Volume 1 Chapter 36 Time's Magic, Soul Stealing
Seeing Sir Roxas sitting patiently like a well-behaved pet made me feel relieved. First, I put the perfect, cute, round boiled octopus into a pot filled with water and wine, then placed it on the heat.
"Sir Roxas, please let me know if the water starts to boil over."
"Understood."
He should be able to handle that much.
Sir Roxas nodded seriously with a solemn expression. While simmering the octopus, I chopped onions and rinsed the rice.
The sound of rinsing the rice echoed in the kitchen.
"Lydia."
"What is it? Is it about to boil over, or is it already boiling over...!?"
I briefly imagined Sir Roxas reporting that the water was already boiling over in a panic.
I quickly stopped rinsing the rice and turned around, and Sir Roxas was still staring at the pot with a serious expression.
The pot, simmering the octopus on low heat, seemed fine for now.
"No. The pot is fine. ...But that octopus looks like it's already boiled. Why are you boiling it again?"
"That's to make the octopus tender..."
"I see. ...Boiling makes it tender?"
"Yes! Octopus is tough, right? Right now, it's a bit soft because I boiled it quickly, but to serve it to Sir Rail, it needs to be really soft, mushy, and tender."
"Mushy, soft, tender... that doesn't sound like octopus texture."
"Mx. Margaret and Mr. Tsukuyomi like sake, so they prefer octopus that is firm and bouncy rather than soft and mushy. But Sir Rail, since he is not well, I think he would prefer octopus that is gentle on the body and stomach."
"...Lydia. Just say soft or hard. And stop with that hand gesture..."
I finished sharpening the knife, wiped my wet hands, and used gestures to show the octopus.
For some reason, Sir Roxas covered his mouth and looked down.
"W-why...? I'm explaining it clearly...!"
"...I'm an ordinary person, but I can understand soft and hard."
"It's not just soft. It's mushy, Sir Roxas. You don't even have to chew it. The longer you boil the octopus, the softer it gets, but by softening it before cooking, maybe Sir Rail can eat a lot of octopus dishes."
I passionately explained about the softness of the octopus.
"Why are you so fixated on octopus? Brother doesn't particularly have a special liking for it."
"Because there's fresh octopus available...! Fresh things are good for the body... probably. Plus, they taste good."
"...How long do you boil it?"
"About... 5 hours... no, if possible, around 8 hours."
"It'll be night by then."
"It will be night."
"Are you planning to stay here until night?"
"For the octopus... and also for Sir Rail."
I promised to make the octopus delicious for him.
I want Sir Rail to eat some delicious food, even if it's just a little bit.
"Do we really have to boil it that much...?"
"The more you boil octopus, the softer it gets! Ah! If you only boil it halfway, it will become tough. So, you have to boil it slowly and gently..."
"That's a long time."
"Cooking takes time and effort. But the more you work at it, the tastier it becomes. I'm the chef at Lobelia Diner House, so I really want to cook well and make delicious food for you."
"...You are, um... cheap..."
"Cheap."
"No..."
"Cheap..."
I want to keep the price as low as possible.
I want to charge cute girls and kids less, but for men, I will charge the full price.
That's my policy.
"I'll keep an eye on the pot. You should take a break for a bit."
──Ah, he wanted to say take a break. How kind.
I thought Sir Roxas was just some guy, but he has a good side too. But I really can't trust him. I can't leave it to Sir Roxas.
I'm sorry, but I really feel like he would drop the pot and spill the octopus all over the floor.
"I appreciate the thought, but... it's 8 hours from now, so Sir Roxas, you should rest somewhere. All that's left is to sauté the onions and rice and wait for the octopus to get soft..."
I politely turned down Sir Roxas's suggestion so it wouldn't seem awkward.
I'm sorry.
I just can't trust him...!
"...We just need to fast forward time by 8 hours, right?"
After a moment of silence, Sir Roxas said quietly.
"Y-yes, that's true, but..."
"If that's the case... I can help too."
Sir Roxas stood up and walked over to the pot.
I grabbed Sir Roxas's arm.
What if he knocks over the pot...!
That would be a disaster. I asked him to sit down. Please listen to me...!
With that feeling, I desperately pulled on his arm.
"Sir Roxas, wait, please wait... no, no..."
"What's wrong?"
"If you touch it, it's bad... please be gentle... it will spill..."
I really can't have the pot knocked over...!
I was panicking.
I had finally cooked it well, and the beautiful boiled octopus was ready.
All we had to do was sit quietly and wait slowly. Sir Roxas is so impatient.
He can't turn up the heat...!
Thoughts were swirling in my head, but maybe because I was anxious, I couldn't find the right words.
"Don't use confusing words...!"
"Confusing?"
"I just move time forward. ...My special magic. I can move the target's time forward. Time magic, Soul Steal."
Sir Roxas held his hand over the pot.
Just that──yet, the octopus in the bubbling pot began to change.
From shiny, firm boiled octopus to a dark, limp boiled octopus.
"Octopus, octopus, Sir Roxas, the octopus...!"
"I moved the time of the pot forward. ...To be exact, I took about 8 hours from the octopus's time."
"Wow!"
I leaned over the pot and pulled on Sir Roxas's arm.
The octopus in the pot clearly looked like it had been boiled for over 8 hours.
The water, which had been full, had reduced to about half, and it was stained a light reddish-brown from the octopus's juices.
"Sir Roxas, amazing...! It's so quick, Sir Roxas... in an instant, the octopus became tender, wow, incredible, incredible!"
How convenient.
What a useful cooking tool, Sir Roxas.
When I expressed my joy, Sir Roxas frowned slightly.
"...This is the first time my power has made someone happy."
"W-why is that? It's so useful..."
"Soul Stealing takes away the opponent's time. Flowers wither, living things die... It's a cursed power."
"It's perfect for stews...! And it can cook rice quickly too, Sir Roxas."
I wish we could have one in every household.
But I can't believe it's cursed.
Sir Roxas sighed deeply and shook his head lightly.
"──My brother has the power of the 'Water of Youth', and I have the power of Soul Stealing. We were born as twins. The magic that controls time must have split into 2. My brother's power rewinds time, while mine takes it away. My brother's ability to revive withered flowers is celebrated as a miracle in the Duke family, but my power is only about taking away. ──They say it's ominous, that it's cursed."
"I see..."
Sir Roxas has his own struggles too.
I took the boiled octopus out of the pot with tongs and placed it on the cutting board.
It was so limp. The knife slid right in. It was incredibly soft. The softest it could be.
With this octopus, even a hundred-year-old grandpa could eat it, for sure.
I nodded in satisfaction.
Thanks to Sir Roxas, it looks like I can provide a slightly late lunch.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)