"Over here, Ikaros."
After arriving at the garden behind the Nakiri family's mountain estate, Fang Ye waved toward Ikaros in the distance, who was carrying Erina Nakiri in her arms. The moment she heard his voice, her eyes lit up, and she hurried over.
"I have brought Erina Nakiri back in a gentle manner, Master."
Ikaros's voice was crisp, her response concise and forceful, without the slightest trace of emotion.
"Mm, good work. Lower your head."
"Yes, Master."
Looking at Ikaros standing before him, Fang Ye beckoned her a little closer, then reached up and gently patted her smooth cherry-pink hair.
"Well done."
"Thank you for the praise. I am pleased to serve you."
After carefully setting Erina down, Ikaros's tone remained as flat as ever. Fang Ye did not dwell on it and instead turned his attention to Erina.
After touching the ground, she looked dazed for a moment. Then she noticed him standing beside Alice Nakiri and quickly ran over to his side.
"You seem to be in pretty decent shape. At least you didn't cry in there. Is there any game you want to play?"
"No... I'm a little sleepy..."
Today had drained a huge amount of energy, and for a small child, that really was too heavy a burden.
"Then let's rest in my room for a while. What about you, Alice?"
"I'm kind of sleepy too."
"Then let's all go together."
In a place Fang Ye did not notice, Ikaros lifted a hand and touched the spot on her head he had just stroked, a trace of confusion in her eyes.
She did not understand why he had done that, but she found that she did not dislike the feeling.
·
·
In the tea room, the only sounds were the clean knock of bamboo against stone and the soft hiss of boiling water, like wind brushing through pine needles.
Senzaemon Nakiri sat formally upon a mat of green bamboo. The left side of his kimono hung open with careless boldness, revealing the firm chest of a man honed by constant training. When he lifted the iron kettle to pour water, the muscles in his arm shifted like the gnarled roots of an old tree, and his wrist was steady enough that not the slightest ripple stirred the surface.
"Thirty years ago, when we parted in Chang'an, the tea either of us made was still crude."
Across from him, the old man turned an unglazed Tenmoku tea bowl between his fingers. Cracks in the raw clay still carried the chill of Kunlun snow—he had deliberately sought out this cup before coming here.
Senzaemon pushed over the tea whisk, both the cypress wood and his knuckles equally marked by the chiselings of time.
"Back then, you blanched Longjing tea with three inches of ice from the source of the Yellow River. Now it's time for you to taste the dew of Shizuoka."
The way he whisked the matcha looked casual, but each motion traced a perfect looping stroke, and in the process, the emerald foam gradually took on the luster of green jade.
"Have some tea."
He placed the freshly prepared Shizuoka matcha before the old man, the liquid filling the cup to about seventy percent of its depth.
"As for those two granddaughters of yours, I took a brief look at them earlier in the reception hall. They're not exactly outstanding, but they're not bad either. The one from Fang Zheng's family, though—that boy has spirit. He's promising material for the culinary path."
Thinking back to the scene he had seen in the reception hall, the old man gave his judgment.
"The boy from Fang Zheng's family? I've seen him a few times. He is indeed a lively little fellow. A pity he didn't inherit either of his parents' special talents."
Hearing the old man mention him, Senzaemon finally remembered the child Fang Zheng had entrusted to his care. He had left the matter entirely to Mana Nakiri and Leonora Nakiri, so hearing the boy's name raised here was rather unexpected.
"Talent is only something that offers a little convenience on the path of cooking. If you truly want to climb to the ultimate summit, what you rely on is this."
The old man raised a hand and tapped his heart, then lifted the teacup and took a light sip.
"After all these years, your tea-making still stinks. Such a waste of fine tea leaves."
Setting the cup back down, the old man complained without the least politeness, then continued, "I'll agree to your request. But I'll only stay with them until they're three years old."
"Three years is enough to get them through the enlightenment stage. No matter what, on behalf of the entire Nakiri family, I thank you."
At those words, a flash of delight suddenly crossed Senzaemon's otherwise steady face. Then he placed both hands on his knees and bowed deeply and respectfully to the old man.
"If you want to thank someone, thank the boy from Fang Zheng's family. He's my main target this time. Your two granddaughters are just along for the ride."
·
·
"The little ones are all asleep."
"Honestly, Ikaros suddenly whisked them away. If security hadn't recognized her and reported it in time, I would've thought Erina had been kidnapped!"
"Shh, lower your voice. Let's talk outside."
After pulling the small blankets up over the three children a little farther, Leonora looked at Fang Ye asleep between the two sisters and smiled with that soft, doting expression of an overfond aunt.
"Fine, but why did Ikaros do that?"
Glancing at the three peacefully sleeping children, Mana lowered her voice as well. Then she carefully and quietly left the room together with Leonora.
"Maybe some sort of command was triggered. You know as well as I do that beings brought out of the secret realms can't be judged by ordinary standards. They have their own way of thinking and acting."
Thinking of all the times she herself had been blocked outside by Ikaros recently, Leonora voiced the guess she had made before.
"A perfectly good grabbing ceremony was completely ruined."
There was a note of complaint in Mana's voice.
"I, on the other hand, think they've already found the thing that suits them best."
Remembering how the two sisters had looked inside the room just now—both of them hugging Fang Ye's arm, their faces completely peaceful—the corner of Leonora's mouth lifted ever so slightly.
"Hm?"
"Nothing. I'm a little hungry. Let's go get something to eat."
"Huh? But I'm not really in the mood for anything."
"Let's go take a look first!"
As she spoke, Leonora grabbed Mana's arm and tugged her along at a light run toward the Nakiri family dining hall.
It was mealtime, and guests were still being received outside. The kitchen had definitely prepared all kinds of delicious food.
·
·
The afternoon sunlight had lost the sharpness of noon and become mellow and warm, like molten amber flowing lazily through the window lattice and spilling across the floor.
Fang Ye's hazy consciousness gradually returned, and he opened his eyes from sleep, only to find one of his arms pinned down so firmly he couldn't lift it.
Helpless, he had to exert a bit of force to pull his arm free from the embrace of the two sisters. His movement caused both of them to begin stirring awake as well.
"You're awake, little one?"
At the sight of Fang Ye sitting up in the room, the old man sitting cross-legged not far away suddenly spoke, startling him so badly he nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Who are you?"
Almost on instinct, Fang Ye demanded the question in a sharp tone.
"Your cooking teacher for the next stage. Can you tell your little maid to let me in now?"
As his awareness fully returned and his vision sharpened, Fang Ye finally realized that the old man was sitting outside the room, while Ikaros remained inside, faithfully following his standing orders.
"Ikaros, let him in."
After calming down, Fang Ye gave the order. If the man had truly meant them harm, he had already had more than enough time to make a move. There was no reason for him to wait outside until Fang Ye woke up.
At the same time, Fang Ye cared very much about what the old man had just said.
The three of them's cooking teacher from here on out?
Could it be that the Nakiri family had specifically brought him in for that...?
Join here to read ahead.
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Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 120)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 100)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 100)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter89)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter86)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter63)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter75)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 53
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 57
From Junkman to Wasteland 35
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 26
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 27
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 26
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 26
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