Gulp!
The three Jin Kanmo members standing side by side swallowed dryly.
"It's blinding!"
Momo covered her eyes from the tremendous sparkle.
"So this is what *real* cleaning looks like?!"
Kancho redefined the very concept of cleaning.
That was how absurd the cleaning was with the volunteer maid, Veila, participating.
'Even Inspector Gadget couldn't do it like this.'
A massive cleaning using various magical engineering devices attached to her body.
Beyond clean — it gleamed.
I wondered if the building materials were cleaner now than when they were first created.
"I've also finished the garden landscaping."
The three rushed to the living room window overlooking the garden.
"Wooowaaah!! Momo, look!!"
"I'm here too, you know!"
It wasn't just neatly organized.
The trees had been trimmed to shape Momo and Kancho's faces like full moons.
The garden had become incredibly cute.
Clap clap clap clap clap clap!!
"What do you think of Veila, the housekeeping genius from another world?!"
"Amazing! Just as expected from a Yodel Ranger squad member!"
"She's not a yodel, so how can she be a Yodel Ranger!"
At Momo's logical rebuttal, Kancho rubbed his chin.
Then he corrected the title.
"As expected from an honorary Yodel Ranger squad member! The best!"
"Thank you for the compliment."
Veila tilted her head and turned around.
"Then I'll prepare the meal."
"Take a break first."
"What I've done so far is only about one-hundredth of what I used to do, so it's not tiring."
One-hundredth?!
What on earth did she do in Aetheropolis?
I turned my gaze to the corner of the living room.
Boom Boom Unit 3 and Unit 4, whose workload had decreased thanks to Veila's appearance.
They nodded.
Those guys deserved a rest.
Momo and Kancho, who never stopped running around the entire house spilling and dripping things.
They were the friends who had been cleaning nonstop, chasing after this duo.
And they'd have to keep doing that.
'I should hold off on recruiting Boom Boom Units 5 and 6.'
I'd planned to recruit them because things seemed a bit overwhelming, but I decided to stop.
Because it was clean enough to be overflowing right now.
I stretched and went out to the garden.
After training with Renya, I'd open some Blank Cards during break time.
After Jinhyuk went out to the garden.
Taratatata!!
An enormous sound came from the kitchen.
Veila was slicing ingredients without a single millimeter of error.
She turned her head at the approaching presence.
It was Seira, changed into casual clothes.
"Seira. Is there something you need?"
Seira looked around.
Then she whispered very quietly.
"I want to know how to make kimchi jjigae."
Ever since her Black Knight days, she'd only ever eaten food cooked by someone else.
It was the same here, with Momo or Jinhyuk handling the cooking.
That's why she wanted to cook for someone for once.
Especially the kimchi jjigae that her master Jinhyuk loved — and make it delicious.
She'd once asked Momo to teach her, but...
- The kimchi jjigae is dead!!
Momo had collapsed in despair, so Seira had no choice but to put it off.
"I'll teach you. Try holding the knife."
"I'm confident in my knife skills."
Seira took the kitchen knife handed to her.
"Cut this kimchi at this interval."
"Got it."
*Thump.*
With the first cut, the kimchi and the cutting board were sliced clean through.
Veila, watching expressionlessly, quietly took the knife.
Because she'd made a judgment through rapid calculation.
If she left things as they were, the entire kitchen would get sliced up.
"I'll handle the ingredient preparation. After all, what matters in kimchi jjigae is the ratio of ingredients and seasonings."
"Understood."
Veila laid out the ingredients in an instant and opened her mouth.
"First, you need to add oil and stir-fry the pork."
Seira nodded and poured out a bottle that was nearby.
"That's sesame oil."
"I like sesame oil. It's very fragrant."
A nutty aroma spread throughout the kitchen.
Veila wasn't flustered.
She continued with the next instructions.
"Add water and kimchi, let it boil, then add the prepared ingredients."
So far, so good.
It was strangely fragrant, but maybe a decent kimchi jjigae would be completed.
"Add a pinch of salt. We need to adjust the seasoning."
"I have something."
She pulled a pouch from her bosom.
It was something Elia had given her once, saying it was really good salt.
*Swoosh!*
A mysterious purple color seeped into the once-appetizing kimchi jjigae.
"Momo's kimchi jjigae was red, but this one has a strange color. Why?"
Seira tilted her head, then picked up the red pepper powder container nearby and poured it in.
If it's not red, add something red.
It was the thinking of a Black Knight who only knew how to go straight.
"What do you think?"
Veila, who had been watching expressionlessly, nodded.
"It's excellent."
The dish was already dead, so she decided to find meaning in its completion.
That way, Seira would leave the kitchen.
"You should taste it."
"I want my master to have the first bite."
Veila examined Seira's expression.
A face that was quite serious and determined.
There was no way she was trying to harm her master, Eugene Jinhyuk.
"Then turn off the heat. It's done."
"Already?"
"Yes."
Seira looked down at the bubbling stew.
It did look like it was boiling appetizingly, at least.
"I'll go call my master."
"I'll move it to the table."
"Thank you."
"No. I'm glad I could help."
After exchanging warm greetings, Seira walked toward the garden.
Veila, who had moved the stew to the table, began preparing the meal she had paused.
She decided to erase the memory of something behind her.
Completely.
* * *
Jinhyuk sat down on a garden chair.
Renya was nowhere to be seen, probably meditating somewhere.
So he decided to engrave Blank Cards first.
[Blank Card (Normal): 3]
Today's goal was Great Momo Teacher's Energy Suppression.
Also known as the Sneaky Sneaky Step.
A trait that allows you to exist almost like air until you enter the target's field of vision, though it breaks the moment you take a specific action.
Of course, there was a bit of doubt.
Whether it would completely erase my energy like Momo's case.
Let's just engrave it first.
[Using 3 Blank Cards (Normal) on the greedy collector Momo!]
Three cards rose into the air and began spinning rapidly.
They stopped almost simultaneously, and messages appeared one by one.
[Acquired Momo's unique skill, 'Pickpocket'!]
[Acquired Momo's unique trait, 'Energy Suppression LV1'!]
[Acquired Momo's unique trait, 'Hands Are Faster Than Eyes'!]
I threw an uppercut into the air.
Compared to other friends, Momo had relatively few unique traits.
Thanks to that, it came through in one shot.
Hands Are Faster Than Eyes.
This trait, now that I've learned it, is pretty good.
From simple things like taking things out of and putting them into my bag, most hand movements had become noticeably faster.
Plus the Pickpocket skill.
With this, I might be able to pickpocket European pickpockets.
'Is it properly hidden?'
To test it, I approached Kancho, who was playing far away.
Sneaky sneaky.
But contrary to expectations.
*Perk!*
As I got close enough, Kancho's ears perked up.
In less than a second, Kancho whirled around.
"Is this tag, you know!"
"I learned Momo's Energy Suppression. But it seems it doesn't hide me completely."
Kancho came close and examined me all over.
He pressed down on my legs, climbed up my body, and fiddled with my hair and ears.
"You haven't become as air-like in presence as Momo, you know! But the energy I feel itself has gotten a lot weaker! Just looking at the energy, I feel like I could beat you in one punch!"
"What are you doing instead of playing tag!!"
Momo came running from somewhere and looked up at me.
"Energy Suppression!!"
"Oh, right."
"You're not completely hidden, master! Your energy is way too big! And you're way taller than Momo!"
I smiled.
I couldn't become oxygenated, but being able to suppress my energy to the point where Kancho felt he could beat me in one punch — this was excellent in its own way.
Because it was perfect for making the enemy let their guard down.
Plus, as the trait level goes up, the amount suppressed will increase, so I'm very satisfied.
*Creak.*
"Master."
Seira came out of the living room and approached.
Then she lowered her voice quietly.
"I'd like you to come with me."
Her voice carried an inexplicable solemnity.
I found myself getting tense too.
The place we arrived at, following Seira, was the kitchen where Veila was busy cooking.
Then my gaze shifted to the table.
Something bubbling away.
"Veila. This is Eli—"
"It's kimchi jjigae I made."
Good thing she said it quickly.
I almost asked if it was a potion Elia had just made.
"I'd like my master to have the first bite."
I took the spoon Seira handed me.
Why was cold sweat running down my back?
This was just kimchi jjigae.
Well, since Seira made it with care, let's try it.
I scooped up a generous amount of broth and brought it to my mouth.
!?
The moment it touched my tongue, I realized.
Something was wrong. Seriously wrong.
This wasn't kimchi jjigae.
To be more precise, it was somewhere between food and Elia's potion.
I stared at Veila, who was cooking.
For some reason, she was desperately looking away from me.
'Swallow it!'
I couldn't revert it in front of Seira.
I whipped myself.
'Don't be weak! Swallow it!'
*Gulp!*
I nodded with a wide smile.
"It's absolutely delicious?"
"What a relief. I'd like to show it to the other friends too."
I blocked Seira, who was about to call anyone.
"I'll call them. How could we just feed this to anyone when it's Seira's first stew? A friend who can appreciate the taste should eat it."
"That makes sense. As expected of my master."
I turned around.
"Huaaam. Interpreting ancient texts is tough, you know? I feel like my eyes are going to pop out."
"Elia!"
"Geez, why are you calling me?"
She was the one whose taste buds were ruined from frequent potion tasting.
She could handle it.
"Seira made some stew. Try a bite."
"Oohoo! Our Knight Captain's cooking, you say? Now this is precious!"
She quickly sat down and scooped up a spoonful in an instant.
Soon after, her eyes grew wide as if they would pop out.
Elia seemed to have realized it too.
That something was wrong.
Then she met Jinhyuk's eyes.
Her master was sending her a burning gaze.
Endure it.
*Gulp.*
"Woah, woohoo! This is quite a delicacy, you know?!"
"Is it that good? Good. Then just one more person..."
"Kanchooooook!!"
Kancho came flying in from somewhere with a *swoosh!* and saluted.
"Yodel Ranger Vice Captain Kancho!"
"This is something Seira made."
"The Battalion Commander made it, you say?! This is an incredibly precious dish, you know!"
Kancho perked up his ears and jumped onto the table.
Like Elia had done, Kancho took a big bite.
"Uhp!?"
The same reaction followed, as if following a set sequence.
I sent a desperate look to Kancho, whose eyes met mine.
With grit! With guts! With loyalty! Endure it!
Kancho, trembling, swallowed the stew.
"How is it? I'd like you to tell me honestly."
There was no answer for a long while.
Then.
*Gurgle gurgle gurgle!!*
Kancho lifted the entire pot and poured it into his mouth.
He devoured it without leaving a single bit.
Then he stuck out a fluffy thumb.
"It's absolutely the best, you know! Super delicious, you know!"
A happy smile spread across Seira's lips.
Meanwhile, Kancho naturally came down and went into the room.
The moment he was out of Seira's sight.
*Thud!*
Kancho collapsed.
Kanchooooook!!!
Jinhyuk and Elia squeezed their eyes shut.
There was no choice but to admit it this time.
That it was a glorious end.
While they fervently hoped Kancho wouldn't reverse-summon...
*Ring ring ring ring.*
The bell began to ring.
It was Sato Tsubasa, the Innovation Party member who had become Japan's new Prime Minister.
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T/N:
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