Chapter 4

When I returned from the market, the sun was setting, and the sky was beginning to turn red with the sunset.

There's no time before dinner. I decided to start cooking right away.

I put on an apron that was cream-colored with a cute little bird embroidered on it. This was a gift from my younger sister for my birthday when she was 10, and I often use it because I like it.

Jade naturally came into the kitchen with me, so I thought I might ask him to help. I took out an old, dark blue apron that my grandfather used to wear and handed it to him.

Jade's eyes widened for a moment, but he smiled slightly and put on the apron. It looked a bit bulky and strange over his silver armor.

I couldn't help but grin, and Jade looked down at himself, taking in his appearance. For some reason, he struck a pose.

... I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Jade also laughed, covering his mouth with his hand and laughing with his shoulders. When our eyes met, the laughter grew even more, and we couldn't stop for a while.

... We don't have time. We should stop fooling around and start preparing dinner.

I spread out the ingredients I had bought on the kitchen table and put away the ones I wouldn't use immediately in the refrigerator.

Here are the ingredients for tonight's dinner:

- Bacon

- Onion

- Corn

- Potato

- Rice from my original world

- Fresh chicken eggs

- Milk

Today's menu is omurice (omelet rice) and corn soup. This is the first dinner I'm making in this new world, so I decided to make my sister's favorite dish.

I couldn't make a salad because I couldn't get fresh vegetables this season.

Our omurice is not made with chicken rice but with bacon and ketchup rice. Some people might prefer chicken rice, but my mother always used bacon. I also like the combination of bacon and ketchup, so I always make it this way.

The bacon I bought, according to the appraisal, is made from the meat of an orc, a pig-like monster. The appraisal also mentioned that orcs are pig-headed humanoids. ... Do we really need that explanation? I don't think so.

I was inwardly shuddering, wondering which part of the humanoid body this was, when the butcher kindly told me it was the soft, pudgy part of the belly. He said it's low in muscle, so when made into bacon, it's sweet and delicious.

... I didn't ask anything, and I didn't check with the appraisal! This is just... meat...!

However, the ratio of the red meat to the white fat is perfect, and it looks very delicious if you don't think about it.

... Actually, orc meat is apparently quite expensive. What a surprise.

The onions and potatoes looked the same as in my original world, but they grow on trees. Do you miss the soil, guys?

The most interesting thing was the corn. I wanted fresh corn, but since it's a summer vegetable, I thought it would be impossible. At a store that handles a lot of grains, I found dried corn. The shop owner told me that if you soak this corn in water, it revives instantly and becomes fresh.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how it revives.

I put the rice in a colander and rinsed it with tap water.

By the way, in this new world, which we transferred to along with our home, the gas, water, and electricity work just as they did in our original world. The old man in the robe mumbled something complicated about the reason, but whatever it is, it's certainly convenient. I'd be in trouble if I had to start a fire with wood or charcoal.

By the way, the rice we have at home is the same as we had in our original world. I walked around the market today looking for rice, but I couldn't find the kind we're used to. I did find some long-grain rice that looked like Thai rice, so I bought it just in case... but if I can't find our usual rice and the rice we have runs out, I can imagine my sister going wild. The thought is terrifying. I have to do something about it.

After rinsing the rice, I adjusted the water level to cook it a bit firmer and turned on the rice cooker.

Next, I prepared the ingredients.

I cut the bacon into 5mm thick slices and then into strips.

A bit thicker is the secret to making it delicious.

I peeled the onion and sliced it thinly for the soup, and then finely chopped it for the omurice.

By the way, I keep the onion in the refrigerator. It's supposed to prevent your eyes from watering... or so I've heard. I've been doing it ever since I heard that. Even so, if I touch it for too long, my eyes start to water, so I try to work quickly.

Chop, chop, chop, chop.

The rhythmic sound of the knife hitting the cutting board echoed.

Then, sniff... I heard a sniffle.

Surprised, I looked over and saw that Jade's eyes were watering.

"Why are you crying...?"

"Ah... I'm sorry."

For some reason, Jade was tearing up.

Tears were falling from his honey-colored eyes, and it felt like I had made him cry, which made me feel bad.

I quickly wet a towel and handed it to him.

— Right, I'll have Jade peel the potatoes.

I pushed a peeler and a potato into his hands. It would be better for him to stay away from the onions until his eyes calm down.

"Jade, can you peel this?"

"... What is this?"

Jade, sniffing, looked closely at the peeler.

"It's a magical item that anyone can use to easily peel vegetables."

"Wow! Is it a magic item from your world?"

— No, it's not.

I remembered that this is a world where magic really exists.

I explained to Jade that it's just a tool and how to use it, thinking that if I jokingly called it magic, he might take it seriously.

It's important to explain how to use a peeler correctly, because if you hold it wrong, it can peel your skin... so the explanation is important.

Jade, curious about the unfamiliar tool, began peeling the potato slowly, his eyes sparkling.

His serious expression was somehow very endearing.

While watching him, I prepared a colander and started to revive the corn.

The dried corn looked familiar. It looked like something you could use to make popcorn in a frying pan.

I filled a bowl with water and poured the corn into the colander, then gently immersed it in the water.

Squish! Pop, pop, pop!

"Wow!"

The water in the bowl was instantly absorbed into the corn kernels. The dried kernels plumped up and became shiny, as if they had just been harvested.

The ingredients in this new world are amazing! So mysterious!

I took a kernel and pressed it with my finger. It had the same elasticity as fresh corn. When I put it in my mouth, it burst with juice and a strong sweetness, like a high-sugar fruit.

— If I made corn fritters with this, they would be delicious. Of course, with salt! I want to bite into them while they're hot and crispy, saying "hmm, hmm." Of course, with a cold, dry sake! *Sip*.

The deliciousness made my thoughts drift towards an evening drink.

I haven't had an evening drink since we came to this world. My mouth filled with saliva, and I felt a dry throat thinking about the sake.

— Ah. The nature of a drinker. I have to endure now.

I sighed and tried to regain my composure.

I washed the corn, which had absorbed the water and become shiny, under running water. I set aside some for the soup and placed the rest next to the pot.

"Done! How is it, Akane!"

Jade, who had finally finished peeling the potatoes, proudly showed me the white, peeled potatoes. He was puffing out his chest like a child, saying, "I'm pretty good, right?"

— As expected of a peeler. It's peeled beautifully.

I kept the mean words in my heart and praised him, "You did a great job! I can't believe it's your first time!"

He looked even happier than usual, his ears turning red with excitement. Jade is supposed to be older than me, but he looked so cute that I couldn't help but turn away to hide my smile.

I could almost see a tail wagging behind him.

— Ah, my imagination, stop!

To avoid showing my inner turmoil, I focused on the next task.

I thinly sliced the potatoes that Jade had peeled to make them cook faster.

I prepared a pot and added a piece of butter.

As the butter melted, I carefully added the onions, making sure not to let the butter burn. I sautéed the onions until they were soft, then added the potatoes. Once the potatoes were coated with butter, I added the corn and sautéed them further.

The pale yellow kernels turned a beautiful golden color as they cooked. The aroma of the butter and the sweet smell of the sautéed onions tickled my nose. It looked delicious even without any seasoning.

After sautéing for a while, I added enough water to cover the ingredients and then added the consomme. I simmered it until the potatoes were soft.

Bubbling, bubbling.

In the boiling water, the golden corn and potatoes danced.

"Even though it's corn soup, you're adding potatoes?"

"Well, I don't think it's generally added, but we do in our house. I don't think restaurants add them."

Indeed, it's unusual to add potatoes to corn soup, especially with the onions.

Personally, I prefer adding potatoes. I feel that corn alone is too watery, and the potatoes make it creamy.

I could use heavy cream to make it richer, but I don't want to add too much fat. As a calorie-conscious girl and someone who doesn't want to spend too much on expensive heavy cream, potatoes are the only choice. The result is quite thick, so I recommend it to those who like creamy soups.

After the potatoes were soft, I turned off the heat and let it cool down.

Well, it's about time.

I listened carefully, aware of the front door.

Then—thump, thump, thump!—noisy footsteps approached.

"Big sister! I'm home! I'm hungry!"

"Hey, Hiyori. Don't open the door roughly! Wash your hands and face when you come home! And change your clothes!"

"Even though my cute little sister is home, you start with a scolding. Are you my mom or something?"

"No, I'm your sister."

"If you're my sister, you should be more lenient!"

"Okay, be a good girl. Go change and wash your hands!"

"Big sister is so cold!"

My noisy sister burst in, complaining loudly as she quickly went to her room.

I ignored her and continued to crack eggs into a bowl, listening to her complaints.

"Hmm..."

Then, I heard an unfamiliar voice.

Huh? I turned to the door and saw Prince Cain. Jade seemed to have noticed and moved to the side, standing a bit away.

Prince Cain looked very uncomfortable, his eyes wandering, and he said hesitantly,

"Should I wash my hands too?"

— Should I show him to the bathroom?

I was a bit confused and froze.