Chapter 9 : The House with the lights turned on (2)

Lilia led me to the dining table after I washed my hands. A steaming bowl of stew sat before me, freshly ladled.

“Eat it before it gets cold.”
“When did you even make this?”

Did I even have the ingredients for stew at home? I looked at Lilia questioningly.

She blushed slightly and said, “I made it as soon as I woke up. It’s not… much of a spread, considering I started making it in the morning.”
“Not much? Your arm must have ached from simmering it all day.”
“It wasn’t that bad. I just stirred it occasionally so the meat wouldn’t stick to the bottom.”
“That’s what I call dedication. Anyway… thanks for the meal.”

Stew… It had been a long time. I used to eat it often back at the count’s mansion, but not since I was disowned. It took too long to make at home, and I didn’t have fond enough memories of it to order it at a restaurant.

Besides, I rarely ate out or indulged in snacks. Living alone after being disowned, I realized just how many expenses there were. I had little appetite anyway, so I’d buy some vegetables and meat, portion them out, and store them in the refrigerator.

‘The refrigerator is almost empty. How did she manage to make this?’

When I asked, Lilia nodded in agreement.

“The refrigerator was half empty. I figured that was normal for a man living alone. I wondered what I could make with the remaining ingredients, and stew seemed perfect.”
“That’s impressive. I would have just made a sandwich.”

Lilia’s cooking skills were beyond my expectations. I hadn’t realized she had such a talent.

Impressed, I took a large spoonful of the stew.

“…Huh?”

I froze after the first bite. Not because it was bad. The stew was hot and delicious. But…

‘What is this… The taste itself is ordinary stew. But why is it so… warm?’

Objectively, there was nothing special about Lilia’s stew. She had made it with the leftover ingredients in the refrigerator: frozen meat, a moderately priced wine I’d occasionally drink when I was stressed, tomatoes, onions, and so on.

The stew I used to eat at the count’s mansion had more meat, fresher ingredients, and was made by a professional chef. Yet, this stew tasted better.

‘It’s not just the taste. Is it the atmosphere?’

Every mealtime at the mansion had been an ordeal. Like other noble families, we only gathered for meals, where we discussed the day’s events. My father always expressed his disappointment in me, my siblings mocked my incompetence, and my mother watched in silence. If I made even the slightest mistake in table etiquette, I was met with icy glares and harsh criticism.

That was my daily life. An environment where I didn’t know if the food was going down my throat or my nose. Naturally, I had no time to appreciate the taste. As a result, I’d developed a palate that didn’t care what it ate. Since I had never enjoyed a meal, having a hearty appetite was a foreign concept.

‘But… why does this stew taste so good?’

I took another bite.

Chew, chew.

The vegetables were soft from simmering, and there wasn’t much meat, but…

‘It’s so warm.’

Well, it was freshly made, so of course it was hot, but…

‘It’s not just the heat in my mouth, but a warmth that spreads through my heart…’

…I didn’t even understand what that meant. Whatever it was, I wanted to keep eating.

Perhaps because I was lost in thought for too long during the meal, Lilia asked anxiously, “Does it not suit your taste? Did I… add too much salt?”
“Hmm?”
“If you don’t like it, I’ll make something else. Give me the bowl.”
“N-No, it’s delicious.”
“…Really?”

Seeing that I had only taken a few bites, she must have thought I didn’t like it. I would have thought the same if someone barely touched the food I had painstakingly prepared.

I complimented her sincerely to dispel her concerns.

“It’s delicious. Really delicious. It’s the best thing I’ve eaten lately.”
“Really? I’m so glad…”

Lilia sighed in relief, her shoulders relaxing. She had been worried about my reaction. It was needless worry. It was delicious.

To prove it, I quickly finished the stew. Then I noticed that Lilia didn’t have her own bowl.

“Lilia, where’s your bowl? Did you eat before I got here?”
“No, I’m full. I tasted it while I was cooking, and that filled me up.”
“You filled up from just tasting it?”
“Yes, so don’t worry about me and enjoy your meal. Oh! I made extra, just in case, so I can get you more if you want.”

She got full from tasting it? How is that possible?

Looking at her slender waist, it wasn’t entirely unbelievable.

Sitting across from me, Lilia rested her chin in her hands, a cheerful smile on her face as she watched me eat.

“Are you sure you don’t want any?”
“Yes, I don’t usually eat a lot anyway. Maybe it’s because you’re enjoying it so much, but I feel full just watching you.”
“Then… can I have another bowl?”

Feeling inexplicably shy, I scratched my cheek and handed her my empty bowl. It was so clean you could see the bottom. This was a stark contrast to my earlier intention of skipping dinner and going straight to bed.

Lilia took the empty bowl, her smile even brighter than before, and headed to the kitchen.

“See? I told you one bowl wouldn’t be enough. I made extra.”
“…You were right.”

I had never asked for seconds in my life. This was a first.

It was that delicious.

After a truly satisfying meal, Lilia and I sat together on the sofa. The sofa, which had been a mere decoration, now felt like a shared space.

We drank tea and talked. I made the tea. It seemed only fair after she cooked dinner.

“Hmm… I noticed this yesterday too, but the tea leaves seem cheap, yet the flavor is rich. You brew tea well.”
“It’s because I’m a Flame Mage. Brewing tea well is all about controlling the heat. With the right temperature, even cheap tea leaves can have a rich aroma and flavor.”
“I knew you were a mage, but I didn’t know you were a Flame Mage. I thought your yang energy was unusually strong, but that makes sense if you manipulate flames.”

Our conversation flowed naturally, touching on various topics. My treatment at the academy, my magical specialties… things I usually kept hidden.

“I never imagined the professor would go into seclusion and dump everything on me. It’s giving me a real headache.”
“Heehee, the parachute appointment received an excessive burden.”
“Exactly! I don’t know what Professor Olivier is thinking.”

Perhaps she was confident. Confident that I wouldn’t betray her. Even if Lilia learned my secret, she had no one to tell. I was probably her only connection left.

Of course, it was the same for me.

“Did you know? This bracelet is a subspace bracelet. I put most of my belongings in here when I fled my family.”
“…Are you sure you should be telling me this?”
“Of course. You wouldn’t tell anyone about my bracelet, would you? You don’t seem to have any friends to tell.”
“That’s true.”

Lilia also spoke freely about herself. It was a sign of trust. Trust in the person who not only forgave her for getting pregnant but also took her in when she had nowhere to go. If I were the type to gossip, she wouldn’t have confided in me.

We continued talking like this. Our conversation flowed endlessly until it was time for bed.

At midnight, we finally checked the clock and went to bed. Although sleeping together was still awkward, we fell asleep faster than the previous night.

And since we fell asleep quickly, we woke up earlier.

“Did you sleep well?”
“Better than yesterday. I guess I’m getting used to sharing a bed after just one night.”
“That’s good.”
“By the way, you’re an early riser… Do you always wake up at this hour?”

Lilia looked at the clock on the living room wall.

Tick-tock.

It was exactly 6:27 a.m.

“No, usually I’d be up and out twenty or thirty minutes earlier.”
“What about breakfast? You wouldn’t have time to make anything.”
“I usually just grab a sandwich or a salad. Lately, I’ve been having a banana or some chicken breast before my workout.”
“Ah… That explains why there’s so much chicken breast in the refrigerator.”

Lilia nodded, as if she finally understood the state of my refrigerator.

“So, you’ve been waking up later because of me?”
“I suppose so.”
“Heehee, were you so excited about sharing a bed with me that you couldn’t sleep?”
“…Coming from a succubus, that sounds rather suggestive.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t sneak up on you like last time.”
“Isn’t that usually something the man says?”
“I’m a succubus.”

We had grown closer. Perhaps because we had shared our stories and feelings, we were now comfortable joking with each other.

“I’ll make you a quick sandwich for breakfast. Are you having dinner at home again tonight?”
“Yes, I’ll be home around the same time as yesterday.”
“Then I’ll have to make do with what’s left in the refrigerator again. Please bear with the meager ingredients for tonight. I’ll make something delicious tomorrow.”

We had agreed to go grocery shopping together over the weekend. So, tonight’s dinner would have to be made with leftovers again. There wasn’t much variety, but Lilia was determined to make something.

“Is there anything you want to eat? There’s not much left, but I’ll do my best.”
“Hmm… something I want to eat…”

I didn’t have anything particular in mind… Then, a dish came to mind.

“Stew. Can you make it again?”
“I can, but… can you eat it again? You had it yesterday. Even if the ingredients are a bit lacking, I can probably make something else…”
“It’s fine, stew is perfect. Actually, that’s what I want.”

The stew Lilia made wasn’t just delicious. It wasn’t just filling; it was something that warmed my heart. I felt a comforting warmth, as if it was soothing my weariness.

‘It’s a shameful thought for a mage who’s dedicated his life to Flame Magic and Spirit Arts…’

…but it was a warmth unlike any I had ever experienced.

I liked it.