Translated by Jyzciel

It was my thirteenth day of rural life, and the harvest in the garden had concluded. So, today, I decided to make a proper curry.

I wanted to make use of the Big Sangria's meat, which was still taking up quite a bit of space in the industrial-sized refrigerator. Interestingly, in this world, once I used up supplies, they didn't seem to replenish themselves. It was a rule I hadn't fully grasped yet.

I quickly had breakfast and donned my apron, ready to start cooking.

My battle outfit is an apron! I thought with a chuckle.

I retrieved several types of spices from the shelf and lined them up neatly. All the vegetables and fruits I planned to use were placed beside them.

I found a large pot in the pantry, so I'll use that. Curry tastes better when you make a large batch, and I can freeze any leftovers.

"Now, for the first challenge... thinly slicing this massive amount of onions." I muttered, addressing the task at hand.

Kina and Kuro-Mame, my loyal furry companions, watched with intense curiosity from behind the safety of a barricade. They weren't allowed in the kitchen during cooking for their own safety.

"Oof... these onions sting. Onions are like tiny weapons, aren't they?" I mumbled, tears in my eyes, as I struggled to finish chopping them all.

Next, I seared the Big Sangria's diced meat in a hot pan until both sides were browned, then set it aside on a plate.

In another pan, I melted some butter and sautéed the onions until they turned a nice golden brown. I always found it odd that people described the color as "fox brown." I mean, what exactly is fox brown? I get the idea, but isn't it a bit too vague? Everyone must see the color differently. I was dangerously close to making a petty argument about it.

Then, I added grated ginger and garlic, followed by 1,400 ml of water. I included grated apple, carrots, and potatoes. To complete the mix, I added my secret blend of spices, along with five bouillon cubes.

From there, I patiently simmered the curry. Like a witch, I stirred it round and round until it had the right consistency.

Dealing with the scum that accumulates at the top of the pot was surprisingly tough. Stirring it carefully over low heat to prevent burning was quite a challenge. My hands were gradually starting to ache. I kept tasting and adjusting the spices, knowing that the exact flavor could vary slightly depending on my mood that day.

Just when I was deep into the curry-making process, the doorbell rang.

No way! I can't take my hands off the pot right now, but that's definitely the doorbell! I thought, experiencing a moment of disbelief.

"Maybe it's a delivery – I did order a new vegetable peeler online." I pondered, though the doorbell continued to ring.

"Wait, is nobody home?" I heard a voice say from the other side. It almost sounded like an auditory hallucination.

Since I couldn't answer the door at the moment, I left a note instructing any potential delivery person to leave the package on the doorstep.

"RinSakura-san! This is strange..." The front door jiggled and creaked, as if someone were trying to get in.

Oh no, it's that person again... Is he really the Commander of the knights? Does he ever work?

"Man, it smells amazing. Maybe I should head around to the veranda~" the voice continued.

Hey! Do you even know the term 'trespassing'? As I continued stirring the curry, I couldn't help but mentally comment on this absurd situation. However, it seemed like my pets were giving him a warm welcome.

"Oh, Kinako and Kuro-Mame, you're full of energy today."

「Woof woof!」

You can't just feed other people's dogs without asking. And what kind of creature is a White Galleon? Kinako and Kuro-Mame are proud Japanese dogs... Why are they so affectionate toward him? I couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy.

Chronos entered the house without permission, making himself right at home. "Hey, Rinsakura-san. Just as I suspected. Are you making something delicious again today?" He had a broad smile on his face as he strolled into the kitchen.

"Here, I brought you some gifts – chestnuts and some sweet potatoes." He placed a basket filled with chestnuts and something that resembled sweet potatoes on the table.

"What brings you here today? As you can see, I can't really afford to take my hands off this right now." I said, looking quite irritated as she continued to stir the pot.

"I don't have any particular reason, but... I just wanted to see your face." He said this with a dazzling smile.

Oh no... I got a little flustered for a moment. Handsome people and their words are so troublesome. But she wasn't at an age to be easily deceived by words like that.

"So, what's the real reason you're here?" I asked, eyeing Chronos suspiciously.

"....."

He averted his gaze, looking uncomfortable, and his tail was swaying nervously. Finally, he mumbled with his ears slightly flattened.

"How did you know?"

"Because of your attire, and the fact that your cheeks have mud on them, and leaves tangled in your hair. It's clear you were in the middle of training or patrol, right?"

"...You got me." He scratched his head, looking embarrassed.

"Besides, I assume you came to this forest purposely for training or patrol, right?" He hung his head and looked even more uneasy. But there's no way I'll let him off the hook!

"A-about that... I got hungry, and my training is mostly done now... So even if I'm not there..."

"Huh? So you were in the middle of training? And you left without permission? Aren't Carl and the others going to be furious?"

"They might be..." I gave Chronos a sharp, disapproving look as he seemed to be in high spirits.

"Captain of the Knights, please return right now!"

"No, I won't. I won't go back until I've had something as delicious as this." Chronos was throwing a childish tantrum, and I couldn't help but hide my grimace.

Silence hung in the air, like a cold war about to erupt, when, like clockwork, our two quirky subordinates jumped into the scene.

"Captain! You're causing trouble again, always ditching your responsibilities."

"Captain, it's not fair to keep pestering Rinsakura for food." It was the quirky duo of subordinates.

"Sorry every time, truly. It's because I let my guard down for a moment..."

"You both arrived at the perfect moment. Please take the Captain back with you." I beamed with a full smile.

"I-I see. In that case, I'll head back, Captain." said Karos, his eyes narrowed with anger, as he strode closer and grabbed the Captain's arm.

"No, I don't want to! I want to eat Rinsakura's new dish!" Kronos firmly resisted, as though he were an immovable object.

"You're right! It does smell fantastic. It's really stimulating my appetite... I don't think there's an option but to eat after smelling this aroma." Noam commented while swaying his tail.

"Indeed, it's a tantalizing dish." For some reason, Chronos and Noam exchanged a high-five, sharing an unusual camaraderie.

"Please, both of you, stop." Karos pleaded, clutching his head.

"By the way, what's the name of this dish?" Kronos shamelessly inquired.

"It's curry..."

"Curry, you say?"

"Curry?"

"I want curry!"

The attention of all three of them was fixated on the pot.

In the end... everyone wanted to eat it!

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