Ch.351Chapter 351 Epilogue – Hey, Who Are You? (1)

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As I welcomed the second day of our journey, I was greeted with a pleasant miscalculation.

Fitting for a trip filled with uncertainties, as I had never voluntarily traveled with someone before.

The accommodation I had booked with great determination became unusable due to a fire, forcing us to hastily relocate elsewhere.

And the proposal I had planned for the end of our trip ended up happening rather spontaneously when we found ourselves sharing a single room.

While experiencing the uncertainties that travel brings, I worried whether the rest of our journey would go well.

But after just one evening spent together on that first day, I had to admit that my concerns were completely unnecessary.

They say life doesn’t go according to plan, don’t they?

It’s human nature to want to walk the path of life with everything thoroughly reviewed and planned, aiming to stay on a perfect trajectory.

Yet during this trip, I experienced the simple truth that happiness can be found even in situations that go awry due to external variables beyond my control and will.

That’s why I’m now spending the second day differently than planned, simply passing time with Shizu in our room, doing nothing in particular.

On the bed, that is.

Don’t misunderstand—we’re not continuing what we did last night.

“So comfortable…”

I’m merely accepting Shizu’s affectionate embrace as she holds me like a cherished plush toy on the bed, letting out pleased little laughs.

We had made impressive plans to fully experience the warm, vibrant energy of the south, a welcome change from the cold, dreary north we’d finally escaped.

But it seemed those plans would either be significantly delayed or never realized at all.

Originally, for the second day, we had intended to pack only the essentials and spend time exploring the nearby beaches.

Neither Shizu nor I had spent much time near the ocean, having lived in places far from it.

And our only chance to see the sea during our visit to the Eastern Continent had ended with us just viewing the sky from an airship.

I had planned for us to release all our accumulated fatigue and pressure while watching the blue waves roll in, but…

The warmth transmitted from Shizu, who refused to detach herself from my embrace as she buried her face against my chest.

The happy humming she made, showing such contentment from just being held.

And the way my own body and heart warmed at seeing her reactions.

The ocean—it seemed we’d be fine without going there.

“I don’t think it matters where we are.”

“…Really?”

“As long as I’m with Cal, anywhere feels like heaven.”

If she was this satisfied, then there was no problem.

None whatsoever.

Besides, judging by the current mood, I too was feeling more tired than I’d initially realized when I woke up.

“Mmm…”

And based on the soft sounds coming from Shizu as she nestled against me, she was clearly even more exhausted than I was.

I didn’t want to force us to move.

I was so tired that I wondered how we had managed such intense activity the night before.

And it was obvious that the fatigue accumulated in Shizu’s body from receiving all my passionate movements couldn’t be relieved just by falling asleep right after our lovemaking.

Moreover, something more important than going outside had occurred.

*Growl*

The unmistakable sound of hunger echoed through the bedroom where Shizu and I were resting.

*Freeze*

At that moment, Shizu, who had been contentedly snuggling against me, froze like a statue.

“Sounds like someone’s hungry.”

I casually stroked her head as I spoke.

“…”

But Shizu, apparently mortified that I had heard her stomach growling, kept her head down and said nothing.

Even without direct skin contact, I could clearly sense how embarrassed she was, her face undoubtedly flushed red.

Normally, I would have teased her playfully to get her moving, but today I didn’t feel like doing that.

“…Would you like something to eat?”

I offered food to Shizu, who was showing signs of hunger as time passed, thinking we might spend the entire day here rather than following our planned itinerary outside.

As I was lost in thought about serving dishes that would provide appropriate energy to our tired bodies—though not as extravagant as the satisfying dinner we’d enjoyed at the restaurant yesterday—I heard:

“…want…”

“…Hm?”

“I want… to eat.”

“What?”

“I want to eat… food that Cal makes.”

Seizing the moment, Shizu made her request with a touch of neediness.

I could feel through her skin that her flushed face was gradually stabilizing as she spoke each word.

Perhaps she was remembering how I used to make light meals, especially soup, whenever we had free time during the winters in Night Haven.

“…Is that not okay?”

Though her tone was cautious, Shizu looked at me with eyes clearly filled with expectation.

Instantly organizing my thoughts about what to make:

“Would you like some soup?”

“Yes!!”

The moment I mentioned soup, Shizu’s smile bloomed like a flower, melting my heart. I turned away and headed to the kitchen provided in our room.

Compared to the feast we had enjoyed last night, soup might seem barely worthy of being called a meal.

But when I saw her face light up with joy just hearing that I would cook for her, without even asking for details—

How could I possibly refuse?

I needed to rush to the kitchen and make something with whatever ingredients were available.

There should be enough to make a simple soup as a light meal, right?

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Fortunately, very fortunately indeed.

At the end of my hopeful yet anxious steps, the kitchen contained enough ingredients to make soup for a simple meal, if not a feast.

Thanks to the rapid advancement of magical engineering in recent years, refrigerators capable of long-term food preservation had been distributed throughout the Empire.

The kitchen of our room was surprisingly well-stocked with decent ingredients, even considering our urgent situation.

Butter, flour, fresh milk, and…

“There they are.”

Garlic and onions.

Ingredients that would normally need to be purchased and used the same day to enjoy peak freshness were stored in the cold refrigerator.

Unlike my worried steps earlier, I now felt relief washing over me, knowing I could serve Shizu a proper dish.

Ah, this is no time for relief—I should start cooking.

Cream soup seemed appropriate for a satisfying meal, and fortunately, the ingredients stored in the kitchen cabinets and refrigerator were perfect for making it.

First, I melted butter in a pan over medium heat.

Then I added flour and cooked it over low heat until it reached a thick consistency, adding milk when it started to clump, mixing well to adjust the thickness until the soup was complete.

While this would have been sufficient as a meal on its own, it felt a bit lacking, so I decided to prepare something to accompany the soup during its resting time.

I took out another pan, added the remaining butter, and sautéed the garlic and onions I had noticed earlier.

When the distinctive savory aroma of sautéed garlic and onions reached my nose, I topped the cream soup with them.

Done! Even to my own eyes, the soup looked quite appetizing.

I quickly poured it into a bowl to bring to Shizu, who was waiting at the table.

When I placed the cream soup, prepared as quickly as possible with the available ingredients, on the table where Shizu was waiting—

Unlike her elegant and refined manner when eating last night’s feast, she held the bowl, blowing on it gently with “hoo-hoo” sounds before taking spoonfuls.

Her eating style looked no different from when she ate dried rations during our long stay at Night Haven.

Though anyone would say it was far from formal—

“…This is delicious.”

Shizu’s praise for my soup made her appear truly elegant to me.

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“That was really good.”

In response to Shizu’s expression of gratitude after emptying her bowl as if she wanted to lick it clean, despite it being just a simple soup—

“Next time, I’ll make you something even more delicious.”

I replied with words of gratitude and modesty as I cleared the empty soup bowl from the table.

“I’ll look forward to it…”

Her voice, tinged with just the right amount of shyness, sounded incredibly sweet from behind me.

Though I had made the soup simply, I was concerned whether it would taste good, having prepared it while still feeling slightly heavy from just waking up.

But seeing her empty the bowl with such enjoyment as soon as I placed it on the table made me forget my efforts.

Someone once said that there’s no greater praise for a cook than seeing someone enjoy the food they’ve prepared.

It’s absolutely true.

And when that person is someone you love, what more could you ask for?

We had successfully banished Desire from this world, even if we couldn’t kill him.

With no more worries left in this world—

I thought it wouldn’t be a bad life to spend my days beside the person I love, serving her favorite foods and teas.

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“What shall we do now?”

Shizu asked with sparkling eyes, seemingly more energetic than when she first woke up, perhaps because her filled stomach had restored her strength.

“Would you like to go see the beach? It’s not far from here.”

I suggested going to the ocean.

It was originally part of our second day’s itinerary, and remembering how Shizu had enjoyed the view of the sea from the train window on our way south, I thought she would accept without hesitation.

“The ocean…”

After hearing the word “ocean” and repeating it with a blank expression, Shizu’s eyes suddenly lit up.

“Let’s go!!”

She immediately grabbed my hand, trying to lead me out of the room.

Considering how she had been gathering her clothes after our meal, apparently anticipating going outside, I had expected her to accept my suggestion—

“Let’s hurry!!”

But I hadn’t expected her to be this excited.

Our trip had been full of variables and unexpected situations, but now it finally felt like we were back on track.

We had spent time together indoors, so surely we could also spend meaningful, tender moments together at the beach?

“WAAAAAHHH!!!”

…That’s what I thought until we left the room.