202. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [53]

  When we finally reached our dormitory, the time was already eleven o’clock at night.

  (I want to get ready for bed and take a rest soon, but…)

  As I fleetingly looked next to me, Ria, with a complex expression, sighed a little.

  She has been like this since we parted with everyone.

  She trudged along with a long face while occasionally whispering strange things like, “What should I do if taken away?”, “No, I still hold the advantage right now”, “Should I make the first attack and seal the deal… I wonder?” and so on.

  Taken, advantage, attack – she seemed to be fighting something that was not visible.

  (Exactly as Sebas-san advised… Ria seems to be unwell after all.)

  I’m truly amazed by his fearsome observation. As expected of the『Emperor’s Four Knight』, I guess.

  (Anyway, right now, I need to cheer her up.)

  My mother used to say,『sickness and health start with the mind』.

  (Can’t help it. I should hold out a little longer before going to sleep.)

  I pulled myself together and coughed once.

  「Hey, Ria. Do you have anything you particularly would want to eat?」


  「……Eh?」


  「I feel like cooking something. So I thought I’ll make something that you want to eat right now, if you’d like… Would you like anything?」


  Ria pondered on it a little.

  「……Curry rice.」


  「Ahaha, curry rice?」


  「W-Why do you laugh…?」


  Ria stared at me, while puffing her cheeks.

  「Ah, sorry. I thought it sounds like something a boy would want.」


  「I-It’s fine right. I was just in the mood to eat curry.」


  She turned away in a huff, her face slightly red.

  The gesture was so cute that my heart just felt warm.

  「Sorry, sorry. I’m going to make a delicious curry as an apology, so just wait a minute.」


  And I went into cooking right away.

  First, cut carrots, potatoes, onions, and beef into bite-size pieces and throw them into a thick pot. Then gently heat them.

  After cooking the ingredients well with just the right size of flame, add an appropriate amount of water and cook for about 15 minutes while skimming the scum from the broth.

  After that, add the curry roux in it and boil it over low heat.The aroma of spices started to waft around the room.

  (This smells good. Now just wait for ten minutes.)

  Ria watched me from behind. With her ahoge protruding out, she stared at me with a hungry-looking face.

  (Fufu, she must really want to eat the curry.)

  Soon after that, I opened the pot lid. A well-thickened curry greeted me.

  (Now, let’s taste it a little.)

  Transfer a small amount to a small plate at hand and check the taste just to make sure.

  (Okay, not bad.)

  I’m sure she’ll be happy with this outcome.

  Then I put white rice on a regular plate and on Ria’s large dedicated plate, and poured a lot of curry on top of it.

  「Sorry for keeping you waiting. Shall we dig in?」


  「Un!」


  We put our hands together, said “itadakimasu”, and dug into the freshly prepared curry.

  「Hamu… Yeap, it tastes good.」


  「Nn? delicious! Allen is really a good cook!」


  While putting her hands on her cheeks, Ria flapped her legs and expressed her joy with her whole body.

  「Ahaha, that makes me happy.」


  The depressed look from before had disappeared

  With a big smile on her face, she stuffed her cheeks with the curry.

  (…Thank goodness. She looks to be feeling better now.)

  Then, after supper, I decided to bring up a certain subject.

  「Naa, Ria. I’d like to ask you something. Is that all right?」


  「What’s the matter, being so formal?」


  She urged me to continue.

  「How do I say this… Is your physical condition well?」


  「Physical condition…?」


  「I mean… Sebas-san advised me when we parted that『You should keep a watchful eye on the physical condition of Ria Vesteria』.」


  The moment I briefly explained the situation,

  「……」


  For just the slightest moment, Ria’s expression suddenly hardened.

  「…I-I’m fine, I’m fine! I’m a little tired today, but I’m perfectly fine as always!」


  She said so with an awkward smile.

  「…I see, that’s good then.」


  And I decided to end this discussion here.

  Ria is hiding something… No mistake.

  (But… It’s better not to pursue it.)

  I don’t know why, but she didn’t seem to want to talk about it right now.

  (…Let’s wait.)

  I’ll wait by her side until she decides to open up to me.

  I’ll ask about it indirectly from time to time, and create an atmosphere where she can feel secure opening up to me.

  Having decided so, I carried the empty dishes to the sink.

  「Then I’ll do the washing, You can use the bath first, Ria.」


  Washing dishes after meals is my job.

  And then,

  「Ah, wait a minute. I’ll wash it this time.」


  Ria stood up and followed after me.

  「When I make the dishes, You always wash it, don’t you? So it’s the opposite today.」


  「But you’re tired today, aren’t you?」


  「No matter how you think about it, you, who fought the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, should be more tired, no? Move aside!」


  She said, and began to roll up the sleeves of her uniform.

  「Then, I’ll take you up on that offer… and I’ll take a bath first.」


  「Yes, you do that. And thank you for the curry rice. It was very delicious.」


  「Aa, you’re welcome.」


  After that, I took a bath, followed by Ria.

  After that, we got ready for bed, and lay down together on the same bed.

  When we started living together, we were sleeping at either edge of the bed, but now we were only about ten centimeters away from each other.

  「Good night, Ria.」


  「Good night, Allen.」


  Then, we both sank into a pleasant dream.