Sherry joining our party brought me more than just a new companion; it also unlocked a new job for me.
The Sex Fiend.
Naturally, that meant it was time for some validation.
How should I go about testing it? Well, the best way to start was simply to use it. The Sex Fiend job comes with a skill called Increased Stamina. To gauge its effectiveness, I threw myself into a task that required a significant expenditure of energy.
First, I conducted a trial with Roxanne and Sherry without the job equipped. Then, I equipped the Sex Fiend job and tried again with both of them.
This was strictly for validation purposes. Yes, validation. For the sake of data, I endured—no, I performed the task a total of four times.
The result: I savored both of them quite thoroughly.
Wait, that didn't help at all.
Actually, even after four rounds, I still felt like I had plenty of energy left, so the stamina increase must have been working. The problem was that I couldn't really tell the difference between having it equipped and not. I didn't know the exact parameters of the increase, and since I was still going strong, I hadn't found the limit yet.
Should I consider this a failure? Maybe this was just par for the course on the first day. Regardless, the validation process would have to continue.
Come to think of it, I had never actually reached my limit even without the job equipped. If I really wanted to confirm the effect, I suppose I’d have to push myself until I collapsed both with and without the skill, but I wasn't that dedicated to the cause.
Besides, if I actually went to the limit, I’d probably be the one to break.
Roxanne and Sherry fell asleep immediately without even a word to each other. It seemed the "validation" had been a bit of a burden on them. From that perspective, testing the limits of Increased Stamina was going to be an ordeal.
The next morning, I woke up as usual, tangled up with Roxanne. I had slept with the Sex Fiend job still equipped, but it seemed I hadn't fired any accidental shots in my sleep.
Relieved, I leaned over Roxanne, pinning her beautiful body beneath mine. I wrapped my arms around her soft limbs, pressing my weight against her resilient breasts. I allowed myself to focus on the flesh that was the object of my desire.
Wait.
No, no. What was I doing?
I exerted my Iron Reason and held myself back.
I had to test the Abstinence Attack skill. It was a Sex Fiend ability that apparently grew in power the longer one abstained from sexual activity. Supposedly, ten days of abstinence could deal massive damage even to a boss.
Of course, I didn't think for a second that I could last ten days. I doubted I could manage two or three.
But what about half a day? Or even a full day?
If I could hold out until evening, that would be about twenty hours of abstinence. I needed to see just how much power twenty hours could generate. At the very least, I wanted to see the damage output of abstaining until morning.
I couldn't afford a premature explosion now.
I climbed off Roxanne’s smooth body. With lingering regret, I released her lustrous, enticing form and rolled to the side. I stayed pressed against her, though; there was no way I was letting her go entirely.
As I lay beside her, Roxanne leaned in for a kiss.
I latched onto her mouth. I sucked with all my might, pouring every ounce of strength I had into the kiss. It felt as if it were our very first time. I slid my tongue inside, entwining it with hers as I devoured that moist warmth.
"Nn... mngh..."
Roxanne’s muffled moans were the ultimate reward.
I hugged her tightly, savoring the smoothness of her skin and the play of her muscles. Between my chest and her body, those rich fruits yielded and flattened. They were like ripe, juicy melons.
I was so glad I had found these melons.
A part of me, overjoyed by this discovery, started getting hot. Very hot.
Wait, no! This wasn't right!
I summoned my Steel Reason and pulled back. This was for the sake of the skill. I had to perform an Abstinence Attack later. Until then, I had to remain chaste.
However, while I had barely managed to stop myself from going further, we were still kissing. Roxanne’s tongue moved against mine, soft and meltingly sweet.
At this rate, my Diamond Reason was going to dissolve.
"G-good morning."
Exerting my Maximum Reason, I finally managed to break away. It felt like I needed Orichalcum Reason just to let go of her.
"...G-good morning, Master."
Roxanne was breathing heavily. The exchange must have been quite intense for her as well. The elastic pressure against my chest vanished as she moved away.
Just as I tried to catch my breath, arms wrapped around my neck from behind.
Dammit. Sherry was still there. My Paper Reason was in tatters.
"Good morning."
"G-good morning."
But I was a man of Orichalcum. I felt nothing. Probably.
Breathing hard, I released Sherry. She was out of breath too. Maybe I had been a bit too aggressive.
"Sorry, you two. I lost my self-control for a second there."
"No... um, I was happy about it," Sherry whispered.
"I was happy too," Roxanne added.
They shouldn't say things like that. I almost pounced on them again.
Exerting my reason, I held back. Exerting my reason, I stood up. Exerting my reason, I got dressed. Exerting my reason, I equipped my leather boots and armor.
I had to be strong.
We moved to the Quratar Labyrinth, and I distributed the gear from my Item Box.
"Sherry, you wear the Waterproof Leather Mittens you made yesterday."
"Are you sure?"
"As things stand, the Needle Woods aren't spamming magic. I can tank a hit or two, and Roxanne will just dodge. Right now, these will be most effective on you."
"Thank you very much."
Since I didn't have Alchemist equipped, there was no Plating on our gear. The magic defense would help offset that loss to some degree. I couldn't have everything at once. To test Sex Fiend, I’d had to unequip Alchemist.
Sherry was getting to the point where she could handle herself without Plating anyway.
With Roxanne leading the way, we delved into the Labyrinth.
The Labyrinth was a battlefield. I couldn't lose focus.
Roxanne’s backside, swaying in front of me, was adorable. I wanted to give it a good smack. Every time I did, her tail would wag...
No, stop.
This was the Labyrinth. I couldn't relax here. I had to remain vigilant and watch my surroundings.
Sherry’s face was also lovely. I wanted to lick it all over...
You never knew what would happen in a Labyrinth. Constant attention was vital.
As I watched carefully, I noticed that even with her leather jacket on, Roxanne’s chest was still swaying. Incredible.
This was a battlefield. There was no time for rest. I wanted to finish up and go home. Once we were back in bed...
No!
Labyrinth. Battlefield.
"They're coming," Roxanne announced.
Roxanne’s voice was so cute. The sounds she made in bed were so sweet. I wanted to hear them again. I wanted to hear them right now. I wanted to hear them forever.
Argh! Out of my way, you pests!
I incinerated the monsters with magic.
"Here, Master."
Sherry handed me a Branch. She was so precious when she picked things up. If we weren't in the Labyrinth, I’d have pushed her down right there.
Yes, focus. The Labyrinth. No room for error. Stay sharp. Watch the perimeter.
Oh, Roxanne’s chest swayed again.
A Labyrinth required total tension. I had to live by the creed of "Always on the Battlefield." Even in bed, I was prepared to do battle against both Roxanne and Sherry simultaneously.
Yes, this was a war zone.
There was no room for the kind of perverted fantasies a bored high school boy would have during a lecture.
Still, the wait until evening was agonizingly long.
That was it—I’d draw a bath tonight. I’d make up for all this restraint in the water. I’d do that to Roxanne, and this to Sherry...
Hurry up, time! Don't make me wait!
The afternoon felt eternal. This was the true hell.
"Phew..."
The hellish day finally ended.
I transferred hot water from the jar to the tub and took a breath. I was exhausted. Was this the end of my long abstinence? I felt like my MP was running low just from the mental strain.
The tub was almost full; one more trip to the Labyrinth should be enough. This would be our final run of the day.
And on this run, I would finally use Abstinence Attack. There was no longer any need to stockpile my desires.
It was time for an explosion.
To be honest, between the tension of the battlefield and the constant movement, abstinence hadn't been quite as impossibly, desperately difficult as I’d feared. It was about as much of a trial as a high school boy trying to stay cool when he spots a girl's bra line through her thin summer uniform on the first day of the season. Or maybe like the shock of having a swimming class in the morning and then an art class with the cutest girl in school as the model in the afternoon.
Just a standard, trying day for a high schooler.
It seemed the Increased Stamina from the Sex Fiend job wasn't that overwhelming. The tension of being in a war zone must have helped. Even with the job equipped, I hadn't been completely derailed by lust. I’d stayed mostly on track, only occasionally drifting into lewd thoughts. That was pretty much my default state anyway.
"Are we heading back to the Labyrinth?"
When I stepped out of the bathroom and went downstairs, Roxanne greeted me from the kitchen.
She was so cute. I wanted to tackle her.
But I’d come too far to waste all that effort now.
"Please."
"I'll keep an eye on the stove," Sherry said, staying behind as we warped to the Vale Labyrinth 8th Floor.
I followed Roxanne’s lead deeper into the floor.
"Found them."
Three Collagen Corals and one Escape Goat. Perfect.
Tonight, Durandal was thirsty.
"Roxanne, take the two corals on the right. I'll handle the goat."
I raised Durandal and charged. I locked my sights on the Escape Goat.
Normally, an Escape Goat Lv 8 would survive one hit from Durandal and try to flee. If it didn't run, the attack was weaker than usual; if it died in one hit, the attack was significantly stronger. This was the perfect way to validate the power of an "at-the-limit" Abstinence Attack.
And I really was at my limit. I didn't trust myself to make it through the night without a release.
The monster entered my range. Visualizing the skill, I swung Durandal down.
Abstinence Attack!
A heavy, powerful slash slammed into the goat. It was a massive swing, nothing like the pathetic, shaky strike I’d produced the first time I used the skill.
The monster collapsed instantly. One hit. It was dead.
That meant the attack was at least twice as powerful as a normal hit. It was on par with using Rush. After nearly a day of abstinence, the skill was definitely a heavy hitter.
The remaining monsters counterattacked immediately. The Collagen Corals launched themselves at me.
In a strangely cleared headspace, the melee began. I dove into the thick of them, clashing with Durandal. I took hits, I was slammed, I was beaten, and I healed it all back with Durandal’s HP Absorption.
It hurt. It hurt, but it felt as refreshing as finally dislodging a tiny bone stuck in your throat. It was like jumping into a cool pool on a sweltering summer evening.
Beside me, Roxanne was a blur, the monsters unable to even graze her. I was the only one taking damage, yet I felt fantastic.
The last coral fell and dissolved into smoke.
"Good work, Master."
"You too. You didn't get hit once, did you?"
"No. It wasn't a problem."
I suppose monsters like these weren't even a challenge for her. I didn't even want to count how many times I’d been hit. My wounds were already gone thanks to Durandal, so it didn't matter. At this rate, I could probably clear the 8th Floor solo if I had to.
Of course, getting hit still hurt. I’d prefer not to do it if I didn't have to.
"Alright, let's head home."
There was no reason to go solo. If the need ever arose, I’d deal with it then.
We warped back to the house.
Maybe it was because I’d finally used Abstinence Attack, but I felt incredibly calm. The impulses that had been building up all day had evaporated. My mind was clear, like a sky after a storm. The mental fog was gone, replaced by a sense of absolute serenity.
It was the "Clear Mirror, Still Water" state of mind. I was so unperturbed by lust that I felt I could have attained the Shrine Maiden job right then and there—if I weren't a man, of course. I even checked my status just to be sure. Naturally, I hadn't unlocked it.
Even through dinner and the bath, I remained composed.
I washed every inch of Roxanne’s body, and I was calm. I savored the elasticity of her melons with all the pent-up appreciation from the day, and I was calm. I washed every detail of Sherry’s body without missing a spot, and I was calm.
Even when we soaked in the tub together, I stopped at just hugging them. I was the picture of tranquility.
Well, I did hug them, kiss them, nuzzle them, and stroke them, but I was still technically "calm."
I sat with Roxanne and Sherry on either side of me, holding them both at once, enjoying the feel of their breasts and taking turns kissing them, but I was definitely calm.
Even after we got into bed, I only enjoyed them twice each. Compared to the night before, that was practically monastic. Even with the Sex Fiend job on all day, I’d stayed within my normal limits. I was composed.
So this was the power of Abstinence Attack.
I still needed to verify if it was truly more powerful than Rush, but it was certainly a viable option. Since it scaled with the length of abstinence, ten days would probably produce something terrifying. It would likely one-shot a boss on this floor.
But ten days was too much. Even two days was pushing it. As long as I was sleeping with Roxanne and Sherry, I didn't think I could survive even a single night without giving in.
The next day, I unequipped Sex Fiend and we went back to fighting normally.
We cleared the 8th Floor shortly after. I’d fought the Collagen Coral boss in Quratar before, so it wasn't a threat. We boosted our defense with Plating, I hacked it apart with Durandal, and it was an easy win.
According to Sherry’s research at the Explorer Guild, the 9th Floor of the Vale Labyrinth featured Slow Rabbits. Since we’d fought them on the 8th Floor of Quratar, and they were, as the name suggested, slow, I didn't anticipate any issues.
This was going to be another easy win.
...Or so I thought at the time.
"Six shots," I muttered after sinking a Slow Rabbit Lv 9 with my sixth Fireball.
Six.
It seemed that from Level 9 onward, it took six magic strikes to put a monster down. As we climbed the floors, the enemies were getting demonstrably tougher. Nothing was going to be simple from here on out.
"The number of casts has increased slightly, but it's not a huge difference. To be able to defeat them in so few hits... as expected of you, Master," Roxanne said, offering some support.
"But it means we're spending more time in direct confrontation with them."
"I just need to dodge. It won't be an issue."
If it took more magic to kill them, the battles lasted longer. If the battles lasted longer, we spent more time in close quarters. Naturally, the risk of taking damage increased.
Well, for everyone except one person.
When I stepped up to the front, I had Durandal, so I wasn't worried. Even if I took a hit, I could recover instantly. The real concern was Sherry.
"Is the 9th Floor getting too tough for you?" I asked her after a few more battles.
Sherry had been hit several times already. The increase in damage was becoming hard to ignore.
"No, I'm fine. It doesn't feel significantly harder than the 8th Floor."
"But you're getting hit more often."
"You're giving me First Aid immediately, so it's not a problem. Um... am I being a nuisance? I'll work harder so I can dodge like Roxanne-san."
"No, no. I don't mind giving you First Aid at all. If you're okay with it, then we're okay."
I quickly reassured her. Sherry was determined to do her best, and if she said she was fine, I’d take her word for it. It looked like we could handle the 9th Floor after all.
The following morning, we moved our Quratar exploration to the 9th Floor as well. We had the map, and the 8th Floor boss had been a non-issue; I’d just pummeled it from a safe distance while Roxanne danced around its attacks.
"The 9th Floor of the Quratar Labyrinth features NEET Ants. Their defining characteristic is their use of poison. Water Magic is their weakness," Sherry explained as we warped to the new floor.
Poison, huh? This floor wasn't going to be a walk in the park.
"Thanks. So, Water Magic is the way to go?"
"Yes."
"Got it. This is our first time dealing with a dedicated poison user, isn't it?"
"Well, Spice Spiders have a low chance of poisoning you with their attacks. Also, the White Caterpillar—the boss of the Green Caterpillars—has a skill attack that sprays poison. Their standard strategy is to slow you down with thread before hit you with poison. It's a powerful combination; I've heard many explorers have fallen to it."
Wait, really?
I’d heard Antidote Pills were essential, which made sense if so many monsters used poison. I guess I’d just been lucky so far. Roxanne usually handled the spiders, so they never landed a hit, and I’d used Durandal to cancel the White Caterpillar’s skills.
"I hadn't noticed."
"On the lower floors, the NEET Ant is the most notorious poison user. What makes them terrifying is that their normal attacks can poison you, and they also have a skill that guarantees it."
A two-pronged threat. And skill usage only increased the higher we went. We couldn't afford to be sloppy.
"What happens if you get poisoned?"
"You'll grow progressively weaker. If left untreated, you'll eventually die."
Die? That was heavy.
"B-but Antidote Pills work, right?"
"Yes."
"Any long-term effects?"
"The medicine removes the poison entirely. However, any damage you've already taken remains. You'll still need Healing Medicine or First Aid."
So the prognosis was good. With my healing magic, the damage wasn't a concern.
"Alright. I have Antidote Pills in my Item Box. If either of you gets hit, come to me immediately."
"Yes, Master." "Understood."
It was faster for me to pull them from my Item Box than for them to dig through their rucksacks. Sherry had an Item Box too, but she needed to chant; I could do it instantly. Still, I had to consider what would happen if I were incapacitated. It shouldn't be an issue outside of a boss fight, but it was better to be prepared.
"Sherry, I'll give you a few to keep. Use them if anything happens to me."
I had her open her Item Box and handed them over. As a Master Smith at Explorer Level 10, her capacity was ten slots of ten items each. I had her store ten Antidote Pills.
We followed Roxanne until we encountered our first NEET Ant.
It was... a giant ant. Its shape was perfectly ordinary, but its scale was wrong. It was massive. Even from a distance, it looked huge. It warped my sense of perspective. Depending on how you looked at it, it was a bit repulsive—not just gross, but genuinely eerie.
Okay, think of it as a big beetle. If it’s a beetle, it’s not that bad. It’s an insect. It's a relative. A beetle. Just because it has a black, shiny shell doesn't mean it’s that other thing.
Ugh. I thought of it. The way its legs were serrated... it was a little similar.
No! It’s an ant. Just an ant. It’s not a roach.
Water Ball!
A sphere of water formed above my head and surged through the cave. The NEET Ant didn't scurry away or take flight like a certain kitchen nightmare. The water ball struck true and burst.
Thank god. It definitely wasn't that thing. The King of the Kitchen would have dodged that magic with ease.
I fired a second Water Ball. The ant’s movements were standard for a monster. It really was just an ant. A NEET Ant, though. It probably felt like "if you work, you lose."
Up close, it was about a meter long. At that size, it was still a little unsettling. I hit it with another Water Ball.
Get a job, buddy.
Though, if monsters started getting jobs, the world would probably be in even worse shape.
I kept firing until the ant dissolved into smoke. Once it vanished, it left behind something with a very ominous name.
A Poison Needle.
It looked sinister. Sherry casually picked it up and brought it over.
"Is that safe?"
"Yes. Um, is it okay to hold it?"
"Oh, so you knew about the NEET Ant drops. It's fine. It is a poisonous item, but I've heard it's only toxic to humans or animals if they ingest it."
So it was safe to touch. I’d still make sure to wash my hands later, though. I took it from her. The needle was a black, conical object about five centimeters long. I’d expected the tip to be sharp, but it wasn't particularly needle-like.
"So it only works if you swallow it? The opposite of snake venom."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah."
Snake venom is made of protein, so I’d heard you could technically digest it if you ate it. Snakes use it to hunt, and since they eat their prey, they’d be in trouble if their own venom poisoned them from the inside. This world’s snakes might be different, but if they used venom for hunting, the logic should hold. It’s rare for a predator to have venom solely for defense.
"I see. You're so knowledgeable, Master."
"As expected of Master."
I’d managed to regain some respect with my useless modern knowledge. I’d looked like a bit of a fool for not knowing how to handle the needle, so this balanced the scales. Sherry hadn't said anything, but she probably thought I was a bit of a sheltered country boy.
"Poison Needles are very effective against monsters," Sherry continued. "If you throw them and hit, you can inflict the poison status. In boss battles against enemies of equal strength, using these first is a core strategy."
"Even bosses get poisoned?"
"With a party of six, if everyone throws two or three, you can usually get it to stick."
"The success rate is that low?"
Two or three needles for six people meant twelve to eighteen needles. That meant a single needle almost never worked. You needed a lot of them to guarantee results.
"There's also a more specialized use," Sherry said. "Some monsters outside the Labyrinth won't attack unless you strike them first. Since a Poison Needle does no damage, throwing it isn't always recognized as an attack. However, once the poison takes effect, it counts as an engagement. By poisoning them first, you can defeat them much faster."
What a crafty trick. These people were resourceful.
"Oh! I used to play like that when I was a kid," Roxanne chimed in. Apparently, she was familiar with the tactic.
"You did, Roxanne?"
"Wouldn't that be expensive?" Sherry asked. "I heard that's a pastime for the children of nobles and wealthy merchants."
Exactly. Poison Needles weren't free. If the Guild bought Kobold Salt, they’d certainly pay for these. Throwing them away for fun seemed like a waste.
"Well, there was a NEET Ant spawn near my village, so I gathered my own needles. I knew I'd get scolded for doing something dangerous if I brought them home, so I’d go deep into the forest and use them on strong monsters."
Her logic was... technically sound.
"You hunted NEET Ants on your own?" I asked.
"Yes."
"But you'd be scolded because it was dangerous?"
"Well, I was just a small child, so it took several hours to kill just one."
I thought I heard something absolutely insane, but I must have misheard. Or maybe "several hours" in this world translated to a few seconds on Earth.
"Um, NEET Ants have a guaranteed poison skill," Sherry pointed out. "That sounds incredibly dangerous."
"It's not a problem as long as you dodge," Roxanne replied.
"For several hours straight?"
"Yes."
Sherry, don't look too deep into it. That's a rabbit hole you don't want to go down.
"So, you used the needles from the ants on other monsters?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Couldn't you just hunt those monsters normally?"
"Oh, no. I picked monsters I couldn't possibly beat. My attacks wouldn't even leave a scratch. Near my home, Non-rem Golems were the best—they were strong, but relatively easy to approach."
So she’d hunt ants she could beat to get needles to poison golems she couldn't beat. It made sense... in a terrifying way.
"B-but Non-rem Golems are aggressive, aren't they?" Sherry stammered.
"Yes, they are."
"Isn't it dangerous to be spotted?"
"Once you throw the needle and the poison hits, they engage you anyway. So it's all the same."
No! It is not the same at all! There is a massive difference between poisoning a passive monster and picking a fight with an apex predator you can't actually hurt.
"Don't other monsters find you while you're there?"
"I can track other monsters by their scent, so I just slipped past them."
"Getting close is one thing, but they don't get poisoned that easily, do they?"
"If you throw twenty needles, they almost always get poisoned."
Sherry kept pressing, but Roxanne remained perfectly calm.
"If you throw twenty, doesn't the golem catch you and kill you?"
"Well, it spots you after the first one. I just threw the rest while dodging its attacks."
"A-and once it's poisoned? What then?"
"I just kept dodging until it fell over."
"You just... dodged?"
"My attacks didn't work at all. That's how strong it was. If I’d been hit once, I’d have definitely died. Even a graze would have been fatal. Honestly, the wind pressure from its swings alone was enough to kill me. So I had to dodge for my life. But since it was poisoned, it died much faster than the ants did. It was very reassuring."
Reassuring? Reassuring?
Roxanne, what kind of "play" was that?
So this was the source of her power. She’d been training like a maniac since she was a child by playing a game where any mistake meant instant death. Or maybe it was the other way around—she could play that game because she was already a natural at dodging. It was a chicken-and-egg situation.
Then again, when I first met her, her level wasn't that high. Maybe surface monsters didn't give much XP, or maybe kills via poison didn't count fully.
I had to know one more thing. "Did other kids play this too?"
"I was going to invite them, but I got caught and banned from doing it before I could."
Thank god. It’s good to know there isn't a whole village of Roxannes running around.
Sherry’s shoulders were shaking. She looked like she was on the verge of tears.
Yeah, I felt that.
I reached out and put a hand on Sherry’s trembling shoulder. I had to say it.
"Just give up, Sherry."
It was the kindest thing I could do.
On the 9th Floor of the Quratar Labyrinth, about half the encounters were NEET Ants. The other half were typically Needle Woods from the 8th Floor. Needle Woods resisted Water Magic, while NEET Ants were weak to it. It made for a tricky balance.
Still, I was glad the 9th Floor monster was the one with the weakness. If it were reversed, we’d be in trouble. If we faced three ants and one tree, I could burst down the ants with water and be left with a single target. If it were three trees and one ant, I’d take out the ant, but be left with three magic-resistant trees that hadn't taken much damage.
Since NEET Ants used poison, they had to be the priority. My Water Magic could sink them in three hits, so we usually killed them before they could even use a skill. For now, the poison threat was manageable.
As for the Needle Woods, they were higher level now, which meant they were more likely to use magic. However, since we were fighting fewer of them than on the 8th Floor, the actual number of spells cast at us had actually gone down. We were handling the 9th Floor just fine.
We spent until sunrise in the Labyrinth, then headed home to make breakfast.
Today’s menu was Fried Macaroni—my version of yakisoba. I sautéed rabbit meat and vegetables in olive oil, tossed in boiled short pasta, deglazed with a bit of wine, and seasoned it all with Fish Sauce. I’d tested a version of this for dinner before, so I knew the taste was solid.
Interestingly, long pasta like spaghetti does exist in this world. However, they don't use forks. Roxanne and Sherry were quite skilled with knives and wooden spoons, and I had my homemade serving chopsticks. I’d wondered what they would do with long noodles.
Apparently, the local way to eat long pasta is to grab it with your bare hands. Stabbing meat with a knife is one thing, but I really didn't want to see Roxanne or Sherry eating yakisoba with their fingers. So, I used short pasta. You can eat that with a spoon.
While I cooked, Roxanne handled the laundry and Sherry did the cleaning. Without washing machines or vacuums, the domestic workload was immense. The least I could do was handle the cooking.
I brought the Fried Macaroni to the table. The girls were already in the dining room. The sweet, savory scent of the scorched fish sauce was incredibly appetizing.
"Did I keep you waiting?"
"No, not at all."
Sherry took her seat, and Roxanne stood behind her, gently combing Sherry's hair.