I sat on the riverbed under a sprawling blue sky, watching the light dance across the water while taking a small sip of tea from a plastic bottle.
"……This is what I believe."
"Hmm?"
"The orthodox path is certainly magnificent. It has a proven track record, and the sense of stability it provides is far greater than any alternative. However, if you were to ask me if the paths that deviate from it—the unorthodox ones—are inherently wrong, I would declare otherwise with absolute certainty. The orthodox has its merits, just as the unorthodox has its own unique charms."
"……Um, in other words?"
I asked her back, feeling slightly bewildered. She was staring at an object skewered on a toothpick with a deadly serious expression. A small mechanical click echoed from her as some internal part moved, and then she delivered her conclusion.
"……I believe that ponzu is a perfectly valid choice for takoyaki."
"It is delicious. The standard sauce is quite rich, so you eventually find yourself wanting something refreshing for a change of pace. Personally, though… was it called Akashiyaki? I feel like that would be an even better match for ponzu."
"Ah, true. Since that’s originally eaten with dashi, the compatibility should be excellent."
I glanced at Machina-san as she nodded with a bright smile, then I took a piece of takoyaki from the tray in my hand and popped it into my mouth. Yeah, it was good.
As for what I was currently doing… well, the real me was asleep. I was doing something that would sound like sleep-talking if I explained it to anyone: I was eating takoyaki in a dream.
I had lost track of how many times this had happened, but I frequently talked with Machina-san in my dreams like this. Of course, I forgot every detail of these encounters the moment I woke up.
She usually provided some kind of food during these visits, so we would spend our time chatting while eating. Since it was a dream, it didn't actually fill my stomach, but I could still enjoy the flavor.
The scenery changed every time as well. This time, we were at a riverbed that looked like it had been pulled straight out of a school drama.
"Speaking of which, I’ve been thinking about this for a while… your tastes in food are surprisingly common, Machina-san. Everything we’ve eaten in these dreams—hamburgers, hot dogs, yakisoba, donuts, takoyaki—are things I’m very familiar with. Have you always liked this kind of food?"
"Hmm, that’s a difficult question. To begin with, before I became a God, I lived almost entirely on jelly drinks and canned food. Once I ascended, eating wasn't necessary anymore, so there are many things I’ve never actually tasted in person."
"I see……"
Now that she mentioned it, I remembered hearing something about her living on an artificial island. Until she met Alice, she had only watched the outside world through her Clairvoyance, never actually experiencing it for herself.
And shortly after meeting Alice, she became a God and no longer needed to eat. It was just a guess, but I suspected that every food Machina-san enjoyed was something she had shared with Alice.
When I thought about it that way, I realized that she had her own complicated circumstances as well.
Just as that wave of sympathy hit me, Machina-san’s expression suddenly brightened with realization.
"……Wait. That question. Could it be… an indirect sign?!"
"Huh?"
"My beloved child… do you wish to eat a home-cooked meal made by your mother?"
"……Excuse me?"
"I see! Of course. For a child, a mother’s cooking is something truly special. How careless of me. Since I had so little experience with meals myself—and I’m not using this as an excuse—I never had the chance to eat a meal prepared by my own parents, so the concept completely slipped my mind. My beloved child is starving for his mother’s love, and surely you’ve been sending me signals all this time. I’m so sorry it took me this long to notice. I’ll make up for the delay with an overwhelming amount of affection, so please forgive me! Now, the question is what to make. Naturally, I have a perfect grasp of my beloved child’s preferences, down to the exact number of every item you’ve consumed in your life, but simply making your favorites would be too shallow. A mother’s flavor is a special category of its own. It’s not just about the taste; it’s about the warmth and the sense of security. Since this is a chance for my beloved child to experience supreme relaxation through my cooking, I must pursue a gentle, comforting flavor. I’ve already hammered every possible recipe into my head with my omniscience, but the selection process is where I must prove my worth as a mother. Given the situation, it has to be a bento, doesn't it? An affection bento, overflowing with a mother’s love. For the main dish, I definitely have to include Hamburg steak since it’s my beloved child’s favorite. I’ll have to prepare it so it stays delicious even when cold……"
Watching Machina-san speak with a tone that was definitely tinged with madness—yet somehow milder than usual—I found myself wishing I could have back the sympathy I’d felt just a moment ago.
Still, even if she was going to go on a rampage, this seemed like a manageable one… right? She wouldn't go into full-throttle insanity from here, would she? I just hoped it would end with me eating a normal handmade bento.
But then again, this was all just a dream. In my world, we have a word for something fleeting that is written using the characters for a "person" and a "dream"—ephemeral.
Serious-senpai: "I mean, the fact that you’re looking at this and thinking, 'Oh, this is a mild rampage,' means you’ve already been thoroughly poisoned……"