Chapter 37

The content is almost the same as chapters 19-21. If you don't like it, please skip it.

The seniors gradually started preparing the food, which made me anxious. Even the deputy squad leader was urging me on.

"Big bro, do your best!"

Amidst this, Yuri sent a cute cheer. I had seen her peeling the taro potatoes with all her might, even though her small hands were a bit unsteady. If Yuri, who was working harder than I was, cheered me on, I had no choice but to do my best!

...The three foolish seniors, perhaps envious of Yuri's encouragement, called out to her, but the timing was terrible. Why did they do that when they were supposed to be assisting the old man!? Even the deputy squad leader was exasperated.

"...How stupid can they be?"

"They've really solidified as the 'Three Foolish Trio,' haven't they?"

"Yuri, you don't need to cheer on Alph, and make sure you don't get hurt."

"Okay."

"Good kid. I don't dislike kids who listen well."

"Wouldn't you like a hardworking and capable kid even more?"

"That's a silly question."

"I like you too, Deputy Squad Leader."

The deputy squad leader, while exasperated, reminded Yuri to be careful. When Yuri nodded obediently, the deputy squad leader and Ordima continued, and Yuri dropped a bomb with a smile.

Her cuteness was so overwhelming that everyone in the kitchen stopped what they were doing.

Usually, when someone says something mean, they only get mean responses back, so the deputy squad leader was completely flustered by this unexpected kindness. This was a rare sight, and even Ordima was visibly shaken.

"By the way, Yuri. What about the others?"

"? I like them."

"Even the old man?"

"Very much!"

"...Then, what about the squad leader?"

"Adores him."

After a while, the deputy squad leader, who seemed to have calmed down, asked Yuri. Yuri answered with a puzzled look.

Without any hesitation, she said "like," which made everyone relax, but when the deputy squad leader asked about the squad leader, Yuri's highest praise came out, and everyone almost fell over.

Captain, how envious.

"Is it because of the training? Or the effect of the training??"

"...Yuri, I'll keep giving you good food, okay?"

"Young man, I'll put extra effort into cooking for you, Yuri."

"Okay!"

The deputy squad leader looked envious, the squad leader renewed his resolve, and the old man felt competitive.

The three foolish seniors, who were secretly jealous of the squad leader, were creepy.

Moreover, when the old man mentioned the food, Yuri's eyes sparkled.

What a chaotic scene.

...But when we got back to work, everyone was strangely motivated. Was this the Yuri effect?

After dinner service started, Yuri's voice rang out. It seemed she had successfully finished peeling the taro potatoes.

Following the deputy squad leader's instructions, Yuri started cleaning up. Just as she did, a customer arrived. It was Kalaf, the deputy squad leader of the blacksmith unit, whom the squad leader and deputy squad leader were not fond of.

They both had slightly twisted smiles and immediately sent Yuri out to the dining area.

While serving the food, I was impressed by Yuri's ability to interact normally with Kalaf. Suddenly, I sensed a change in the atmosphere of the dining room.

Laughter from the knights of the external security unit, who were eating, spread towards Kalaf.

It soon turned towards Yuri as well.

This drew the attention of the kitchen staff.

In the midst of this, Kalaf, who had shown no reaction to the ridicule directed at her, moved to defend Yuri, which heightened the tension in the dining room.

After all, she was one of the upper management. Any action here would definitely put Kalaf at a disadvantage, and could even lead to a responsibility issue.

No one tried to stop Kalaf, and the tension in the dining room reached its peak. Then, Yuri grabbed the hem of Kalaf's clothes and stopped her.

"Big sister, have you eaten?"

"..."

"For dinner, the squad leader and the old man are making an omelet. It's freshly made, soft, and fluffy."

Whether she understood the situation or not, when Yuri spoke to Kalaf, Kalaf couldn't ignore her and turned to look at her, though she was clearly confused.

"---Your job is really amazing. Not everyone can do it, you know."

"Yuri."

"Enjoy your meal."

When Yuri said this to Kalaf, not only Kalaf but also the kitchen staff were surprised.

Only the squad leader, with a sly smile, started making the omelet again.

Did Yuri understand everything and stop Kalaf? Some of the squad members in the dining room, who were eating, whistled in admiration.

In the midst of this, Yuri, with a smile, continued to speak to the stunned Kalaf.

"Big bro, please serve the next person."

"Kalaf Deputy Squad Leader, welcome."

When the tension in the dining room eased, Yuri declared with a pose, looking at me.

I laughed and greeted Kalaf, and Yuri pushed the stunned Kalaf to the serving counter.

"...I'm done for. To be treated with such care by such young ones, I have no standing at all."

"The omelet is delicious."

"It's so good, it makes your cheeks fall off."

"...Dilnan Squad Leader, where have you been hiding these cute kids?"

"I haven't been hiding them. That guy is finally getting serious because he has a cute junior. Yuri starts today."

The deputy squad leader sighed with a bitter smile as I and Yuri supported her.

When the squad leader arrived with a perfectly timed omelet, Kalaf looked at him.

Impressed by the squad leader's smooth response, Kalaf looked back at Yuri.

I had a bad feeling.

"Yuri, if the cooking unit ever gets tired of you, you can come to the blacksmith unit's clothing department."

"Huh?"

"It's the same as cooking, you know. You process materials to create something. You'll do great... Ah! Don't give me that serious death glare, all of you!!"

True to my bad feeling, Kalaf's attempt to recruit Yuri was met with Yuri's puzzled voice from under the serving counter.

When Kalaf tried to continue, everyone, not just me, released a killing aura.

The intensity of the combined killing aura was so strong that Kalaf screamed, and some people in the dining room turned pale and froze. Even the knights who had mocked Kalaf and Yuri earlier were now tense due to their table positions.

Serve them right. Don't mess with the strongest internal unit!

After stopping the recruitment, Kalaf, with her meal in hand, reluctantly parted with Yuri.

When Yuri returned to the kitchen, the deputy squad leader picked her up.

"Little one, I'll make your omelet extra cheesy."

"Wow!"

"...You're really cute. Alright, let's go prepare our meal."

"Okay!"

The deputy squad leader, in a good mood, praised Yuri's efforts and announced a special meal. Yuri raised her hands in joy.

In the process, she dropped a paper bag she had apparently received from Kalaf, but even that cute gesture dispelled the last of the bad mood in the kitchen.

The deputy squad leader threw the paper bag to the squad leader, and the old man glared at the two of them, but his usual angry voice didn't echo through the dining room.

After being led by the deputy squad leader, Yuri and the others, who hadn't eaten lunch, went to dinner together.

Meanwhile, the three foolish seniors, in an unusual show of seriousness, worked to make things easier for Yuri.

These guys, when they get serious, are incredibly skilled, but their unfortunate personalities ruin it. What a waste.

Even when the food and cleanup teams switched, everyone's eyes naturally turned to Yuri. It wasn't just me.

Seeing Yuri, who was working hard on the Pomul box I had prepared in the morning, the three foolish seniors' faces were a mess. It was so bad, I thought it should be rated 100+.

The squad leader, calling it "creepy," punched one of them, leading to a scuffle.

The three foolish seniors, in their commotion, bumped into Ordima, who then punched them. ...Ordima, calculating to keep it from Yuri's sight, was a bit scary.

Even after being punched, one of the three foolish seniors, Cain, had a dazed, infatuated look on his face, which was so creepy that I instinctively turned back to Yuri for comfort.

After the noisy dinner, I joined the cleanup team, and to my surprise, the cleanup was almost done.

The deputy squad leader talked about Yuri's performance, and when he prompted the squad leader to check the table Yuri had cleaned, everyone on the food team checked it.

The small tools were neatly stored, the frequently used seasonings were replenished, and the table was thoroughly wiped clean. There was nothing to complain about.

Even Ordima praised the result, impressed.

The deputy squad leader, nodding in satisfaction, continued to talk about Yuri's work.

...Before I knew it, the deputy squad leader was holding Yuri. The squad leader tried to point out the issue, but the deputy squad leader brushed it off with an excuse. ...Yuri looked scared.

Seeing this, Ordima casually took Yuri from the deputy squad leader.

The deputy squad leader protested, but Ordima, unfazed, patted Yuri's head and laughed with her.

When the three foolish seniors declared they wanted to hold Yuri too, Ordima easily rejected them.

They didn't have a cute personality that would make them give up, so they predictably charged forward.

I instinctively grabbed a nearby frying pan and hit the three foolish seniors, and the squad leader and deputy squad leader did the same with a pot and a noodle stick.

I was thinking about the good sound it made when the old man's angry voice echoed through the dining room.

...The three foolish seniors were worried about the cooking utensils, not themselves.

After the final cleanup and preparation, we all went to the bath.

It's rare in other units, but in the cooking unit, everyone who didn't go out takes a bath together after work.

When I first joined, I was told it was to deepen camaraderie through naked interaction.

Today, with Yuri here, everyone was present without exception.

As usual, the old man went into the bath first, followed by Yuri.

...But no one followed after that. Everyone looked at the squad leader.

"Hey, Squad Leader, Yuri doesn't have a male part, right?"

The deputy squad leader voiced our thoughts. Yes, Yuri definitely didn't have a male part.

"That's right."

"‘That's right’ isn't good enough! The Northern Demon Castle doesn't allow female staff except in special cases!!"

"Yuri isn't female, so it's fine."

"But she's not male either!!"

"That's right. Yuri is a neuter. ...Yuri has no gender."

The squad leader, who was calmly undressing, was shouted at by the deputy squad leader, but the squad leader's response left everyone speechless.

We were confused by the existence of a neuter, which we had only heard of in fairy tales.

"...Yuri has lost her memory, so we don't know the details, but the environment around Yuri is definitely unstable. However, the cooking unit can be Yuri's absolute safe haven. Even as a temporary member for three months, please do your best to train her."

"Seriously...?"

"Yuri doesn't understand how rare she is. So, just treat her normally. Think of her as a younger brother or sister; it's a trivial matter to Yuri."

But the squad leader's words resonated with me.

Right. Yuri is the first cute junior I've had. Gender doesn't matter.

"Squad Leader, is Yuri's situation that dangerous?"

"Yuri has a guardian ring. For a neuter of that lineage to be found in the 'Deep Forest' is not normal."

"...Got it. I'll treat my precious 'angel' the same way."

When I confirmed, the squad leader explained the critical situation, and I decided to let it go.

As long as Yuri is Yuri, that's enough.

"‘Angel’? ...A demon like Yuri??"

"I read it in a book once. Angels don't have a gender. Plus, Yuri is pure and innocent."

"Hmm, Alph, that's a good way to put it. Nice, 'angel'."

"An 'angel' of the cooking unit."

The squad leader, surprised, asked for an explanation, and the deputy squad leader and Ordima agreed. Radastor and Dioga, the three foolish seniors, also nodded.

"That's fine, isn't it? Let's go to the bath."

With that, we headed to the bath, which we had fallen behind in.

Inside, Yuri was being held by the old man and soaking in the tub.

Yuri, with a warm and relaxed expression, and the old man, with a gentle look, made me realize that gender didn't matter at all. Besides, until adulthood, gender doesn't have much significance.

In the bath, the three foolish seniors tried to tease Yuri, but we all defended her.

Despite their persistence, the old man finally lost his temper and moved to discipline them, and I was entrusted with Yuri.

Yuri, seemingly unaware of what was happening, looked puzzled and remained calm.

I thought about putting her down, but with her in my arms, the water was already up to her chin. No, she could drown if I wasn't careful.

...Speaking of drowning, can Yuri swim?

I wondered and, just to be safe, let Yuri float in the water. She floated on her back without struggling or making a fuss. Her round belly was cute... but at least she could manage even if she couldn't swim.

As I was thinking, I noticed the three foolish seniors, who were trying to escape from the old man, approaching the floating Yuri. I quickly picked her up and held her.

The three foolish seniors clicked their tongues, and the old man and the deputy squad leader joined in.

The bath became even more chaotic, and for some reason, Radastor and Dioga patted both Yuri and me on the head.

After everything settled down (sort of), we got out of the bath. The squad leader quickly dried himself, wrapped a towel around his waist, and gently dried Yuri with a bath towel.

After drying her hair, he handed her clothes, and Yuri started to change.

Everyone, except the three foolish seniors, who were drooling, watched with a warm smile.

It's normal for us to stay in just a towel until we cool down.

When Yuri finished changing into her white nightgown, Radastor filled a glass with water and gave it to her to drink.

Meanwhile, Ordima used magic to wash everyone's clothes.

After Yuri finished drinking, Dioga took the glass, and Ordima, who had finished distributing the washed clothes, gave them to Yuri.

Seeing Yuri put the clothes in a floral bag, I couldn't help but approach the squad leader.

"Squad Leader, why are Yuri's things so feminine?"

"That's just Kalaf's taste. If you leave it to her, it turns out like that."

"...But it doesn't look out of place at all, and it suits her."

"Kalaf, with her lack of female company and Yuri's cuteness, went overboard. She might even start making actual women's clothes. She's already planning a skirt-type nurse uniform."

"Huh? ...Yuri is in the cooking unit and the second special unit, not the medical unit. Why?"

"Vincent forced her to have a weekly check-up and learn emergency first aid. ...There are more people targeting Yuri than you think. Even Kalaf mentioned it during dinner."

"...I really need to keep an eye on her, don't I?"

Talking to the squad leader, I realized that Yuri's situation in the Northern Demon Castle was somewhat dangerous.

A "Yuri Protection Squad (tentative)" was almost formed yesterday.

With Yuri starting emergency first aid training in a skirt-type nurse uniform, wouldn't her personal guard become something massive?!

While the squad leader and I were talking, the deputy squad leader, the old man, Radastor, and Dioga were also listening.

Meanwhile, the three foolish seniors were playing some incomprehensible game.

"...Three foolish ones."

Suddenly, Ordima's terrifyingly low voice called out to the three foolish seniors.

Turning to Ordima, I saw him smiling but clearly angry, with Yuri tugging at the hem of his towel.

"Yuri, you're learning strange things? Do you really want to be exterminated?"

"Okay, it's fine."