"Ugh… I'm so hungry… Yutsuki, is dinner ready yet?"
At that mont, in the hall of the Itsuka household, Yatogami Tohka was lying on the sofa, chewing on a cotton plushie shaped like a kinako bread bun to ease her hunger, while letting out pitiful cries of starvation.
"Just a little longer… dinner will be ready in a bit."
In the kitchen, after rinsing the trimd and sliced beef clean, Yutsuki wiped her hands with the apron wrapped around her waist, removed the grease from her hands, and picked up the kitchen knife to start cutting onions.
"Ah~ Speaking of which, it's been a long ti since we had Yutsuki's cooking. I'm really looking forward to it."
"Looking forward to it. Although the als Shido usually makes are also quite delicious, Yutsuki's dishes are still unforgettable in flavor."
Yamai Kaguya and Yamai Yuzuru were also sitting on the sofa in the hall, watching television while occasionally glancing back at Yutsuki's busy figure in the kitchen. Their faces were full of anticipation.
"Heh~?… so Yutsuki-nee is good at cooking too?"
"What do you an by that surprised expression?"
After pouring a little seasoning into the pot containing the ingredients and adding a small amount of wine, Yutsuki used a French technique called sauté au vin1 to remove the at's sll and add fragrance to the dish.
After tasting it with a small spoon to check the flavor, Yutsuki closed the lid, turned the heat low, and looked at Kotori with a speechless expression.
"Mm… well, since Yutsuki-nee is always watching ani and playing gas, it's hard to think of her as soone who's good at housework," Kotori said with a shrug, answering casually.
At that answer, Yutsuki was montarily at a loss for words.
After the hot spring trip ended, when Yutsuki returned to her apartnt, the first thing she did was shut herself in her room and start playing the ani and gas she had sealed away for so long. Aside from showering, eating, and occasionally going out for sothing, she almost never stepped outside her door.
When Kotori realized that the most dangerous Spirit in human history-'Hacker' was actually a shut-in, she had been thoroughly speechless for quite a while.
If it weren't for the fact that Shido had school matters today and would be coming ho late, aning he couldn't cook dinner, Kotori probably would never have known that this 'older sister' was also a housewife type person whose household and cooking skill tree had been maxed out just like Shido's.
"Mm… well, when I used to live alone, I had to do everything myself."
With a slight smile, Yutsuki took advantage of the mont while the pot was simring to pour the beaten egg into a frying pan and slowly cook it until it beca half-done.
"Co to think of it, back then, in that barren forest, Yutsuki was even able to make her own cooking utensils and prepare als. I was also unable to help but admire the ingenuity of my fellow comrade."
"Reminiscing.the juiciness of the bear paw, the chewiness of the tiger at, the shark fin—every one of them gave one a feeling of delight on the tongue."
"Wah… Kaguya, Yuzuru. Please stop talking… I'm even hungrier now."
"Aren't those all protected species in the first place…"
Hearing the chirping discussion from the living room, Yutsuki, for once, felt the satisfaction of having a family.
With a small laugh, she placed the golden crescent-shaped olet onto the rice, gently sliced it open with a knife, and slowly poured the steaming beef sauce over the white rice.
Dandelion style beef rice bowl, complete.
"Mm—this is delicious!"
Tohka exclaid in admiration as she devoured it in large bites.
"So… so tasty…"
"Ahaha~ I never expected Yutsuki-chan to be this good at housework. So? How about marrying Shido-san together with… ngghh!"
Just after Yoshino had taken a bite, Yoshinon—who shared Yoshino's senses—let out an amazed comnt, only to be suddenly clamped over the mouth by the blushing Yoshino.
"Ohoho! Yutsuki, your skills really have improved a lot."
"Astonishing. I cannot stop eating."
"Mm, not bad… though my brother's cooking is a little better."
Kotori muttered that as if she were trying to outdo them.
"Mm… thank you very much."
Having her cooking praised, Yutsuki showed a faint smile of happiness.
"Speaking of which… Shido's really coming ho late today!"
Looking out the window, the sky was already approaching evening, the sun nearly setting, and Yutsuki could not help but say with so regret.
"No choice… what can we do when Shido attracts so much hatred that he was appointed as an executive committee mber for Tenou Festival?"
Kotori shrugged helplessly.
Tenou Festival was a large-scale festival jointly hosted by ten schools in Tengu City, including Raizen High School. It was similar to a school cultural festival.
Tengu City itself had been created as part of the redevelopnt of the area from southern Tokyo to northern Kanagawa after the catastrophic Great Southern Kanto Earthquake thirty years ago.
At first, it had rely been a small festival organized by high school students from a sparsely populated area. But now it had grown into a large event that required reserving the Tengu City Plaza Grand Exhibition Hall and using it continuously for three days.
Even Tengu City itself, unable to cancel Tenou Festival after it had grown into such a large scale event, had accepted the current situation.
And as one of the executive committee mbers, before the festival opened, one had to help the student council with all the preparations for Tenou Festival, such as venue setup, budget allocation, and class assignnts.
Although the job had been described as very easy at the ti, nobody present was stupid. After hearing that black company style pitch, everyone instantly understood that this was a grueling task. Not a single person volunteered.
Of course, Itsuka Shido was not stupid. But because Yamai Yuzuru, Yamai Kaguya, Yatogami Tohka, and Tobiichi Origami had all been competing fiercely over Shido at the ti, Shido's so called buddy—Tonomachi Hiroto—who had been watching the scene in envy and resentnt,sold him out.
Then, hearing the almost revenge-like cheers of support echoing through the gymnasium, Yutsuki could only look at him sympathetically and silently mourn for three seconds in her heart.
"What a pity… Shido won't get to eat sothing this delicious."
Tohka said with a slightly regretful sigh, then handed her empty plate to Yutsuki and asked for another bowl.
"Honestly, if Shido could co ho earlier, I wouldn't even bother making dinner. Besides, a huge part of the reason for this was all of you, wasn't it?"
"?"
Seeing Tohka tilt her head in confusion, Yutsuki's mouth twitched slightly. Defeated by pure natural airheadedness, she silently served her another plate.
"Looks like I'll have to wrap up Shido's portion in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge, then heat it up in the microwave when he gets back."
After dinner, Yutsuki thought for a mont and put one serving away in the refrigerator.
The Yamai sisters smiled sweetly at her.
"Why are you looking at with such strange faces?"
"Ah—Yuzuru is thinking that you'll definitely beco an excellent bride soday. Pfft…"
"Request. Marry Shido together with Yuzuru, please…"
Boom—! Boom—!
The Yamai sisters had just committed the perfect self-destruct.
After Yutsuki gave each of them one punch on the head and made them crouch down while holding their heads, the veins on her forehead popped, though she still kept a smile on her face.
"Did you think you could just eat and that would be the end of it? Go wash the dishes!"
Facing Yutsuki, who looked like she had a wrathful Vajra-like aura behind her, the Yamai sisters imdiately stood up and, without another word, went to wash the dishes.
.....
Suddenly, an intense siren sounded from outside the window.
"Spirit—!?"
Kotori, who had been leisurely relaxed for dinner, suddenly sharpened her eyes.
She placed the half-eaten dinner on the table, draped her military jacket over her shoulders, and quickly walked out the door.
"A spacequake has occurred. You all, go take shelter quickly!"
———————
"Commander! Shido has just left school and is currently on his way ho through a shopping street."
When Kotori arrived, Kannazuki Kyouhei promptly gave her a military salute and reported.
"Mm! Quickly recover Shido to Fraxinus, then send him to the scene."
Kotori nodded lightly, then walked up the commander's platform in the command room. Crossing one leg over the other, a Chupa Chups lollipop in her mouth, she smiled and said:
"Now then! Our date has begun!"
"Ooh~ Kotori-chan looks so cool~"
Suddenly, a carefree voice that did not fit the serious atmosphere rang out.
"Yutsuki-nee!? Why are you here?"
Kotori looked at Yutsuki in shock and asked.
"Mm… I hacked into Fraxinus's computer for the space… well, don't mind the details~"
"That is not a detail to ignore at all…"
Kotori let out a powerless sigh. She guessed that Yutsuki had probably done sothing during her infiltration of the ship. But that was not the point right now.
"Mm… just watch beside . If possible, please stay quiet."
"Relax. I'm only planning to watch how everyone is busy while Shido is courting a Spirit. I won't interrupt."
With a small laugh, Yutsuki nodded.
"Kannazuki-san.Thank you for your help setting up the fireworks at the beach last ti."
"No! It was no trouble at all. I just hope you can give that kind of electric-shock punishnt again, even stronger is fine… ahh~ what a wonderful mory…"
After seeing Yutsuki, Kannazuki's face flushed with a strange reddened glow, and he panted as he spoke.
"Shut up!"
Kotori could not help but deliver a heavy straight punch to Kannazuki, who collapsed to the floor with a blissful expression.
To this, everyone—including Yutsuki—simply smiled and ignored it.
"Commander! Shido has arrived at the site where the spacequake occurred."
"OK! Switch the image to the main screen!"
Without even looking disturbed, Kotori calmly withdrew her fist and gave the order.
Imdiately, the giant screen displayed the image of Itsuka Shido standing in front of a large theater.
"Looks like he arrived safely."
After Kotori let out a small breath of relief, she used the wireless line to report the Spirit's location to Shido.
Yutsuki stood to the side, staring intently at the screen.
Stripping away the faint static from the electronics, Yutsuki vaguely heard a voice from within the theater.
Soone was there?
Shido seed to notice it as well. After pushing open the huge doors, he went inside.
The cara view on the screen also followed Shido's movent into the interior of the theater.
At the center of the grand theater—perhaps the perforrs and staff had simply left the stage setup there and fled to evacuate. In the dimly lit hall, there was only a stage platform. The area beneath was illuminated by several lights, bathed in brightness.
At the center of the stage stood a girl wearing such a gorgeous outfit that it looked as though it were woven from particles of light, filling the hall with her singing.
As if possessing so sort of enchantnt, the lody, calm and soothing like a lullaby, vibrated the eardrums.
At that mont, not only Shido, but everyone on Fraxinus fell into silence before that beautiful voice.
""Diva!?""
Kotori and Yutsuki shouted at the sa ti, and then Kotori turned toward Yutsuki in surprise.
"Yutsuki-nee. Do you know that Spirit?"
"No, I've never seen her before. I only saw records about her before in DEM's files."
Gently shaking her head, Yutsuki looked at the Spirit in front of her, stepped up onto the commander's platform, and whispered into the microphone.
"Shido, can you hear ?"
"Huh? How is Yutsuki over there?"
"Leave that aside for now. I sense sothing very strange and off about this Spirit. If anything unusual happens, run away imdiately."
"Okay, okay…"
After warning Shido in a serious tone, Yutsuki stared at the diva singing on stage, and a faint hostility appeared in her eyes.
This Spirit had a vibe similar to hers in so ways, but fundantally different.
And Yutsuki vaguely felt that this Spirit would beco her greatest enemy.
It refers to a technique where food is first browned in fat and then finished by cooking in wine.
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