Before long, dinner was ready.
The table was adorned with hamburg steak curry, salad, and a selection of prepared side dishes and pickles. Once everyone was gathered, we said in unison, ‘Itadakimasu’.
「Mmmmmm—!!」
The first voice to echo through the living room belonged to Alice-san, who groaned in delight after taking her first bite of curry. With tears welling up in her eyes, she clutched her spoon like she was offering a prayer, her face aglow with joy.
「This is amazing! I can’t believe I’m eating curry again!!」
「Fufu, yes. We owe Sui-san for this, don’t we?」
Next to Alice-san, Color-san smiled warmly, her eyes soft with affection.
「Whoa, spicy!」
「But… it might be tasty?」
「Yeah, it’s kind of addictive.」
「Such a complex flavor—fascinating.」
「Hmph, this level of spiciness is nothing to me…!」
「Now, now, no need to rush.」
Four Seasons-san, watching the fairies with a gentle smile, chimed in soothingly.
Since adding Color-san’s family and Alice-san to our usual group made the sofa too cramped, we had to improvise. I dragged out a foldable table and chairs from storage—Japanese-made, with collapsible legs. Mother said she didn’t recognize them, so they must have been something Father had prepared in advance, anticipating I might someday bring guests to the house.
The fairy family and Alice-san used the table, while the rest of us stayed on the familiar sofa.
「If it gets too spicy, have them sip some lassi, Four Seasons-san.」
「Got it. Thanks.」
Along with tea and juice, I’d prepared lassi, a classic accompaniment to curry.
Made from yogurt, sugar, milk, and a splash of lemon juice, it helped mellow the spiciness.
「This is so good. And hamburg steak curry—what a combination! Mint-chan, did you make this?」
「Uuuu! Mint did squish-squash and pat-pat!」
「I see! You did a great job. Maybe that’s why it’s even tastier, with such a nice shape.」
「Mufuu~」
Mint puffed out her chest with pride at Alice-san’s compliment.
She had grown more accustomed to strong flavors recently and was happily devouring the curry, even though this time I hadn’t added any apples or honey. Of course, I’d kept the spiciness mild for the fairies—just a touch hotter than sweet curry.
「I’ve had hamburg steak at restaurants in the royal capital, but perhaps it’s because Mint made this one? It tastes even better.」
「Really? Mother, is it yummy?」
「Yes, very. You did a great job helping out.」
「Ehehe…」
As Mother had pointed out, hamburg steak already existed in this world. The name was still “hamburg,” so someone who had transmigrated here must have introduced it at some point. After all, the recipe itself is quite simple.
「Karen, thanks. Mint looks so happy.」
「Hmm, but Mint did well. I just watched.」
Even so, it was true Karen had subtly helped with the final touches. The hamburg steaks were all perfectly uniform in size.
Not long ago, Karen had struggled to shape rice balls into triangles, but now, tasks like this—or even basic prep work—had become second nature to her. She was getting skilled at peeling vegetables too. Perhaps it was time to have Novium-san forge a knife specifically for Karen.
The reason Karen had been putting so much effort into learning to cook… My cheeks warmed as I imagined it, but I decided to blame it on the spiciness of the curry.
「Make sure you drink plenty of milk, too. We’ve got to use up what we brought back from Sidera.」
「Bark!」
Chocola was happily devouring his dog food, now topped with milk. His muzzle was completely white, so I’d have to wipe it off later.
「I wonder… does Chocola’s food tastes good?」
「Don’t be silly, Bonfire. Dogs taste things differently than we do. Just like how the grass Pochi eats wouldn’t taste good to us. Same idea.」
「Wait, Drizzle… have you eaten grass before…?」
「I—I—I have not! Of course not! Even if Pochi looks like he’s enjoying it, you don’t have to eat it to know that!」
Watching the fairies banter noisily, I smiled.
Then, Alice-san spoke, her tone nostalgic.
「Hey, Kaoruko. Do you remember? Back when these kids were still little… we talked about wanting to eat curry.」
「I… I’m sorry. I don’t…」
In contrast, Color-san’s face clouded over.
She probably didn’t remember.
Though both Four Seasons-san and Color-san had regained many memories since we first met, not all of them had returned. The toll of being the core of a grand magic was immense, and, more than that, two thousand years was more than enough time to bury countless recollections in the past.
Even so, Alice-san simply smiled at Color-san. Smiled and spoke.
「It’s okay if you don’t remember. I’ll tell you. We talked about it—you and I. About wanting to eat curry again. About wanting our kids to try it. …And now, our dream has come true. Look at them. They’re so happy, enjoying their meal. Eating curry together as a family and laughing. Isn’t it wonderful?」
「Yes… yes, it really is.」
Her words were light, considerate—not pitying or sorrowful, despite the lost memory they shared. She simply told the story, choosing to be present, to stay beside her.
「Even though the details are hazy for me, one thing remains vivid—the wish. I wanted the children to know about… our homeland. That desire is burned into me.」
「I understand. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been able to recreate those beautiful cherry blossoms. I was so happy to see them again, after all this time.」
The two exchanged warm smiles, and Four Seasons-san, watching them, gazed at them with quiet affection and satisfaction. The scent of curry filled the air, bringing with it a sense of nostalgia, as Mint’s and the fairies’ laughter added a tender harmony to the scene.
Hamburg steak and curry—it’s a classic combination, especially beloved by children.
The fairies, Mint, and the adults watching over them…
Amidst the rich aroma of spices, their lively chatter, and the warmth of family, the evening passed joyfully around the dinner table.
Leave a Reply