I had just finished eating the Worm Meat Skewer and the soup. Both were so delicious they nearly sent my consciousness flying; despite their grotesque appearance, the dishes weren't bad at all.
"That was great... it was delicious, you two."
Rest thanked Yuri and Urula for the meal.
"I never thought a Worm could be transformed into something like that. It was... so good I felt like I was being blasted to the far side of the moon."
He had almost undergone a second Another World Reincarnation. It was a mysterious flavor, as deep as the cosmos—but when he thought about it, it really was tasty, so he decided to call it a win.
"Well then... I’ll head back to the mana supply for the barrier..."
"Hold on, Rest."
As he tried to rise from the table, Yuri’s voice stopped him.
"We still have dessert."
"..."
He knew. He had known, and he had been trying to slip away unnoticed, but it seemed his escape route was now firmly cut off.
No... I get it. I’ll admit it, Yuri. You’re incredible, Rest praised his friend inwardly.
Your curiosity regarding food and your ability to sniff out a gourmet dish are the real deal. I’ll give you that. But... I’m constantly terrified of when the next bomb is going to go off.
No matter how much natural gourmet sense Yuri had, there was no guarantee it would last forever. People who moved forward on pure instinct without a foundation of basic knowledge were bound to fail spectacularly eventually. Having lived two lives, Rest understood that truth all too well.
Besides, for someone who eats the meat of insects and monsters, how are you developed like that? Your chest is huge, your thighs look so soft, and even your ass is all plump... if you keep saying such stupid things, I’m going to take those breasts and—
"Huh?"
Rest blinked, tilting his head. He felt like he had just pictured something incredibly vulgar. Did he usually have such lecherous thoughts?
"Here... jelly."
Urula slid a wooden plate toward him. On it sat a pink, jiggling hemisphere of jelly.
"Jelly? How on earth did you make that?"
Rest’s eyes widened. Could one even make jelly from scratch out here?
"I’m not entirely sure," Yuri explained. "We were heating, cooling, mixing, and kneading the Worm meat, and this just sort of appeared. It tasted fine when we tried it, so go ahead."
"So it’s... a total accident...?"
The urge to tell them not to feed him such things was strong. Just what kind of alchemy were they performing to produce jelly while messing around with a Worm?
"Eat."
He wanted to refuse, but Urula was peering up at him through the gaps in her long bangs. Her unwavering gaze made rejection impossible.
Damn... she’s still a kid, but she’s going to be a beauty. Even now, her development isn't bad for her age. She’ll be quite a catch soon—
"No... what is wrong with me?"
He was thinking strange things again. He was genuinely disturbed by his own mental state.
"...Are you not... eating?"
"No... I am."
Rest gingerly accepted the plate and spoon. It looked fine—a lovely pink color. If someone had told him it was Peach Jelly, he would have believed them.
He looked around for help, but Yuri was staring at him with the same expectant, excited expression as Urula.
"Please, don't be shy. Go ahead."
"The stars are so pretty..."
Urula’s attendant, Arlie, showed no intention of stopping them, even giving him a thumbs-up. Ostray was still tripping on the far side of the moon with no sign of coming back. It seemed no one was coming to his rescue.
Rest finally dipped his spoon into the jelly. It was translucent and wobbled with a refreshing moisture. The fact that it looked so appetizing only made it more terrifying.
"Here goes..."
Steeling himself, he took a bite. The jelly slid effortlessly down his throat.
"...!?"
There was no flavor. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either—it was completely tasteless and odorless.
However, the moment he swallowed, a heat surged from deep within his body.
It feels like I just swallowed a glowing coal... What did they feed me?!
"Oh, it looks like the effects are kicking in!"
"Grand success."
Yuri and Urula shared a triumphant smile.
"Wait—no—what is this...?"
"We made it out of Worm Body Fluids and reproductive organs," Yuri chirped. "You've been working so hard and looked exhausted, Rest, so we thought this would give you some real vitality!"
"...!?"
Now that she mentioned it, the heat from the jelly was centering itself with intense focus on one particular part of his body.
"Vitality?! You mean that in a completely different way!"
It explained the lewd thoughts he'd been having. Apparently, Worm meat and blood had a Nutritional Fortification effect similar to a potent aphrodisiac.
"Now your fatigue will vanish, and you can sleep soundly tonight!"
"Like I could sleep after this!"
Rest shouted, his voice cracking as Yuri proudly puffed out her massive chest.