Volume 3 Chapter 6 Lydia, Three-minute Cooking
Eir-Eir jumped onto the counter at Lobelia Diner House, flapping its hand-like wings and saying, "C, c, pumpkin...!" It seemed to be trying to tell me something.
Part of the scenery had changed to Lobelia Diner House, but there were still the counter, stove, oven, and sink, though there were no walls.
Because of this, the priests and the people who had come to worship at the Great Temple, now taking shelter, were watching me from a little distance.
Next to me were my father Feldur and Francois.
Dad Arjuna was curled up on a round stool in the kitchen, as if it was his usual spot.
Sir Stefan leaned back on a grand throne, eyes closed.
Blood flowing from his side transformed into red roses, and vines from the roses wrapped around Sir Stefan's body.
On the vines, there were round, white spiders with red eyes clinging on.
"Visualization of the curse. And, visualization of the illusion. You can create the world as you wish."
Dad Arjuna said in a solemn voice.
"Then, if I think of it as an amusement park instead of a kitchen, this place becomes an amusement park...?"
"Holy is the power of healing. It heals the mind and body. This scenery was chosen because it is your best solution. I don't know what an amusement park is, but if that is your answer, then it will become an amusement park."
"Sister, let's go to the amusement park together."
"Lydia, if it's an amusement park, I'll take you there as many times as you want. I'll buy you anything."
Francois and my father, who were beside me, sparkled their eyes at the word "amusement park."
It must be a fun place, an amusement park.
I don't know because I've never been.
"Yes, once everyone feels better, let's go together... but for now, we need to make dinner."
"Pumpkin──."
"Eir-Eir, do you want to eat something...?"
"Pumpkin!"
"Peach sorbet will be for another time. Right now, I feel like making something that we can all eat together."
"Pudding..."
"Sir Stefan likes restaurant food... restaurant food... we can make a lot of restaurant food."
On the counter in front of me, warm rice appeared in a pot, along with freshly grilled salmon, seaweed, and salt.
"Salmon rice balls."
I clapped my hands together.
Rice balls can be made quickly. They're easy. They're delicious. I think there's no one in this world who dislikes rice balls; they're super popular, from adults to kids.
"But, Sir Stefan likes shrimp tempura..."
As I murmured, shrimp tempura appeared next to the grilled salmon.
"Tempura rice balls..."
"What's tempura rice balls...?"
Father Feldur tilted his head in confusion.
When my father murmured, it sounded like a new spell.
After washing my hands at the sink, I returned with a bowl of water.
I sprinkled salt on the rice in the pot and mixed it gently, as if cutting it.
I wet my palms with water from the bowl, placed rice in my hands, and added the flaked salmon in the center.
I pressed it lightly to shape it into a triangle, then wrapped it with seaweed and placed it on a plate.
I wet my hands again, added more rice, put a shrimp tempura in the middle, and pressed it into a triangle.
I wrapped it in seaweed, and it was done.
"I made it! A set of salmon rice balls and shrimp tempura rice balls!"
"Sister, it looks delicious..."
"Pumpkin pudding!"
The rice balls are quick to make. They're easy to make and tasty.
I thought I should make more, so I tried to put rice in my hands again, and the rice cooker, salmon, and shrimp tempura sparkled in rainbow colors.
In the next moment, there were many salmon rice balls and shrimp tempura rice balls lined up on the counter.
"Dad, the rice balls, they're making themselves..."
"This space was created by your magic, your space. The rice balls are... rice balls? I don't really understand what rice balls are, but they are real and not real at the same time. They are made from your magic, created by your memories."
"I don't really get it, but I understand. Anyway, I made a lot of rice balls, that's good."
"Pumpkin..."
"There are plenty, so you can eat as much as you want, Eir-Eir. I think I can make as many rice balls as I like."
This is magic that can create rice balls.
Francois took a salmon rice ball and stuffed it into Eir-Eir's wide-open mouth.
Eir-Eir seemed to remember being thrown against the wall by Francois, and bit down on Francois's hand along with the rice ball. It didn't seem to hurt much, and Francois giggled, saying, "I like animals."
On the plate, new rice balls appeared in place of the ones that were gone.
Eir-Eir stopped biting Francois's hand and started munching on the rice balls.
After eating the rice balls, Eir-Eir looked a bit tired, but regained a shiny, plump whiteness.
"Lydia, I brought the injured. You're ready, as expected of my goddess."
Mr. Lucian returned with Fafnir, who was carrying the injured priests.
When Fafnir landed, he jumped off and came over to me, patting my head.
"Lucian! What is your relationship with Lydia...?"
"We're friends, Head Priest."
Father Feldur was shaking with anger.
I took Mr. Lucian's hand and smiled, saying, "I'm glad you're safe."
I was relieved there were no injuries. I knew Mr. Lucian and the others were strong, but I was still worried.
Mr. Lucian covered his mouth and looked down.
"...Friends, huh?"
Father Feldur narrowed his eyes and said in a cold voice.
"For now, we're still friends..."
"Men are foolish..."
As Mr. Lucian answered in a strained voice, Francois quietly said,
"Dad, Mr. Lucian, please let everyone eat the rice balls. They're not real rice balls, but just like real rice balls, um, they can lift the curse and heal wounds..."
"Don't worry, Lydia, I understand. Everyone, please help."
Mr. Lucian listened to my clumsy explanation and nodded kindly.
I felt relieved and looked up at Mr. Lucian. Father Feldur raised a plate with rice balls, saying, "I won't allow this, Lucian."
"If it's for my sister, I'll do anything."
Francois, Father Feldur, and Mr. Lucian split up and headed towards the priests who were collapsed on Fafnir.
The other priests, who had been watching the situation, seemed to snap back to reality and began to join the rescue at the Great Temple.
The priests that Mr. Lucian brought with him had rose vines wrapped around their bodies, and a round-eyed red spider clung to their necks as if it were biting them.
"Sir Stefan, please open your mouth."
I placed salmon rice balls and tempura rice balls on a plate and went to the throne to call out to Sir Stefan.
Sir Stefan opened his eyes slightly and stared blankly at my face.
"Lydia, I'm... how pathetic. I should have protected you, but you ended up saving me..."
"That's not important. It's rice balls, eat them, Sir Stefan."
"...Ah."
"When you feel better, please eat real rice balls at the restaurant. They're delicious, you know. There are lots of dishes at the restaurant that you said you liked, Sir Stefan."
Seeing Sir Stefan, who had lost so much time and was in such bad shape, made me feel really sad, and tears welled up in my eyes.
The kind Sir Stefan was the real Sir Stefan.
He taught me about emotions──anger, sadness, joy, and happiness.
Though I no longer felt any romantic feelings, a sense of affection rose up in me, like what I would feel if I had an older brother.
"...Mmm."
Sir Stefan took a bite of the rice ball, swallowed, and let out a deep breath.
The pale color of his face began to regain its color.
The rose vines that had been wrapped around his body slowly disappeared, and the round spider that had been clinging to him vanished like a mirage.
Sir Stefan finished 2 rice balls in no time.
By the time he was done eating, his wounds had completely healed, and vitality returned to his jade-colored eyes.
"Lydia, ...thank you. I keep being saved by you."
"That's not true. I'm just glad you're okay, Sir Stefan."
The time that was taken from us won't come back.
But──everyone is safe, and that's what matters.
My father, Sir Stefan, Francois.
"──As I thought, you're in the way. Always getting in the way, Goddess Alexandria...!"
That voice came from among the people who were sheltering and watching us.
The crowd parted like waves.
On the other side stood a beautiful woman with golden bow and arrows. She had black hair and violet eyes. She looked like me.
The tip of her arrow was aimed straight at me.
"Tiansa!"
Father Feldur shouted. That was──my mother's figure.
Famine can change its appearance.
It can take on the form and abilities of what it has eaten, it said.
In other words──
"That's enough, witch."
"Being anxious simplifies your actions. The moment you showed yourself, you lost."
Before I knew it, Sir Roxas and Sir Ciel had blended into the crowd.
Sir Ciel's binding magic chains wrapped around Famine, who was in the form of my mother, while Sir Roxas grabbed the hand that was holding the bow.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)