Chapter 20

Knock, knock.

"Kaede, are you awake...?"

Before I could even call out after knocking, the door was opened with a bang. I knew she was standing by the door from her presence, but even I was taken aback and my body shuddered.

"Azami, you're safe!"

"A-ah, yeah. But that's careless, don't just open the door like that..."

I sighed in exasperation, and Kaede, looking like she was about to cry, gave an embarrassed smile.

"Ah, s-sorry. I'll be more careful next time..."

I thought she was sitting by the door, but her quick reaction suggested she was already awake.

After that, I returned here while searching for other survivors and "shopping." It was 4 AM.

In the end, I couldn't find any survivors outside the city hall and police station, but I did manage to get a few things I needed. From the reduced number of items in the stores I visited, I guessed that there might be other survivors somewhere.

I took out the loot from my backpack and laid it on the table, then asked Kaede,

"Were you not sleeping?"

"Of course not... How could I sleep?"

"Hmm? Why not?"

"Because... I was worried..."

Kaede's voice grew softer as she spoke.

Was she afraid that I wouldn't return and she'd be alone again, or was she simply worried about me? Given her nature, I thought it was probably the latter, and I naturally placed my hand on her head.

"It's okay, but thank you."

Realizing what I had done, I quickly removed my hand from her head.

In the other world, I often petted Eris's head. She was a half-elf and always looked young, so I treated her like a child. When I said I would stop because she pouted, she surprisingly asked me not to.

I shouldn't, I was overlapping Kaede with Eris. She had long, straight hair and was about the same height, but the color of her hair and eyes, and even her facial features were different. They just had a similar vibe.

"Sorry, I was a bit hasty. She reminds me of a friend."

"…?"

Kaede, seemingly not bothered, sent me a questioning gaze with her moist eyes. Well, at least that wasn't a problem.

"More importantly, Azami, are you really not hurt?"

"Hmm? If you're worried, I can show you."

Without waiting for permission, I continued to pet her head and casually made a sexual advance. However, if she was really afraid of turning into a zombie, I should show her my skin.

"N-no, it's fine! As long as you're safe! Ah, Azami, what did you bring?"

Blushing, Kaede waved her hands in front of her and asked, trying to change the subject, looking at the items on the table.

"You weren't eating well, right? I couldn't find anything in this store, so I brought some nutritional supplements from a drugstore on the way. The rest is just some random food."

I originally had some items in my item box, but I added canned food, rice, a clay pot, and a camping stove to my backpack.

Then, a shy, "koo," sound came from Kaede's stomach. She blushed, fidgeted with her hands, and looked down, embarrassed.

"Sorry..."

"Let's make some food. I'll cook some rice and we can eat the canned food."

"Ah, I'll do it! I can do it!"

"Really? I've never cooked rice in a clay pot, so I'd appreciate the help."

"I've done it a few times, so leave it to me!"

I smiled and suggested, and Kaede's face lit up as she beamed at me.

In the other world, my companions cooked for me or we had pre-made food in their large item boxes, so I never cooked. The food there didn't really suit my taste, probably due to the lack of spices. I got used to it after three years, though.

Come to think of it, I was hungry when I returned from the other world, but I hadn't eaten anything. I got food at the home center, but then I met Kaede and we talked, so I never got around to eating.

This feeling of forgetting hunger is also a habit from my time in the other world.

Kaede put rice and water in the clay pot and turned on the camping stove. She placed two cans of mackerel on top of the lid and seemed relieved.

"I think it will be fine, but if it doesn't work out, I'm sorry..."

She hadn't touched the emergency rations, and when I asked why, she said she was too scared to use them in case I didn't return. She had survived by being so frugal, and I could understand her feelings.

"You don't have to worry anymore."

I said that, and Kaede, with tears in her eyes, replied, "Thank you."

We mostly sat in silence, but we exchanged a few awkward words. Kaede glanced at the clock and opened the lid of the clay pot, moving the cans to the side. The aroma of freshly cooked rice wafted through the air, and Kaede swallowed hard.

"It's good, I think it worked... Let's eat, Azami!"

I understood her excitement and smiled, scooping rice into a stainless steel container and passing it to Kaede along with a pair of stainless steel chopsticks. I opened the easy-open cans, and the aroma of the warmed mackerel miso made my mouth water. Kaede, however, didn't touch the cans.

"You can eat first."

She was waiting for me to finish preparing, how considerate.

"No, let's eat together!"

Kaede, with a gaze so intense it almost made her drool, called out softly.

Seeing this, I felt a bit guilty and quickly prepared my own rice and cans.

"Okay, let's eat. Itadakimasu."

"I-itadakimasu! R-really, it's okay to eat?"

Kaede looked at me. "Yeah," I replied and took a bite of the rice. The sweetness of the well-cooked rice spread in my mouth. There was no rice in the other world, so the taste after three years was deeply satisfying.

"It's good."

I said with a sigh, and Kaede smiled at me.

"Then I'll eat too..."

Kaede, trembling, put the rice in her small mouth. After chewing slowly, she finally burst into tears, having held them back for so long.