Chapter 59

※Caution: Food-related content ahead※

Please be careful if you are eating.

Ryu is adorable. I can understand why people say he’s only cute when he eats macarons. Is he a fairy or something?

However, as a dragon, no matter how much normal food Ryu eats, it doesn’t provide him with any nutrition. Since most of his body is composed of magic, his main diet consists of monsters, which are also made of magic.

He only needs to eat once every few months, but it seems a bit pitiful.

So, I buy large pieces of meat from the butcher and give them to Ryu as a treat. The sight of him munching on the huge piece of raw meat is quite impressive.

Today, I had the butcher prepare a large piece of beef for me. I wonder if he’ll be happy?

"Ryu! I brought some meat!"

I offer the piece of meat, which is about my size, to Ryu, who is relaxing in the garden. Excited by the rare meal, Ryu eagerly pounces on the meat... but wait?

"Huh? You’re not eating it?"

Ryu sniffs the meat and then turns his head away.

I sniff it too, worried that it might be rotten, but I can’t detect any smell of decay.

"What’s wrong? Do you have a stomachache?"

Worried that he might not be feeling well, I watch as Ryu awkwardly turns his head away and closes his eyes.

Is this... a sign of adolescence?

Is he worried about his weight? Or is he embarrassed to eat in front of his mother? I don’t understand, the mind of a teenage boy is a mystery.

"Just let me know when you want to eat," I say and retreat. Hmm, I’m worried.

It might not be about adolescence. Maybe he’s dealing with some deep-seated issue that’s making it hard for him to eat. Or maybe I’m overthinking it, and it’s just a matter of preference?

"Raw meat... that’s a bit much, isn’t it?"

I had assumed that, being a dragon, Ryu would eat raw meat, but maybe it was cruel to give him uncooked food.

Then, I came up with a plan. I call it the "aroma lure" strategy.

I move to a shaded area of the house, start a fire, and begin to cook the raw meat on a skewer, turning it to ensure it cooks evenly.

I’ve always wanted to try this. I wonder if I can cook it well?

The aroma should stimulate Ryu’s appetite. I’ll appear with the perfectly cooked meat just as his stomach starts to growl.

It’s a perfect plan.

Cooking the meat takes longer than I expected. I thought it would be a quick process, but it’s still raw. It might be better than burning it, though.

While watching the meat cook, I think about why Ryu might not be hungry.

Maybe he’s full? Or maybe he’s getting food from someone else... but that seems unlikely. My child wouldn’t eat something from a stranger.

The aroma is starting to waft through the air. I peek at Ryu from behind the wall.

"...Elenora is here."

Elenora, who is staying at our house, has come to Ryu. She’s offering him something. Is that... a macaron? Ha, Ryu isn’t feeling well, so he wouldn’t eat a sweet like that. He’s a dragon, after all?

"Ryu, it’s a macaron! You can eat it!"

Ryu takes a bite of the offered, fancy pastry and chews it with satisfaction.

"No way..."

I peek out from behind the wall, shocked. Ryu and I make eye contact. No way, he chose the macaron over the meat I prepared?

Despite looking uncomfortable, Ryu finishes the macaron. Ha ha, his mouth is so big that the macaron looks tiny. Ha ha.

Then, the sneaky cat notices me and speaks up.

"Oh? Are you going to eat too, Yumiera?"

I won’t fall for her tricks. She’s using her cunning to deceive the innocent Ryu. And the money for those macarons came from me. What a wicked woman, using my money to steal my Ryu.

"No, thank you."

"Really? They’re delicious."

Elenora says, looking disappointed. I won’t be fooled by her act.

"How many times have you given Ryu sweets?"

"Um... I don’t know. It’s been since we were at the academy. I’ve seen him more often since we started living here."

What a sly woman. She’s been slowly winning Ryu over. This snake.

"Hmm, you’re quite clever."

"Clever?"

"...You’re a bit clever."

"Hehe, clever? Thank you for the compliment."

She’s a good kid, but she’s a dangerous woman.

Elenora, ignoring my hostile gaze, continues.

"Ryu likes sweet things. What are you feeding him, Yumiera?"

Seeing Elenora’s innocent smile, I feel a pang of guilt.

I realize I didn’t know what Ryu likes. Elenora did.

I’m the one at fault. I’ve been giving him raw meat just because he’s a dragon, without really understanding him. I’ve been forcing my ideal image of a dragon onto him without really seeing him.

I’m a terrible parent. I’m ashamed of myself, and I feel sorry for Ryu.

I look at Ryu and say,

"Ryu, I’m sorry. I’ll do better from now on."

Ryu, seeing my determined expression, lets out a lazy roar. I’ve only brought this on myself. I need to show him my sincerity through actions, not words.

For some reason, Ryu’s lazy demeanor reminds me of Patrick. It’s strange.

◆ ◆ ◆

Feeding raw meat to a child. Thinking about it now, it’s absurd. It’s like giving uncooked rice to a human. It’s even worse than a convenience store bento.

I’ve been completely neglecting my parenting duties.

From now on, I’ll make loving, home-cooked meals for him.

I put on an apron, buy the necessary ingredients, and head to the kitchen.

On the way, I run into Patrick.

"What’s going on? You’re dressed strangely."

"I’m going to cook."

"Didn’t you say that nobles don’t cook?"

I think I did. I said that cooking and baking would only cause trouble for the servants.

But things are different now.

"I want to make a loving, home-cooked meal for Ryu."

"Didn’t you also say that love doesn’t change the taste of food?"

I might have said that. I probably would have.

But things are different now.

"The most important thing in cooking is love. Love is powerful."

"I see."

Even the best chef’s food would pale in comparison to a loving, home-cooked meal.

However, Patrick’s expression doesn’t look good. Is he worried about something?

"Are you... thinking I can’t cook and am clumsy?"

"No... I don’t think that at all..."

I haven’t cooked since I was reincarnated, but I was a decent cook in my previous life. Decent, of course, is a humble way of saying I was quite skilled.

I always check the order of adding soup to instant noodles and pour the water to the exact line. I can also squeeze every last bit out of a retort curry pouch.

With these skills, I can easily make a home-cooked meal. Plus, I’m full of love, so I can pour that into my cooking too.

Seeing my confidence and love, Patrick must have felt reassured.

"Where does your confidence come from... So, what are you going to make, Yumiera?"

"Stew."

Ryu likes sweets, but as a parent, I can’t let him eat only sweets. I’ve never made stew before, but I’m sure I can handle it.

When I tell Patrick the menu, he points at the ingredients I’m carrying. His finger is trembling slightly.

"Are these ingredients for stew?"

"Oh, this strawberry jam? Ryu is a sweet tooth, so I thought I’d make it sweet. And this is the secret ingredient, cicada shells!"

As I introduce the other ingredients, Patrick’s expression becomes increasingly stern.

Why doesn’t he approve of my effort to cook? I get it now.

"Don’t worry, I’ll let you taste it too, Patrick."

Is he jealous of Ryu? He’s quite adorable in his own way. I’ll make a loving, home-cooked meal not just for my beloved child but also for my beloved fiancé.

Oh, this will definitely boost his affection. After a romantic event like eating a lover’s home-cooked meal, the affectionate route is guaranteed.

Maybe it’s because he’s too happy, but he stands there in silence for a while before saying,

"...I think you should have a professional look at it. Ah, it’s your first time in the kitchen, so you might not know how to use things. I’m worried you might hurt yourself, Yumiera."

"Got it. Thanks, Patrick."

Kitchens are all the same, and I’m not so fragile that I’ll get hurt by a knife or fire.

But I’ll appreciate his concern. I have no intention of getting a professional’s advice. This is how a capable woman does things.

After informing the house cook, I start cooking in the kitchen. The stew turns out well. This is usually where I’d fail, but I really can cook. Hahaha.

The cook, who was watching my technique, ran away with tears streaming down his face, covering his mouth. I must have hurt his pride as a chef. I did a bad thing.

The Yumiera Stew is complete.

Alright, let’s serve it to everyone.

Elenora thought it was poison.

Ryu flew away into the sky.

Patrick was bedridden for three days.

The end.

Rice dishes are always popular, so I decided to go with the trend.