"Excuse me."
Giving a slight nod, I stepped into Ariane's room. The layout of the dorms was essentially the same across all the academies. Besides, I'd been here once before when I'd infiltrated the dorms in disguise, and being back felt strangely nostalgic.
"So, we are making curry, correct?"
"That’s right."
I had already gathered the ingredients from the bag. Inside were various vegetables, meat, and other essentials. However, out of everything required for my curry, this was undoubtedly the most important component...
"What is that bottle?"
"Heh. A sharp eye, as expected."
With a smirk, I pulled the bottle from the bag. It was filled with Ainsworth-style Secret Sauce.
This mysterious seasoning developed by Master was practically universal. Its effectiveness was plain to see if one looked at the sales of the 'Devil's Corn' we sold during the Magics Chevalier. Out of all my recipes, I intended to serve her the curry I used to make often during my time as a soldier—or rather, the one the others forced me to make.
"This is the Ainsworth-style Secret Sauce."
"...I believe you mentioned using that on the corn during the summer."
"Correct. It goes well with curry, too. No, rather, one could say it only shows its true potential when added to curry!"
I found myself more high-spirited than usual. Lately, I’ve been taking most of my meals at the school cafeteria, so it had been a while since I'd cooked for myself like this. Well... I did some cooking during the Cultural Festival, but come to think of it, Ariane was the first person I'd served directly like this since becoming a student.
"...Your energy is unusually high."
"Ariane, you're the first person I've personally cooked for like this since enrolling at the academy. It's raised my spirits."
"Eh... Is that so?"
She suddenly looked troubled. I wondered if I'd said something wrong.
"Ray."
"What is it?"
Her expression turned serious, and she spoke with practiced composure.
"Let me say this once more: you must never tell a soul about today."
"...? Why is that?"
"A maiden has her reasons! Especially where Amelia and Rebecca-senpai are concerned! I would simply die of shame!"
She leaned in close, tapping her right index finger against my chest. Her face was intense enough to be a little intimidating.
I see... A maiden has her reasons. I judged it best not to delve any deeper.
"I understand."
"...Please, be very careful."
With that settled, we moved to the kitchen. Since it wasn't used regularly, it was spotless. I began unpacking the cooking utensils I had brought in my backpack.
"You certainly brought a lot with you..."
"Yeah."
"Is there anything I can help with?"
"..."
I hesitated. Efficiency-wise, it would be faster if I handled it alone. However, I had set this up as a way to build rapport. Cooking together might help us grow closer.
"Right. In that case, I'll have you peel the vegetables."
"Understood!"
She rolled up her sleeves, her eyes sparkling. She explained that she had been interested in cooking for a long time but had never found the right opportunity to start. "This is a wonderful chance!" she added happily.
"..."
"..."
We fell into a comfortable silence, each focused on our respective tasks. Ariane worked diligently with a Petty Knife while I set about cubing the meat. After that, I prepared the seasonings and began marinating.
I stole a glance at her. As expected, she lacked experience and seemed to be struggling.
"Ariane."
"Mm... My apologies. I am taking a bit longer than expected..."
Stepping up behind her, I reached around and placed my hands over hers, almost as if I were embracing her.
"Listen. When you peel vegetables, you shouldn't use brute force to move the knife."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. It’s more like letting the blade glide over the surface."
"I see. This is very educational."
Enveloping her soft hands with mine, I guided the knife to demonstrate the technique. It was important to let the body learn the rhythm first. This was how I had been taught as well. For the record, it wasn't Master who taught me to cook, but primarily Abby-san and Carol.
"...Hyah!"
Suddenly, my breath brushed against Ariane's ear.
"S-Sorry. I got a bit carried away."
"N-No... I was focused as well. Um, I think I can do it by myself now."
"Right. Of course."
I stepped back, and she did indeed seem to have a handle on it. While she was still a bit clumsy, she was a quick study.
As a daughter of one of the Three Great Noble Families, she likely had never touched housework before. It was only natural for a noble to leave such tasks to the help. And yet, here she was, putting her heart into it. Looking at her, I couldn't help but see a reflection of my younger self.
"What is the matter?"
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"It is rare to see you smiling like that, Ray."
When she pointed it out, I realized I was indeed grinning. I suppose... seeing her work so hard reminded me of my own childhood, and I felt a wave of nostalgia.
"I was just remembering when I was small."
It wasn't something I needed to keep secret, so I decided to be honest.
"When you were small...?"
"Yeah. Back then, I had no intention of ever cooking for anyone. I only did it because Master forced me to... while the other adults coached me through it."
I continued the preparation with practiced efficiency while I spoke.
"After a while, I realized that doing something for someone else... that act itself had meaning. Master surely understood that from the beginning."
"I see..."
The preparation was soon complete, leaving the curry to simmer.
"Alright. That should do it."
I finished it off with a dash of the Ainsworth-style Secret Sauce. We chatted about trivial things while the pot bubbled, and soon enough, it was done. I had prepared enough rice for two, so we were having Rice Curry today.
"It's ready. Do you have plates?"
"Yes. I have some right here."
I took the flat plates from her and served the white rice topped with a generous helping of curry.
"It smells wonderful."
"Doesn't it?"
"Yes! I can tell it is delicious without even tasting it!"
With her eyes shining, she accepted the plate. We moved to the table, set out some water, and prepared to eat.
"Alright. Shall we?"
"Yes!"
"Itadakimasu."
I scooped up a bit of roux and rice and took a bite. The moment the food hit my tongue, a rich, complex flavor exploded in my mouth. The various seasonings were balanced to perfection. Since Ariane had requested a milder flavor, I had kept the spices in check.
"Yeah. It’s good."
It had turned out exactly as I’d hoped. My skills hadn't dulled in the slightest.
"Mmmmmmmm!"
Ariane, meanwhile, let out a muffled groan of delight, pressing a hand to her cheek.
"Is it good?"
"Yes! It is absolutely delicious!"
She beamed with joy. Seeing someone react to my cooking with such a pure smile made the effort of coming here today more than worth it.
"Ray, you really can do anything!"
"I wouldn't say anything, but I was taught the basics of most necessities."
"Fufu. You really are a mysterious person."
Despite her smile, her spoon never stopped moving. I had prepared enough for seconds, but she polished off her first plate in record time and immediately started on her second. Her pace put mine to shame.
"Ha! Oh my, it seems I have accidentally overindulged...!"
Before I knew it, she had finished three helpings, and the pot was empty. I had stuck to just one plate. After all, I had made this for her.
"I don't mind. Let's eat together again sometime."
"Yes!"
Seeing her respond so energetically, a small smile played across my lips.
I watched her, still remembering those distant days.