Chapter 1: The Good News of Sensei’s Return
I served three bowls of miso soup, piled a large plate high with vegetables, and topped it generously with fried eggs and sausages.
As I fluffed the freshly cooked rice, I dished it out into each bowl, serving a hearty portion.
When I suggested we could skip the rice and just steam some hard-baked bread with a bit of water, both of them immediately protested in unison. “We prefer rice over bread. Bread is fine occasionally, but the main dish should be rice,” they insisted.
In this world, there are no electric rice cookers, so I usually cook rice in a traditional pot. However, thanks to a magic tool that allows for easy fire control, it wasn’t particularly difficult. The only hassle was making sure not to misjudge the timing and burn it.
But, as annoying as it was, the taste of pot-cooked rice was exceptional. Back in Japan, my grandmother would cook rice in a clay pot, so I knew how delicious fire-cooked rice could be. Anyone who had ever cooked rice in a mess kit during a field trip would understand the true flavor of rice.
As I mused to myself, the two of them gripped their chopsticks and spoons tightly, striking a pose that screamed, “Hurry up!”
“Just wait a little longer; the eggs will be done soon.”
I tried to calm the two hungry beasts, realizing once again how similar they were after years of being master and disciple.
“Son-in-law! What are you doing? Is it not ready yet?”
Unable to contain herself, she shouted at me.
“Ah! I told you to stop calling me that!”
Under the pressure of her taunts and the duo’s “We can’t wait!” pose, I couldn’t help but raise my voice.
“Ichiro, I don’t mind if you are my son-in-law.”
I wanted to shout back, “I mind!” but instead, I found myself reminiscing about that day nearly six months ago.
The day I confessed to Sena that I was a being from another world and that I had a way to return to my own world—the day I felt our hearts connect.
To elaborate, it was the moment when we were both caught up in a wonderful atmosphere, gazing into each other’s eyes, and it felt like we were on the verge of something magical.
“Whoa! I’m back!”
With that rather foolish shout, the sound of a door slamming open echoed through the room, a sound that could only be described as utterly rude.
I knew all too well that such moments usually brought trouble. As I sighed internally, Sena, who had been gazing into my eyes just moments before, turned her face toward the source of the noise.
Her expression was wide-eyed in a way I had never seen before, and seeing her like that made me think, “Oh, so she can make that face too. It’s nice to see a different side of her!” I snapped my fingers in delight.
To put it mildly, my brain was completely melted in a gooey state.
“Sensei!!”
“Ah, Sena, I have returned.”
Sena, who had been right in front of me, completely ignored me and leaped into the arms of the source of the noise—Sensei, as she called him.
I had no words to comfort Sena, who was sobbing softly, but seeing her embrace Sensei made me feel like I was witnessing a heartwarming scene between a loving parent and child, and I had to hold back tears.
I had no idea why Sensei had left Sena or why they had been living together. A few days had passed since Sensei returned to the cabin, but until this moment, as I watched Sena happily crunch into a sausage, I hadn’t learned a single detail about their circumstances.
But I was okay with that.
If they wanted to talk, they could—Sena and I had that kind of relationship. I wasn’t pushing them away.
I believed in her, just as she believed in me.
Still, Sensei was quite the distraction.
Her black hair was what you might call a deep, dark green-black in Japan. It flowed down to her waist, long, lustrous, and beautiful—a perfect description for her.
However, focusing solely on her black hair gave off an image of elegance and refinement.
But that was half right and half wrong.
She wore a slightly sheer purple kimono that seemed to be a high-quality piece (probably enhanced by some magical buff), but it was worn in a way that revealed her ample cleavage, which, well, seemed to be saying “Hello there!” to me.
“What’s wrong, son-in-law? Is my chest that interesting to you?”
Noticing my gaze, Sensei smirked and asked. Sena’s expression lost a bit of warmth at that moment.
After all, how many people could honestly answer such a question with, “Yes! I’m very interested in your chest!”?
“No, I was just admiring your beautiful kimono.”
“Is it just my kimono that is beautiful?”
I wasn’t good at these kinds of questions. If I replied, “Yes! Only the kimono is beautiful!” I would be reduced to a psychopathic kimono enthusiast who had no interest in the human body.
On the other hand, if I said, “No, you are beautiful too,” I had no idea what Sena would think of me as she stared at me intently.
Seeing my reaction, Sensei chuckled and said, “Ah, my apologies, son-in-law. I may have teased you a bit too much.”
She then added, “You two are just so adorable, I couldn’t help myself,” showing no sign of remorse.
If someone made such a statement at a press conference these days, they would be flamed on social media! I seethed internally but maintained my composure, replying, “I don’t mind at all, heh heh.”
Regardless, the two of them devoured every dish I had prepared at an alarming speed.
I sighed. Even though breakfast had just ended, I needed to prepare lunch and dinner. It made no sense to finish breakfast and start cooking again, but there was no helping it. I had plans, and if I didn’t prepare in advance, the hungry monsters would go on a rampage.
My plan was to head into town for ingredient hunting and to register as a Seeker. If I could gather some information from Milan, who was acting as a guide, or the Guild, that would be a bonus.
Having recovered from my earlier interactions with Sena, I felt relaxed. Little did I know that soon, I would unexpectedly overhear “that conversation” and be utterly shocked.
This marks the beginning of a new chapter.
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