“Evan-san, I have kept you waiting~”


  “Finally! I’ve been waiting for this!”


  When I went to the cafeteria with the variety of fried food, Evan-san was sitting there restlessly. I don’t mean to be rude, but he looked like a dog waiting to be fed.

  “Yes, yes, here you go.”


  “Alriiight!——Delish!”


  I put the plate in front of Evan-san and gave him permission to eat, and he immediately took a bite of the fried food.

  “Is it to your liking?”


  “Ou! It’s super tasty! The crunchy texture is good, and the sauce is delicious, too! As I thought, you are incredible, Takumi!”


  “Thank you very much.”


  I tried it myself, and it was good. Fried food is so good~

  “Evan-san, make sure you eat the cabbage as well, not just the fried food.”


  “But, Takumi, there’s no sauce on this. There’s no dressing~”


  “Try eating it together with the fried food and tartar.”


  When I warned him that he was only eating the fried food and not the shredded cabbage, Evan-san reluctantly took a bite of the cabbage as well.

  “… Oh? It’s good? I can eat this too.”


  “Right? This combination is also good between slices of bread~”


  “Oh, I bet it is!——Old man! Gimme bread!”


  When I told Evan that the fried food was delicious as a sandwich, he immediately asked Milton-san for some bread to try.

  “Oh my, Takumi-san?”


  “Ah, Scott-san, welcome back.”


  While we were having an early dinner, Scott-san returned.

  “I have returned. Takumi-san, what are you doing he… there’s no need to ask. Did Evan ask you to cook for him?”


  “You understood it well. Would you like too, Scott-san?”


  “Is there a portion for me as well? Of course, I would like to.”


  Since I had already prepared Scott-san’s portion, I offered him a plate of fried food from the Infinite Storage. Scott-san took a seat with a happy look on his face.

  “This is delicious. The fish and shellfish are naturally tasty, but this white sauce is something else~ What are these dishes called?”


  “They are deep-fried dishes. Shrimp fry, mackerel fry, scallop fry, squid fry… and the list goes on like this. The sauce is called tartar sauce. I have taught Milton-san the way to make it, so you can ask Milton-san when you feel like eating it again.”


  “I’m happy to hear that~”


  Scott-san smiled, looking really happy.

  Well, even if it wasn’t offered as a menu item in the dining hall due to the time and effort involved, he would probably make it for them if they ordered it individually.

  “”There!””


  “Oh my, he really is here~”


  “Eh? Ehh!?”


  While I was having an after-dinner chat with Evan-san and Scott-san, Allen and Elena, holding hands with Rebecca-san, came running into the store.

  “”Left us behind!””


  “I’m sorry, Takumi-san. As soon as the kids woke up and realized you weren’t there, they said they were going to go find you~”


  Allen and Elena, who I left at the Ruven mansion, did not cry or sulk, but seemed… angry and came looking for me. They puffed out their cheeks and put their hands on his hips… and I felt like I could hear them puffing.

  “”Left us behind!””


  Allen and Elena emphasized one more time.

  “I’m sorry. Please forgive me?”


  “”Muu~””


  “… Will forgive.”


  “… For delish meal.”


  … it seems they will forgive me for a delicious meal. I thought they would complain a bit more, though~

  “Sit down, then.”


  “”Ohh~ looks delish!””


  “Can you forgive me for this?”


  “”Forgiven!””


  I put out the fried food platter in front of Allen and Elena, and they easily forgave me.

  I offered Rebecca-san a seat and asked her if she wanted to eat with the kids, but she refused, so I prepared tea.

  “”It’s shrimp fry!””


  “That’s right. Well then, can you guess the others?”


  “”Will try eating!””


  As the children began to eat, I apologized again to Rebecca-san.

  “Rebecca-san, I’m sorry for making you accompany them.”


  “Since you entrusted them in my care, I won’t just let them be.”


  “But well~ I didn’t imagine they would chase after me.”


  “I didn’t think that, either.”


  Both Rebecca-san and I smiled wryly.

  “The kids ran out of the mansion and almost jumped over the wall.”


  “Eh? T, that’s… I’m sorry for all the trouble we have caused you.”


  “Fufu, it’s fine. They stopped when I told them we should look for you together.”


  I’m so glad they didn’t end up jumping over the wall~

  “Still, how did you find this place? Were you searching for me?”


  “You see, the kids seemed to know you were here, so we came straight over here.”


  “… Eh?”


  They came straight over here? Straight, without stopping anywhere?”


  “Allen, Elena, why did you think I would be here?”


  “”Somehow~?””


  “……”


  I asked the squirming kids how they knew I was here, and they didn’t seem to have a reason. So I guess it’s just a hunch. I think it’s more than a hunch, though… Oh well.

  “How is it?”


  “”Delish!””


  Allen and Elena had big smiles on their faces. It looks like they like it.

  “So, have you recognized anything else beside the shrimp fry?”


  “Scallop!”


  “Squid!”


  “Correct! What’s the last one?”


  “”Fish!””


  “Ah, yes, that’s correct, but… it’s mackerel, mackerel fry. Remember it.”


  “”Mackerel fry! Remembered!””


  Rebecca-san looked envious when she saw Allen and Elena eating.

  “I will make it at the Ruven house next time.”


  “Fufu, I’m happy to hear that. Thank you.”


  I can’t make it today, but I’ll make it for Rebecca-san and Velio-san too.