"Here you go, Marisa! Your explosively delicious stir-fry is served!"
Yuto carried the plate out of the kitchen, looking like a waiter from an old inn.
He placed the plate in front of Marisa.
"Chili pepper stir-fry. Enjoy your meal," he said with a chuckle.
He glanced around at the others, their faces still showing the shock from earlier.
Yuto offered an apologetic smile to the group.
He hadn't anticipated that a simple stir-fry would cause such a commotion in the restaurant.
'I need to find a way to replace that exhaust fan!' Yuto felt a mix of exasperation and helplessness.
Marisa eyed the plate of chili pepper stir-fry with a mixture of fear and wariness.
As usual, she had boasted about her ability to handle spicy food, claiming she could eat anything.
But in truth, the vital energy of the witch wasn't tolerant of spice.
Now, the dish Yuto had prepared for her was being served.
Although she hadn't taken a bite yet, the overwhelming aroma had already intimidated her.
'Is it really that spicy?!'
She hesitated and torn.
If she backed down now, it would prove she'd been lying earlier, and Reimu would mock her.
But Marisa was worried that this plate of chili pepper stir-fried meat might send her to the afterlife.
"Hah! Marisa, eat! Why aren't you eating?!"
Beside her, Reimu covered her nose with her sleeve, enjoying watching the witch's conflicted expression.
'Serves her right for teasing me earlier!' She had to fight back mockery with mockery!
Hearing Reimu's malicious taunts, Marisa's expression grew darker.
Yuto watched Marisa's reaction, feeling helpless.
'Didn't she say she could handle spicy food?' he thought. 'Why is she so scared now?'
He turned and went to the kitchen, fetching a bowl of rice and a small saucer of water.
"If you eat it with rice, it won't be as spicy. Try it first. If it's still too spicy, dip it in the water before eating." Yuto added the last part with clear exasperation.
Dipping it in water would ruin at least half the flavor of the spicy stir-fried meat.
But he couldn't force someone who couldn't handle spicy food.
"No! It's okay!" Marisa stubbornly lifted her head, shaking it as she looked at Yuto.
At that moment, the witch had made up her mind. She wouldn't let Reimu mock her. She had to give it her all.
She'd even drunk poisonous mushroom soup—how could a plate of spicy meat be any worse?
'What's the big deal?!'
With that thought, Marisa picked up a piece of meat and put it in her mouth.
The reaction on her tongue took less than a second.
Instantly, the witch was brought to tears by the heat!
"Waaah! Ka rai! (So spicy)! Zu! Zu! Zu! (Water! Water! Water!)"
She could barely speak clearly!
...
After Marisa recovered from drinking so much water, her face showed a mix of relief and lingering fear.
But after a few seconds, surprise and curiosity took over.
"Maybe I should make you a new dish," Yuto said, resigned.
He felt a twinge of regret about the wasted plate of spicy stir-fry, but he couldn't let someone who couldn't handle spice keep eating it.
What if something went wrong? Even though he knew Marisa was someone who could drink poisonous mushroom soup without harm, he couldn't risk it.
Just as Yuto reached for the plate, Marisa pressed down on his hand.
"No, Boss, there's no need." Marisa looked at the spicy stir-fry with a curious and delighted expression.
Yuto was taken aback.
"You still want to eat it?" he asked, his gaze a mix of surprise and exasperation. 'Has the spice damage her brain?'
"Mm-hmm."
"But how can you eat something this spicy?"
"It's okay! I can try it using the method the Boss taught me. I think this dish will be absolutely delicious with rice."
"Alright." Since Marisa insisted, Yuto decided not to stop her.
He released his grip, and Reimu, standing nearby, watched Marisa with a hint of concern.
"Hey, Marisa! Don't push yourself just to prove a point."
Despite their frequent bickering, the bond between Marisa and Reimu was strong.
"Don't worry, I'm not forcing myself. Even though the spice made me cry just now, I have to admit—it's delicious! It leaves you craving more afterward!"
Marisa's words made Yuto chuckle softly.
Even through the pain of the spice, they refused to give up the flavor. This was the sentiment shared by most lovers of spicy food. Now Marisa was really getting into it.
Reimu seemed unconvinced, so Marisa picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks and held it to Reimu's lips.
"Here, try this. It's truly irresistible afterward."
Under Marisa's insistence, Reimu opened her mouth and swallowed the piece of meat.
Gulp!
Reimu clutched her cup and began gulping it down, a mischievous grin spreading across Marisa's face.
Yuto watched the scene, momentarily speechless. "Marisa!"
"Don't get angry yet. Can you feel that irresistible urge?"
"Now that you mention it... I do feel a little..."
"See! I told you I wasn't lying!" Marisa laughed, and Reimu nodded half-heartedly.
Click! The sound of a camera shutter echoed.
Reimu and Marisa's eyes snapped to a youkai reporter.
"I swear, I won't make up stories about your photos!" Shameimaru Aya insisted, her Crow Tengu features twisting into a wounded expression.
The constant misunderstandings clearly pained her.
"Hmph! Better not!" Reimu huffed, but her forgiveness for the photo theft was evident.
After all, she was touched by Aya's crestfallen look.
Next, Marisa took a bite of spicy stir-fried meat with rice.
The witch's expression became conflicted. One moment she looked pained, the next she looked satisfied.
Yuto couldn't help but find Marisa's expression amusing.
He chuckled softly and sighed. 'Maybe Miss Witch would actually make a pretty good comedian?' he thought to himself.
He walked over to Hestia and Sakura.
"Sakura, what did you do with Hestia today?" He smiled and patted the little girl's head.
Sakura purred softly, like a cat being petted. "We worked at the tavern all day with Goddess-neesan today! It was tiring, but we had so much fun!"
Hearing Sakura's words, Yuto's expression stiffened.
He turned to look at Hestia. "Hestia, I didn't give you money so you could make Sakura work with you."
His words seemed to embarrass the goddess.
But after the initial embarrassment, she stubbornly lifted her head to meet Yuto's gaze.
"I didn't waste that money! I just used it to buy a small house. I couldn't possibly let Sakura live with me in that dilapidated church." The goddess spoke with a hint of pride in her voice.
She believed her actions were sensible, but Yuto saw things differently.
He sighed and looked at Hestia as if she were a fool.
The goddess was enraged by this blasphemous gaze!
Her lips pursed, and she glared at Yuto with deep dissatisfaction, looking like an angry hamster.
"Why didn't you just rent a place? Why did you have to buy it?"
"Uh... you do have a point."
"Exactly! Why spend all your money in one go? Couldn't you have been a little more sensible? Stupid goddess!"
"...Ugh! Kamisaka! You swore yesterday you wouldn't blaspheme me again, and you still call me 'stupid goddess'?!"
"Am I not telling the truth? If you were any smarter, you wouldn't have let Sakura work alongside you."
Thump!
Yuto flicked Hestia's forehead as he spoke.
Though the goddess desperately wanted to bite Yuto right then and there, she knew he was right.
The truth stung, leaving Hestia feeling a little hurt.
"I just thought... working together would let me spend more time with Sakura..." the goddess mumbled, her tone tinged with a hint of petulance.
Yuto sighed helplessly.
He didn't know whether to pity the goddess before him or encourage her.
While her devotion to Sakura was unwavering, her brain... just wasn't very sharp.
"Yuto-nii, I'm fine! I met so many people at the tavern today! There was Aunt Mia from the Dwarf race, the beautiful Syr-nee, Ryu-nee, Anya-nee, and Chloe-nee! They were all so nice to me and wouldn't let me do most of the work, so my day wasn't tiring at all." Sakura stepped forward to defend her goddess.
Watching the adorable little girl recount her day's experiences with such enthusiasm, Yuto couldn't help but smile.
"So, Yuto-nii, please don't blame Goddess-neesan! She's always trying her best!"
The little girl's words made Hestia burst into tears.
The goddess hugged Sakura tightly, nuzzling against her repeatedly.
Yuto watched the scene, sighing with a faint smile.
'Well, since Sakura is happy, I'll let it go.'
"Alright, for Sakura's sake, I won't blame Hestia this time. But Sakura, if you ever feel unhappy about anything, you have to tell me, okay?"
"Okay!"
Yuto patted the little girl's head again.
His gaze shifted wearily to the goddess, who was still nuzzling against Sakura.
'Sigh! Who's the adult here?!'
"So, Sakura, what do you want to eat today?"
"Taiyaki!"
"Okay, just wait a moment, Sakura."
"Kamisaka! Kamisaka! I want some too!!!"
"Hmm?"
"Wh-what's wrong...? Can't I have taiyaki too?!"
"Sigh... Fine, you can have some. You wait a moment too."
"Mhm, mhm, mhm!!!"
Watching the goddess nod like a squirrel, Yuto sighed, feeling drained and helpless.
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