I worked really hard… I worked so hard that I don't think I've ever
worked this hard ever before in my life, as I managed to overcome the
biggest challenge that came into my life.
It feels like I can still distinctly feel it in my hand… Can I sleep tonight?
[…Kaito… have some… meal.]
[T- Thank you very much.]
After the bath, I heard from Isis-san that she had prepared dinner for
me, so I'm now sitting in a dining room that's just as large as the other
rooms, sitting side by side with Isis-san.
Or rather, you had such a big table, but you're sitting next to me… We
aren't even using a tenth of the table, but well, I guess it's really like
Isis-san.
All of the food that Isis-san prepared for me looks simple and delicious,
but it doesn't look like she put it in her magic box… Wouldn't it get cold
here?
As if to answer my question, a small magic circle floats on Isis-san's
hand, and steam suddenly rises from the soup.
[W- Whoa… Steam suddenly started appearing.]
[…I have casted… State Preservation Magic on it.]
I see, I'm just pseudo-using State Preservation Magic by placing it in my
magic box, but it seems that at Isis-san's level, she can easily use it to
that degree.
And then, just as I moved my eyes to the food, Isis-san crossed her
hands in front of her hips, fidgeting as she nervously spoke.
[…It's really good… if I made it… right…]
[Eh? Did Isis-san make this?]
[…U- Unnn… I don't usually… eat… and so that Kaito could eat some… I
practiced… to make some.]
[…Isis-san.]
It seems that for Isis-san and some of the high-ranking demons, eating
and sleeping isn't a necessity, but a hobby.
It seems that Isis-san usually only eats teacakes along with her tea, so it
seems that she practiced cooking for me.
How should I say this, I'm very happy and embarrassed at the same
time, as after thanking Isis-san again for the food, I reached out for the
food.
[Thank you for the food.]
[…Unnn.]
The food that Isis-san made for me was… how should I say this… makes
me feel like it's poorly prepared.
It wasn't refined at all, as if it's made by someone lacking experience…
That's why I could feel that Isis-san had frantically practiced it with trial
and error.
Is that why…? The taste isn't really something that you can compliment,
but this dish is impossibly delicious, and most importantly, it warms my
heart.
[…It tastes really great.]
[…Really?… but… I never… cooked before…]
[Errr, look, it's the same as what Isis-san said to me before.]
[…Eh?]
[Because Isis-san made it for me, and because Isis-san is here with me…
It tastes much better than usual.]
[…Kai… to.]
This dish is really delicious, it's like it was a dish filled with the sincerity
Isis-san had in her heart, and I can't help but be moved from the bottom
of my heart.
When I conveyed that thought to her, Isis-san's eyes teared up like she
was overcome with emotions.
Her very cute appearance makes my heart unconsciously beat faster,
and I hurried ate my meal in order to cover it up.
[…Ahh… Kaito… wait.]
[Yeah?]
For some reason, Isis-san told me to stop eating in the middle of my
meal, and as I tilted my head in response… She takes the fork I put
down, pierces a piece of salad and holds it out to me.
[…Here… Ahhnn…]
[Huh? Eh? W- Wait… Isis-san!? What are you doing all of a sudden!?]
[…When eating… you'd be happy if I did this… is what she said.]
[…Says who?]
[…Shalltear.]
Oi, you bast*rd, Phantasmal King… Come out here for a sec.
What the heck is that bast*rd doing!? Not only are you scurrying
around the shadows, you're even planting weird information
everywhere!?
N- No, putting her aside, I need to do something about my situation
now.
Isis-san is an honest person, so she completely believes the information
the Phantasmal King said about me being happy with it, and she's doing
this with 100% good intentions.
Well, of course, it isn't like I dislike being on the receiving end of such
treatment but… it makes me absurdly embarrassed.
It would be easy to refuse here, but I'm sure that it would make Isis-san
look sad.
I don't want to make Isis-san sad… That's right. All I have to do is put up
with a little embarrassment, right!?
A- Alright…
[…T- Thank you for the food.]
[…Arehh?… Kaito too… I want…]
[…Ahhnn…]
[…Yes… Is it tasty?]
[I- It's tasty.]
[…That's great.]
I know I'm repeating myself but… How could this happen?
What I know for now is that I won't forgive that Phantasmal King… I
will surely throw out my complaints to her the next time I see her.
Also, one more thing… there's a lot of food placed in the table, but
you're not telling me that I would have to eat all of this, right?
[T- Thank you for the meal.]
[…Unnn… Ahh… there's also… some dessert.]
[…Eh? Ah, yes. T- Thank you.]
I ate up the food, which was much more than I had imagined, with the
sole intention of making Isis-san happy, and after finally exhaling out
now that it was over but… it seems that there's still dessert.
I feel like my stomach's going to explode… H- However, I will do my best
for Isis-san's sake. If I don't eat it here, I'm not a man!
With the usual happy smile on her face, Isis-san took out an apple pie…
or rather, ripple pie.
[A ripple pie?]
[…Unnn… Kaito… mentioned that… he likes it so…]
[Thank you.]
I certainly like apple pies.
Apple pie was one of mom's specialties… Well, my mom wasn't a very
good cook, and hamburger steaks and apple pies may be the only things
she could properly make…
Anyway, I can say that apple pie reminds me of mom and is my favorite
food… I'm not really aware of it, but could it be that I'm actually a
mother-con?
[…Here… Ahhnn.]
[…Ahhnn.]
It seems that she would also do that with the dessert too, and I was
about to eat the ripple pie held out to my mouth, but then, I suddenly
realized that the situation we are in now was clearly different than it
was earlier.
Earlier, she had held out food to me with a fork or a spoon, but now,
Isis-san is holding out a piece of ripple pie held with her hand.
C- Calm down, it's alright… If I calculate the eating position properly
and adjust the size of my mouth's opening…
With nervousness even greater than before, I ate the ripple pie.
The sweet and soft ripple fruit is matched with the crispy pie crust, and
the gentle flavors spread with the pleasant crunch every time I bite into
it in my mouth.
…I couldn't help but feel like crying.
The ripple pie that Isis-san, who isn't used to cooking, made for me
tasted just like my mom's apple pie, who wasn't a good cook… It was a
delicious taste that made my heart feel warm and fuzzy.
As I was being moved by the nostalgic taste, Isis-san suddenly seemed
to notice something, as she reached her hand towards me.
[…Something's on your cheek.]
[Ehh? Wha!?]
[…Nom.]
[ ~ ~ ! ? ! ? ]
Isis-san took a piece of pie crust stuck on my lips with her finger and
brought it to her mouth like it's something quite natural of her.
This action immediately blew away all my previous thoughts, and I feel
my face grew tremendously hot.
However, Isis-san didn't seem to be particularly bothered at all, as she
held out another piece of ripple pie to my mouth again… gah, wait,
wait!? The heck, isn't this bad!?
I mean, just now, Isis-san caught that pie crust that was on my lips with
her finger… and put her finger inside her mouth once.
And now, she's holding that ripple pie with her hand and trying to feed
it to me… and this time, it had become smaller because I took a bite out
of it earlier, and its size was just enough that it would be unnatural if I
don't eat it in one bite… Isn't that, errr, an indirect kiss…
[…U- Umm, Isis-san. As expected, I'd just…]
[…Ehhh…]
[Ah, no, I'm just kidding! Thank you for the food!]
I was about to say that I'd eat it myself, but immediately dropped it
before a sad expression appeared on Isis-san's face.
T- This is impossible! I can't say I'll eat it myself if you give me a look
like that!
Realizing that I couldn't escape, I opened my mouth to eat the piece of
ripple pie.
As Isis-san's soft fingers entered my mouth, although it was only for a
moment, I felt as if my face was going to boil over from the faintest hint
of body heat from her fingers.
…However, that's not the end of it. After all, there are still seven slices of
ripple pie left…
Seeing Isis-san with a cute smile on her face and a new slice in her
hand, I just got ready to receive the shame that was about to come.
Dear Mom, Dad—— It was like Isis-san learned how to cook for me and
she treated me to a home-cooked meal. It was so delicious, and I was
happy about her feelings, but just this shame play—— Can't we just
somehow not do this?