… um, let’s do that later. Too much trouble.”

I just dusted off the bedding I would use right away and spread it on the straw pile that made up the bed.

But as soon as I lay down, I almost screamed, “Ugh!”

I was poked by the protruding straw.

“Ugh! Stabbing?! Is this a bed or a stable?”

Ugh! My back is rough!

Warmth, size, everything is less than expected, but what this bed lacks most is softness.

…I guess beds were science after all.

I already miss Earth.

I never dreamed that I would desperately miss the cheap bed I used to use.

“…I’m worried about whether I can even sleep properly tonight?”

Still, fatigue is a sleeping pill, and surprisingly, I was able to fall asleep normally as soon as I closed my eyes.

Maybe that awful alcohol had an effect.

Come to think of it, today might be the first day since I came here that I’ve slept deeply with my legs stretched out.

Until now, I had to sleep crouched in a tent or on the side of the road.

‘…Okay… let’s think about the rest… tomorrow… hmm, I’ll have to do it tomorrow.’

I fell asleep like that.

* * *

I woke up as soon as I felt a bit of daylight.

It’s because of that damn habit.

I can’t even sleep in; how sad.

Plus, I have a throbbing headache and a dry throat.

It’s a hangover.

Could it be that this body is weak to alcohol?

“Wa, water…”

I drank the lukewarm water I had prepared in advance.

Even the water tastes bad!

After that, I ate some of the bread and meat left over from yesterday for breakfast.

I somehow chewed and swallowed it with water to fill my stomach and sighed.

“…Haa, what am I really going to do now?”

There’s a lot I want to say, but it doesn’t come out because my throat hurts and my tongue is tired.

‘Is there no way to go back home?’

Home as in Earth, not here!

At first, I imagined that this was a dream and that I would return to normal when I opened my eyes.

It’s already been quite a while since I became Eilan.

I should stop escaping reality.

‘At least there’s no situation where I’ll be back home without doing anything.’

However, there was something unexpected.

There’s no way to go home right now.

Even thinking about that fact, I don’t feel much despair or emptiness.

There’s definitely a feeling of regret.

Cold beer, a bed, the internet… many things flicker in my mind.

But that’s just feeling empty because they’re not there; it’s not the same as longing.

I don’t feel anything that could be called homesickness.

The answer came surprisingly quickly.

‘…I see. I didn’t have much attachment to that place after all.’

Realizing that, I applauded involuntarily.