After entering the Yagami household and washing their hands, the two entered the kitchen.
"Hmm, I said I'd let you taste my cooking, but I didn't expect to end up having you help me."
Yagami Hayate prepared the seasonings, looking a bit embarrassed as she said, "This is really awkward~"
"Is that so? I personally think a meal made by two people together is more meaningful."
Rias said.
"Hmm, if you put it that way... it really is quite significant, and I feel much more motivated than when I used to cook alone."
Yagami Hayate said thoughtfully.
"Whether it's good or bad, joy or pain, sharing it makes it more interesting."
Rias smiled. "Sharing joy doubles the happiness, and sharing pain halves the suffering. That's how it works~"
"Those are very philosophical words."
Yagami Hayate also began to laugh.
The two cooked together, and soon a sumptuous meal was ready.
Rias carried the prepared dishes to the dining table, and then they sat opposite each other.
"Wow, it looks so delicate. I didn't expect Rias to be so amazing at cooking too."
Yagami Hayate looked at the dishes Rias had stir-fried; just the aroma alone was enough to make one's appetite surge.
"By comparison, my cooking is just at the level of home-cooked meals. I'm feeling a bit discouraged~"
Yagami Hayate said, feeling a little dejected.
She had wanted to surprise her new friend, but in the end, she was the one who was surprised.
"It's normal. I'm Omnipotent. In this world, there's only what I don't want to do, not what I can't do."
Rias spoke these incredibly arrogant words with a calm face.
"That sounds amazing~" Yagami Hayate marveled.
"Although it feels a bit overconfident, it's also impossible to refute."
"Ah, right. I got a bit too excited and accidentally made too much. Looks like I'll have to save some for tomorrow."
Yagami Hayate muttered.
"It's fine. I have a good appetite, so these won't be a problem~"
Rias said.
"I see~"
Yagami Hayate blinked and didn't say anything more, instead saying, "In that case, let's dig in~"
"Itadakimasu~"
Yagami Hayate pressed her hands together in a prayer-like gesture.
Rias blinked and didn't make that gesture, instead picking up her chopsticks directly.
Whether in her previous life or this one, she didn't have that habit.
As they ate, the two fell silent for a moment.
No talking while eating or sleeping—this habit had actually persisted.
Her movements were very elegant, but surprisingly fast; the food was disappearing at a rate visible to the naked eye.
They had originally thought they'd made too much, but by the end of dinner, Yagami Hayate's stomach was bulging while Rias showed no reaction at all.
Yagami Hayate looked curiously at Rias's belly and said, "Amazing, Rias-chan. Where did all that food go?"
"Hmm... a Four-dimensional Stomach?"
Rias tilted her head, looking very cute.
"Ah, I've heard of that. It's an enviable constitution where you can eat no matter how much food there is."
Yagami Hayate laughed.
"You didn't eat much less than I did, though~"
Rias glanced at Yagami Hayate.
Despite appearing frail, Yagami Hayate was also a big eater herself.
Yagami Hayate downplayed her cooking as home-style, but in reality, it was far more sumptuous than ordinary home-cooked meals.
An average person couldn't make such a lavish dinner, let alone Yagami Hayate, who was just a nine-year-old little girl.
After eating, the two slumped on the sofa like Ge You, chatting idly.
After resting for a while, Yagami Hayate did the dishes.
Even if Rias had offered to wash them, Yagami Hayate would have snatched the task away, but Rias really didn't want to wash dishes anyway.
Cooking was fine, as culinary arts could be considered a field of study, but washing dishes was just plain annoying.
By the time the dishes were done, it was getting late.
Then the two went to the bathroom, filled the tub, and soaked in the water together.
"Whoa, this feels so good."
The tub wasn't small; while it might only fit one adult, two little girls could easily squeeze in together.
It was just that Yagami Hayate's legs had no sensation and couldn't move, so it was hard for her to stretch out.
But bathing with a sensible little girl, this small issue was completely within the range of tolerance.
In fact, it was the opposite; because Yagami Hayate had many things she couldn't easily do and needed Rias's help, there were more opportunities for skinship.
"Do you want me to scrub your back?"
Even as she asked, Rias didn't wait for Yagami Hayate's response and picked her up.
"You're really strong too."
Being carried in a princess carry felt a bit like a prince and a princess, which made Yagami Hayate blush for a rare moment.
Sitting on a small stool, Yagami Hayate struggled to stay stable, then felt the soft sensation from her back.
"Lean against my body~"
Placing her on the stool, Rias then tested the showerhead's water; once the temperature was right, she sprayed it onto Yagami Hayate's hair.
Holding the showerhead in one hand and skillfully massaging Yagami Hayate's hair with the other, it was soon soaked.
Leaning obediently against Rias, Yagami Hayate closed her eyes, looking very quiet like a good baby.
With her legs lacking sensation, she couldn't sit steadily on a small stool like this at all; sitting there felt dangerous.
But leaning against Rias gave her an indescribable sense of security.
Especially with the warm stream of water falling from her head, it felt as if her body and soul were being healed.
After her hair was wet, Rias helped her wash it and then dried it.
Afterward, she helped wipe down her body, and finally, it was her own turn.
After drying their bodies and blowing their hair dry, the two lay on the bed and let out a sigh of relief.
Rias didn't have much desire for little girls, but simply being close and hugging each other could bring a sense of spiritual satisfaction.
To put it scientifically, it increases oxytocin levels, making one feel happy, relaxed, peaceful, and satisfied.
There was no other meaning; it was purely the intimacy between good friends~
Once their hair was completely dry, they turned off the lights and lay on the same bed, and the surroundings fell silent.
Staring at the ceiling in the darkness and feeling the warm breath beside her, Yagami Hayate felt this kind of warmth for the first time.
"It's like a dream."
Yagami Hayate murmured.
"Well, from a scientific perspective, an experience that is too fantastical can create a sense of unreality."
Rias glanced sideways at her and said, "Given how we met, becoming this close so quickly is indeed quite dreamlike~"
"Hmm... then is Rias-chan real?"
Yagami Hayate couldn't help but ask, "I'm worried that when I wake up, I'll find that Rias-chan's existence was just a beautiful dream I had."
Hearing this, Rias took Yagami Hayate's hand and said, "In that case, you won't feel worried anymore, right?"
Feeling the warmth from Rias's palm, Yagami Hayate couldn't help but feel at ease.
Before long, the two entered dreamland.
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