Toasteful: Chapter 123, Part 2

　[Part 2/4]

　"...Good morning, Master, Miss Tamaki."

　The response that came back was the usual, matter-of-fact greeting, as always.

　"Uh, ye...yeah..."

　As expected, and as usual, Tamaki responded with a somewhat bitter expression to the anticipated yet disappointing answer.

　Shirowakamaru, a boy who could easily be mistaken for a beautiful girl, didn't seem to have any particular concern for Tamaki. However, she still couldn't understand why he was so distant. With frequent opportunities to meet through the Advisor, she wished they could get along better...

　"Good morning, Shirowakamaru-san. ...Tamaki-san, please join us. Let's eat quickly, as the taste will deteriorate if it gets cold."

　"Yes... I understand."

　After her own greetings, Advisor gestured for Tamaki to take her seat. After a bow, Tamaki sat down before her meal tray. She glanced around. There were only three of them in the room. The rest were the faceless Shikigami serving them.

　(They're not here...)

　Her two friends who were also on this ox cart were not present. It was understandable that they couldn't eat together due to their positions. However, the Shikigami had taken over their roles as well, leaving Tamaki's friends idle. Not only in serving, but in all kinds of miscellaneous tasks.

　Her Ezo friend was known for happily devouring her meal, saying "She's truly a glutton," but Iruka, and especially Suzune, wore an uncomfortable expression in that situation.

　(No, it's probably not just that...)

　Tamaki's expression grew dim. Yes, there was something deeper. And she also lacked the courage to bring up that topic.

　Time was cruel. The recent busyness and the passage of time felt like laziness. And it made her hesitate more about the topic, simultaneously indulging in the fact...

　"Tamaki-san, your hand has stopped? Is the seasoning not to your liking?"

　"Huh!? Oh, no, it's not like that...!? Thank you!!"

　As her thoughts delved into her feelings and her friend's, Tamaki was caught off guard by the sudden question, and she quickly pretended. After offering a prayer, she focused her attention on the breakfast in front of her.

　In a graceful bowl was a serving of rice with subtly flavored soup that turned out to be tofu and young shoots. A generously sized grilled salmon with rich fat, simmered taro, and a dish of soaked vegetables. There were three types of condiments. An ideal Japanese breakfast of one soup and three dishes. A freshly made, warm breakfast.

　"..."

　Setting aside her gloomy thoughts for now, Tamaki concentrated on the meal before her. Simple hunger might have played a part as well.

　"Alright, let's start with this..."

　Saying so, she reached for the bowl of soup. She took a sip of the pleasantly warm broth. The taste of Kombu (kelp) and Miso moistened her mouth.

　"Delicious."

　She murmured as she immerse in the soup. She then picked up a piece of tofu, followed by a bite of rice, then salmon, and the saltiness and umami spread throughout her mouth.

　Once she started eating, her hands didn't stop moving. She skillfully maneuvered her chopsticks to bring food to her mouth, her busy movements driven by a gnawing hunger. It might have felt somewhat immodest, but despite her mental reservations, her body continued moving. To be honest, she was completely engrossed. The cooking was even better than what she had at her parents' home.

　(Are the Shikigami making this?)

　Tamaki peeked at the Shikigami, faceless doll-like figures, sitting in seiza position beside her. The faceless figures stood still as if they weren't thinking about anything. Tamaki still couldn't fully control them, but according to what she had heard, the basic models could only follow predetermined actions set by the user, lacking any emotions. Paradoxically, this cooking might be based on Advisor's knowledge and experience.

　(It's amazing...)

　Tamaki sincerely admired the delicate adjustment and control skills of the Shikigami, appreciating their talent that was on display.

　Whether it was the earlier change of clothes or arranging her hair, from tasks assigned to maids to the knowledge expected of a well-educated wife, Advisor had consistently demonstrated a deep education and knowledge not just as an exorcist but also as a woman.

　(We're so different...)

　Tamaki didn't intend to belittle her past, but as a woman, she couldn't help but feel inferior. She couldn't deceive herself with arguments about seniority and the like.

　"You've done well, Shirowakamaru-san. The seasoning is great. I'm surprised you were able to make it this good from the start."

　"Huh...?"

　After elegantly consuming a piece of simmered taro, Tamaki unintentionally murmured something foolish in response to Kochou's words. She widened her eyes and looked at the little brother in front of her. Shirowakamaru, with white skin like a girl's and long hair tied back, bowed respectfully and Tamaki returned the gesture.

　"Ah..."

　The sigh she let out this time was filled with a sense of defeat. Although the boy in front of her had always exuded more charm than her, Advisor's words had made her feel a decisive defeat as a woman. Tamaki hung her head in dejection.

　"Heh..."

　...It's whether it was fortunate or unfortunate that Tamaki didn't realize that her downturned posture had allowed the Advisor's apprentice to crack a somewhat mocking smile.

　"Cough. ...However, with the mildly seasoned city-style cooking, it might be a little lacking for you, Tamaki-san. You're mainly focused on swordsmanship and rigorous training, so I imagine the city-style taste might not be satisfying enough. Is that not the case?"

　"Wha!? Uh, well, that is..."

　Clearing her throat, and as Kochou questioned her, Tamaki stumbled in her response, flustered by the sudden topic. She was uncertain about how to answer.

　"Shirowakamaru-san, next time, I'll show you a cooking technique with stronger flavors. Tamaki-san, would you like to join in? If fulfilling your duties as an exorcist involves being able to cook for yourself, I believe it won't be a wasted experience."

　"Ah...y-yes! Definitely!"

　Amidst the confusion, Tamaki unconsciously jumped at Kochou's suggestion. Kochou's words made sense, and she also thought that polishing herself as a woman and getting closer to Shirowakamaru might be a good idea.

　"...Understood."

　While Shirowakamaru felt discomfort with the situation of learning cooking, she outwardly accepted the proposal. After all, Advisor's words had benefits for her as well. Indeed, serving a homemade meal to him would not be suited for a refined dish.

　"That's a good response. Well then, when we reach the city, we'll need to procure good ingredients. Hehehe, I'm looking forward to it...!!"

　Advisor smiled cheerfully in response to their answers, but her expression sharply changed right after. Her gaze shifted towards the window. Standing between Tamaki and the window were... Shikigami. They held weapons pulled from somewhere and acted as shields for the users.

　"Who's there!! It's rude to spy!!"

　Kochou warned in an admonishing shout. Simultaneously, Tamaki realized that the ox cart had stopped. Not just the one she was on, but probably the entire convoy had come to a halt.

　The progress of the Joraku group on the treacherous mountain path had halted...

　"W-What's going on!!?"

　"Suzune!!"

　A shouji paper door was forcefully slid open. Her friends who must have sensed an ominous presence hastily appeared. Iruka had even drawn her weapon already. Tamaki met eyes with the two of them. Suzune, upon meeting Tamaki's gaze, immediately averted her eyes. It weighed heavily on Tamaki's heart.

　However, now was not the time to dwell on that.

　"I don't sense any youkai presence. Stealth...?"

　"But I can definitely feel a presence. And it's quite strong."

　As Shirowakamaru prepared to activate her techniques in caution, Kochou continued. At the same time, Tamaki realized that she wasn't holding her weapon. She was taken aback. She realized that she was essentially useless in terms of combat.

　However, it was impossible to retrieve her sword now. Tamaki could only stare outside the window, into the forest where some kind of presence lurked. Silence dominated the scene...

　"Wait. They are... not a monster."

　Iruka was the first to ease her guard. The eyes within the ox cart turned to her.

　"Not a monster?"

　"Yeah. This one, I can sense a human presence."

　Iruka responded to Tamaki's puzzled question.

　"But could they be hunters or woodcutters? They have an air of familiarity with rugged work. ...Bandits, perhaps?"

　Shirowakamaru still in a state of vigilance asked. However, Iruka shook her head in denial even for this.

　"No, that's not it. This one..."

　Iruka's brows furrowed even more sternly, in a sense. Simultaneously, Kochou looked at Iruka, her expression showing that she had realized something.

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