Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 9 Episode 2 (section)

===Part 8===

「Lux. That──tonight, there is something that I want to talk with you for a bit, do you have time?」

The curfew has passed, the dinner and bath time has also passed──the night.

I went to where Lux is cleaning the dormitory’s public bath and said that to him.

「I’m fine with that. There is still a few requests left, so it will be a bit late but──will it be in Drag-Ride’s atelier again?」

「N, no. Tha, that’s──I’m all right with the late time. I’m also doing my own work for a bit. But, I want us meeting in your room……」

「My room……, is it? I understand. Then, I will go back right away after I finished up.」

「Ah, yes……. Don’t forget it.」

Lux looked puzzled for a moment, but he immediately pulled himself together and smiled. Seeing that, I feel uneasy wondering if he already knows.

I’m not good with lying at this kind of time if I say so myself, but it can’t be helped.

I resolved myself and finished up my work in the atelier. I already locked the place earlier than the appointment time and headed toward the dining hall.

I have taken permission so I open the door’s lock and head inside the kitchen.

I have asked for soup leftover at afternoon, so what’s left is only to make it like usual.

But──at that time, I can see faint light from inside.

I tilt my head in puzzlement at this unexpected situation. There, a single silhouette is standing.

「Eh? Lisha, sama?」

「Lux──……wait, why are you here!? I haven’t called you here!」

Yes. Lux who should be coming after I finished cooking is in the dining hall earlier than me for some reason.

What is the meaning of this……?

「E, err, why is Lisha-sama in the kitchen too? I was sure that──」

「We, well fine. Anyway let’s talk later.」

After exchanging conversation that is strangely not meshing with each other, I enter the kitchen as planned and begin to cook stew following the procedure.

Lux too is starting to prepare some kind of food at the side. A few minutes later, he put it on plate and brings it to the table.

And then──.

「Err, this is……the same thing, isn’t it?」

「……Seems so.」

Lux is making a really complicated expression. I too am responding with a perplexed face.

On the table are two plates of stew lining up, the contents’ appearances have almost exactly the same coloring.

……What’s this?

Strange. How did it become like this……?

Don’t tell me, even Lux himself was practicing to make his own favorite food, such thing──.

「Oi, just what’s the meaning of this? Why are you making the same thing like me here!?」

「E, err, that──it looks like Lisha-sama is overworking recently which make you hungry, and I was told that this dish is good for late night meal though……」

「……Wa, wait a second! Just why in the world you are thinking like that!?」

Seeing Lux making an awkward smile, I reflexively asked back.

「Err, everyone of the Triad told me, that Lisha-sama is interested with cooking──I was thinking to make something for you, but it has been a long time so I practiced for a bit.」

「Are you an airhead-!?」

My goodness.

For him to simply think that I’m getting hungry just from the story that I’m harboring interest toward cooking…….

「Wait? That means, in the end this isn’t your favorite food?」

「Ah, I believe that the taste properly turn out deliciously, so please don’t worry.」

「That’s not it!? What I want to ask isn’t that──」

Haa…….

Like that, strength left my body and I hung my head down. Seeing that Lux look my way and mutter with a serious face.

「Could it be, Lisha-sama made that for me?」

Stared by surprised eyes, I nodded a bit.

「……We, well, you too seem to start doing chores again, I thought that perhaps you will get hungry after your works.」

Actually──I want to become able to make Lux’s favorite food though.

I cannot say the truth from embarrassment and say a really doubtful lie.

「Thank you very much. I’m happy that Lisha-sama is concerned about me. Recently I’m busy with other chores, that even though I’m Lisha-sama’s knight, I became slightly negligent in that role.」

However, when he turn such straightforward smile toward me, my chest suddenly become warm inside and I reflexively averted my eyes.

「Err, we already made this, so won’t Lisha-sama eat together with me before it get cold?」

While my body is shaking from the tantalized feeling, Lux said that to me with a troubled looking smile.

Reluctantly, I exchange my cooking with his and eat the stew.

The meat that dissolves into the soup, the flavor of the vegetable, and the aroma of spices that invite the appetite gives the dish a deep taste.

I believe I have been training quite a lot, but as expected, Lux’s stew feel like it’s slightly above mine in regard to his experience.

But, why is it I wonder.

Even though the dish that I cooked should be inferior to what Lux cooked himself, Lux is eating it with a smile.

Is it simply his consideration for me? Or else──.

Does my feeling, reaches him?

(Well, it’s fine I guess. Something like this once in a while is also not bad……)

My strategy failed, but just from seeing Lux eating my cooking happily, I can only stare at that with a blank mind as though I’m drunk.

「Still, I’ll say this to correct you, it’s not like I’m regularly feeling hungry, so I don’t need any late-night snack.」

「Eh……!? I, is that so?」

Lux slightly showed a disappointed face at me who snapped a pointing finger at him, but this is a strategy.

If Lux is holding expectation to me for practice and Drag-Ride training too, then there is no way I can make light of that.

At the current time when Sacred Eclipse and danger to new kingdom are approaching, I have to give my all for the sake of fighting.

Even so──as expected I want to find a bit of free time, practice, and raise my skill in cooking to surpass Lux.

Because I want to be connected with Lux not just through battle and Drag-Ride, and not just with relationship as knight and princess.

[[File:SaijakuBahamut v9 02.jpg|thumb|right]]

「Just you wait in anticipation, Lux.」

I talked with a tone that is filled with a bit of implication and declared that proudly.

Lux accepted it with a troubled smile.

「……I don’t really understand but, I’m looking forward to it. Also, the meal today is delicious, Lisha-sama.」

「Ua…..-, that……right.」

When I’m told such thing right from the front, I averted my face aside with a face that became heated and flashed red and muttered.

To feel happy from the bottom of my heart even though it’s just flattery, I’m really simple.

–

But, seeing how I can feel completely satisfied with just those words and smile, perhaps the path for me to improve my skill is long.