It was my turn on lookout duty when a couple of familiar faces showed up.
“Alice? Did you set up camp around here too?”
“Yes. Well not yet, I was looking for a deserted spot next to the river.”
It seemed like we had been thinking the same thing.
“It has been a long time since we last met, Ein-sama.” I said, bowing.
“It has indeed, Yuno-san. Could we perhaps join you?” she asked, having elegantly returned my greeting.
“Of course. I don’t think my lady would complain if it were you two.”
So, the two of them joined us, and as dinnertime approached, so did another person.
“Heyo everyone. You doing okay?”
It was that blond handsome guy, Kraim.
“It has been a long time, Luna-sama. I am the eldest son of Count Elrode, Kraim –”
“Yes, I know. I’m currently a little busy. Please wait until later.”
And sure enough, Luna, who was in fish-cutting mode, immediately dismissed him… which for some reason made Kraim smile happily, his eyes glittering.
Kraim, huh.
His having come over on his own meant that the young lady he was the knight of wasn’t participating in the training camp.
…I was slightly nervous. I hadn’t seen him since the Introductions.
However, perhaps having guessed my inner woes, he came over to me with a friendly smile on his face.
“Nice to meet you…? I’m the oldest son of Count Elrode, Kraim Elrode.” he said, holding out his hand.
“I must thank you for your kindness. I am the third son of the Astorio family, Yuno Astorio. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” I took his outstretched hand.
…Well now, I’m a little impressed.
“Should I call you Yuno-kun?”
“Just Yuno’s fine. I can call you Kraim, right?”
“Sure. So anyway, Yuno, there’s one thing I wanted to ask you,” Kraim said, his expression suddenly turning mysterious.
“Hm? What?”
“There’s barrier magic around here, yeah? Is that your doing?”
Oh, it’s about that.
“Yeah, Alice taught me.” I answered, which caused him to look at the ground as if thinking hard about something, muttering to himself under his breath.
“Kraim?”
“…Oh, yeah, it’s nothing,” he smiled awkwardly, changing the conversation to an explanation of why the young lady he was the knight of wasn’t participating.
We chatted along for a while until the long-awaited moment arrived.
Luna and Athena had finished cooking.
My heart almost jumping out of my chest in excitement, I looked expectantly at my wooden plate.
Oooh!
It had a splendidly-done grilled fish on it.
“I hope I did it right? I’ve never cooked before…” Athena said anxiously. I answered with a huge smile.
“It is perfect! I could eat a whole cartload of these!” I said, causing Athena’s face to light up in a smile so shining that it didn’t lose out to the sunset.
“Come on, even I can do that much?” said Luna with a smug look on her face.
“As expected of you, my lady. …Bon appetit.” I said, swiftly eating the grilled fish.
……
Mhm. It’s terrible.
How did this happen? Why?
Each time I bit down on the fish, a bitter taste and oversaltedness attacked my tongue.
And I wasn’t the only one who seemed to be having a less-than-stellar experience.
Alice and Ein both grimaced, then continued eating with the help of copious amounts of water as if nothing had happened.
And as for Kraim…
“My. What a splendid taste! This exquisite bitterness, all this happy salt intertwining with my exhausted body, they all mix together in a rich harmony!”
It all depends on how you put it, I guess.
“Yuno-san… how is it?”
“Your thoughts?”
The two silver-haired beauties stared at me.
I got this.
“What a splendid taste it has! This exquisite bitterness, all this happy salt intertwining with my exhausted body, all mixing together in a rich harmony!”
“I see…! Thank goodness!”
“Right. Of course it would be good.”
That was when the two of them turned towards the fish.
I immediately glanced towards Kraim.
He just so happened to have glanced towards me as well, so our gazes met.
– ‘Kraim, you know what we have to do, right?’
– ‘Of course I do.’
Our minds had become one.
“Bon app–”
I began eating the fish on the plate as fast as I could, unrelentingly shoving one after the other into my mouth.
“Y-Yuno-san…?” I heard Athena say in surprise and confusion, but I had no time to be distracted.
I was in the midst of a bloody battle with the harmony of salt and bitterness spreading through my mouth.
““Thank you for the food!”” Kraim and I said together once we had eaten all the remaining grilled-fish-like objects on the plate.
Athena and Luna stared at us with blank looks on their faces.
“Sorry, Kami-sama, my lady, they were just so delicious… ugh… ugh…”
Kraim stepped in for me as I was attacked by nausea.
“They were just so delicious, we got a little carried away. We are really sorry,” he said, bowing, and I followed his example a moment later.
“Really!? I’m happy you liked it!”
“…This isn’t that bad a feeling.”
The two of them smiled.
‘Phew, thank goodness’ I thought to myself.
“So please excuse me! I’ll go catch fish for your dinners!”
Sprint to the river!
I ran off with all the strength I could muster.
Kraim followed after me, his face pale.
“I-I’ll help!” he said desperately.
I understood what he was feeling very well.
And so, Kraim and I struggled to procure fish from the river while fighting back the urge to throw up.
TN: school starts for me again next week, so I might not be able to do daily releases, but I’ll try to upload a chapter every day
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