Lill is in a very good mood right now. Why? It’s obvious. Because Shuri has returned. She won’t let him go to prison again. This time, she’ll protect Shuri. And she wants to end the nightmare of not being able to eat hamburger steaks.
A few days after the incident. Lill’s mercenary group has taken up permanent residence in the castle. Well, they’ve nominally installed Gyngus as the lord, but in reality, Gyngus is in charge of coordinating the Sounité soldiers. Aeclys is in charge of internal affairs, and Gungrave is at the top overseeing everything. There’s a reason for this – in the series of incidents, Gyngus himself realized that he lacks the ability to manage the territory and deal with internal matters. So, he’s using this opportunity to hand things over to Gungrave as the new lord, and is in the process of transitioning various responsibilities.
“I don’t have the ability to navigate these turbulent times. That’s something I’ve come to realize all too well from recent events. But if I continue to rule the territory as things are, it could be problematic. In the worst case, Sounité might disappear. If that’s the case, I have no choice but to entrust it to someone who can protect this land and its people.”
That’s what Gyngus says as he tries to hand things over to Gungrave. As for Aeclys, they tried to put her in the position of nominal lord, but she declined. It’s clear that having Aeclys handle internal affairs and Gyngus handle military matters would create a good balance. That’s what Gungrave’s investigation showed, and anyone can see it from the quality of their work. But Aeclys herself only wants to do a moderate amount of work after the handover to Gungrave is complete. Of course, it’s understood that this isn’t really permissible, but Aeclys is a woman to begin with. Moreover, she was at the center of the recent problems, and like Gyngus, it would be problematic for her to be in the position of lord. Aeclys also said:
“I don’t want to pretend to be a man anymore. From now on, I want to work as a normal girl and fall in love. And I want to settle down with the person I love and be happy.”
She said this while looking at Shuri. What an unpleasant conversation. Gungrave also had an ambivalent expression. Then what about Garn? Well, he has his own issues. Although he’s of the bloodline of his father… the previous lord, he’s the child of a concubine. It’s unreasonable to install the child of a concubine when you can’t install the child of the legal wife. In the first place, to avoid further complicating the succession issue, Garn wasn’t given the qualifications to be an heir, so for the mercenary group to install him as lord now would only complicate matters further. Moreover, Shuri was negative about this idea.
“No, no, Garn is my assistant, or rather my subordinate. Well, I promised to bring him in as a cook. It would be troublesome for me if he were forcibly made lord.”
So, Garn became Shuri’s subordinate. For some reason, a big man named Adra also became a subordinate, but Lill wasn’t interested in that. It doesn’t matter who becomes Shuri’s subordinate, as long as Shuri can make hamburger steaks without difficulty. As long as he can make hamburger steaks… Oops, almost slipped to the dark side there. Anyway, that settled the matter of Garn’s position and the lord problem. The next step is to transfer the position and power of lord to Gungrave when the time is right. Gungrave wants both Gyngus and Aeclys to continue working here as before. Even if he becomes lord and gains control of the country, there’s a shortage of people who can manage the territory, so he wants their help. At that time, Gyngus and Aeclys will be given appropriate positions and roles, but currently, they’re working behind the scenes to ensure no problems arise when that happens. In reality, they could eliminate all internal problems by expelling Gyngus, Aeclys, and all their subordinates and taking over the territory. But doing so would remove all the personnel necessary to govern the territory, which would cause problems for Gungrave as well. Gyngus and Aeclys don’t want to be driven out of this territory either, and would prefer to stay if possible. Thus, the interests of the three parties align, for now.
Now that the nominal lord has been decided and the handover process has been determined, the next step is clear. Namely, the wedding of Gungrave and Arius.
Gungrave and Arius had made a promise in the past. They would marry when they acquired territory. Originally, they weren’t even supposed to get engaged until they had territory, but that naivety once caused a crisis in Arturia. Although the crisis was averted thanks to Shuri’s quick thinking, who knows what would have happened if Shuri hadn’t been there. That’s why Gungrave and Arius moved up their promise and got engaged. But the wedding ceremony hasn’t happened yet. Of course, part of the reason is that they’ve been too busy until now, but the main reason might be, this:
They don’t want to move up the promise any further To fulfill their important vow and marry with their heads held high.
It sounds cool when put that way, but this seems to fit best. And it’s now the time to fulfill that vow. Lill agrees with this too. That’s why Lill is now working towards that.
“Hmm, that’s enough for today.”
Lill was working in her research lab in the castle. A magic engineer researcher employed at the castle. This is the job Lill has dreamed of since long ago. Lill before meeting Shuri was so arrogant… it’s embarrassing just to remember. She always thought she’d end up here, but since meeting Shuri, she’s been inventing primarily for her comrades, so she had kind of forgotten about it. But now, setting up Lill own base in the castle like this, it’s like, how should Lill put it?
There’s a strong feeling of accomplishment.
Of course, Lill activities are just beginning, but that feeling still wells up. Even now, while making various tools for Gungrave’s wedding ceremony, thinking that this is Lill primary job gives Lill a profound sense of achievement.
Yes, the wedding ceremony. Lill’s current job is preparing for Gungrave and Arius’s wedding.
From furnishings to decorations, a wedding ceremony requires many items. Lill has to make these. You might think, “Can’t they just buy them?” But there’s a reason for this too. First of all, there’s no money. When Lill say there’s no money, it’s not that the castle or the group doesn’t have funds. There’s no lack of funds for managing the territory. It’s different from that – while there are funds for territorial management, there’s no dowry. Normally, for a wedding ceremony of a lord or their relatives, a suitable amount of money is saved up before the engagement, to be used all at once when the time comes. This serves to demonstrate the financial power of the lord’s family, showing national prestige, as well as providing celebration money for their child’s new beginning. But unfortunately, neither Aeclys nor Gyngus had plans to marry. In other words, they hadn’t secured funds in preparation for a wedding. So what were they using the money for? Upon investigation, it turns out there had been continuous rain in the area recently, leading to landslides that blocked roads. The money was used for construction work to deal with this. The funds were used for a legitimate purpose, and it’s not like they could rely on other people’s money for an important wedding ceremony anyway, so Gungrave swallowed all his complaints. Then, couldn’t they use the mercenary group’s funds? But there’s a sad circumstance here too.
They never expected to acquire territory – a country – in this situation, so while they had been saving, it’s not enough.
The mercenary group consumes money just by existing. Gungrave said before: horses, equipment, food supplies, supplies, repair tools, and above all, the fighting men themselves… all of these require money as time passes. Both horses and humans need to eat to survive, and that requires food. If they get injured, they need medical supplies for treatment, and when they get injured, tools break too. Despite this, Gungrave has managed to make it this far. But that money is not enough. Sad as it may be, the world runs on money… it’s a harsh reality. So, they decided to prepare what they could themselves and purchase only what they absolutely couldn’t manage. That’s why Lill is in charge of making the tools. By the way, the clothing is being bought from shops, Tegue and Kuuga are handling the venue preparation, and Shuri is in charge of the cooking. Well, it’s the right person for the right job. Arius? Well, Gungrave can’t help it, but it might be a problem to make one of the main characters work too much.
“Now, Lill is off to eat!” “Wait a moment, Captain.”
One of Lill subordinates stopped Lill as she was about to head straight to the dining hall. …What’s this guy’s purpose?
“The work isn’t finished yet.” “Huh?”
Lill pointed to the corner of the room in response to Lill’s subordinate’s complaint. There were the tools that made up today’s quota. Candlesticks, plates, tables, and so on. Even after seeing this, do you still have complaints?
“No, I understand the Captain’s work. But don’t you still have things to do, like reports and management records for the tools you used?” “…Goddammit!”
What the hell. Does this mean Lill still has work to do as a manager? Damn it. However, Lill has something she must do. Patting the shoulder of her subordinate who was looking exasperated, Lill said:
“Lill has somewhere she must go.” “It’s still too early for lunch though…” “That doesn’t matter! The hamburger steak is calling for Lill!” “Ah, wait!”
Shaking off her subordinate’s restraint, Lill started running. She has memorized all the interior details of this castle. The number of steps on the stairs, the length of the corridors, the spacing of the doors, the height of the ceilings, everything. Based on this information, Lill calculates the shortest route to the dining hall and runs straight there. Sometimes turning corners in the hallway, sometimes leaping down stairs… Lill runs with all her might. She runs, and runs, and keeps on running. It was then, when she turned a corner, that she ended up running alongside someone.
“! Is that you, Lill?” “…Arius!”
There was her rival. Yes, a formidable opponent competing for lunch. Arius is running right next to Lill. Or rather, she’s gliding slightly above the ground. She’s probably using magic to fly, but seeing her move at the fastest speed possible while still maintaining precise control to avoid accidents, it’s clear that Arius must have been training for this moment too. Magic that seems wasteful at first glance, but is actually perfectly calculated. Impressive…! However…
“Arius. Shouldn’t you be checking on the venue right now? It’s a problem if the main character isn’t there.”
Yes, Arius is indeed the main character, and basically should be on the side giving instructions or being entertained, but that’s not a reason to be away.
“If you’re going to say that, Lill, don’t you have work to do creating furnishings? Even if you’ve finished your quota and have some free time, that’s not a reason to leave your post, is it?”
Ugh, we both snuck out of work just for this moment. What terrifying dedication…! Well, Lill just needs to write reports later, but still.
“Now now, Lill. Why don’t you go back first? Your subordinates must be troubled. I’ll go ahead to Shuri’s place. Today’s menu is yudofu, you know.” “I won’t allow that! Even if heaven and earth permit it, Lill won’t!”
Lill will stop this at any cost!
“I see… It seems Lill has also been researching and developing for this moment.” “…What are you talking about?” “It’s useless to play dumb. You’ve embedded Magi-Spells for flight and weight reduction, and Magi-Programs for shock absorption in that lab coat and shoes, haven’t you? That’s why you can achieve such speed despite your build… But that’s not all, is it?”
As expected of a formidable foe (friend). She understands. Yes, Lill has crammed her lab coat with Magi-Spells and Magi-Programs. The sleeves have strength enhancement and defensive barriers. The body has defensive barriers against all kinds of attacks – piercing, slashing, explosive, blunt. The back has weight reduction, sensory barriers, and defensive barriers. The hem has flight capabilities. Lill made it with every conceivable scenario in mind. The same settings are applied to Lill’s shoes, pants, and clothes. She thinks she’s probably the only one in the world who has made such extensive preparations. And then there’s the trick that Arius couldn’t see through. It’s a Magi-Program carved directly onto Lill’s body. It’s gravity control. Lill’s masterpiece, created after learning about the concept of gravity from Shuri. Carved on Lill’s right arm, it allows Lill to affect gravity on this body and anything Lill’s touches with her right hand. She can lighten her body, fly, lighten and lift things she touches, and even crush things she touches with gravity. Of course, carving this onto bare skin was extremely dangerous. If Lill had failed in its creation, at best Lill’s arm would have been blown off, and at worst, Lill’s body might have exploded. But Lill succeeded. She created a new technology that allows limited use of magic by directly carving Magi-Programs onto the body. Lill calls this a Magic Circuit Tattoo. But even though it was successful this time, Lill has no intention of doing it to anyone else because it would be disastrous if it failed. Anyway, Lill is heading to the dining hall using all of these. But she needs to change that plan. Arius said she would “make a request.” If that’s the case, Lill must go too. To Shuri. To the kitchen!
“But I won’t lose either.”
Arius said with a grin.
“My new magic, Skater Fly, has been designed to be extremely easy to learn. Any magic user can easily master it, and it balances safety and speed. It generates a force that opposes gravity – which I learned about from Shuri – to float just slightly above the ground, and uses only kinetic energy to move in the desired direction. This way, you don’t get caught on uneven ground. With training, you could even cast spells while moving at high speed. The establishment of a high-speed magic mobile unit is not just a dream. For now, though, I’m using it just for what I want.”
Lill realized this was truly what you’d call a waste of talent.
As Lill turned the last corner, Lill and Arius were still neck and neck. While Lill uses both feet to adapt to and utilize the terrain to gain speed, Arius maintains a constant speed using her abundant magical power. Even if Lill tries to overtake, Arius’s speed doesn’t allow it, and even if Arius tries to pull ahead, Lill catches up by using the terrain. It’s exactly the cat-and-mouse game Shuri had mentioned. Here is a battle that cannot be lost.
““It’s in sight!”“
At last, the kitchen door came into view. Just a little more, Lill will reach it in three seconds. These three seconds are the crucial moment of the match. Lill puts on a final burst of speed, and Arius also increases her pace. At that moment, Lill’s ears caught an unmissable voice.
“So Teacher, what should we make for lunch today?”
What should we make? Does that mean lunch hasn’t been decided yet? That’s ridiculous. Lunch is obviously hamburger steak. Is Shuri going to make something other than hamburger steak? That can’t be ignored. Coming here was indeed the right choice.
“When in doubt, hamburger steak.” “For lunch, yudofu would be nice.”
Lill and Arius reached the kitchen simultaneously. Tch, this means neither has priority to speak. Arius seems frustrated too, furrowing her brow. But there’s no need to worry. Shuri is someone who understands if you talk to him. If you speak with a smile, he’ll understand.
“There’s still time… He’ll understand if we talk with a smile, right…? He’s someone who understands if you talk to him…”
Tch! Arius is thinking the same thing! But still. Still, there’s a way. So, Lill approaches Shuri step by step, intending to speak with a smile. Arius is doing the same. She’s walking with a smile on her face. If it comes to this, it’s a battle of who has the freshest smile and least malice. But why is Shuri backing away a little? The subordinates behind Shuri push him forward, placing him in front of Lill and Arius. They understand. Yes, there’s no need to cower or be afraid. Because of these smiles free of malice. Grinning widely. But Shuri still tries to escape, so Lill grab his shoulders to stop him. Now Lill can talk.
“Shuri. Hamburger steak.” “It’s yudofu, right?”
… What’s this? Arius was thinking the same thing? Trying to show friendliness by grabbing his shoulder? As expected of a rival, she’s thorough. But still, the conflict of opinions is unavoidable, huh? When Lill looks at Arius, Arius is also looking at Lill. Lill understand. This is where the real battle begins. From here on, words will decide.
“Lill. It’s been a while since Shuri cooked. Shouldn’t we start with something simple to help him regain his touch?” “Arius. Since it’s been a while, we should let Shuri start with a dish he’s good at. That’s why Lill is here.”
Yes, Shuri’s best dish is hamburger steak. After all, Lill has been requesting it under the guise of taste-testing, so he’s made it many times. Compared to that, yudofu? Hah, that’s just boiled kombu and tofu. The dish that requires effort, is delicious, and is Shuri’s specialty is definitely hamburger steak.
“Lill, I’ll happily eat whatever dish comes. If I had to say, if I had to say, if I really had to say, I’d be happy if we could have yudofu here. Of course, I won’t insist. But my subordinates were also looking forward to yudofu. Ah, if it’s something else, that can’t be helped. But, you know? Since it’s been a while, don’t you think we’d want to eat it? No, no, if it’s not possible, that’s fine, but…”
W-what incredible rhetoric. Lill have to admit it’s impressive, even coming from an enemy…! This subtle yet pointed argument. Ugh, at this rate, Lill will lose… Lill need something, something to change the flow of the battle.
“Wait, please. I understand what you want to eat.”
What? In this short time, Shuri has made a decision. It must be hamburger steak. Hah, so the flow was on Lill side after all. Arius, this is as far as you go. Lill’s victory is now assured. Shuri’s face looks a bit tired, but that must be because he chose hamburger steak after much consideration.
“Then Lill will go get the beef.” “No, it’s tofu.”
What… the hell? Glancing at Arius, she also looks puzzled. This means Arius was also confident of victory. She thought it would be yudofu.
“Let’s use tofu.”
And then, the death sentence. What? Tofu? Bean instead of beef? No way, this can’t be…!
“Haha. Funny joke.”
Yes, a joke. It must be a joke. Lill tried to throw a punch, putting into it this uncontrollable, hot, burning impulse swirling inside Lill’s body. The fist released with the power connected from rotating Lill’s waist, shoulder, elbow, and wrist might soon exceed the limits of the human body.
“However, it’s not yudofu.”
Huh? Not yudofu? Oh, so he was just trying to make something else. Or so Lill can’t think. After all this build-up, such a betrayal is unforgivable. Arius is even swinging her arm like a whip. It’s brushing against Lill’s hair, with enough power to take out a strand or two. If it hit a human body, it would surely cause damage as if the skin had burst.
“Shuri. Is there something wrong with my ears…? Saying tofu but not yudofu… Was that perhaps an attempt to weasel out…? May I ask once more?”
That’s right. It means he’s going to make something that’s neither hamburger steak nor yudofu. Such tyranny cannot be allowed. After coming this far, Lill can’t overlook failing to fulfill our great wish.
“Shuri, take the beef. If the tofu was a joke, you should be able to.” “If it’s tofu, take the pot and hot water.”
If Lill speaks with a smile. Shuri should understand. Lill is trying hard to smile, but for some reason, Lill’s fighting spirit is leaking out.
“It’s a healthy dish using tofu that’s like a hamburger steak. It’s good for your stomach and skin.” “Shuri, let’s start cooking. Is there anything we can help with?” “Lill will help too. It’s been a while since we cooked together.”
Ahaha, why was Lill so worked up? To think Lill can eat a new version of hamburger steak, Shuri is indeed amazing. That’s it! Since just a regular hamburger steak wouldn’t be fitting after so long, he’s planning to celebrate with a new version of hamburger steak. In that case, Lill needs to help too. Arius also has a refreshing smile. Why were Lill and Arius fighting? Conflict and turmoil are unnecessary in this world. The world, yes the world is beautiful, and cruel, and shining so brightly. Lill’s thoughts are becoming a bit incoherent.
“No, we’ll handle it as part of training the newcomers, so please wait in the dining hall.”
Before those words were fully heard, Lill and Arius started running. With the refreshing feeling of youths running freely across a prairie. Over the kitchen counter, out of the kitchen, straight ahead. Heading for the dining hall. Lill’s goal: the seat closest to the serving counter!
Sitting still on a dining hall chair and waiting, it feels like Lill might achieve enlightenment. Lill take a seat first and keep waiting. Lill and Arius, reaching the dining hall faster than anyone else from the kitchen, secured the seats closest to the serving counter. However, it’s still early, so there’s not a single person around. Not a soul. Not even a shadow.
“…Arius.” “Lill. I won’t yield.”
Tch. She saw through it. Lill was about to lightly attack by asking if it wasn’t a bit early for work, but as expected of a formidable foe (friend). She had anticipated it. By the way, Arius also seemed about to say something when Lill spoke over her, so Arius was probably going to say something similar. Lill really can’t let guard down.
“Ah, Captain, so this is where you were! We’ve been looking for you!”
At that moment, subordinates of both Lill and Arius entered the dining hall. Tch, the nuisances have arrived.
“Look, it’s too early for lunch, so let’s go back. Everyone’s work is almost finished, and we can’t wrap up without the captain. There are other jobs too, right? Like maintaining the castle. Come now, let’s go back.” “Let’s go back, Captain Arius. The subordinates can’t focus on training without you.”
Tch, even though they were left in charge, they still need instructions? Arius also has a bitter expression. She probably wants to say they should be able to handle things without her. Lill feels the same way, so she also has a bitter expression.
“I’m sorry, Vice Captain. I’ve been busy at night recently, so I get hungry. You know, because of Gungrave…”
Surprisingly, Arius said this while blushing. The Vice Captain nods understandingly and teases her with a grin, saying “That must be busy indeed.” But Lill knows. There’s no such fact at present. Indeed, Gungrave and Arius are sharing a bed. But they’re just sharing a bed. They haven’t gone as far as the act itself. That’s because if Arius were to have a child now, it would affect the formation of the unit. Lill overheard them discussing various things about children in the corridor before. Lill wondered if she would also have such conversations someday when she finds someone she likes… She thought about such sentimental things, but to bring up that topic just to eat a new dish… What a terrifying child!
“Captain Lill, you’re coming with us.”
Ha! Arius can make excuses and stay, but Lill has no excuse to stay! What to do…!?
“Actually, at night…” “Don’t lie! At night, you’re always with us preparing for the wedding ceremony! Don’t try to use the same excuse as Captain Arius when you don’t even have a lover!”
W-why did they know Lill was going to use that reason? It should have been a perfect flow…!
“I-If it’s about a lover…” “Ah, Chef Shuri doesn’t count. Don’t try to indirectly balance things in your mind by considering hamburger steak as your lover.” “Even I know hamburger steak isn’t my lover.” “Right…” “It’s my whole life.” “That’s even worse. Come on, let’s go back.”
Ugh, so persistent…!
“Listen? Lill is about to eat a new version of hamburger steak.” “It’s still too early for lunch, so you can do that after finishing work.” “No! Hamburger steak is Lill’s life. If a new light is about to be lit in that life, Lill must witness it. Even the creativity and ingenuity that Lill upholds as the unit’s philosophy originally started from hamburger steak. You understand? Hamburger steak is the unit’s philosophy. Denying it without confirming it is denying Lill, and by extension, denying magic engineering. If you belong to the Magic Engineering Unit, it’s our motto to value our philosophy. That’s why, let’s eat the new hamburger steak together. Don’t worry, the hamburger steak won’t run away.” “Please don’t change the subject. Basically, you just want to be the first to eat the new hamburger steak, right?”
Guh…! Even imitating Arius didn’t work… But they haven’t noticed. That Lill has already won.
“By the way, let Lill ask you something.” “Huh? What is it? I’ll go back right after you come with me.” “What time is it now?”
Hearing that, the subordinate looked outside to check the position of the sun. Then, his shoulders slumped dejectedly.
“…It’s noon.” “Then go back to the research room and call everyone. Let’s take our lunch break.” “…Understood.”
The subordinate left the dining hall with a dissatisfied look. Kukukuku, did you see that? Lill had been aiming for this all along. Time-wise, it was indeed too early for lunch. But by stalling for time with this back-and-forth with the subordinates, she was aiming for the lunch break. Lunch breaks are at different times for different units. The infantry and cavalry who go to the front lines eat later because there are many of them and they eat a lot. The times are irregular due to guard duty and training, but they generally eat sometime after noon. But Lill’s Magic Engineering Unit is different. For the Magic Engineering Unit, training basically involves setting up outdoor camps, digging trenches, and early repair of weapons and armor. Because they don’t have the capabilities or equipment to fight on the front lines like Lill, they naturally become rear support. Due to their small numbers, they’re scheduled to eat earlier than the infantry, at a different time. Moreover, today’s lunch break time was set even earlier to avoid overlapping with others. The subordinate had forgotten that. You lose…
“It’s a petty battle, isn’t it?”
Shut up.
As Lill wait, Shuri comes bringing the food along with the other cooks. They place it on the serving table and quickly portion out individual servings. And then, a dish is placed in front of Lill and Arius. It’s a strange shape. It’s shaped like a hamburger steak. The familiar oval shape of meat. But where it should normally be well-cooked with meat juices flowing out, it’s whitish with less juice visible.
“Shuri, is this a hamburger steak?” “No, it’s a tofu hamburger steak.” “But it looks like… a hamburger steak, doesn’t it?”
It certainly looks like a hamburger steak. Even Lill’s hamburger steak eye can tell it’s a hamburger steak. But it’s different. Is this a tofu hamburger steak?
“You’ll understand if you taste it.” “You’re right… It’s been a while since we’ve had Shuri’s cooking. Let’s enjoy it.” “Mm, looking forward to it.”
That’s right, come to think of it, this is Shuri’s cooking. And it’s cooking we get to eat after a long time. Until now, we’ve been forced to eat unpleasant inn food while being confined, unable to eat not just hamburger steaks but even amazake… Ah, praise be to hamburger steaks. I’m so glad Shuri came back. Well then, let’s dig in. Excitedly, Lill cuts into the hamburger steak with her knife. But here, there was a strange sensation. It’s kind of… fluffy. Not the fluffiness of a hamburger steak, but softer, with the knife not catching on meat fibers at all.
“Somehow… the texture is different.” “Yes, the texture is different from a hamburger steak. It’s kind of fluffy, isn’t it?” “That’s right. Since it’s mixed with beef and tofu, the texture is different. The texture and taste are different too, so I hope you enjoy that as well.”
Oh, that’s wonderful. Lill took a piece of this tofu hamburger steak to her mouth. …
This is… a new hamburger steak.
Yes, a hamburger steak. It must be a hamburger steak. Lill must have eaten a hamburger steak. But it feels like something new that combines the umami of meat with the texture of tofu. While feeling the umami of meat, the gentle texture of tofu fills Lill’s mouth. It’s softer than a hamburger steak, but not too soft, without any unpleasant stickiness. Above all, it’s not too greasy. When you cut into a hamburger steak, meat juices overflow from the cut surface. Those meat juices are full of umami, but at the same time, they’re fat that fills your stomach. It’s perfect for dinner, a fitting feast to end the day, but sometimes it can be hard to eat in the morning or at lunch, or when you’re not feeling well. Some women worry about their figure because of the high fat content. Lill eats them without worry because she has a constitution that doesn’t gain weight easily. But what about this tofu hamburger steak? Meat and tofu. In other words, because the proportion of meat used is less, there’s less fat. But the tofu absorbs all the umami of the meat without waste, so it doesn’t feel lacking. Rather, the gentle texture of tofu and the subtle umami of beans add to it, changing the taste from just meat and making it very good. These… these were born to meet each other. Before she knew it, Lill was standing up. Lill wanted to express the joy from the depths of her body, her soul. Next to Lill, Arius was standing too. Ah, Lill and Arius met in order to encounter this very moment.
“Wonderful. It goes well with the tofu.” “Indeed. This way we won’t consume too much meat fat. The soft texture of the tofu blends well with the minced meat, making it even softer.” “And it goes even better with the sauce. The refreshing sauce that originally pairs perfectly with tofu has a synergistic effect now that it’s combined with hamburger steak and tofu.” “Fighting earlier was foolish, wasn’t it?” “Yes, it was a pointless dispute.”
Conflict is about taking from each other. Why do we fight? We’re just continuing to search for a place to arrive at while we wander.
“Love and peace is best, isn’t it?” “Exactly.”
Peace is the best.
“Shuri! Are you here?!”
As Lill were basking in peace, Gungrave entered the dining hall. His face showed a slight hint of impatience. This is… not good.
“Oh, I thought you’d be here since it’s lunchtime. Good thing you’re here.” “What’s the matter, Gungrave? If you’re here for lunch, today we have tofu hamburger steaks.” “That sounds delicious… No, no, that’s not what I’m here for. It sounds tasty, but this isn’t the time for that.”
Cracking her knuckles and neck, Lill shifts into battle mode. It seems like Lill might have to fight for peace.
“Tofu hamburger steak is just ‘that level’? Gungrave, do you want an indelible scar on that neck?” “Gungrave. This is an excellent dish. It’s not right to belittle it.”
Next to Lill, Arius is doing stretching exercises to limber up her body. Even if we’re just continuing to search for a place to arrive at while we wander, we must overcome the walls that stand in our way.
“N-no, I’m sorry. Ah, I’m sorry. So please stop with the roundhouse kick to the back of my knee, okay?”
As expected of Arius. It seems she’s already trained her husband. Gungrave is clearly intimidated.
“Ah, no, I have urgent business. You two should come too.” “After we eat this.” “Then hurry up. This is really urgent.” “Did something happen?” “The first wife, Lenha Sounité, has been found.”
The air froze with a snap. Even Lill can’t help but become solemn at this. Lenha Sounité. The root cause of this whole series of events. The fool drunk on power has been found. That means it’s time to truly settle this matter. To hold her accountable and punish her. But the opponent is the legal wife of a territory’s lord. The question is whether we can resolve this quickly.
“Really?” “Yeah. Rather than found, she’s been captured and is being brought here.”
Captured…? It wasn’t Kuuga or Tegue’s units that found her?
“Captured? By whom?” “Ah, it’s Tevis Nouviche.”
Lill’s face instantly turned sour. Lill could tell. It’s an opponent she dislikes enough to make her brow furrow. Recently, Nouviche has become incredibly powerful. That’s because of the profits from food trade and the abundance of resources from mining in the neighboring mining area and field development. The king and his high-ranking officials who carry this out have excellent internal affairs abilities, but that’s not all. Behind it all is the presence of the genius, “Gourmet Princess” Tevis Nouviche. While the king and others work on the surface, Tevis handles negotiations, business, and information gathering from various regions behind the scenes. Thanks to this behind-the-scenes work, those on the surface can work smoothly. Surely, if she wanted to, she could reign as queen and further develop the country. A child who has just passed ten years of age, contributing to the development of her domain and fighting on equal terms in diplomacy with other countries. The reason such a bundle of talent is coming here. It’s about the incident where Shuri was imprisoned earlier. And she’s coming with the effective negotiation card of having captured the culprit.
“This is the worst…”
As Arius says, there’s no other way to describe it but as the worst. What will she do using that card? She might try to seize rights within the territory, or perhaps a review of business dealings. Or so Lill might think, but what everyone here except Shuri is thinking: Shuri’s custody might be at stake. That princess’s obsession with Shuri is strong. She even gave him a kitchen knife with her mark on it.
“Yeah, will you come?” “Understood. Lill, the meal can wait. If you absolutely must, now’s the time to stuff it down.” “Got it.”
Even Lill can read the room in this situation. Lill quickly gobbles down the tofu hamburger steak and heads to her research lab. She needs to align the Magic Engineering Unit’s policy with her subordinates before facing this.
Lill won’t let them take Shuri. She’ll definitely protect him. This time, she’ll show that she can protect him.
The series of disturbances would later come to be known as the 『Sounité Civil War.』 It would be recorded in plays and books, and many people would come to learn about this war. After all, this is where Continental King Gungrave Denju Apurada first acquired a country, used it as a base, and it later became the current capital. Now then, after the Sounité Civil War, the era faces one big event. Some historians say, “Strictly speaking, this event marks the beginning of the end of the Warring States period.” Experts call it “A major turning point in history and a decisive event that continues into later eras.” Academy students say, “It’s the first step towards the world the heroes dreamed of, where men showed their mettle.” People in a certain profession say, “This is where the prototype of our work comes from.” That event is said to be the wedding ceremony directed by Shuri Azuma. A series of dishes mixing enchantment and the unknown, greatly stimulating curiosity. An event never seen or heard of before at that time. Finally, an arrangement where the Continental King and his queen openly exchange a kiss. It’s said that the wedding of Continental King Gungrave Denju Apurada and the Witch of Truth Queen Arius Denju Apurada took place.
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Chapter 38
Lill is in a very good mood right now.
Why? It’s obvious.
Because Shuri has returned.
She won’t let him go to prison again. This time, she’ll protect Shuri.
And she wants to end the nightmare of not being able to eat hamburger steaks.
A few days after the incident.
Lill’s mercenary group has taken up permanent residence in the castle. Well, they’ve nominally installed Gyngus as the lord, but in reality, Gyngus is in charge of coordinating the Sounité soldiers. Aeclys is in charge of internal affairs, and Gungrave is at the top overseeing everything.
There’s a reason for this – in the series of incidents, Gyngus himself realized that he lacks the ability to manage the territory and deal with internal matters.
So, he’s using this opportunity to hand things over to Gungrave as the new lord, and is in the process of transitioning various responsibilities.
“I don’t have the ability to navigate these turbulent times. That’s something I’ve come to realize all too well from recent events.
But if I continue to rule the territory as things are, it could be problematic. In the worst case, Sounité might disappear.
If that’s the case, I have no choice but to entrust it to someone who can protect this land and its people.”
That’s what Gyngus says as he tries to hand things over to Gungrave.
As for Aeclys, they tried to put her in the position of nominal lord, but she declined.
It’s clear that having Aeclys handle internal affairs and Gyngus handle military matters would create a good balance. That’s what Gungrave’s investigation showed, and anyone can see it from the quality of their work.
But Aeclys herself only wants to do a moderate amount of work after the handover to Gungrave is complete. Of course, it’s understood that this isn’t really permissible, but Aeclys is a woman to begin with.
Moreover, she was at the center of the recent problems, and like Gyngus, it would be problematic for her to be in the position of lord.
Aeclys also said:
“I don’t want to pretend to be a man anymore. From now on, I want to work as a normal girl and fall in love.
And I want to settle down with the person I love and be happy.”
She said this while looking at Shuri. What an unpleasant conversation. Gungrave also had an ambivalent expression.
Then what about Garn? Well, he has his own issues.
Although he’s of the bloodline of his father… the previous lord, he’s the child of a concubine. It’s unreasonable to install the child of a concubine when you can’t install the child of the legal wife. In the first place, to avoid further complicating the succession issue, Garn wasn’t given the qualifications to be an heir, so for the mercenary group to install him as lord now would only complicate matters further.
Moreover, Shuri was negative about this idea.
“No, no, Garn is my assistant, or rather my subordinate. Well, I promised to bring him in as a cook. It would be troublesome for me if he were forcibly made lord.”
So, Garn became Shuri’s subordinate.
For some reason, a big man named Adra also became a subordinate, but Lill wasn’t interested in that.
It doesn’t matter who becomes Shuri’s subordinate, as long as Shuri can make hamburger steaks without difficulty.
As long as he can make hamburger steaks… Oops, almost slipped to the dark side there.
Anyway, that settled the matter of Garn’s position and the lord problem.
The next step is to transfer the position and power of lord to Gungrave when the time is right.
Gungrave wants both Gyngus and Aeclys to continue working here as before.
Even if he becomes lord and gains control of the country, there’s a shortage of people who can manage the territory, so he wants their help.
At that time, Gyngus and Aeclys will be given appropriate positions and roles, but currently, they’re working behind the scenes to ensure no problems arise when that happens.
In reality, they could eliminate all internal problems by expelling Gyngus, Aeclys, and all their subordinates and taking over the territory.
But doing so would remove all the personnel necessary to govern the territory, which would cause problems for Gungrave as well.
Gyngus and Aeclys don’t want to be driven out of this territory either, and would prefer to stay if possible.
Thus, the interests of the three parties align, for now.
Now that the nominal lord has been decided and the handover process has been determined, the next step is clear.
Namely, the wedding of Gungrave and Arius.
Gungrave and Arius had made a promise in the past.
They would marry when they acquired territory.
Originally, they weren’t even supposed to get engaged until they had territory, but that naivety once caused a crisis in Arturia.
Although the crisis was averted thanks to Shuri’s quick thinking, who knows what would have happened if Shuri hadn’t been there.
That’s why Gungrave and Arius moved up their promise and got engaged.
But the wedding ceremony hasn’t happened yet.
Of course, part of the reason is that they’ve been too busy until now, but the main reason might be, this:
They don’t want to move up the promise any further
To fulfill their important vow and marry with their heads held high.
It sounds cool when put that way, but this seems to fit best.
And it’s now the time to fulfill that vow. Lill agrees with this too.
That’s why Lill is now working towards that.
“Hmm, that’s enough for today.”
Lill was working in her research lab in the castle.
A magic engineer researcher employed at the castle. This is the job Lill has dreamed of since long ago.
Lill before meeting Shuri was so arrogant… it’s embarrassing just to remember.
She always thought she’d end up here, but since meeting Shuri, she’s been inventing primarily for her comrades, so she had kind of forgotten about it.
But now, setting up Lill own base in the castle like this, it’s like, how should Lill put it?
There’s a strong feeling of accomplishment.
Of course, Lill activities are just beginning, but that feeling still wells up.
Even now, while making various tools for Gungrave’s wedding ceremony, thinking that this is Lill primary job gives Lill a profound sense of achievement.
Yes, the wedding ceremony. Lill’s current job is preparing for Gungrave and Arius’s wedding.
From furnishings to decorations, a wedding ceremony requires many items.
Lill has to make these.
You might think, “Can’t they just buy them?” But there’s a reason for this too.
First of all, there’s no money.
When Lill say there’s no money, it’s not that the castle or the group doesn’t have funds. There’s no lack of funds for managing the territory.
It’s different from that – while there are funds for territorial management, there’s no dowry.
Normally, for a wedding ceremony of a lord or their relatives, a suitable amount of money is saved up before the engagement, to be used all at once when the time comes.
This serves to demonstrate the financial power of the lord’s family, showing national prestige, as well as providing celebration money for their child’s new beginning.
But unfortunately, neither Aeclys nor Gyngus had plans to marry.
In other words, they hadn’t secured funds in preparation for a wedding.
So what were they using the money for? Upon investigation, it turns out there had been continuous rain in the area recently, leading to landslides that blocked roads. The money was used for construction work to deal with this.
The funds were used for a legitimate purpose, and it’s not like they could rely on other people’s money for an important wedding ceremony anyway, so Gungrave swallowed all his complaints.
Then, couldn’t they use the mercenary group’s funds? But there’s a sad circumstance here too.
They never expected to acquire territory – a country – in this situation, so while they had been saving, it’s not enough.
The mercenary group consumes money just by existing.
Gungrave said before: horses, equipment, food supplies, supplies, repair tools, and above all, the fighting men themselves… all of these require money as time passes.
Both horses and humans need to eat to survive, and that requires food. If they get injured, they need medical supplies for treatment, and when they get injured, tools break too.
Despite this, Gungrave has managed to make it this far.
But that money is not enough.
Sad as it may be, the world runs on money… it’s a harsh reality.
So, they decided to prepare what they could themselves and purchase only what they absolutely couldn’t manage.
That’s why Lill is in charge of making the tools.
By the way, the clothing is being bought from shops, Tegue and Kuuga are handling the venue preparation, and Shuri is in charge of the cooking.
Well, it’s the right person for the right job.
Arius? Well, Gungrave can’t help it, but it might be a problem to make one of the main characters work too much.
“Now, Lill is off to eat!”
“Wait a moment, Captain.”
One of Lill subordinates stopped Lill as she was about to head straight to the dining hall.
…What’s this guy’s purpose?
“The work isn’t finished yet.”
“Huh?”
Lill pointed to the corner of the room in response to Lill’s subordinate’s complaint.
There were the tools that made up today’s quota.
Candlesticks, plates, tables, and so on.
Even after seeing this, do you still have complaints?
“No, I understand the Captain’s work.
But don’t you still have things to do, like reports and management records for the tools you used?”
“…Goddammit!”
What the hell. Does this mean Lill still has work to do as a manager?
Damn it. However, Lill has something she must do.
Patting the shoulder of her subordinate who was looking exasperated, Lill said:
“Lill has somewhere she must go.”
“It’s still too early for lunch though…”
“That doesn’t matter! The hamburger steak is calling for Lill!”
“Ah, wait!”
Shaking off her subordinate’s restraint, Lill started running.
She has memorized all the interior details of this castle. The number of steps on the stairs, the length of the corridors, the spacing of the doors, the height of the ceilings, everything.
Based on this information, Lill calculates the shortest route to the dining hall and runs straight there.
Sometimes turning corners in the hallway, sometimes leaping down stairs…
Lill runs with all her might. She runs, and runs, and keeps on running.
It was then, when she turned a corner, that she ended up running alongside someone.
“! Is that you, Lill?”
“…Arius!”
There was her rival. Yes, a formidable opponent competing for lunch.
Arius is running right next to Lill. Or rather, she’s gliding slightly above the ground.
She’s probably using magic to fly, but seeing her move at the fastest speed possible while still maintaining precise control to avoid accidents, it’s clear that Arius must have been training for this moment too.
Magic that seems wasteful at first glance, but is actually perfectly calculated.
Impressive…!
However…
“Arius. Shouldn’t you be checking on the venue right now? It’s a problem if the main character isn’t there.”
Yes, Arius is indeed the main character, and basically should be on the side giving instructions or being entertained, but that’s not a reason to be away.
“If you’re going to say that, Lill, don’t you have work to do creating furnishings? Even if you’ve finished your quota and have some free time, that’s not a reason to leave your post, is it?”
Ugh, we both snuck out of work just for this moment.
What terrifying dedication…!
Well, Lill just needs to write reports later, but still.
“Now now, Lill. Why don’t you go back first? Your subordinates must be troubled.
I’ll go ahead to Shuri’s place. Today’s menu is yudofu, you know.”
“I won’t allow that! Even if heaven and earth permit it, Lill won’t!”
Lill will stop this at any cost!
“I see… It seems Lill has also been researching and developing for this moment.”
“…What are you talking about?”
“It’s useless to play dumb. You’ve embedded Magi-Spells for flight and weight reduction, and Magi-Programs for shock absorption in that lab coat and shoes, haven’t you? That’s why you can achieve such speed despite your build… But that’s not all, is it?”
As expected of a formidable foe (friend). She understands.
Yes, Lill has crammed her lab coat with Magi-Spells and Magi-Programs. The sleeves have strength enhancement and defensive barriers. The body has defensive barriers against all kinds of attacks – piercing, slashing, explosive, blunt. The back has weight reduction, sensory barriers, and defensive barriers. The hem has flight capabilities. Lill made it with every conceivable scenario in mind.
The same settings are applied to Lill’s shoes, pants, and clothes. She thinks she’s probably the only one in the world who has made such extensive preparations.
And then there’s the trick that Arius couldn’t see through. It’s a Magi-Program carved directly onto Lill’s body.
It’s gravity control. Lill’s masterpiece, created after learning about the concept of gravity from Shuri. Carved on Lill’s right arm, it allows Lill to affect gravity on this body and anything Lill’s touches with her right hand.
She can lighten her body, fly, lighten and lift things she touches, and even crush things she touches with gravity.
Of course, carving this onto bare skin was extremely dangerous. If Lill had failed in its creation, at best Lill’s arm would have been blown off, and at worst, Lill’s body might have exploded.
But Lill succeeded. She created a new technology that allows limited use of magic by directly carving Magi-Programs onto the body.
Lill calls this a Magic Circuit Tattoo. But even though it was successful this time, Lill has no intention of doing it to anyone else because it would be disastrous if it failed.
Anyway, Lill is heading to the dining hall using all of these.
But she needs to change that plan.
Arius said she would “make a request.”
If that’s the case, Lill must go too.
To Shuri. To the kitchen!
“But I won’t lose either.”
Arius said with a grin.
“My new magic, Skater Fly, has been designed to be extremely easy to learn. Any magic user can easily master it, and it balances safety and speed.
It generates a force that opposes gravity – which I learned about from Shuri – to float just slightly above the ground, and uses only kinetic energy to move in the desired direction. This way, you don’t get caught on uneven ground.
With training, you could even cast spells while moving at high speed. The establishment of a high-speed magic mobile unit is not just a dream.
For now, though, I’m using it just for what I want.”
Lill realized this was truly what you’d call a waste of talent.
As Lill turned the last corner, Lill and Arius were still neck and neck.
While Lill uses both feet to adapt to and utilize the terrain to gain speed, Arius maintains a constant speed using her abundant magical power.
Even if Lill tries to overtake, Arius’s speed doesn’t allow it, and even if Arius tries to pull ahead, Lill catches up by using the terrain. It’s exactly the cat-and-mouse game Shuri had mentioned.
Here is a battle that cannot be lost.
““It’s in sight!”“
At last, the kitchen door came into view. Just a little more, Lill will reach it in three seconds.
These three seconds are the crucial moment of the match. Lill puts on a final burst of speed, and Arius also increases her pace.
At that moment, Lill’s ears caught an unmissable voice.
“So Teacher, what should we make for lunch today?”
What should we make?
Does that mean lunch hasn’t been decided yet?
That’s ridiculous. Lunch is obviously hamburger steak. Is Shuri going to make something other than hamburger steak? That can’t be ignored.
Coming here was indeed the right choice.
“When in doubt, hamburger steak.”
“For lunch, yudofu would be nice.”
Lill and Arius reached the kitchen simultaneously.
Tch, this means neither has priority to speak. Arius seems frustrated too, furrowing her brow.
But there’s no need to worry. Shuri is someone who understands if you talk to him. If you speak with a smile, he’ll understand.
“There’s still time… He’ll understand if we talk with a smile, right…? He’s someone who understands if you talk to him…”
Tch! Arius is thinking the same thing!
But still. Still, there’s a way.
So, Lill approaches Shuri step by step, intending to speak with a smile.
Arius is doing the same. She’s walking with a smile on her face.
If it comes to this, it’s a battle of who has the freshest smile and least malice.
But why is Shuri backing away a little?
The subordinates behind Shuri push him forward, placing him in front of Lill and Arius.
They understand. Yes, there’s no need to cower or be afraid.
Because of these smiles free of malice. Grinning widely.
But Shuri still tries to escape, so Lill grab his shoulders to stop him.
Now Lill can talk.
“Shuri. Hamburger steak.”
“It’s yudofu, right?”
…
What’s this? Arius was thinking the same thing? Trying to show friendliness by grabbing his shoulder? As expected of a rival, she’s thorough.
But still, the conflict of opinions is unavoidable, huh?
When Lill looks at Arius, Arius is also looking at Lill.
Lill understand. This is where the real battle begins. From here on, words will decide.
“Lill. It’s been a while since Shuri cooked. Shouldn’t we start with something simple to help him regain his touch?”
“Arius. Since it’s been a while, we should let Shuri start with a dish he’s good at. That’s why Lill is here.”
Yes, Shuri’s best dish is hamburger steak. After all, Lill has been requesting it under the guise of taste-testing, so he’s made it many times.
Compared to that, yudofu? Hah, that’s just boiled kombu and tofu. The dish that requires effort, is delicious, and is Shuri’s specialty is definitely hamburger steak.
“Lill, I’ll happily eat whatever dish comes. If I had to say, if I had to say, if I really had to say, I’d be happy if we could have yudofu here. Of course, I won’t insist. But my subordinates were also looking forward to yudofu. Ah, if it’s something else, that can’t be helped. But, you know? Since it’s been a while, don’t you think we’d want to eat it? No, no, if it’s not possible, that’s fine, but…”
W-what incredible rhetoric. Lill have to admit it’s impressive, even coming from an enemy…!
This subtle yet pointed argument.
Ugh, at this rate, Lill will lose… Lill need something, something to change the flow of the battle.
“Wait, please. I understand what you want to eat.”
What? In this short time, Shuri has made a decision. It must be hamburger steak.
Hah, so the flow was on Lill side after all. Arius, this is as far as you go. Lill’s victory is now assured.
Shuri’s face looks a bit tired, but that must be because he chose hamburger steak after much consideration.
“Then Lill will go get the beef.”
“No, it’s tofu.”
What… the hell?
Glancing at Arius, she also looks puzzled. This means Arius was also confident of victory. She thought it would be yudofu.
“Let’s use tofu.”
And then, the death sentence.
What? Tofu? Bean instead of beef?
No way, this can’t be…!
“Haha. Funny joke.”
Yes, a joke. It must be a joke.
Lill tried to throw a punch, putting into it this uncontrollable, hot, burning impulse swirling inside Lill’s body.
The fist released with the power connected from rotating Lill’s waist, shoulder, elbow, and wrist might soon exceed the limits of the human body.
“However, it’s not yudofu.”
Huh? Not yudofu? Oh, so he was just trying to make something else.
Or so Lill can’t think. After all this build-up, such a betrayal is unforgivable.
Arius is even swinging her arm like a whip. It’s brushing against Lill’s hair, with enough power to take out a strand or two.
If it hit a human body, it would surely cause damage as if the skin had burst.
“Shuri. Is there something wrong with my ears…? Saying tofu but not yudofu… Was that perhaps an attempt to weasel out…? May I ask once more?”
That’s right. It means he’s going to make something that’s neither hamburger steak nor yudofu.
Such tyranny cannot be allowed. After coming this far, Lill can’t overlook failing to fulfill our great wish.
“Shuri, take the beef. If the tofu was a joke, you should be able to.”
“If it’s tofu, take the pot and hot water.”
If Lill speaks with a smile. Shuri should understand.
Lill is trying hard to smile, but for some reason, Lill’s fighting spirit is leaking out.
“It’s a healthy dish using tofu that’s like a hamburger steak. It’s good for your stomach and skin.”
“Shuri, let’s start cooking. Is there anything we can help with?”
“Lill will help too. It’s been a while since we cooked together.”
Ahaha, why was Lill so worked up?
To think Lill can eat a new version of hamburger steak, Shuri is indeed amazing.
That’s it! Since just a regular hamburger steak wouldn’t be fitting after so long, he’s planning to celebrate with a new version of hamburger steak.
In that case, Lill needs to help too.
Arius also has a refreshing smile. Why were Lill and Arius fighting?
Conflict and turmoil are unnecessary in this world.
The world, yes the world is beautiful, and cruel, and shining so brightly.
Lill’s thoughts are becoming a bit incoherent.
“No, we’ll handle it as part of training the newcomers, so please wait in the dining hall.”
Before those words were fully heard, Lill and Arius started running.
With the refreshing feeling of youths running freely across a prairie.
Over the kitchen counter, out of the kitchen, straight ahead.
Heading for the dining hall.
Lill’s goal: the seat closest to the serving counter!
Sitting still on a dining hall chair and waiting, it feels like Lill might achieve enlightenment.
Lill take a seat first and keep waiting.
Lill and Arius, reaching the dining hall faster than anyone else from the kitchen, secured the seats closest to the serving counter.
However, it’s still early, so there’s not a single person around. Not a soul. Not even a shadow.
“…Arius.”
“Lill. I won’t yield.”
Tch. She saw through it.
Lill was about to lightly attack by asking if it wasn’t a bit early for work, but as expected of a formidable foe (friend). She had anticipated it.
By the way, Arius also seemed about to say something when Lill spoke over her, so Arius was probably going to say something similar.
Lill really can’t let guard down.
“Ah, Captain, so this is where you were! We’ve been looking for you!”
At that moment, subordinates of both Lill and Arius entered the dining hall.
Tch, the nuisances have arrived.
“Look, it’s too early for lunch, so let’s go back. Everyone’s work is almost finished, and we can’t wrap up without the captain.
There are other jobs too, right? Like maintaining the castle. Come now, let’s go back.”
“Let’s go back, Captain Arius. The subordinates can’t focus on training without you.”
Tch, even though they were left in charge, they still need instructions?
Arius also has a bitter expression. She probably wants to say they should be able to handle things without her.
Lill feels the same way, so she also has a bitter expression.
“I’m sorry, Vice Captain. I’ve been busy at night recently, so I get hungry. You know, because of Gungrave…”
Surprisingly, Arius said this while blushing.
The Vice Captain nods understandingly and teases her with a grin, saying “That must be busy indeed.”
But Lill knows. There’s no such fact at present.
Indeed, Gungrave and Arius are sharing a bed. But they’re just sharing a bed. They haven’t gone as far as the act itself.
That’s because if Arius were to have a child now, it would affect the formation of the unit. Lill overheard them discussing various things about children in the corridor before.
Lill wondered if she would also have such conversations someday when she finds someone she likes… She thought about such sentimental things, but to bring up that topic just to eat a new dish… What a terrifying child!
“Captain Lill, you’re coming with us.”
Ha! Arius can make excuses and stay, but Lill has no excuse to stay!
What to do…!?
“Actually, at night…”
“Don’t lie! At night, you’re always with us preparing for the wedding ceremony! Don’t try to use the same excuse as Captain Arius when you don’t even have a lover!”
W-why did they know Lill was going to use that reason? It should have been a perfect flow…!
“I-If it’s about a lover…”
“Ah, Chef Shuri doesn’t count. Don’t try to indirectly balance things in your mind by considering hamburger steak as your lover.”
“Even I know hamburger steak isn’t my lover.”
“Right…”
“It’s my whole life.”
“That’s even worse. Come on, let’s go back.”
Ugh, so persistent…!
“Listen? Lill is about to eat a new version of hamburger steak.”
“It’s still too early for lunch, so you can do that after finishing work.”
“No! Hamburger steak is Lill’s life. If a new light is about to be lit in that life, Lill must witness it.
Even the creativity and ingenuity that Lill upholds as the unit’s philosophy originally started from hamburger steak.
You understand? Hamburger steak is the unit’s philosophy. Denying it without confirming it is denying Lill, and by extension, denying magic engineering.
If you belong to the Magic Engineering Unit, it’s our motto to value our philosophy. That’s why, let’s eat the new hamburger steak together. Don’t worry, the hamburger steak won’t run away.”
“Please don’t change the subject. Basically, you just want to be the first to eat the new hamburger steak, right?”
Guh…! Even imitating Arius didn’t work…
But they haven’t noticed.
That Lill has already won.
“By the way, let Lill ask you something.”
“Huh? What is it? I’ll go back right after you come with me.”
“What time is it now?”
Hearing that, the subordinate looked outside to check the position of the sun.
Then, his shoulders slumped dejectedly.
“…It’s noon.”
“Then go back to the research room and call everyone. Let’s take our lunch break.”
“…Understood.”
The subordinate left the dining hall with a dissatisfied look.
Kukukuku, did you see that? Lill had been aiming for this all along.
Time-wise, it was indeed too early for lunch. But by stalling for time with this back-and-forth with the subordinates, she was aiming for the lunch break.
Lunch breaks are at different times for different units. The infantry and cavalry who go to the front lines eat later because there are many of them and they eat a lot. The times are irregular due to guard duty and training, but they generally eat sometime after noon.
But Lill’s Magic Engineering Unit is different. For the Magic Engineering Unit, training basically involves setting up outdoor camps, digging trenches, and early repair of weapons and armor. Because they don’t have the capabilities or equipment to fight on the front lines like Lill, they naturally become rear support. Due to their small numbers, they’re scheduled to eat earlier than the infantry, at a different time.
Moreover, today’s lunch break time was set even earlier to avoid overlapping with others.
The subordinate had forgotten that. You lose…
“It’s a petty battle, isn’t it?”
Shut up.
As Lill wait, Shuri comes bringing the food along with the other cooks.
They place it on the serving table and quickly portion out individual servings.
And then, a dish is placed in front of Lill and Arius.
It’s a strange shape.
It’s shaped like a hamburger steak. The familiar oval shape of meat.
But where it should normally be well-cooked with meat juices flowing out, it’s whitish with less juice visible.
“Shuri, is this a hamburger steak?”
“No, it’s a tofu hamburger steak.”
“But it looks like… a hamburger steak, doesn’t it?”
It certainly looks like a hamburger steak. Even Lill’s hamburger steak eye can tell it’s a hamburger steak.
But it’s different. Is this a tofu hamburger steak?
“You’ll understand if you taste it.”
“You’re right… It’s been a while since we’ve had Shuri’s cooking. Let’s enjoy it.”
“Mm, looking forward to it.”
That’s right, come to think of it, this is Shuri’s cooking. And it’s cooking we get to eat after a long time.
Until now, we’ve been forced to eat unpleasant inn food while being confined, unable to eat not just hamburger steaks but even amazake…
Ah, praise be to hamburger steaks. I’m so glad Shuri came back.
Well then, let’s dig in.
Excitedly, Lill cuts into the hamburger steak with her knife.
But here, there was a strange sensation.
It’s kind of… fluffy. Not the fluffiness of a hamburger steak, but softer, with the knife not catching on meat fibers at all.
“Somehow… the texture is different.”
“Yes, the texture is different from a hamburger steak. It’s kind of fluffy, isn’t it?”
“That’s right. Since it’s mixed with beef and tofu, the texture is different. The texture and taste are different too, so I hope you enjoy that as well.”
Oh, that’s wonderful.
Lill took a piece of this tofu hamburger steak to her mouth.
…
This is… a new hamburger steak.
Yes, a hamburger steak. It must be a hamburger steak. Lill must have eaten a hamburger steak.
But it feels like something new that combines the umami of meat with the texture of tofu.
While feeling the umami of meat, the gentle texture of tofu fills Lill’s mouth. It’s softer than a hamburger steak, but not too soft, without any unpleasant stickiness.
Above all, it’s not too greasy. When you cut into a hamburger steak, meat juices overflow from the cut surface. Those meat juices are full of umami, but at the same time, they’re fat that fills your stomach. It’s perfect for dinner, a fitting feast to end the day, but sometimes it can be hard to eat in the morning or at lunch, or when you’re not feeling well. Some women worry about their figure because of the high fat content. Lill eats them without worry because she has a constitution that doesn’t gain weight easily.
But what about this tofu hamburger steak? Meat and tofu. In other words, because the proportion of meat used is less, there’s less fat. But the tofu absorbs all the umami of the meat without waste, so it doesn’t feel lacking. Rather, the gentle texture of tofu and the subtle umami of beans add to it, changing the taste from just meat and making it very good.
These… these were born to meet each other.
Before she knew it, Lill was standing up. Lill wanted to express the joy from the depths of her body, her soul.
Next to Lill, Arius was standing too.
Ah, Lill and Arius met in order to encounter this very moment.
“Wonderful. It goes well with the tofu.”
“Indeed. This way we won’t consume too much meat fat. The soft texture of the tofu blends well with the minced meat, making it even softer.”
“And it goes even better with the sauce. The refreshing sauce that originally pairs perfectly with tofu has a synergistic effect now that it’s combined with hamburger steak and tofu.”
“Fighting earlier was foolish, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, it was a pointless dispute.”
Conflict is about taking from each other.
Why do we fight?
We’re just continuing to search for a place to arrive at while we wander.
“Love and peace is best, isn’t it?”
“Exactly.”
Peace is the best.
“Shuri! Are you here?!”
As Lill were basking in peace, Gungrave entered the dining hall.
His face showed a slight hint of impatience.
This is… not good.
“Oh, I thought you’d be here since it’s lunchtime. Good thing you’re here.”
“What’s the matter, Gungrave? If you’re here for lunch, today we have tofu hamburger steaks.”
“That sounds delicious… No, no, that’s not what I’m here for. It sounds tasty, but this isn’t the time for that.”
Cracking her knuckles and neck, Lill shifts into battle mode.
It seems like Lill might have to fight for peace.
“Tofu hamburger steak is just ‘that level’? Gungrave, do you want an indelible scar on that neck?”
“Gungrave. This is an excellent dish. It’s not right to belittle it.”
Next to Lill, Arius is doing stretching exercises to limber up her body.
Even if we’re just continuing to search for a place to arrive at while we wander, we must overcome the walls that stand in our way.
“N-no, I’m sorry. Ah, I’m sorry. So please stop with the roundhouse kick to the back of my knee, okay?”
As expected of Arius. It seems she’s already trained her husband. Gungrave is clearly intimidated.
“Ah, no, I have urgent business. You two should come too.”
“After we eat this.”
“Then hurry up. This is really urgent.”
“Did something happen?”
“The first wife, Lenha Sounité, has been found.”
The air froze with a snap.
Even Lill can’t help but become solemn at this.
Lenha Sounité. The root cause of this whole series of events.
The fool drunk on power has been found. That means it’s time to truly settle this matter.
To hold her accountable and punish her.
But the opponent is the legal wife of a territory’s lord. The question is whether we can resolve this quickly.
“Really?”
“Yeah. Rather than found, she’s been captured and is being brought here.”
Captured…?
It wasn’t Kuuga or Tegue’s units that found her?
“Captured? By whom?”
“Ah, it’s Tevis Nouviche.”
Lill’s face instantly turned sour. Lill could tell. It’s an opponent she dislikes enough to make her brow furrow.
Recently, Nouviche has become incredibly powerful. That’s because of the profits from food trade and the abundance of resources from mining in the neighboring mining area and field development.
The king and his high-ranking officials who carry this out have excellent internal affairs abilities, but that’s not all.
Behind it all is the presence of the genius, “Gourmet Princess” Tevis Nouviche.
While the king and others work on the surface, Tevis handles negotiations, business, and information gathering from various regions behind the scenes. Thanks to this behind-the-scenes work, those on the surface can work smoothly.
Surely, if she wanted to, she could reign as queen and further develop the country.
A child who has just passed ten years of age, contributing to the development of her domain and fighting on equal terms in diplomacy with other countries.
The reason such a bundle of talent is coming here. It’s about the incident where Shuri was imprisoned earlier.
And she’s coming with the effective negotiation card of having captured the culprit.
“This is the worst…”
As Arius says, there’s no other way to describe it but as the worst.
What will she do using that card?
She might try to seize rights within the territory, or perhaps a review of business dealings.
Or so Lill might think, but what everyone here except Shuri is thinking:
Shuri’s custody might be at stake.
That princess’s obsession with Shuri is strong. She even gave him a kitchen knife with her mark on it.
“Yeah, will you come?”
“Understood. Lill, the meal can wait. If you absolutely must, now’s the time to stuff it down.”
“Got it.”
Even Lill can read the room in this situation. Lill quickly gobbles down the tofu hamburger steak and heads to her research lab. She needs to align the Magic Engineering Unit’s policy with her subordinates before facing this.
Lill won’t let them take Shuri. She’ll definitely protect him.
This time, she’ll show that she can protect him.
The series of disturbances would later come to be known as the 『Sounité Civil War.』
It would be recorded in plays and books, and many people would come to learn about this war.
After all, this is where Continental King Gungrave Denju Apurada first acquired a country, used it as a base, and it later became the current capital.
Now then, after the Sounité Civil War, the era faces one big event.
Some historians say, “Strictly speaking, this event marks the beginning of the end of the Warring States period.”
Experts call it “A major turning point in history and a decisive event that continues into later eras.”
Academy students say, “It’s the first step towards the world the heroes dreamed of, where men showed their mettle.”
People in a certain profession say, “This is where the prototype of our work comes from.”
That event is said to be the wedding ceremony directed by Shuri Azuma.
A series of dishes mixing enchantment and the unknown, greatly stimulating curiosity.
An event never seen or heard of before at that time.
Finally, an arrangement where the Continental King and his queen openly exchange a kiss.
It’s said that the wedding of Continental King Gungrave Denju Apurada and the Witch of Truth Queen Arius Denju Apurada took place.
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