After taking a short stroll with Isis-san, we decided to save the fishing for the afternoon and began preparing lunch together. We had settled on an elegant paella for today’s meal.
...To be honest, I only chose it because it was featured in a cookbook I had for camping enthusiasts.
"Let’s see... First, I’ll de-vein the shrimp..."
"...Then I... will cut... the vegetables."
"Thanks. I appreciate it."
We worked through the steps together while checking the recipe book. I was decent enough at cooking after being taught the basics by Sieg-san and others, and Isis-san was quite skilled in her own right. Since neither of us was at a professional level like Alice, I found it enjoyable to consult with her as we prepared the meal.
While watching Isis-san skillfully chop the vegetables out of the corner of my eye, I handled the seafood prep. I cleaned the ingredients, removed the innards, and sliced everything into bite-sized pieces. Once that was done, Isis-san took the squid and began sautéing it in a pan along with the vegetables she had minced.
"How long should I cook this for?"
"...Let’s see... Until both sides... of the squid are browned... It’s best to sear both sides... thoroughly... without moving the squid too much."
"Oh, you're quite knowledgeable about this, Isis-san. Have you made it before?"
"...No... but I read a cookbook once... so I remember... some of it."
"I see. You really are a great cook."
"...I practiced... because I wanted... Kaito to eat it."
Now that I thought about it, her cooking had been a little unrefined the very first time I visited her home. However, she had treated me to several meals since then, and I hadn't felt any of that clumsiness after the first time. Knowing her, she must have put in a tremendous amount of effort for my sake, and the thought warmed my heart.
"Ah, that looks about right. Next is..."
"...Yes... the tomatoes."
"Thank you."
I added the tomato paste she handed me and let it simmer. Apparently, boiling away the moisture helps soften the acidity and mellow out the flavor. Once it had thickened properly, I added the rest of the seafood, Water, salt, and saffron. After it reached a boil, I moved the seafood to a separate plate and added the rice to the remaining soup to cook.
"...It smells wonderful... It’s turning out... delicious."
"It looks great. We just have to be careful not to let it burn... Finally, we put the seafood back in, add some lemon and parsley... and there! It's done!"
I thought it turned out quite well, if I did say so myself. It looked appetizing and the aroma was incredible.
"Well then, let’s dig in."
"...Yes... Oh... I made some pot-au-feu, too... Please have some."
"Huh? When did you do that?"
"...I made it... while Kaito... was working hard."
To my surprise, Isis-san had prepared pot-au-feu while helping me with the paella. A very delicious-looking stew sat in a small pot beside her. I pulled the camping table and chairs out of my Magic Box and placed the pan of paella and the pot-au-feu in the center. Once the dishes were set, our preparations were complete.
"Well then, let's eat... Mm! This is delicious."
"...Let’s eat... It’s delicious... Kaito is good... at Cooking."
"No, no, it's only because I followed the recipe to a T. This pot-au-feu is amazing, too."
"...If you like it... then I am... happy."
The food was a success, and the smiling Isis-san was incredibly precious. I was reflecting on what a wonderful lunch this had turned out to be when Isis-san scooped up some paella with her Spoon and held it out to me, cupping her other hand underneath.
"...Kaito... say 'ahhh'..."
"Eh? Oh, thank you. Don't mind if I do."
"...Is it good?"
"Yeah, it's great."
I nodded, feeling a bit sheepish as she fed me with a blissful, beaming smile. Well, we were alone out here, so there wasn't really a problem... With that thought in mind, I scooped some paella with my own Spoon and held it out to her in return.
"Here, Isis-san, you try some too."
"...Ahhh... Mm... It’s delicious... Because Kaito... fed me... it tastes even better... than eating alone."
"A-Ahaha... I feel like it tastes better when you feed me too."
"...Really?... I’m glad... Then... here... have some more."
Smiling happily, Isis-san offered me another Spoonful. Naturally, I had no reason to refuse, so I opened my mouth and let her feed me. We continued to trade bites like that, enjoying a harmonious lunch together by the lake.
Serious-senpai: "I-It’s too much... S-Somebody help me..."
Machina: "Did you call?"
Serious-senpai: "I didn't call you! I definitely didn't call you! In the first place, I asked for help! I didn't say 'deliver a Follow-up Strike'!!"