Translated by Jyzciel

It was the 51st day of my rural life, and the early morning sun painted the landscape with soft hues of blue.

My throat is so dry...

I jolted awake, a sudden realization hitting me.

"Huh? Wait... I was supposed to be on the sofa, sharing wine with Chronos." I groggily sat up, realizing that I was, in fact, on a bed.

"A bed..." Wait, why was I on a bed!?

I'm still in my clothes from yesterday. This can't be good.

"Oh no! What have I done! Ugh..."

My own loud exclamation echoed in my temples. The memory of dozing off midway through our wine session and being carried to bed by Chronos became vivid.

This is the worst. Falling asleep and being carried off by Chronos, and to make matters worse, I'm dealing with a hangover.

While clutching my throbbing temples, I stumbled towards the living room. The table was neatly arranged, and as I made my way to the kitchen, I found a plate with leftover ingredients, expertly covered with plastic wrap. Used dishes and glasses were neatly placed in the dishwasher, all cleaned and ready.

When did Chronos learn to do all this? Mastering the use of the dishwasher and even knowing how much detergent to put in—seriously? Does he know where everything, including plastic wrap, is stored? Is he unexpectedly meticulous? He's a Marquis, after all...

I couldn't help but be surprised by his unexpected actions. Maybe it's because he's the Captain of the knights? His ability to assess and understand the situation around him is high, perhaps...

Pondering such things, I headed to the living room, nursing my throbbing head with a glass of water. Kuro-mame approached me. When I tried to pat them on the head, they skillfully dodged me.

"K--- Mame. Ehh?"

Apparently, I smelled like alcohol... That's a bit disheartening. Two of them were watching me from a distance. Their black round eyes seemed to be scolding me, as if saying, "You drank too much..."

"Well, I'll take a bath for now..."

Several minutes later...

"I feel refreshed..."

Baths are really nice, just like Grandpa used to love. I wonder why we didn't build an outdoor bath. If I explored the garden like that secret orchard, I might stumble upon one unexpectedly?

As I opened the sliding doors, Schnappy immediately swooped in.

"Good morning, Schnappy." Schnappy stared at my face with a deadpan expression.

"Hmm?" Curious, I tilted my head, and Schnappy mirrored my movement.

Then, as if he had realized something, he nodded repeatedly, almost as if he had a sudden revelation.

"What... what's wrong?" I was increasingly puzzled.

Suddenly, Schnappy put a leaf on my shoulder. Touching my forehead, he patted it multiple times.

Is he concerned about my health? At that moment, Schnappy's eyes sparkled.

"............"

「Kyun」

Suddenly, he became restless, glancing back and forth into the depths of the garden. I was taken aback.

"Schnappy, it's okay! I don't need anything! I'm fine!" Perhaps because I was a bit forceful, Schnappy took a step back.

「Gyoro!」 He seemed troubled, swaying from side to side.

"Thank you, you're such a kind creature."

「Kyun, kyuun」 I gently stroked Schnappy's head.

Dangerous... What if he brought in some mysterious demon plant again? Even just the thought makes me genuinely happy.

In my mind, an image of a shady purple daikon flashed. Schnappy seemed a bit dissatisfied, but he appeared to have accepted it.

"Now, let's see, what should I have for breakfast? When I have a hangover, it has to be that."

I opened the refrigerator. There's always something I eat when I have a hangover. It's a mushroom and egg rice soup with pickled plums.

**Not the normal porridge, but rice soup porridge! That's crucial! For some reason, it goes down smoothly with this.

**T/N: If you click on the linked photos, you'll see a first the normal Rice Porridge おかゆ (Okayu), while the one I termed Rice Soup Porridge 雑炊 (Zōsui) is technically is still porridge but apparently in this way of cooking you can put whatever suit your taste.**

"Let's skip the golden mushrooms today!" I say to myself.

I decided not to use the Amperu mushrooms that His Majesty graciously bestowed upon me. The golden-coated porridge seemed visually and digestively disagreeable. Instead, I opted for the ordinary shiitake, enoki, and eryngii mushrooms.

I start by pouring dashi into the pot and generously adding the mushrooms. I added salt, a dash of sake, and some noodle soup base before gently swirling in beaten eggs and tossing in rice.

"A little taste test... Mmm, just right."

Now, it's time to simmer with some crushed plum. I sprinkle chopped green onions, and it's ready!

If I wanted to make it more luxurious, I could add more vegetables or maybe some dried baby sardines and sesame seeds. Options are abundant!

"Well then, let's dig in." With a ladle, I scoop up a mouthful and savor the flavors.

"Mm, the mushroom broth is rich and delicious. It's like a revitalization for the body."

People often say clam soup is good for hangovers, but unfortunately, I don't have any clams in stock. Come to think of it, I haven't had any seafood since coming to this world. I guess it was a meat-heavy adventure.

Are there any shellfish around here? Shrimp and scallops were pretty standard in Chronos's diet. White fish... I remember that grotesque-looking King Piranha he told me before. Let's consider that, there might be shellfish in the King series lineup.

King Asari clam or King Hamaguri clam? Somehow, that doesn't feel right. How about King Sazae clam?

King clams? No, by the time it's the King, it's no longer a clam. It seems like it could lead to something absurd, so maybe I won't ask Chronos about it...

Later on, there's a tale about Chronos bringing a clam the size of a baseball home base, claiming it's a hangover remedy. But that's a story for another time.

And he proudly declared, "This is the regular size, by the way!" A King-sized clam, whether I want to see it or not.

The otherworld is truly mysterious...

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