After we washed our faces, Lina insisted on making breakfast herself.
"Karen, let me cook today. What do you want to eat?"
For breakfast, I wanted something warm — soup sounded perfect.
"Soup, please. Do you need me to help?"
"No need. You should go study the Melbusoda script instead."
Lina actually kicked me out of the kitchen! Was last night's dinner that bad?
"...Alright then."
Driven out of the kitchen, I sat on a chair and focused on reading. Every now and then, I glanced toward Lina to see if she needed any help. But she calmly lit the fire, chopped the vegetables, and started boiling the soup.
(That's right, Lina's a genius — cooking shouldn't be a problem for her.)
For some reason, I always forget how talented she is. She must've learned plenty of delicious recipes from Aunt Yalisa.
It looked like I could expect a good breakfast today.
"Breakfast is ready."
Lina had finished cooking and brought over two bowls of rice, each with a spoon placed neatly inside.
I quickly cleared the table so she could set them down. After that, she brought over a bowl of soup. I hurried to my feet and reached out to take it from her hands before she could spill it.
I began eating first. The soup had potatoes, radishes, and onions floating in it. I scooped a spoonful and took a sip.
The taste shocked me—it was completely unlike the ingredients it was made from. It was indescribable, as if someone had invented a brand-new flavor that no one asked for. I couldn't help but ask Lina how she made it.
"Lina, how did you even make something that tastes like this?"
She was serving her own soup when she turned her head toward me.
"Just the usual way. Why are you making such a pained face? Are you okay?"
Was I really making a pained face? I forced a smile and replied,
"Really? I'm fine."
This soup was... revolutionary—in a bad way. It was strangely unique, but not exactly delicious. It wasn't inedible, but it was the kind of thing you'd only want to taste once.
(Wait… maybe it's just the soup. Maybe the rest tastes fine.)
I took a bite of the potato, then the radish, then the onion—
Nope. They were all the same!
When Lina finished serving her soup, she sat down across from me. I glanced at the pot and asked,
"Lina, is there still soup left in the pot?"
"There's still plenty. Does it taste good?"
Good? How was I supposed to answer that! And she said there was plenty left! I forced a smile and nodded.
"...Yeah."
I looked at the soup in my bowl and made up my mind. I quickly finished both my rice and soup, then went to the kitchen, grabbed a ladle, and started scooping bowl after bowl—until I'd emptied the entire pot.
Lina was speechless watching me. I could only say,
"Lina, you should have some soup too."
Normally, people wouldn't drink someone else's share of soup, right? Maybe it was supposed to be an act of kindness—but this kindness could end up hurting both myself and others.
Lina took a spoonful, brought it to her mouth, and after tasting it, her face twisted in pain.
"Karen… I'm sorry..."
Just a moment ago, I was thinking that genius Lina had no weaknesses—but who would've thought one would appear like this?
"From now on, I'll do the cooking."
"No! I'll work hard, so please let me cook!"
Lina looked at me with pleading eyes, making it hard for me to refuse. Still, I couldn't help but worry about future meals, so I decided to suggest a compromise.
"Then… let's cook together from now on."
"Really?! Yay! I can keep cooking!"
As soon as she heard she could continue, Lina jumped up with joy, completely forgetting that we were still in the middle of breakfast.
"Alright, finish your breakfast first."
"Uh…"
It seemed Lina didn't really want to drink the soup anymore. To make sure she learned her lesson, I had no choice but to tell her this:
"We can't waste food, you know."
"…Mm."
There were no adults left in the village now, and we didn't even know how many ingredients were left. We couldn't afford to waste a single bit of food.
Each bite Lina took came with a pained expression, and it took her a long time to finally finish the meal.
"I finally finished it…"
I clapped my hands, praising Lina with a smile.
"You did great, Lina. I'm proud of you."
But instead of being happy, Lina pouted slightly. Still, she didn't scold me — instead, she gave me an unexpected compliment.
"Karin, you're the amazing one. You drank the whole pot of soup!"
"Haha…"
I laughed awkwardly. The truth was, I only drank it all because I didn't want Lina to force herself to finish it. But I couldn't bring myself to say that — so I just smiled and laughed it off.