---o---
Back in the changing room, Miss Guda had wondered what Li Zihan would have her and Mash do after forcing them into maid outfits.
Would it be like a proper maid, doing chores like cleaning and cooking?
Or would he try to take advantage of them, suggesting some kind of intimate service?
Or perhaps he would just bring up sexual topics directly.
Honestly, the moment Miss Guda pushed open the door, her heart was pounding with apprehension.
After all, the person who had detained them was a humanoid self-propelled cannon, an upgraded Cú Chulainn who made no effort to hide his desires.
But what unfolded before her eyes was beyond anything she and Mash could have imagined.
The youth, whose true identity was likely that of some main god, was cheerfully preparing dishes in a kitchen that clearly did not belong to this era.
A rich aroma drifted through the contained air, making one's mouth water.
If the surrounding air hadn't been restricted by the Authority of the Herrscher of Wind, such a sweet and savory scent would have surely spread throughout the entire temple.
Miss Guda, who hadn't smelled any food in the hallway but was hit with the scent upon passing through the main hall and reaching the makeshift dining area—the location he had designated for their task—swallowed her saliva and moved forward.
"Yo, Ritsuka, Mash, you're here."
The youth, who had restricted the airflow to prevent a certain Useless Goddess from sniffing out the food and coming to forage, heard their footsteps, turned around, and greeted the two girls who had arrived on time.
His tone was incredibly intimate, not at all like a stranger who had taken them hostage to threaten Romani, but rather like a long-acquainted friend.
That familiar tone made Miss Guda a little uncomfortable.
Suddenly having someone who was clearly interested in her and intended to pursue her was still a bit difficult for her to accept.
In comparison, Miss Mash's reaction was much more normal.
After all, the one facing a chastity crisis was Fujimaru Ritsuka, not her.
At least, she wasn't facing a chastity crisis at the moment.
"Excuse me, why did you call us here?"
"Do you need help with the cooking?"
Seeing the youth who had clearly stated his interest in her Master, Miss Mash took a step forward and asked.
It was indeed close to dinnertime. Considering there were a total of seven people here now, it was perfectly normal for one person to be overwhelmed and need help.
But then again, would a noble god really cook for himself?
It felt a little strange.
"No, for a taste test."
The youth, who used Innate Time Control: Made in Heaven while cooking to isolate his area's time from the outside world and accelerate it, was completely unworried about not finishing by dinnertime.
Although he had said he was going to pursue Miss Ritsuka, he couldn't just drop everything else and focus entirely on her.
Preparing a love-filled dinner for Bronya and the little princess was something that could not have any mistakes.
He also had to deal with a certain Useless Goddess, who shared a soul with the sweet angel Ereshkigal.
Besides, it was already evening. Once the Useless Goddess finished eating and fell asleep, the sweet angel Ereshkigal would wake up.
He needed to prepare some pastries for their late-night chat.
The youth, ever the time management master, pondered this as he placed dish after dish on the table.
Pan-seared French foie gras, served with a sauce made from sweet wine and garnished with figs arranged in a beautiful shape.
Napoleon's favorite, coq au vin.
French onion soup, which typically needed to be simmered for over twenty minutes to complete.
Bouillabaisse, a Marseille fish stew that required as many as twelve different types of fish to prepare.
...
As the incredibly appetizing dishes were brought to the table and laid out before them, the visual impact was truly stunning.
It smells so good.
Almost instinctively, both Miss Fujimaru and Miss Mash swallowed hard.
Although Chaldea had a Grand Chef in Mama Emiya, Mama Emiya's main jobs were, after all, being an Ally of Justice and a Melee Archer, not a chef.
Compared to someone who, on a whim, used necromancy to summon the spirits of top chefs and then used his Authority to take their experience, even Mama Emiya would have to kneel.
Was this guy a god of cooking?
Looking at the dishes, which had a strong French and Spanish flair, Miss Ritsuka's eyes glazed over.
"Because I need to prepare the perfect dinner for my lover, I need someone to help me find the flaws in the dishes so I can improve them."
The youth smiled faintly, stating the truth.
Wait, wait, the so-called "work" is just food tasting?
This is too blissful!
Miss Guda and Miss Mash, who had been on the run and hadn't eaten a thing since being dropped here, felt their stomachs rumble uncontrollably upon hearing these words.
"There isn't an Elixir of Love mixed into this, is there?"
As if joking, Miss Guda asked tentatively.
The so-called Elixir of Love was a potion made by a certain magus skilled in manipulating people's hearts. Its effect was akin to a computer accessory, so potent that even Servants couldn't resist it.
"How could that be?"
The youth, vaguely recalling that he did indeed have something called an Elixir of Love in his possession, pouted and said.
"That kind of drug turns the hidden emotions in one's heart into uncontrollable, ferocious love, burning both the user and their beloved to ashes. Its effect is like an uncontrollable Jizo Mitama. Would anyone really use something like that?"
Those words fell on Miss Guda's ears, causing the corners of her mouth to twitch.
Hey, hey, how do you know the effects of the Elixir of Love so clearly?
And also, what the heck is Jizo Mitama?
Miss Guda didn't press the issue.
She had a feeling that if she kept asking, she might uncover something truly terrifying.
Therefore, she obediently pulled Mash to sit down and began to perform her task—the taste test.
The first dish she chose was the coq au vin.
The aroma of the red wine permeated the fresh, tender chicken. The richly flavored meat was delicious without being greasy. With one bite, the taste of the red wine and chicken lingered together in her mouth.
Delicious!
Miss Guda, truly amazed, found her beautiful orange eyes wide with surprise.
Without pausing, she picked up her knife and fork, cut a piece from the pan-seared foie gras, dabbed it in the sauce with a piece of fig, and put it in her mouth.
The texture was delicate, melting in her mouth. It required almost no chewing; a simple lick of her tongue was enough to feel its savory flavor melt away.
Seeing her Master's ecstatic expression, Miss Mash, sitting beside her, was also taken aback. She then picked up a spoon and took a sip of the bouillabaisse.
Unsurprisingly, the unexpectedly layered and delicious fish soup conquered her taste buds.
"Please tell me what can be improved. I will listen carefully."
The youth, whose culinary skills were actually terrifyingly high, watched the girl's captivated expression, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly as he asked.
This level of cooking still needs improvement?
Hey, hey, isn't this guy's lover a little too blessed?
Miss Guda and Miss Mash, who were truly shaken, were both stunned.
"It's absolutely perfect."
This was the unanimous answer given by the two girls.
"That's not the answer I'm looking for."
The youth, who was genuinely in pursuit of even more delicious food, tapped the table and asked.
"What I need is for you to point out their flaws."
"This is already perfect."
Miss Mash, who wasn't on his short-term hunting list and thus felt far less pressure than her Master, held the soup bowl and sipped it in small, cat-like mouthfuls before looking up to speak.
"I think if you're making these dishes to show your feelings for your lover, this is definitely more than enough."
"I think what your lover wants is the sentiment, not just the taste, right?"
Speaking up to this point, Miss Mash suddenly stopped.
She remembered. The chef before her was a scumbag who, despite having a lover and pursuing another girl, had clearly expressed interest in her Master.
This guy's current actions were less about expressing his feelings and more about showing off his abilities to her Master.
Like a male peacock displaying its feathers.
Miss Guda, who had also come to the same realization, began to look uncomfortable.
"Although I believe that as long as food can convey one's feelings, it is an excellent dish."
"But, as the vessel that carries those feelings, the better the dish tastes, the higher the score it will receive, wouldn't you agree?"
The youth, who did indeed intend to show off his talents, explained his philosophy, which was similar to Rita's.
"Of course, a part of it is because I'm always flirting with girls and making them unhappy."
Then, he honestly stated another reason.
"Good food always puts people in a better mood, doesn't it?"
These words fell upon the ears of Miss Guda and Miss Mash, rendering them silent once again.
Hey, hey, if you know that flirting with other girls will make your lover unhappy, why do you still do it?!
"Don't you think you should change your habits?"
Perhaps because the man was surprisingly reasonable and had behaved like a gentleman so far, Miss Mash, who had a relatively good impression of him, gave a friendly suggestion.
"A person cannot stop their nails from growing... Similarly, a person cannot suppress their innate impulses!"
A certain famous quote from a muscle-bound maniac spewed from the youth's mouth.
"Chasing after a girl's youth, her charm, and the infatuation of a passionate romance—these are my instinctive impulses."
"Your attitude towards relationships is seriously problematic."
Miss Guda, who clearly found the philosophy of the man pursuing her difficult to accept, stood up and said bluntly.
"It is a problem, isn't it?"
The youth said with great seriousness.
"But I will try to use other ways to make up for my shortcomings."
"Do you think that's possible?"
Miss Guda, clearly unable to accept his reasoning, continued.
"Who knows?"
Looking at the girl who was, in truth, being crushed under the heavy burden of the Human Order, the youth chuckled lightly.
"If you don't try, how will you ever know?"
---o---
Author's Note:
PS: I'm kind of tempted to write a steamy scene.