CHAPTER 40: SOMETHING IS ABOUT TO SPILL OUT FROM SOMEWHERE

For the meantime I’m going to look away from the fact that Rhyleigh-kun’s cheeks are dyed red and then I tried to look at everyone face in a composed manner. 

“Now then, please put also some salt inside its stomach”

It was nothing. 

Nothing happened.

That’s why I stopped thinking about anything and continued on the next step.

“After the salt, we have to put some garlic. First peel the skin of the garlic and cut it in half and then placed it on the cross section of the free-range chicken.”

After showing them how it’s done. They started doing it as well. It seems like the head chef lent us some knives and chopping boards. Seeing them do it simultaneously gave me a peace of mind.

“You also have to rub some garlic inside its stomach. After that we’ll be using the garlic so after that please set it aside”

“Phew(yareyare)…cooking is such a strange thing. By just rubbing this, will the taste really change?”

Ash-san said as he sighed but despite what he said he is still carefully doing it even the Kei Bihei brothers are doing the same, muttering things like they accidentally slice the garlic vertically instead of doing it horizontally. Even though they are clamouring like that they look happy doing it.

While watching everyone do their own work, some time had passed and I instructed them on the next step.

“After we’re done rubbing the garlic, the next step is to put some vegetable and mushroom inside its stomach”

After saying that Rhyleigh-kun batted his lashes mysteriously and asked, “So we won’t be putting the chicken and the vegetables inside the pot and stew it together?”

“Un.  After putting the ingredients inside the stomach of the whole chicken, the ingredients inside would be steamed inside and it will definitely taste better. The chicken will have that gentle flavour of the vegetables and the flavour of the chicken will mix in with the vegetables.”

After hearing what I said Rhyleigh-kun went ‘uwaaah wa’ in admiration and then I suddenly heard Hurst-san, who has been diligently working muttered in a deep calm voice, “… …I’m looking forward to it.” Hearing him say it like somehow encourages me. 

I’m sure he imagined how it would taste like after hearing what I said. Completely on the different side from where Rhyleigh-kun is standing, I could see Hurst-san’s light blue eyes lit up. After seeing him like that, I couldn’t help but feel the corners of my mouth slackening and in order to fix it I tried to maintain a composed expression.

“Oi. Isarai Shina. Stop doing a weird face. What should we do next?” Ash-san said.

… …I was indeed doing a weird face. I know that myself you know. That’s why without complaining I instructed them on what to do next.

“Please cut the vegetables in bite size. Freely peel off the skin of the onions, the carrots has already been washed properly and the skin has already been thinly peeled off so it’s fine to cut it as is. This time we’ll be using the stem of the celery, so this how to do it… …”

While I was talking, I break off the stem and leaves part of the celery and then after placing them down, I grabbed the stem and vertically hold it and removed the string it in.

“Ohh… …”

Ash-san and Kei Bihei brothers couldn’t help but leaked out a voice in amazement. Well it couldn’t be help even though it’s easy to remove it but somehow when you are looking at it seems a bit amazing. 

“If you can’t easily remove the string part of the celery then we can just use the knife to remove it later so there’s no problem and for the mushrooms just sliced in a just right size.” 

After watching me do it, everyone began doing it on their own and it seems like everyone wants to remove the string part of the celery and I can hear them excitedly talking about how they were able to remove the most string and stuff.

“… …Hurst-san, you’re so skillful”

And then after looking at everyone doing it, it seems like Hurst-san is fast in doing his own part. Even the onion is cut beautifully in a comb shape and the he’s skillfully removing the string part of the celery.

 
Unlike everyone else, he’s silently working on his own and it feels like he’s familiar to cooking itself. After slicing the vegetable, he placed the knife on top of the chopping board and said, “Back in the Northern Knight’s Order, the meals are done by whoever is on duty”

“Ah, so that’s why”

“Yes. Unlike here, we don’t have anyone who’s solely in charge of cooking. Though we do ask some of the women who lives in a nearby village to do the laundry but since they have their families so we couldn’t really asked them to cook for our meals.”

“I see.”

Speaking of, Hurst-san did mention that the Northern Knight’s Order is different from the one here and since they’re in a place where they have to fight off against demon beasts, those knight orders with long history and pedigree hates them. So maybe that’s why there’s also a lot of difference here and there. 

“Well maybe I could also be of help” I said, smiling as I looked up to his light blue eyes. “Here there are a lot of designated chefs that’s why I thought it would have be troublesome and rude if I ask to go inside their kitchen. But if its on duty there then maybe it would be alright if I go to the kitchen there.”

Here, I’m either mostly inside my room or taking care of the herb garden. Even though it’s near the dwelling of the demon beast, I still couldn’t help but be excited… …

“… …I’m really looking forward in doing a lot of fun things” I muttered in a small voice and then suddenly I could feel someone tightly clinging to me around my waist――

“Shina-san I’ll definitely protect you!”

Surprised, I looked down and from there I could see a shining light green eyes. Ryhleigh-kun won’t let go, or rather he clinged tighter.

“Ryhleigh-kun, wait a minute… …Look, you have to place the vegetables inside the chicken’s stomach… …”

While I tried straining my breath, I was somehow able to move and show to Ryhleigh-kun how its done. See? You just have to do it like this. Stuff the bite size vegetables inside the whole chicken as well as the mushroom, garlic, herbs like rosemary and thyme… …

“Nnn… …But, right now it’s impossible”

Desperately, as I desperately tried to move my hands, Rhyleigh-kun heartlessly laugh and said, “Inside my stomach, it’s already full of Shina-san. If I move, it will overflow” (Eunie: *SPLURT* wtf. Srsly. I tried not to tsukkomi much but this is just…Run Away OL-san!)
 

*Cough*

Faulty Expression!!

Cough, What a *cough*,  faulty expression *cough*,

What’s going to be filled is not my stomach but my heart and then when he said that since its his feelings that is being stirred it will never never spill. Never.

“Hurst-san… …” 

Help… …The soft spot in my heart is… … 

While thinking like that I looked at his light blue eyes with a pleading look and when I did those light blue eyes of his has this unexplainable passion in his eyes… …

“I, as well, promise to protect you”

Those light blue eyes straightforwardly looks at me, that colour…

… …Now.. …Please protect me now…

Protect me from these faulty expressions… …