I truly gave it my all... I don't think I've ever worked quite this hard in my entire life, but I somehow managed to overcome the greatest ordeal I’d ever faced.
The sensation still lingered vividly in my palms... I wondered if I’d even be able to sleep tonight.
"…Kaito… dinner… please, have some."
"A-Ah, thank you very much."
After my bath, Isis-san informed me that she’d prepared a meal. I followed her back to the dining hall, where we sat side by side at a table large enough to accommodate a small army.
Actually, calling it "side by side" was an understatement. Despite the table’s massive size, she sat right next to me. We weren’t even using a tenth of the available space, but I suppose that was just like her.
The dishes Isis-san had prepared were all simple and looked delicious. However, she hadn't taken them out of a Magic Box... I wondered if they’d gone cold while I was in the bath.
As if answering my unspoken question, a small magic circle appeared over Isis-san’s hand, and steam suddenly billowed from the soup.
"O-Oh... steam, all of a sudden."
"…I cast… Preservation Magic… on it."
I see. I used a Magic Box to simulate the effects of Preservation Magic, but for someone at Isis-san’s level, casting it directly was a simple task.
As my eyes drifted over the food, Isis-san clasped her hands nervously in front of her waist, fidgeting as she spoke.
"…I hope… I made it… well enough…"
"Eh? Did you make all of this yourself, Isis-san?"
"…Y-Yes… I don't usually… eat… but… Kaito does… so I… practiced."
"…Isis-san."
For Isis-san and certain other high-ranking demons, eating and sleeping weren’t biological necessities; they fell into the realm of hobbies or personal preferences.
It seemed Isis-san usually only consumed light snacks with her tea, meaning she had practiced cooking specifically for my visit.
It was hard to put into words—a mix of immense gratitude and bashful embarrassment. I thanked her once more and reached for the food.
"Thank you for the meal."
"…Mhm."
Isis-san’s cooking was, for lack of a better word, unrefined.
It wasn't sophisticated or professional; it felt amateurish. But that’s exactly why I could tell how much she had struggled and practiced, working through trial and error just for me.
Was that why? Though even a generous critic wouldn’t call the taste first-class, the food was uncontrollably delicious. More than anything, it warmed my heart.
"…This is very, very good."
"…Really? …But… I'm… not good at… cooking at all…"
"Well, you know, it’s exactly like what you told me before."
"…Eh?"
"Because you made this for me, and because you're here with me... it tastes so much better than anything else."
"…Kai…to."
The food really was wonderful. Isis-san’s sincerity was woven into every bite, and I was moved to the bottom of my heart.
When I expressed those feelings honestly, Isis-san’s eyes grew moist, seemingly overcome with emotion.
She looked so incredibly adorable that my heart skipped a beat. I hurriedly shoved more food into my mouth to hide my flustered state.
"…Ah… Kaito… wait."
"Yes?"
For some reason, Isis-san told me to stop. As I tilted my head in confusion, she picked up the fork I had just set down, speared a piece of salad, and held it out with one hand supporting the bottom.
"…Here… say 'ah'…"
"Huh? Eh? W-Wait… Isis-san!? What are you doing all of a sudden!?"
"…I was told… doing this while eating… makes people happy."
"…And who told you that?"
"…Shaltier."
I’m going to kill her. Phantasm King... step outside right now.
What is that woman thinking?! Not only is she meddling behind the scenes, she’s planting these bizarre ideas in people's heads!
N-No, I had to focus on the situation at hand.
Isis-san was an honest soul, so she had completely swallowed the Phantasm King’s claim that this would make me happy. She was doing this out of pure, unadulterated goodwill.
I mean, sure, it wasn't that I hated being treated like this, but... it was mortifyingly embarrassing.
It would be easy to turn her down, but if I did, Isis-san would surely look heartbroken.
I didn't want to see her sad... Right. If I just endured a bit of embarrassment, everything would be fine!
A-Alright...
"…H-Here goes."
"…Huh? …Kaito… you have to say… 'ah'…"
"…Ahhh…"
"…Here… is it good?"
"I-It’s delicious."
"…I'm glad."
I’ll say it again... how did it come to this?
I’m never forgiving the Phantasm King... I’m definitely going to have words with her the next time we meet.
And another thing... there was a staggering amount of food. Was I really supposed to eat all of this?
"T-Thank you for the meal. I'm stuffed."
"…Mhm… oh… there’s… dessert too."
"…Eh? Ah, right. Y-Yes, I’ll have some."
I had managed to finish the meal—which was far more massive than I’d anticipated—driven by the singular desire to see Isis-san happy. I let out a sigh of relief, thinking it was finally over... only to find out there was more.
M-My stomach’s about to burst... b-but Isis-san worked so hard on this. I’d be a disgrace to men everywhere if I didn't finish it!
With a blissful smile, Isis-san brought over a Riple Pie... which was basically an apple pie.
"Is this a Riple pie?"
"…Mhm… because… you said… you liked them…"
"Thank you very much."
I did indeed love apple pie.
It had been one of my late mother’s specialties... Well, to be fair, Mom was a terrible cook. She could only manage Hamburg steaks and apple pie.
Regardless, apple pie was the "taste of home" for me, and undeniably my favorite food... I hadn’t really thought about it before, but was I a mama's boy without knowing it?
"…Here… say 'ah'…"
"…Ahhh."
It looked like she wasn't going to stop for dessert either. I leaned in to take a bite, but then I realized the situation had shifted significantly.
Earlier, she’d used a fork or a spoon. Now, Isis-san was holding the slice of Riple pie directly with her fingers.
C-Calm down, it’s fine... just calculate the angle and adjust how wide I open my mouth...
With even more tension than before, I bit into the Riple pie.
The sweet, soft Riple fruit paired perfectly with the flaky crust. Every bite released a gentle sweetness and a satisfying texture.
...I almost burst into tears.
The Riple pie made by Isis-san, who was a novice in the kitchen, tasted exactly like the apple pie made by my mother, who was also a poor cook... It was so delicious it made my chest ache with nostalgia.
As I was being swept away by the memory, Isis-san noticed something and reached her hand toward my face.
"…You have a crumb."
"Huh? Wha—!?"
"Munch"
"~~!?!?"
Isis-san picked a fragment of pie crust from the corner of my mouth with her finger and, with a perfectly natural motion, popped it into her own mouth.
My nostalgic thoughts were instantly incinerated as my face flushed crimson.
However, Isis-san didn't seem to notice my panic. She picked up another piece of pie and held it out... Wait, wait, wait!? This is bad, isn't it?!
Isis-san just put that finger in her mouth. Her finger was literally inside her mouth for a second.
And now, she was using that same hand to feed me the rest of the slice... and since I’d already taken a bite, it was much smaller now. I’d have to take the whole thing in one go... which meant, um, wouldn't that count as an indirect kiss?
"U-Um, Isis-san. I’ll eat the rest myse—"
"…Eh…"
"Ah, no, never mind! I’ll have it!"
I’d tried to suggest eating it myself, but I was instantly defeated by the crestfallen look on Isis-san’s face.
I-It’s impossible! I can’t tell her I’ll eat it myself when she looks like that!
Accepting that there was no escape, I steeled my resolve and opened my mouth.
Isis-san’s soft finger brushed against the inside of my mouth. It was only for a split second, but the faint heat from her skin made me feel like my head was going to boil over.
...But that wasn't the end. Because, well, there were still seven slices of Riple pie left...
Watching Isis-san pick up a new piece with a lovely, beaming smile, I accepted my fate and prepared for the mountain of embarrassment ahead.
Dear Mother, Father—It seems Isis-san studied cooking just for me and treated me to a home-cooked meal. It was delicious, and her feelings made me incredibly happy, but as for this embarrassing display—couldn’t something have been done about this?
Aren't they just a total lovey-dovey couple now?! Explode already!!
In any case, what is with this incredible heroine power...
She’s cute, kind (only to Kaito), works hard to cook and serve him, is insanely powerful yet makes you want to protect her, and loves him with all her heart... Her stats are just too high.