Deep within a massive structure in a corner of the Demon Realm, Noin—a member of the Underworld King’s family—sat with a grim expression. Before her were several plates, each topped with a white block of tofu. Every single one showed remnants of having been sampled.
"The texture is poor. I have to start over."
Noin had been taught the secrets of tofu-making by Kaito during a barbecue hosted by the Underworld King, Kuromueina, not long ago.
To be precise, Kaito’s own memories of the process had been hazy, but they had managed to give it form by consulting with Ein. Regardless, Noin was currently spending every day in a cycle of trial and error, desperate to create truly delicious tofu.
Noin was a hardcore Japanese food enthusiast and held exceptionally high standards when it came to the cuisine of her homeland. Her stoic nature refused to allow for any compromise, and though she had already produced over a hundred prototypes, not a single one had met her satisfaction.
If she were to leave the task to Ein, a master of the culinary arts, a perfect product would likely have been completed in just a few attempts. Nevertheless, Noin had insisted on tackling the challenge of tofu-making alone.
The reason was simple: she couldn't stop thinking about the remark Acht had made during the barbecue: "Razulia grows the rice, and Ein does the cooking." This time, Noin was determined to create something she could be proud of using her own strength alone.
"Noin~ Is the Otofu ready yet~?"
"Raz-sama? What brings you here?"
Razulia, a member of the Fairy Race, came fluttering into the room on her small wings.
It seemed Razulia was fascinated by the tofu Noin was making; her eyes sparkled as she peered at the prototypes lined up on the plates.
"Ooh, it's so white and pretty. Let Raz eat some too!"
"N-No, you can't!"
"Eh? N-No...?"
"Ah! P-Please, don't look like you’re about to cry. I mean, not right now. I haven't completed a version I'm satisfied with yet."
"But it looks plenty delicious to me..."
"No. I cannot allow Raz-sama to eat something so poorly made."
Noin insisted she couldn't let her sample it because it wasn't acceptable yet. At those words, Razulia’s shoulders slumped, and her face fell into a clearly visible pout.
Razulia was naturally full of curiosity, and because of her vegetarianism—a trait of the Fairy Race that prevented them from eating meat—she was dying to try the tofu made from soybeans.
"I see. I understand. Raz will be patient."
"Ugh..."
The sight of the tiny Razulia looking so dejected dealt a massive blow to Noin’s conscience, causing a troubled look to cross the knight's face.
"H-However, I feel like I'm getting close. At this rate, I believe I can serve it to you after just a few more trials."
"R-Really!? Will it be done soon?"
"Yes, soon. Once it’s finished, I will certainly give some to you, Raz-sama."
"Yay! I'm looking forward to it!"
Upon hearing Noin’s words, Razulia’s previous depression vanished in an instant. She began flying happily in circles around Noin.
It was a heartwarming sight that brought an involuntary smile to Noin’s face as well... but a short while later, Razulia stopped moving.
"Is it almost done now?"
"Huh? N-No, not yet."
"I see... How much longer? About five minutes?"
"N-No, it will take much longer than that."
"Oh, I see..."
For Razulia, who was not exactly patient by nature, waiting was an arduous task.
She had known Noin for a long time and understood that once the knight made up her mind, she wouldn't budge. However, once her curiosity was piqued, it wouldn't easily fade. For a while, Razulia continued to stare longingly at Noin’s back as she returned to her tofu-making.
A few days later, Razulia finally lost her patience and visited Ein, the only person besides Noin who seemed capable of making tofu.
"Tofu, you say?"
"Yes! Raz really, really wants to eat that white, jiggly Otofu! So, Ein-san, please let Raz eat some!"
"Hmm. Very well."
"Yay!"
Hearing Razulia’s plea, Ein nodded with her usual cool expression.
Just then, Acht happened to arrive.
"Raz-neesan and Big Sis Ein? What are you guys up to?"
"We're going to eat Otofu! Do you want to join us, Acht-kun?"
"Tofu... You mean the stuff Noin heard about from Kaito? I'm definitely interested. Big Sis Ein, can I get some too?"
"Yes, that is not a problem."
Accepting Razulia’s invitation, Acht—who was also apparently curious about the dish—asked Ein for his share and moved to the dining hall with the fairy.
Upon reaching the spacious dining hall and sitting at a table, tofu appeared before Razulia and Acht in an instant.
"Here you are."
"As expected of Big Sis Ein."
"Yay! Thank you for the food!"
Though the tofu had been prepared in the blink of an eye, neither Razulia nor Acht bothered to question it, as they were both painfully aware of Ein’s supernatural competence.
Each took a spoon and brought the tofu to their mouths... and their reactions split perfectly in two.
"Hmm. It's kinda bland."
Acht tilted his head with a dubious expression; it was clear from his reaction that the subtle flavor wasn't quite to an ogre's taste.
"Waaaah, it's so soft and has such a gentle flavor. It's incredibly delicious!"
In contrast, it seemed to be exactly the kind of flavor Razulia loved, as she squirmed with a look of pure bliss.
"So this is Otofu. Raz loves this very much. Thank you, Ein-san."
"Not at all. I can make this for you whenever—"
"I've kept you waiting!"
"Oh?"
Ein offered a small smile as Razulia thanked her with a beaming face.
Just as she was about to say she would make it again anytime, the doors to the dining hall were thrown open, and Noin came rushing in. In her hands was a plate with tofu on it.
"Raz-sama, sorry to keep you waiting! I have finally completed a tofu that satisfies me... H-Huh? Is that... tofu?"
"Ah, y-yes... Sorry. Raz couldn't wait any longer, so I had Ein-san make some."
Having committed a false start by having Ein make the tofu first, Razulia apologized to Noin with a slightly awkward look.
However, Noin didn't seem particularly bothered; she glanced at Ein’s tofu and her expression shifted to one of absolute confidence.
"Don't worry about it, Raz-sama. I simply got too absorbed in the process and took too long. However, because of my dedication, this tofu is a perfect masterpiece! Even considering Ein-sama’s skill, it surely couldn't surpass the tofu I've made."
"Hey, you idiot, Noin. Stop right there. Your opponent is too much for you."
"Fufu, naturally, since it’s Ein-sama, I'm sure it's a wonderful creation, but... My apologies, Acht-sama. May I have a taste?"
"Yeah... I'm telling you for your own good, take back what you just said. Seriously."
Perhaps she was incredibly confident in the tofu she had finished, or perhaps she was feeling bold after finally completing it through so much trial and error, but Noin uttered provocative words she would normally never say.
She took a small portion of the tofu from Acht, brought it to her mouth with a smile... and after slowly returning the plate to the ogre, she fluidly transitioned into a dogeza.
"A winged insect of my level has committed a grave rudeness toward the Maid, Ein-sama. I am deeply sorry. Please, allow me to continue eating this tofu in the future."
"..."
It seemed the tofu Ein had made was more than enough to shatter Noin’s inflated ego; she uttered her apology while tears streamed down her face.
However, the one who panicked was actually Ein.
"N-Noin! P-Please calm down. Y-Your tofu is also a wonderful piece of work. As a Maid, I can tell just by looking at it."
"No, compared to Ein-sama’s... the tofu I made is just garbage."
"Y-You don't need to belittle yourself that much. Please have more confidence."
If this had been some random chef instead of Noin, Ein would have likely replied, "For you to think you could best me, a Maid—your arrogance knows no bounds."
But Noin was family to Ein... and so, Ein began to comfort the weeping knight with a rare look of fluster.
In the end, it took a considerable amount of time for Noin to recover, and Kaito would end up being involved in her revival... but that is a story for another time.