At the Shinomiya Estate entrance, Hayasaka was already waiting in her maid uniform.
A black luxury car approached and stopped in front of the gate.
Hayasaka walked up and opened the door.
Shinomiya Kaguya stepped out, her expression indifferent, her gaze distant, her entire deanor icy and unapproachable.
Her long, jet-black hair only added to her air of detachnt.
As soon as she stepped out, the car drove away.
"Kaguya-sama, you've worked hard today," Hayasaka said, stepping forward to take the bow and quiver from Kaguya's hands.
Kaguya's frigid deanor softened slightly only when she saw Hayasaka.
"Thank you, Hayasaka."
"It's no trouble at all."
As they entered the estate, Kaguya's icy deanor began to thaw.
Though her expression remained cold, it was warr than it had been outside, as if she had finally reached a safe haven where she could breathe.
The reason this mansion had no unnecessary maids is because Kaguya disliked and distrusted them.
The only one she trusted was Hayasaka.
Ever since her elentary school incident, she's found it difficult to trust others.
Her self-imposed isolation, combined with others' wariness, gradually left Hayasaka as the only constant presence in Kaguya's life.
"Hayasaka, I'm going to take a bath first. We'll eat after I'm done."
Archery is exhausting work.
Even with the air conditioning in the archery hall, it's impossible to prevent sweating.
After Kaguya left, Hayasaka headed in the opposite direction.
She needed to put Kaguya's bow and equipnt back in their proper place, and then prepare Kaguya's change of clothes.
These were her duties as a maid.
...
The fish head tofu soup was nearing completion.
Yuto lifted the lid and sprinkled a pinch of salt and a touch of sugar on the surface.
This would enhance the soup's umami flavor.
Finally, he added a dash of pepper. Sweating can make one prone to catching a cold, and pepper helps prevent this.
Yuto gave the pot a gentle stir. The fish head had simred until it was white, and the tofu had beco soft and smooth, its honeycomb texture visible when it accidentally broke.
This was a characteristic of only the highest quality tofu.
Yuto couldn't help but feel a small sense of pride as he slled the aroma.
'Just as expected of ! This aroma is truly divine!' The top-quality ingredients had elevated this dish far beyond his previous creations.
anwhile, the stead fish nearby was almost ready.
These two dishes, paired together, would make for an exquisite al.
"Boss, is it ready?" Hayasaka returned to the kitchen.
By now, Kaguya had finished bathing and dried her hair, and she was sitting at the table waiting for the al.
She wore a set of pink pajamas, which added a touch of cuteness and approachability to her cold deanor.
Perhaps because she had just bathed, her face carried a rare hint of relaxation.
Hayasaka would now bring out the dishes, following the usual routine after her weekly archery lessons.
Normally, she would feel calm at this ti.
But today, she felt restless.
Perhaps it was the case that every alti left her feeling unsettled. She longed to dine at that little restaurant again.
Yet, she found it difficult to make the decision to return. The rude way she had left last ti still filled her with regret.
Whenever she thought about it now, she would sigh.
'If only I could have controlled myself back then...'
...
"Kaguya-sama, here's today's al," Hayasaka's said.
Kaguya gazed at the bowl of soup and small side dish set before her.
As the fragrant aroma filled her nostrils, her tense expression softened.
She felt a mix of anticipation and surprise. 'Today's al seems promising.'
"Miss, please be careful, it's hot," Hayasaka warned, placing a bowl of soup in front of Kaguya.
Kaguya nodded and stirred the fish soup with her spoon.
The soup was as creamy white as milk, with a few specks of green floating on the surface—vegetables deliberately added by Yuto to enhance the flavor.
Kaguya scooped up a spoonful and brought it to her lips.
The mont it touched her tongue, her carefully maintained composure shattered.
This wasn't the outside world, here, she didn't need to suppress her emotions!
The warmth was like soaking in a hot spring. As the soup entered her mouth, a wave of warmth and pleasure washed over her. The corners of her lips curved slightly. This was a different expression from the usual cold Kaguya.
The act of eating is never simple.
A few spoonfuls of soup, or a couple of casual bites, can inadvertently stir the heart. The more experiences one accumulates, the more tumultuous the heart's waves beco.
Hayasaka, observing Kaguya's expression from the side, felt a sense of relief.
Her heart swelled with joy.
Her gamble had paid off!
Yuto's cooking truly seed different from others'.
Whether it was due to his two lifetis of experience, the influence of the small restaurant, or so deeper reason, his dishes weren't just more delicious—they now had the power to directly touch the hearts of those who ate them.
This was one of the reasons why guests from other worlds kept returning to the restaurant.
More than the pure taste, it's the lingering warmth and comfort that captivates them.
Kaguya finished the soup in her small bowl.
She let out a soft sigh, her head dipping slightly as her folded hands supported her forehead.
mories churned in her heart, like an old photograph unearthed from the depths of a chest.
She brushed off the dust, holding it up to the sunlight.
The photograph showed a smiling mother holding the hand of a lovely little girl.
They radiated happiness and contentnt, as if living within the light itself.
A pang of nostalgia struck Kaguya.
She wondered why, even now, these mories still surfaced. She had resolved not to weaken from such warm recollections.
"Today's dish is exceptionally good." Kaguya lowered her hands, her eyes opening like gemstones glistening with moisture, luminous and beautiful as she softly praised the al.
A figure flashed through her mind.
Today, she felt as though she had tasted that person's cooking once more.
Her vision blurred slightly as she gazed into the milky-white fish soup, as if she could see Yuto's shadow within it.
"There's a second dish that wasn't served earlier because it wasn't quite ready. It should be finished now. Would you like it brought out?" Hayasaka asked Kaguya.
Kaguya nodded.
The coldness on her face had receded, leaving only simple tranquility.
"Please wait a mont." Hayasaka bowed slightly and turned to head into the kitchen.
Inside, Yuto had just finished heating the sesa oil.
He had also removed the stead fish from the stear. The high heat had made the fish flesh pure white, and he had gently placed so shredded vegetables on top.
All that remained was to drizzle the sesa oil over it, and the stead fish would be complete.
Just then, Hayasaka pushed the door open and walked in.
Her face was filled with delight and cheerfulness, her usually calm deanor radiating a captivating glow.
Even her footsteps were slightly springy, each step exuding joy.
Yuto watched the girl and was moved by her.
"Is Kaguya-san satisfied?" he asked.
Though it was a question, his eyes held a certain conviction.
"Ah!" Hayasaka's voice carried a note of excitent, betraying her usual composed deanor as a maid.
"Calm down, calm down," Yuto soothed.
Realizing her emotions had gotten the better of her, Hayasaka regained her composure, though a lingering blush remained on her cheeks—perhaps from residual excitent, or perhaps from embarrassnt over her earlier display in front of Yuto.
"Is this dish ready?" she asked, her eyes brimming with anticipation as she gazed at the stead fish arranged on the serving tray.
"Just give a mont," Yuto replied with a soft chuckle, his mood lifted by her infectious enthusiasm.
He ladled a spoonful of hot sesa oil into his hand.
"Step back a bit," he warned.
Hayasaka obediently retreated a few steps.
Sizzle!
The mont she moved, Yuto swung his arm, pouring the hot sesa oil directly over the fish.
The instant the scorching oil t the stead flesh, it was like fire igniting fireworks: a burst of intense white steam erupted with a crackling sound, like tiny firecrackers exploding.
The fish's skin wrinkled, and an indescribable, spicy aroma wafted from the dish.
Even Hayasaka, standing so distance away, could detect the tantalizing aroma.
"Perfect," Yuto said with a soft chuckle.
The girl stepped forward, murmured her admiration, and closed the lid. She was about to take the dish to Kaguya.
"Boss, you should co too," Hayasaka said softly, then walked ahead.
Yuto removed his scarf, washed his hands, and followed Hayasaka.
...
Kaguya sipped her soup occasionally while waiting.
Her eyes shimred, countless fragile, beautiful dreams flashing through them.
She sighed as footsteps approached.
'It's Hayasaka,' she thought.
But then her heart stirred uneasily. 'Why are there two sets of footsteps?'
Puzzled, she glanced toward the door as Yuto appeared in her vision.
Her face froze, a kaleidoscope of emotions swirling across her beautiful face: embarrassnt and shyness intertwined, confusion and irritation tangled, surprise and realization flickering...
In that mont, Shinomiya Kaguya's heart was far from calm!
---------
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