1.9 The Matter Eating Together Is Tastes Better Than Eating Alone

I come out from the bathroom rather early and change into a long T-shirt and slacks inside the dressing room. At the end of the dressing room, armor and other items were placed neatly. That showed a part of Lia's personality.

[Fu~ I'm refreshed. However, long T-shirt is good to wear for sleep but the slacks feels a little uncomfortable. Shall I buy another jersey later?] (Toru)

When I enter the Japanese-style room, a cup in front of Lia was almost empty but half of the Cola inside the transparent glass still remained as expected. Our eyes meet.

[Auu....] (Lia)

She was staring at the Cola, it seems she couldn't finished it and felt embarrassed, her face turned a little red.

[Hahaha, you can leave it. Maybe it's taste strange for the first time but Cola is pretty delicious when you get used to it] (Toru)

[No, I'm not a child who couldn't drink medicine] (Lia)

[Eh? Well, Cola does slightly taste like a medicine, indeed] (Toru)

Apparently she thought Cola as some kind of medicine.

[After I drank it, my body recovered from the paralysis poison in an instant so I will do my best to drink it all] (Lia)

[Wh-What?] (Toru)

[Hmm? Atfer I drank it, my hands and feet that were still slightly numb were healed in an instant. This is a medicine, right?] (Lia)

Could it be Cola has some kinds effect like a medicine in the world on dungeons side....

[What's the matter?] (Lia)

[No-Nothing, it's nothing. Yeah, Cola is a medicine. You don't need to push yourself but it's good for your health, indeed] (Toru)

[I see....] (Lia)

Cola is a potential antidote and it's also quite powerful. I take out a memo where I wrote my statuses from my pocket and write that.

I think it's about time to eat. What should I make? I brought some ingredients from the grocery department at Tonsukihote before. It would be nice if I knew Lia's preference. I'm quite confident with my cooking because I work part-time in the kitchen at a family restaurant.

Then let's talk a little with Lia before I decide.

[Lia, come here a moment] (Toru)

[Yes?] (Lia)

I made Lia sat on the chairs at the dinning room and asked while looking inside the refrigerator.

[What kind of food do you eat inside the dungeon?] (Lia)

[The same as other Adventurers] (Lia)

[Not that.... I don't know what Adventurer usually eat since I'm the Great Wiseman] (Toru)

[Oh sorry. For example, dry bread that hard like a stone or salted dried fillet of white fish] (Lia)

That's a simple food and doesn't seem to taste good.

[Is it delicious?] (Toru)

[I appreciated any food.... though it's not that good. Before eating, I soak the bread in hot water to soften it. That way, the bread gets softer and is quite easy to eat] (Lia)

She said with a pleasant smile.

[Is-Is that so?] (Toru)

[Moreover, I lost everything for some reason.... maybe I dropped it somewhere inside the dungeon] (Lia)

Tears flowed from my eyes. I put back the cheap Yakisoba I took from inside the refrigerator. Instead, I took the premium hamburger steak that I bought from a convenience store. This is a bit expensive but tastes so delicious. Of course the hamburger steak I usually made is also delicious but I'm already hungry. This one just need to be warmed up and is ready to eat. And this is the special ingredient, I will add an egg to make is more delicious.

For now, I will warm up a rice and hamburger steak inside the microwave.  Then I heated up a lot of oil on a frying pan. Meanwhile I make a salad with lettuce and petite tomato.

[For a dressing isn't Pietro sesame delicious? Has the olive oil heated up?] (Toru)

(TL: ピートロ = Pietro, it's some kinds of  spicy sesame / miso dressing. I not quite sure if it's the right thing though.  http://www.angelopietro.com/sesame-miso-dressing.html) 

Then, Lia asked.

[It's really a good smell, are you making something?] (Lia)

[It's dinner. Lia is hungry, right?] (Toru)

[I-Is that all right? Food is really valuable inside the dungeon. You just gave me water a little while ago so....] (Lia)

[It's okay. Please don't mind it. You will die if you don't eat] (Toru)

[But....] (Lia)

[I couldn't bring myself to eat in front of a person who is hungry. Moreover, I have prepared the dinner for two people] (Toru)

This is a truth. Besides, I want to make Lia happy with the food. When I kept insisted, Lia suddenly stood up.

[I see. Please wait a moment] (Lia)

Lia went to the dressing room. Not long she came back while bringing a small cloth bag. She held it in one hand and poured the contents to her other hand. Several coins with silver and gold colors came out.

[Are those silver and gold coins?] (Toru)

That's pretty big and seems to have quite weight.

[Two Gadious gold coins and three Gadious silver coins. It's embarassing but it's all I have. I think that it's not enough....] (Lia)

It seems that it's real silver and gold coins, what a surprise. I said it again, it's pretty big.

[No, No, I said it's fine. The meal is free] (Toru)

[That won't do!!] (Lia)

It's troubled. She won't listen to what I said. Should I accept it? I don't know about the silver coin but there was a billboard in the town that said will buy gold. But Grandma will be sad if I receive money from a girl I just helped. Let's think about some reason to refuse it. Oh, that's right....

[Lia, because I am the Great Wiseman, I made Artifacts and sell it for high price so I'm not troubled with money. In exchange, I want you to tell me about the situation of the outside world because I have secluded myself inside this dungeon for a long time, you see?] (Toru)

If I could sell Cola or something to Adventurers in the dungeon, it seems it would be quite a fortune. Not that.... a story about the world outside the dungeon seems interesting. Like a status or skills, I'd like to know about monster more.

[Of course I don't mind but, it can't be compared to your kindness and the goods you shared with me, it's far from equal....] (Lia)

After some consideration, it seems that I was able to convince her a little. But it's still not enough, that's it!!

[How about you also assist me to make an Artifacts?] (Toru)

Of course it's not really an Artifacts. Recent cheap furniture is often the type that you have to assemble it oneself. I bought a new bed frame before moving out here but it seems it's going to be difficult to assemble it by myself. In fact, it's written on the box that you should assemble it with two people or more. Let's make Lia to help out.

[Is that really enough? It's embarassing but it would be a great help. Actually, I'm a little troubled with the money right now.....]

Lia looked a little embarassed and said that. Though it's a lower class, but knight was still an aristrocrat. Oh well, it's not the first time I hear an aristrocat got troubled with money. Maybe its the reason why she is exploring the dungeon in the first place. In that case, I think it's good that I didn't accept her money.

[Then, wait a moment I will make the meal for the two of us] (Toru)

[Thank you very much!! Please do!!] (Lia)

That's good. While thinking so, I dropped an egg in olive oil that was completely heated to make fried egg. I took out after some  moment so only the white part is solidfied. Then I put it on the top of the premium hamburger steak. Yosh, it's done.

I put it on the table, the hamburger steak with half-cooked fried egg as topping, letttuce and petite tomatos salad, and warm rice. I was thinking to make Miso soup, but Lia looks like a Westerner so I left it.

[Ar-Are you done? That was fast even though it's such an elaborate dish and it seems to be very delicious.... what a good smell....] (Lia)

[Hahaha. Let's eat! Let's eat!] (Toru)

Lia pray to God whom I never heard. She may have financial difficulties right now, but it showed that she was brought up well as expected. I was also praying inside my heart.

[How do I eat it?] (Lia)

[Oh, you don't know rice? Then, you do this with a fork. However, it's delicious to eat it together with hamburger steak. Understand?] (Toru)

[Yes.....] (Lia)

[Good, let me teach you how to make it more delicious. First, break the half-cooked fried egg on the hamburger steak] (Toru)

I cut the fried egg in half with a knife. The yolk that hasn't fully solidified flowed out from within and got mixed up with demiglace sauce on the hamburger steak.

[When these mixed of yolk and demiglace sauce are eaten together with the meat, it's become super delicious] (Toru)

I demonstrated and tried it myself. Yups, it's delicious!

[I-I wi-will also try to eat!!!] (Lia)

Even thought she doesn't know hamburger steak, she knows how to use fork and knife. Or rather, she looks better than me. Lia cuts the fried egg in two on hamburger steak. She brought a piece of meat that has been covered with yolk and demiglace sauce to her mouth.

[Hmm!! *nom, nom, nom, nom*] (Lia)

I wonder if it suits her taste. She didn't say anything but her body keep shaking.

[Th-This so de-delicioous, I've never eat something like this before] (Lia)

[Don't be exaggerated. It was because you got distressed in a dungeon exploration and got hungry] (Toru)

[It's true. In the past I had also lived in a big mansion, nevertheless I never ate such a delicious food like this.... humm!! it goes well with the rice!!] (Lia)

[If you think so, it's really worth to make it] (Toru)

I'm pleased with her compliments, though I only made a fried egg and a salad. However, it certainly tastes better than usual.  I'm sure it was because I want to make Lia happy with the food I made. I feel blessed when I see her eating deliciously. After all, eating together does taste better than eating alone.