Chapter 18: If It's Curry, Then You'd Better Have Rice Too

I returned to the abandoned house with a large haul of game.

Today’s catch was a bird-shaped monster called a Wingbird. It seemed to be weak to fire magic, so I was able to take it down easily with a single shot of Fire Arrow.

――I feel like I’ve been using magic almost exclusively for hunting lately.

I muttered to myself. When it comes to small fry, it’s just faster to cut them down with Galatine than to chant a spell. On the other hand, if the enemy is strong, there’s no time to use magic—by the time I concentrate, I’ve already lost the upper hand.

When I peeked into the room where Yuto was sleeping, I found two girls chatting and laughing.

“Karen-san, you do some pretty reckless stuff too, huh?”

“Not as much as you, Yuto-san.”

…They seem to be getting along.

For some reason, I feel like they’ve gotten a lot closer than they were before I left.

“Please take the whole day to rest today. Raiga-sama and I will handle the cooking.”

“I’m a little worried about the ‘Raiga’ part… but sorry, and thanks.”

“Not at all. Well then, good night, Yuto-san.”

And with that, our cooking began.

“Why is it so bitter…?”

I figured I could just season it with salt and pepper later, so I tossed the meat in without much thought. After that, I stir-fried wild herbs, mountain vegetables, and mushrooms. Even I know enough to cook the stuff that takes longer first.

“It doesn’t taste like Yuto-san’s cooking at all.”

“The meat’s good, though.”

The bitterness probably came from one of the wild herbs.

Maybe it needed some kind of prep beforehand. The bitter juice completely ruined the harmony of the dish.

What should we do? It’s not inedible, but calling it tasty would be a lie.

“We have no choice. Let’s eat the vegetable part ourselves and let Yuto-san have only the meat.”

Since we’d staggered the cooking times, the damage was minimal.

Holding back tears, I shoved it into my mouth. Say what you will about being unmanly, bad food is bad. Still, Yuto hates leaving food uneaten. So I pushed through and finished it.

“Shall we go ahead and wake her now?”

After the meal, Karen said that.

“Yeah.”

I agreed.

It was definitely time to get some food in her.

When Karen moved to take the tray, I held out a hand to stop her.

“I’ll bring it.”

That’s all I said.

“Karen-san? Oh, it’s just you, Raiga.”

“What do you mean ‘just,’ huh? That’s rude.”

When I reached the room, Yuto was already awake.

Fortunately, her color had returned.

“You managed to get the food done?”

Then she smiled.

…Her pajamas were clinging to her from night sweats. Her long black hair was stuck to her neck, and it looked absurdly sensual.

I quickly averted my gaze.

“Nah, it didn’t go well at all. It was super bitter. In the end, I just grilled the meat.”

“Hm. You used those leaves with the tiny jagged edges, right? Those are Konano leaves—they need prep. You have to soak them in water or they release this really nasty bitterness.”

So I was right.

“Sorry, the only thing I’ve ever really made is curry.”

“Curry, huh? Might be worth making, actually.”

Yuto reached for a piece of meat with the bone still on.

“You can make it!?”

“More or less. I already made curry powder. When I poked around the castle kitchen, they had all kinds of spices. Guess that’s a royal castle for you.”

“W–Wait, seriously?”

“Seriously. You saw that sealed can in the spice box, right? That’s the one. It’s not quite satisfying without rice or bread, though.”

She must’ve been starving. She cleaned her plate in no time, then licked the grease off her fingers.

I mean—seriously, stop. That’s way too sexy.

“The flavor’s pretty strong, so I was thinking of saving it for when we’re stuck with nothing but weird or barely edible ingredients. Kind of a secret weapon, you know?”

“…Now I really want some.”

Just imagining the taste of curry—something I thought I’d never get to eat again—had me salivating, even though I’d just eaten.

“Then how about curry tonight? Thanks to Karen-san and Raiga, I’m feeling a lot better. And I brought quite a bit of curry powder with me.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Thanks, Raiga. You went out and got that bird meat for us, right?”

She smiled at me, and I—

“It was just some spell practice, that’s all.”

—answered curtly, trying to cover my embarrassment.

“…I don’t get sick often, but having someone stay by my side like that—it’s been a long time. Really, thank you.”

Yuto said that with a quiet, sincere expression.

“Idiot. Your base stamina and everything’s different now than when you were a guy. Be more careful.”

I flicked her on the forehead.

“I’ll take it to heart. Maybe I’ll nap a bit longer.”

“Make sure you’re up by dinner, alright? You’re not allowed to cook—seriously, I’ve had enough of that.”

“Haha, okay. Good night.”

“Yeah. Sleep well.”

I stayed a moment longer, watching her settle back under the covers, then left the room.

Dinner that night was curry.

Karen’s eyes lit up at the unfamiliar flavor, and we sat there grinning, watching her reaction—until finally, in unison, we shouted:

“We really need rice!”