Chapter 10

The fairy lightly lifted the hem of her skirt with both hands, performing a polite curtsy—a traditional European greeting known as a curtsey. I had shown her a video of it on a whim, and she eagerly began practicing it. Her efforts paid off spectacularly.

Comments from the audience flooded in:

• “Wait, this is adorable.”
• “I knew people with fairies always dress them up fancy.”
• “This is Fairy Queen-level elegance.”
• “Whoa, impressive.”
• “Oh, that outfit’s from a famous brand. You’re dressing her in quality stuff!”

“Well, it was a gift from a friend. I don’t really know much about clothes myself,” I explained.

Even to my untrained eye, the outfit looked top-tier. I’d tried to pay for it, but my coworker Tomokaze adamantly refused. “I’m looking forward to your streams!” he’d said, shooing me off with a grin. I’d have to thank him properly another day.

“Alright, today’s snack is roasted venison from the forest stags!” I announced, setting the mood.

Audience comments shifted again:

• “Forget the food, just stream the fairy!”
• “(・ワ・)＜ Our time has come.”
• “(・ワ・)＜ Will the elves now decline?”
• “At 29, elves aren’t old enough to decline in most settings, are they?”
• “(・ワ・)＜ Some stories call them infants at that age.”

Argh! My worst fear had come true—everyone was too captivated by the fairy to care about today’s painstakingly prepared dish. This roast took real effort! But I couldn’t be mad. It was her debut appearance, after all.

Meanwhile, the fairy, delighted by the audience’s reactions, posed gleefully in response to the comments. Wait, she’s reading the text? When did she learn to read?!

Abandoned in favor of a fairy screenshot frenzy, I resigned myself to sipping sake and eating venison solo.

First bite, no condiments—perfect. It’s on par with a great roast beef. A touch of horseradish? Even better. Pair it with sake—ah, heaven.

The comments resumed:

• “Drinking alone? Relatable.”
• “I mean, we ditched him, so…”
• “Venison is pretty good, not gamey at all.”

The fairy turned her back to me at this, fixing me with a disbelieving look. Yep, I get it. You’re saying, How dare you drink alone without me?

Just as I opened my mouth to explain, I was met with a swift headbutt to the face.

“Oof!”
Audience reactions:

• “Fairy protest, headbutt edition.”
• “Dude, you’re guilty of betrayal here.”
• “Serves you right!”

“I’m sorry, okay?! I saved you a share!” I pleaded.

Placated for now, I served the fairy her portion—a small plate of venison and horseradish. It should’ve made her happy, but her pointed stare clearly said, Not enough.

What was missing? Oh no.

“You want sake too, don’t you?”

The fairy nodded eagerly.

Audience reactions:

• “Wait, what?!”
• “Is she a pet trying to eat the same meal as her owner?”
• “Fairy alcohol tolerance test incoming.”

Resigned, I poured a small amount of sake into the cap of a green tea bottle, figuring it was a fairy-appropriate serving size. “Here you go, enjoy.”

The fairy carefully balanced the cap, full of sake, and began sipping with visible delight.

Audience comments exploded:

• “She’s actually drinking it!”
• “The smile! So precious!”
• “A fairy who can hold her liquor, huh?”
• “Wait, she’s still drinking?!”

To my surprise, she polished it off in one go.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

The fairy beamed back at me, showing no signs of being tipsy, as she flitted about in high spirits. Her flight was steady—no wobbling or signs of inebriation.

“Looks like she’s got a strong head for alcohol,” I mused.

Audience:

• “Why does she have to resemble her owner so much?”
• “Well, at least you’ve got a drinking buddy now.”

True. I’d always been drinking alone. Sure, I occasionally drank with Takefumi-san, but now that I’m an elf and he has a wife, those moments are rare.

Suddenly, I had a new drinking companion—a fairy. This could spice up my streams.

“Oh, another round?” I teased as she tapped my cheek impatiently.

Audience:

• “The cheek-tap demand is too cute!”
• “By the way, what’s her name?”

Oh no.

“Uh…”

Audience reactions were ruthless:

• “Called it, he forgot to name her!”
• “Yeah, ‘Fairy, fairy’ was starting to sound weird.”
• “Naming stream, let’s go!”

After much discussion between me and the audience, the fairy made the final call. She chose Aurora, after a cocktail whose name means “a chance encounter.”

It’s a great name, even if I’ve never tried the drink. Aurora—the perfect companion for my adventures.