I stepped into the kitchen to take over for Lilia-san. It wasn’t so much that she was bad at cooking; she simply had zero experience with it.
I started by quickly slicing the boar meat. It was excellent quality; the blade didn't catch on any gristle, and I was able to produce clean, even slices. I sprinkled the meat lightly with salt and let it sit for a moment to season, using the time to start on the vegetables.
Since I was stir-frying them with the meat, I made sure to cut the vegetables into fairly large chunks so the flavor wouldn't get lost. I tossed them into the frying pan, starting with the ones that took the longest to cook. As I tossed the assortment of vegetables together, I waited for the right moment and added the meat. A savory aroma wafted up immediately, accompanied by the satisfying sizzle of oil.
Once the meat had browned, it was time for the finishing touch. I pulled out a bottle of yakiniku sauce I’d bought at the shopping district and added it a little at a time to get the seasoning just right.
And with that, the soul food of a poor college student—meat and vegetable stir-fry—was complete. I certainly wasn't cutting corners. To be honest, improvising a dish from scratch using whatever was on hand was far too high a difficulty level for me. Stir-frying was the way to go. If you fry it and cover it in sauce, it usually tastes good.
Next, I decided that having only a stir-fry was a bit lonely, so I prepared some soup as well. I pulled the soup Sieg-san had made from my Magic Box and transferred it to a bowl with a perfectly straight face.
No, this wasn't cutting corners either. This was a strategic decision based on the situation. If the world turned upside down, there was still no way a soup I made with unfamiliar ingredients could ever hope to rival one of Sieg-san’s delicious recipes. It would be presumptuous to even compare them. Therefore, this was a decision born from my sincere desire for Lilia-san to eat something delicious, not because I was bad at making soup or anything like that.
At this point, being Japanese, I really wanted some rice, but Lilia-san—or rather, most people in this world—didn't really care for it. I decided to stick with bread. Of course, this was delicious bread from a bakery. I couldn't possibly bake it myself; it takes forever, and considering my last attempt at baking resulted in a demonic substance known as Black Apple Pie, I decided to trust a professional.
Looking back, I’d acted all high and mighty about taking over the cooking, only to end up with a single stir-fry of my own making. But well, that was a minor detail. I did have specialty dishes, of course, but I didn't have the right ingredients. For the record, I was quite good at making sandwiches and rolled omelets. Actually, just saying that out loud made me feel a little embarrassed.
"Lilia-san, it's ready."
"Already!? That's incredible... Kaito-san, you're quite a skilled cook, aren't you?"
"..."
She looked at me with such earnest admiration that I felt an unbearable pang of guilt. I’m sorry. I literally just fried some meat and vegetables.
I made a mental note to practice my cooking in the future, but for now, dinner was ready. I sat down at the table with Lilia-san to eat. She took a sip of the soup first, and a lovely smile spread across her face.
"This is wonderful. It wouldn't lose to the chefs at my estate."
"I-I’m glad you like it."
I’m so sorry. I didn't make that. A very talented woman made that.
Next, Lilia-san reached for the stir-fry I’d made. My tension reached its peak. This was bad. Compared to Sieg-san’s soup, my stir-fry was undeniably several levels lower in quality. Lilia-san was a noble used to fine dining; it might not suit her palate at all. It wasn't that I'd be in trouble if she found out, but it was embarrassing to have acted so confident only to be exposed as a fraud who relied on Sieg-san.
Unaware of my internal crisis, Lilia-san took a bite of the stir-fry and tilted her head. I knew it. It wasn't good.
"U-Um, Lilia-san?"
"...This is an unusual flavor. I’ve never had anything like it before."
"Huh?"
"It's a bit spicy and very rich, but it's delicious."
"I-I see..."
Lilia-san had never had yakiniku sauce before!? Now that I thought about it, she was a former princess and a current duchess—a dyed-in-the-wool milady. This kind of sauce, which basically overwrites the taste of every ingredient it touches, was probably a completely new experience for her. At the very least, it wasn't a negative review. Lilia-san seemed to be enjoying her meal.
I felt a wave of relief.
Once we finished and cleared the dishes, it was late enough that it felt like time for a bath.
"Lilia-san, would you like to go first?"
"Eh? A-Ah, y-yes. T-That's right, isn't it!?"
"Lilia-san?"
I thought I’d asked quite normally, but for some reason, she suddenly became incredibly flustered. Her face turned redder by the second.
"...P-Please wait a moment. I’m not... I mean, I’m not mentally prepared yet..."
"Uh... okay?"
Why would you need to be mentally prepared for a bath? I had no idea what she meant, and as I tilted my head in confusion, she spoke again, her face so red it looked like steam was about to rise from her head.
"K-Kaito-san... why don't you... g-go in first?"
"Oh. Sure, if you're okay with that..."
"I-I’ll try... n-not to keep you waiting too long..."
"Okay?"
I really didn't understand what she was talking about. I still had questions, but since she’d asked me to go first, I agreed and went to get ready. Even as I did, Lilia-san kept her head down, her face bright red, mumbling something to herself. When I spoke to her, she just panicked, so a conversation was impossible. I decided to wait until she calmed down to ask her what was wrong and headed to the bathroom.
The cottage's bathroom wasn't as large as the ones in Lilia-san’s mansion, but it was more than enough for one person. The wooden tub created a lovely atmosphere that was very appealing to me as a Japanese person. It felt like a cypress bath, much like the one I’d used in Rigforresia. It had a classic, rustic charm.
I washed up and then sank into the tub, stretching out my limbs to relax. It felt incredible. Lately, I seemed to have a habit of running into trouble in bathrooms; bathing while away from home was usually a hectic affair.
There was the mixed bathing with Isis-san, then the time Kuro joined in too. In Rigforresia, I’d had to deal with Rei-san and Fia-san using every trick in the book to try and force me into the bath with Sieg-san. And then in the God Realm, there was the mixed bath with the four goddesses.
Honestly, looking back, I think I did well to survive all that. But this time, I was with Lilia-san. Someone as modest as her wouldn't even dream of mixed bathing, no matter if we were lovers or not. I could finally relax.
"U-Um... Kaito-san..."
"Eh? Lilia-san? What's wrong?"
Just as I was thinking that, I heard her voice from the other side of the door. Thinking it might be something urgent, I called back. After a brief silence, she replied in a trembling voice.
"I-I’m sorry to have... k-kept you waiting. I’ve finally... found the resolve..."
"Resolve? Um, Lilia-san... what are you..."
"E-Excuse me!"
"Wha—!?"
Just as I started to get a bad feeling, the door swung open. Lilia-san stood there, wrapped in nothing but a single towel.
Wait, what? What is happening?
Dear Mother, Father—On our first night at the summer resort with Lilia-san, we finished a dinner made with a fair amount of deception and went to take a bath. For some reason, Lilia-san decided to join me in the tub. I have no idea how it came to this, but I really think—could I be cursed by baths?
~ A Certain Scene ~
L-san: "Listen, Milady. Since you and Miyama-sama are now lovers, there is something you absolutely must do."
Sheltered Girl: "Something I... must do?"
Prankster: "Yes. As you have no experience in love, you likely don't know, but this is an act that has been performed between lovers since ancient times."
Zero Romantic Experience: "W-What on earth is it..."
Idiot: "...Mixed bathing."
Ignorant One: "Mixed... bathing... Eh? Eeeeeeeh!?"
Soft-shelled Turtle: "I understand your surprise. However, if you don't do this, you cannot truly be called lovers!"
Moon: "S-Such a thing... Is that how it is..."
Precocious Girl: "Yes. All the lovers in the world have deepened their bonds by overcoming this trial. I heard my own mother did the same."
Pure One: "I see... Is that so... T-Then... I... I will also..."
Devil: "There is no need to rush. However, you must not let the opportunity slip away! It is a trial you must eventually overcome. When the time comes, show your courage!"
Angel: "I-I understand... I-I'll do my best."