"Alright, I'm heading back — feels like I actually got a lot done today."
Since Mobius was currently on her way out of Inazuma, Kiana decided it was time to head back and "discover" the fact.
She already knew perfectly well that Mobius was leaving — but appearances had to be maintained. After all, Mobius had simply slipped away without coming to tell anyone, so someone had to go back and act surprised.
"Oh, you two are heading out? Let me walk you down then."
Assuming Kiana was leaving together with Acheron, Miko immediately offered.
"I'm not leaving yet," Acheron said flatly, glancing at Miko without much expression.
"Ah — my mistake. I thought you were both going. Well then, let me at least see Kiana off."
Miko looked faintly embarrassed at having gotten it wrong.
"No need, no need — I can find my own way down. You two enjoy yourselves." With a wave of her hand, Kiana turned and headed straight for the path down the mountain.
She was still technically at the shrine, after all, so there was no reason for Miko to escort her anywhere. Of course, Miko had no way of knowing that.
"See you next time, Kiana—"
"Call me Sis." Kiana cut Miko off without even bothering to look back.
"Okay, okay — see you next time, Kiana-nee~" Watching Kiana's retreating figure, Miko let out a helpless little laugh and dutifully added the honorific.
Kiana had been insisting on it from the start, but Miko always seemed to forget. And every time she forgot, Kiana would correct her without fail — which made it pretty clear just how much Kiana enjoyed being called 'Sis.'
Hmm...
Kiana was gone now...
Maybe now would be a good time to have a little chat with Acheron about Kiana's cooking?
Gazing at the spot where Kiana had vanished, Miko turned to look at Acheron, and the thought rose unbidden.
She really did feel it was necessary. If Kiana ever got the urge to show off her culinary skills again someday, the results would be nothing short of catastrophic.
Even setting aside whether the food could technically be eaten — that flavor was something she had absolutely no desire to experience ever again. She didn't have Acheron's convenient inability to taste things.
Wait...
Wasn't that actually some kind of handicap?
Anyway...
She had to discuss this with Acheron!
With that thought, Miko spoke up: "Hey, Acheron — back when it was just you and Kaito, was it always Kiana doing the cooking?"
"Mm." Acheron gave a small nod, holding Miko's gaze.
She had already guessed where this conversation was going — she just had no intention of spelling it out herself.
"So... what did Kaito think of it?" After a moment's consideration, Miko asked.
She'd originally meant to ask Acheron directly, but then it occurred to her that Acheron probably couldn't taste the difference anyway — so she'd shifted the question to Kaito instead.
"Think of it? Think of what, exactly?"
Acheron looked as though she genuinely had no idea what Miko was getting at.
"You know — what Kiana's cooking tastes like. Whether it's any good." Seeing that Acheron hadn't caught on, Miko spelt it out more plainly, then pressed on: "Don't you think... what she made just now tasted a little different from what you'd get at a restaurant?"
Since she was on reasonably good terms with Kiana, Miko had chosen her words carefully — keeping it vague, keeping it diplomatic.
"Different how?"
Acheron tilted her head, appearing genuinely puzzled.
Miko: "???"
Staring at Acheron's utterly baffled expression, Miko suddenly found herself at a complete loss for words.
She'd assumed Acheron simply couldn't taste the difference. She hadn't expected her to not even notice there was one. This was so far beyond anything she'd imagined.
Acheron, what on earth do you normally eat...?
She couldn't help thinking it. Pushing the thought aside, Miko pressed on: "There's definitely a difference — restaurant stir-fried pork with chili isn't black, for one thing. The chilies are more or less their normal color, and the pork is... well... anyway, it's not black."
She had never in her life imagined there would come a day when she'd have to describe what stir-fried pork with chilies was supposed to look like.
"Is it a difference in technique?"
After listening to Miko's entire explanation, Acheron came out with that.
Miko: "..."
Oh my god...
Acheron, what am I supposed to do with you?
Staring at the person who had just asked her that question, Miko once again had absolutely nothing to say.
She was starting to think she'd be better off waiting for Kaito to get back and having this conversation with him instead. Talking to Acheron was completely hopeless.
But looking at Acheron standing there in front of her, Miko ultimately decided she was going to see this through.
If being subtle wasn't working, she'd just be blunt about it.
"No — what Kiana just made was obviously... burnt. Like, genuinely charred. That's not how it's supposed to turn out." Miko felt a bit like she was explaining something to a small child, but she also felt it was entirely necessary.
Otherwise, she was fairly certain Acheron still wouldn't understand what she was trying to say.
"So what's it supposed to look like?" Acheron asked.
Oh lord...
I really want to smack you right now, Acheron...
...but I suppose I can't, given that I'd lose.
Miko quietly resigned herself to this reality — and then simply grabbed Acheron by the hand and started marching her down the mountain.
"You're heading down too?" Acheron glanced at her, wondering if Miko was going after Kiana.
Naturally, Acheron had understood every word Miko had said just now. She'd simply decided to play dumb — it was a persona she wanted to maintain, and playing along with Kiana's side of things seemed like the right move.
"Yep. Come on, I'll take you to buy some chilies and pork." Miko called back over her shoulder without slowing down.
If Acheron truly couldn't grasp what she was saying, then the most straightforward solution was to just get in that kitchen and show her herself.
Oh wait...
This absolutely could not get back to Kiana.
The thought struck her mid-stride. Miko stopped and turned around. "One thing, Acheron — you can't tell Kiana about this, okay?"
"...Alright." Acheron still looked faintly puzzled, but gave a slow nod.
"Great. Then let's keep going — we've got chilies and pork to buy."
With that settled, Miko relaxed and continued down the mountain path.
One way or another, she was going to show Acheron today what a proper stir-fried pork with chilies was supposed to look like.
It was a simple enough dish — but Acheron clearly had no idea what it was meant to be, and that simply could not be allowed to stand.
Ugh...
Even if you can't taste anything, Acheron...
...you can't just let things go like this...
Walking ahead, Miko genuinely did not dare to imagine what Acheron had been eating all this time.
____
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