Translated by Jyzciel

The only sound in the room was the simmering of the curry.

"..."

It was Curry vs. the trio of ravenous beasts – Carl and his crew. Weren't they here to stop the Captain's wild antics? Why had they joined in on the other side? The cat, the tiger, and the bear looked like they were about to go on a rampage due to their insatiable hunger.

Gurgle...

Someone's stomach made an audible demand. "You can start eating."

In response, Chronos and the others wagged their tails with so much enthusiasm that their faces beamed with smiles.

"Yeah!" Overwhelmed with joy, Noam even performed a mid-air somersault. Indeed, the cat had incredible physical abilities.

"Calm down... you silly cat." Scolded by Carl, even though his own animal ears were wiggling about.

Chronos was bustling about, busy preparing plates and such. How did he manage to figure out the placement of our tableware so quickly?

I wonder if we have enough rice... I set it for 5 servings, but should I cook another batch just in case?

While pondering this, I continued to stir the curry when it suddenly hit me.

"By the way... you mentioned you were in the middle of training."

"What about the other members? Is it okay for all the higher-ups to be absent?" I asked.

Carl hesitated for a moment.

"Well, it should be fine... the training is over, and the forest isn't restless today, so dangerous beasts shouldn't come out." Chronos casually replied, taking out barley tea from the fridge and pouring it into a glass.

But seriously, why is he making himself at home here? It's completely unacceptable to just open someone else's fridge and help themselves to drinks!

The other two had guilty looks, avoiding eye contact.

"If they got hungry... they can just hunt something nearby and eat. It's also a form of training." Chronos said with a bright smile, giving a thumbs-up.

"I won't be giving curry to such a heartless superior. Captain, please leave right now." I retorted.

"Ehh..." Chronos looked utterly dejected, as if he had just received a death sentence. He wore a deeply disappointed expression.

"You see, if you're hungry, you won't be able to fight. An army that doesn't enjoy its meals won't become strong." Chronos mumbled, his spirits truly crushed, as he retreated to the corner of the room, sitting cross-legged and looking as though he was burning out.

I wonder if he really wanted that curry that badly...?

"By the way, how many subordinates do you have?"

"We have 12 people today... It's the elite of our unit who are in training." Carl replied with a serious expression.

With that number, I might be able to manage... In an instant, I began mentally calculating and planning the necessary ingredients and preparations.

"You can call everyone here. I've made plenty of curry, and we should be able to manage."

"Eh?" My unexpected statement left the three of them wide-eyed in surprise.

"Is that okay? They can really eat like there's no tomorrow." Chronos remarked.

"I also want to use up the Big Sangria's meat, and if there's not enough, we can have a fried food festival." I suggested. The three of them practically sparkled with excitement.

A few minutes later...

The courtyard was filled to the brim with various beastfolk. Oh, there are so many different species...

A burly beastfolk, most likely a rhinoceros, effortlessly carried the garden table. Next to him, a lion beastman swiftly carried four chairs. There were also dog beastman, fox beastman, tiger beastman, raccoon beastman... Oh, and there's a squirrel beastman too. They all look so cute~

As I fried the meat, I couldn't help but sneak glances at their animal ears and tails.

"Hey, did you see...? There's someone unusual among them, right?" While saying that, Chronos casually popped a freshly fried piece of chicken into his mouth.

"Hey! No snacking!" I scolded.

"What's the harm in having one or two?" Chronos retorted, eating another.

The banter between the two of us left the team members astonished.

To think that the fearsome captain would show such an affectionate side...
That's incredible... is she the Captain's sweetheart?

Everyone in the courtyard watched the two of us with keen interest.

"Hmm?" Chronos must have noticed the collective attention because he tightened his expression, looked around and said, "Is everything ready? Today, Rinsakura here will treat you all to a meal. Enjoy it from the bottom of your hearts."

"Yes, sir!" Everyone stood at attention and saluted Rinsakura neatly.

Oh, they're so well-organized. Truly an elite corps...

"Since there's plenty, don't hesitate and eat as much as you'd like." I said, smiling, causing many of the beastfolk to blush.

Chronos, on the other hand, wore an unamused expression, and his tail twitched from side to side, clearly annoyed.

"All of you, line up and get your plates one by one." Carl ordered, trying to maintain order to prevent the captain's mood from worsening.

Let's feed them quickly and disband this gathering.

Dividing into teams of rice and naan bread, the curry seemed to reach everyone without any issues. "Well, go ahead and enjoy."

People hesitantly dipped their spoons into the curry they'd never seen before, and as they tasted it and took their first bite, exclamations erupted from all directions.

"This is delicious!"

"Even the fried chicken is incredible!"

"What is this? I've never tasted anything like it, but it's fantastic!"

The fried chicken that had been piled high on the serving platter was also quickly devoured.

"Everyone has an amazing appetite. It's so satisfying to watch." I commented while continuing to fry more and more pieces of fried chicken.

"Rinsakura, the curry is incredibly delicious. Is there any more for seconds?" Chronos asked after finishing a plate.

"I still have curry, but... I probably don't have any more rice and naan bread." I replied, just as Noam piled his plate high with more fried chicken.

"Captain, you're quite the sweet talker. There's hardly any curry left. They've devoured it all." I noticed that the team members were helping themselves to seconds without restraint.

"Hey, you guys! Don't you know the meaning of moderation? Wait, give me some too!" Chronos exclaimed, diving into the curry line.

You're the last person who should be saying that! I couldn't help but smile wryly.

One hour later...

Not a single grain of rice was left, they had all eaten their fill.

"Thank you for the meal!" Everyone saluted neatly once again.

Afterward, under Chronos's command, the team members engaged in various tasks, from cleaning the garden, watering the fields, repairing the roof, and pruning the garden's trees to cleaning the livestock pens.

Kinako and Kuro-mame also received a lot of attention and play hard. And in no time at all, the day came to an end.

"Thank you so much for today." Chronos expressed his gratitude on behalf of the group.

"Thank you as well. There were tasks that I couldn't have handled on my own, especially the high and delicate places. I'm grateful for everyone's help." As I spoke, there was another wave of excitement.

So humble and cute...

Her cooking is amazing, and she's cute...

"..." Chronos's tail twitched with annoyance in response to the vibrant gazes of the young members.

"Well... it's time to go. We wouldn't want to overstay our welcome. Captain." Carl urged once again, looking flustered.

"Oh then, take these with you to enjoy on the way back. I heard some of you are working the night shift." I said as I handed a bunch of onigiri to Carl.

In another bento box, I had packed a generous amount of fried chicken, rolled omelets, and vegetable-wrapped meat.

"Wow! The legendary bento!" Cheers erupted from all directions.

"You won't know what's inside the onigiri until you eat them, but that can be fun too, right?" I said with a happy smile.

"Rinsakura..." Was it because of her smile that Chronos couldn't resist? He hugged me tightly.

"Oooohh..." A murmur of excitement rippled through the group.

"Hey... Captain!" Carl panicked.

"Hehehe... go for it, Captain!" Noam cheered enthusiastically.

On the other hand, I, who was being embraced, had turned completely red and frozen in place.

Unbeknownst to Rinsakura, Chronos was unintentionally asserting his territory and belongings, a common trait among beastfolk. The only one who didn't realize it was Rinsakura herself.

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