Ryuu hadn't expected things to turn out like this.
She'd always had a clear understanding of herself.
When it came to cooking, she might not have been exceptional, but she was definitely better than Syr.
Perhaps it was that tiny sense of superiority that had led to the utter disaster now unfolding in the kitchen.
Bowls and dishes were scattered haphazardly across the countertop, as if a tornado had swept through. Seasonings, flour, and bits of vegetables covered the floor in chaos.
"Why are you using so many burners at once?"
Lunoire pressed a hand to her forehead, unable to hold back a sigh.
"Well, there aren't any customers right now. Cooking multiple dishes at once is much more efficient."
Ryuu picked up a kitchen knife, her movements swift and precise.
Why don't you just finish one dish first?
Lunoire couldn't even say the words—she was too distracted by how skillfully Ryuu chopped the vegetables, frozen in place watching her work.
"It's just cutting onions! You don't have to make it look like you're slaying monsters!"
Ryuu glanced at the paper-thin onion slices and replied coolly, "That's how you get more flavor."
Lunoire let out a long sigh and hurried off, soon returning with reinforcements—the black cat who was actually good at cooking.
"Nya!"
As Chloe entered, she immediately spotted Ryuu tossing golden-fried potato balls into a pot of soup.
"Ryuu, did you fry those yourself, nya?"
"No, I bought them just now."
Chloe gave an awkward smile.
She loved those potato balls so much that she knew exactly which stall they came from. Judging by the look of them, they were from a shop on North Main Street—the one that had recently become popular thanks to its new, cute goddess shopkeeper.
That stall was far from West Street, and yet Ryuu had somehow gone there and come back in such a short time.
Chloe didn't know whether to praise her or scold her. In the end, she decided to hint at it indirectly.
"You're supposed to eat those as they are, nya."
"I know. Lots of people love this dish. Mixing one delicious thing with another makes it taste even better," Ryuu said matter-of-factly while stirring the soup.
The onion slices vanished the instant they hit the pot, and as the potato balls began to collapse, the once-creamy soup turned murky and gray.
Chloe watched silently until Ryuu took out an apple and a lemon. That's when she finally intervened.
"You can't just throw random things into a stew, nya!"
Ryuu tilted her head. "I heard adding lemon and apple brings out the flavor of the meat, doesn't it?"
"That's true, but not for this dish, nya."
Chloe started to regret ever coming here. But then she remembered—this lunch was meant for that boy.
If she didn't rein in this runaway cooking disaster now, the poor kid who agreed to eat it would suffer greatly.
Lunoire, watching from behind, felt briefly relieved that she'd brought backup to share the work—until the smell hit her.
"Hey, do you guys smell something?"
"Yeah, I smell it too—something's burning, nya?"
As if on cue, a cloud of thick smoke rose beside Ryuu.
"You idiot! I told you not to cook so many things at once!"
Lunoire dashed to the back and yanked the source of the smoke off the stove.
"What were you even roasting, nya?"
Chloe squinted at the charred lump, completely unable to tell what it had once been.
"A sandwich," Ryuu said without hesitation.
"Nya?!"
"Huh?!"
Both of them froze in shock.
The moment Chloe heard the answer, she understood what had happened.
Ryuu had sliced bread, stuffed it with vegetables, meat, and a raw egg—and then thrown it straight onto an open flame.
"Other than the shape, that has nothing to do with a sandwich, nya…"
"Hey! Why is the other stove on fire now?!"
"Don't go adding weird stuff while we're trying to fix this, nya!"
"What did you even put in there? Don't use Gale's speed for things like this!"
"Lunoire, you deal with it first, nya. I need a break."
"I'd love a break too—ah, hot! That's burning! Ryuu, don't pour water into hot oil!"
...
This was the liveliest morning the tavern had ever seen.
The kitchen looked as though it had survived a fierce battle. Even after Ryuu had left, the lingering scent of smoke and burnt oil still hung in the air.
"I can't go on anymore." Lunoire collapsed onto a table, completely exhausted.
"I did my best, nya. At least the food is edible now, nya."
Chloe glanced toward the kitchen. Ingredients, spice jars, and dishes were scattered everywhere. Splattered soup and grease stained the walls and counters, and the smell of charred food still lingered in the air.
"Feels like I've worked a whole day already. I just want to go home and sleep."
Lunoire grumbled, not noticing the large shadow that had loomed behind her.
"What do you plan to do at home?"
Mia stood there with her arms crossed, her expression dark with anger.
"N-nothing," Lunoire stammered.
"I was only gone for a short while, and look at the mess you've made!"
Lunoire's face turned pale. Everyone who worked at the tavern knew how Mia felt about the kitchen—she treated it like a mother would her child.
"Chloe, help—"
Lunoire turned desperately toward her coworker, only to find the sharp-eared Cat Person had already vanished without a trace, clearly having sensed danger before it arrived.
"Clean up the kitchen. And since Ryuu took the afternoon off, you'll be covering all her shifts as punishment," Mia ordered sternly, her voice leaving no room for argument. "Understood?"
"Yes…"
Lunoire didn't protest. She simply decided that once Ryuu came back, she would make sure to get proper compensation for this.
As for Chloe, she had definitely noticed Mia's return and kept silent on purpose—leaving her friend to take the blame alone.
Cursing her friend's scheming nature, Lunoire trudged back toward the disaster of a kitchen.
...
Ryuu left the tavern carrying a tiered lunch box.
The western district was home mostly to laborers unaffiliated with any familia, working under Guild supervision to produce magic stone products.
Unlike the ever-present danger that surrounded adventurers, the streets here radiated a sense of peaceful midday warmth.
Through a window, Ryuu saw a family sitting down to lunch. The wife set a platter of roasted meat on the table, its glaze shining under the light, and poured her husband a full cup of mead. Both wore gentle, contented smiles.
She found herself staring for a couple of seconds before shaking the thought from her mind and quickening her pace, as if trying to clear away her unease.
She wasn't thinking anything strange—of course not.
It was only because of her friends' teasing that such images even crossed her mind.
Before she'd left, Chloe had smirked mischievously and said, "You're meeting him in such a quiet place—don't do anything inappropriate, nya."
Ryuu hadn't thought much of it. She simply wanted to reveal her true identity and apologize to the boy. That was all.
"Oh right, you can't possibly wear that uniform," Lunoire had added.
"What's wrong with my uniform?"
"It's your first time eating with a boy, isn't it? You should change into something else."
Ryuu frowned slightly.
Thinking back, her colleague was right. She had never once shared a private meal with a man before.
If someone saw her wearing her tavern uniform, it might bring unnecessary trouble to the boy.
"I didn't think that through," Ryuu admitted, turning to leave.
"Wait—where are you going?"
"Home. To change into something less conspicuous."
She already had an outfit in mind. Her green cloak would do nicely.
"No, that's even worse than what you were wearing this morning," Lunoire said, recalling the sight of the elf girl in her casual clothes. She couldn't help wondering what expression the boy would make upon seeing her like that.
Seeing Ryuu hesitate, Chloe delivered the finishing blow. "You'd better hurry up and change, nya. If you wait any longer, you'll be late, nya."
The cooking preparations had taken far longer than expected.
Before they knew it, the clock's hands were already nearing noon.
Left with no other choice, Ryuu followed their advice, changed into her casual outfit, and set off in a rush.
...
The appointed time was drawing near.
Forcing the image of the smiling couple from her mind, Ryuu made her way toward the old church ruins.
For some reason, a faint ripple stirred quietly within her heart.
...
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