Chapter 214: Is That 'Capable' a Verb or a Noun?
Ryohei Tanaka thought for a moment and said, "Later, I'll talk to Pekola and the others. Let's have Tan-chan live over there."
He considered that Binchō-tan didn't like being lonely. In her original story, after her grandmother passed away, she had even drawn a person on the wall to represent her, greeting it every day for comfort. Plus, all his other staff lived in pairs at minimum, so they had someone to talk to or consult with. Making Binchō-tan live alone in an apartment just felt wrong.
It was better to arrange for her to live in the house with the angels. They had no conflicts, so it should be fine.
"Okay," Yurine tilted her head and agreed with a smile, supporting his arrangement. "There's a spare room there, too."
Beside them, Binchō-tan let out a sigh of relief. That's great! I didn't lose the job! I get to stay! Food, lodging, and a salary... After a second of relief, she grew curious and nervous. Where do Pekola and the others live? Are they easy to get along with? This was her first time so far from home, her first time living with other people...
Ryohei glanced at Binchō-tan and saw her emotions were written all over her face. She was so easy to read. He smiled. "Pekola and the others are angels. They're all very easy to get along with... well..."
Thinking of a certain pink-haired angel, Ryohei paused and corrected himself. "Pino... the angel with pink hair... has a bit of a persecution complex and is prone to freaking out. But as long as you don't make her feel threatened, it's fine. I'll introduce you all later."
"Yes!" Binchō-tan replied obediently, her hands pressed to her thighs, her small body standing straight.
'Angels...' she thought. 'Like... the angels?'
She didn't really understand what a "persecution complex" was, and only vaguely understood "prone to freaking out." It sounded like the pink-haired angel-san might be hard to get along with... A trace of worry appeared on her face.
Ryohei noticed her change in expression and smiled gently. "Don't worry," he reassured her. "Tan-chan definitely won't make her feel threatened. I'm just giving you a heads-up, so you don't need to worry too much."
"Okay." Because she was so innocent, she believed him and gave him a sweet smile.
"By the way, Ryohei-kun, how did you know Pino has a persecution complex?" Yurine suddenly asked, looking at him curiously.
Ryohei looked at her and said frankly, "Couldn't you tell when we first met her?"
"Mmm..." Yurine fell into thought, hesitated, and then nodded, accepting his answer.
...
"Ryohei-kun, you're so greedy! Am I, this super fun and useful familiar, not enough for you? You summoned another one!"
When Ryohei opened the door to take his 'little tail' to the elevator, he saw Lucoa leaning against her own bedroom door, sighing dramatically.
Ryohei's face instantly darkened. What does she mean, 'super fun and useful familiar'? Can't you be serious? There's a child present!
He couldn't help but snap, "What kind of image do you have of me! Can't you just be normal for once!"
Lucoa strode toward the elevator on her long legs. She glanced at the "little radish" who was shorter than her leg and looking at her nervously. She held up one slender finger and said with a grin, "A very capable master! All in all, your image is quite good!"
'Is that "capable" a verb or a noun?' Ryohei resisted the urge to make a lewd comment. He was being corrupted by Lucoa, but he still had some standards.
He coughed into his fist, forcibly changed the subject, and introduced Binchō-tan and Lucoa to each other.
...
Ryohei was busy today.
First, he had to go to the "Yukimi Ranch" in Furano, Hokkaido, to inspect it. If he was satisfied, he'd buy it.
Second, he had to rent an apartment for Jiang Jiang and Lan Lan.
Third, he had to open the restaurant tonight—he had previously announced he would only be closed until August 1st, and he couldn't go back on his word.
And now he had a little tail following him.
Because of all this, Ryohei skipped his usual trip to the second-floor gym and took Binchō-tan and Lucoa directly to the first-floor kitchen. Since this was her first day, he wanted to welcome her properly by making her favorite food: plain white rice.
The moment she saw him washing the rice, Binchō-tan's sky-blue eyes lit up. She raised her hand happily and volunteered in her high-pitched, milky voice, "Um... I can shrink and go inside the rice cooker. The rice will be much more fragrant and delicious that way!"
"Mmm..." Ryohei had seen short videos about this. He paused his work and looked at her in surprise. So you really do have a shrinking ability? No wonder!
He'd been confused about that when he saw clips. Binchō-tan's size was always inconsistent. She could ride on a mother duck's back using a stalk of wheat, or use an acorn to take the "flying bird bus" to town, but when she got to town for work, she was suddenly much bigger. In an anime, it could be a cute artistic choice, but in reality, it was probably her special skill.
It made sense for a charcoal spirit. He asked, "Will you be uncomfortable in the rice cooker?"
"Mmm... it's okay. Just... a little hot," Binchō-tan said, scratching her cheek. She wasn't good at lying and hesitated before telling the truth. Then, as if to prove her worth, she added, "But it's a tolerable range!"
"Then let's skip it." Ryohei put the washed rice into the cooker and added water. "My rice is already delicious; I don't need your help... And putting you inside a rice cooker to cook just feels weird."
He glanced at Binchō-tan, who looked dejected at failing to show her value. Wanting her to feel included, Ryohei held out his hand. "If you really want to help, let me borrow the binchōtan from your head."
A little-known fact: When charcoal is fired at over 800°C, its carbon content exceeds 92.6%, making it conductive. It can also neutralize electromagnetic waves and release far-infrared rays. These rays penetrate deep into the rice grains, cooking them through while releasing minerals, adding a unique flavor. Moreover, the charcoal purifies impurities in the water, essentially like cooking the rice with clean mineral water.
Adding a piece of binchōtan really would make the rice more fragrant and delicious—and it would still count as Binchō-tan helping.
"Of course, Onii-chan!" Binchō-tan beamed, happily untying the charcoal from her head and handing it to Ryohei. Being able to help and prove her worth seemed to make her incredibly happy.
"..." Ryohei smiled at her, took the charcoal, gave it a simple rinse, and placed it in the rice cooker. He then added a pinch of salt, a dash of vinegar, and a few drops of olive oil, which made Binchō-tan watch in amazement. She never added those things to her rice, only her charcoal.
"Is there anything I can help with?" Since she was here to work, she couldn't just watch. Binchō-tan dutifully raised her hand and asked.
"Not right now." Ryohei opened the fridge and took out some salmon and the leftover Ice Crystal Fish head from yesterday. He planned to make grilled fish, a fish head and tofu soup, and fry some eggs later.
However, he didn't have any tofu. He had to ask Lucoa to go to the morning market to buy a couple of blocks.
Soon, the kitchen was filled with a tantalizing aroma that grew stronger by the minute. The little Binchō-tan was completely mesmerized by the smell, swallowing her drool over and over.
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