The dinner party to which I invited Kuon turned out to be relatively peaceful, thankfully. Even so, seeing her continuously store vast amounts of food into her small body while exclaiming how delicious everything was must have been quite a shocking sight to anyone watching. When I say peaceful, it’s only in comparison to Mel. So, please keep in mind that it may differ significantly from what most people would consider peaceful.
“I’d say somewhere between Mel and Silvia…”
“Huh? Mmm… Kelvin-kun, did you say something?”
“No, it’s probably nothing. Don’t mind me, just eat as much as you want.”
“Yay, I’m eating!”
Yeah, a familiar black hole of an appetite. She was clearly eating more food than her body could physically hold, yet her stomach wasn’t expanding at all. Mel and Silvia also do this, but it’s like they compress it the moment it enters their stomachs, isn’t it? But that’s not what I’m most concerned about right now—
“—Speaking of which, will you be able to manage some exercise after this? You seem to have consumed quite a lot.”
“Mmm, I’m fine, I’m fine~. I’m used to being able to fight whether I’m sleeping or eating, so don’t worry about me~. *Chomp chomp!*”
“I see, always be ready for battle. That’s a good saying.”
“Huh? Are you talking about the idiom? I prefer the Manchu Han Imperial Feast. My daughter used to make it for me often on my birthday~.”
“What kind of thing are you having your daughter make? That’s definitely not something you can make at home.”
And so it went, Kuon seemed to connect everything back to food, but after about another half hour, her stomach finally seemed to be full.
“Whew, I’m so full~.”
The moment the table was cleared, Kuon patted her stomach with satisfaction. Just as she said, she appeared to be completely full.
“Wow, you really ate like Lady Mel~. The world is such a big place.”
Ryuka, who had been fighting fiercely in the kitchen until then, also appeared in the dining hall. My, she did a great job in Efil’s absence. I could give her a perfect score in place of Mel.
“Right, right? The world is bigger than you’d think~. Well, I’m from a different world, though!”
“A different world? Hmm, I don’t really understand… but I get that it’s amazing!”
“Hehe, thank you~. But speaking of amazing, I think you’re incredibly amazing too? I was so surprised to hear that you made that feast! You made me want to shout ‘Chef, bring me the chef!’ It was so delicious. Especially the stew, it was divine!”
“Really!? The stew, I learned how to make it from my mother~.”
“Is that so~? I hope you can pass down that taste for all eternity~.”
Ryuka seemed very pleased by the praise for her stew, directly taught by Ellie. The warm atmosphere that formed after the meal… it’s nice and all, but…
“Kuon, shouldn’t we head to the underground training ground soon?”
I was practically buzzing with the urge to get in some post-meal exercise. Yes, I was so restless that it could completely shatter this heartwarming atmosphere.
“Oh, right, right. Chef, would you like to come watch? You might see a rare sight of your Master getting dirt on them?”
“Hey, hey, you sure have a lot to say.”
I know. Kuon isn’t boasting idly. She’s confident enough to say such things naturally.
“Hmm, I will if the dishes are done! Master, you get dirt on you quite often in sparring matches, so it’s not really that rare!”
“Eh? …Is that so~?”
“…”
I couldn’t help but avert my gaze, but I knew. Kuon’s glare was piercing me deeply.
“Well done, Ryuka. You really observe the sparring matches among our party closely. Good job~. But I wish you hadn’t said that right now. You know, it dirties my dignity, or rather, what little I have of it.”
“Alright, it’s a race to the underground training ground!”
“Ah, you’re trying to change the subject!”
“Master, you can’t run in the hallways!”
Yes, I’m sorry!
***
We ended up heading underground without a race. During that time, Kuon teased me relentlessly about the “Master getting too much dirt” issue—it was quite a hassle, in short.
“The reason I get dirt on me is because my allies are that good. In terms of our combat records, it’s pretty balanced. In other words, just as much dirt gets on them as it does on me.”
“Even so, it doesn’t sound very cool. Besides, I don’t even know how strong you and your allies are. So, maybe I’ll reserve my judgment until you manage to get dirt on me, Kelvin-kun!”
“That means your evaluation will remain covered in dirt.”
It’s like this. If I’m underestimated too much, I worry I might be held back during actual fights, which isn’t ideal for me, but… I’ll believe that Kuon can switch gears properly when the time comes. After all, she’s friends with Maria’s mom, so she’s probably fine.
“Oh, we’ve arrived while we were talking.”
“Whoa, it’s bigger than I expected. There are even spectator seats… Yep, it feels sturdy.”
Kuon lightly knocked on the walls and floor of the training ground, checking their feel. It seemed she approved.
“It’s designed so that you can engage in pretty intense battles. But even so, there are limits, you know? Please refrain from using anything too large-scale, or techniques and magic that go beyond the limits. Even if it’s sturdy, it can’t stop things like Black Holes.”
“Got it, got it~. I owe you one for the lodging. Even I won’t push it too far.”
Kuon said this confidently as she began her stretches. That’s very kind, but I never promised her more than a night’s stay. I only owe her for one meal. …Well, she’s going to be returning more than just that favor from now on, so it’s not like it matters now.
“For the first sparring match, how about this… The winner is the one who gets dirt on the opponent first, meaning the one who knocks the other to the floor first. How does that sound?”
“Ooh, interesting, like sumo. There’s no ring, so our movement is unrestricted, right? But is that okay? I’m quite good at making people fall, you know?”
“That’s perfectly fine. Wouldn’t that be a chance to see your specialty in action and experience it firsthand? I’d welcome it. Go ahead and make me fall as much as you want.”
“Haha, you’re quite something. Then, I won’t hold back. I expect we’ll be sparring dozens of times after this anyway.”
Kuon assumed a stance with a cheerful expression. The fact that she’s willing to spar dozens of times makes me think she’s also quite something.
“I appreciate your quick understanding. Let’s begin—!?”
As I took some distance from Kuon and was about to give the signal to start, it happened. Strange things occur unexpectedly, and before I knew it, my vision had inverted.
