Sitting on the riverside under the blue skies, watching the light reflecting on the river, I sipped some tea from its plastic bottle.
[……I think of it this way.]
[Unnn?]
[The royal road is indeed a wonderful thing. Track records have been building up for a path to be designated that way, and going through such a path is more stable than not. However, if you ask me if something that deviates from the royal road…… In other words, the heretic path is wrong, I can assure you that this isn’t the case. There definitely is something good that can be seen by going through either path.]
[……Errr, you mean?]I was a little perplexed as I listened to her speak with a serious expression on her face while staring at the thing stuck in the toothpick. Thereupon, after I heard a click and the sound of machinery moving, it seemed like she came to a conclusion.
[……I think ponzu is a good choice for takoyaki.]
[It’s delicious, isn’t it? The basic sauce is very rich, so it makes you want to have something lightly seasoned along with it. However, errr, I think you call it akashiyaki? Anyhow, I personally think that that goes better with ponzu.]
[Ah~~ Indeed, that one is originally eaten with dashi, so it does feel like it would go well with it.]
(T/N: Takoyaki seemed to be based on Akashiyaki. Compared to Akashiyaki, it seemed like it was quite fluffy and had a distinctly eggy taste. It wasn’t paired with any sauce or mayo, but with a clear dashi soup instead.)
With Makina-san nodding at my words with a smile by my side, I took one of the takoyaki from the tray in my hand and brought it into my mouth…… Unnn, it’s delicious.
Incidentally, as for what was happening right now…… In reality, I’m currently sleeping, so I’m eating takoyaki in my dream. I feel like if I mentioned this to others, they would think I was still half asleep.I don’t know how many times we had done this already, but I often spoke with Makina-san in my dreams like this. However, while I’m awake, I would end up forgetting that I met Makina-san……
When I talk with Makina-san, she would usually offer me something to eat, and we would then chat while eating. Since I’m currently in a dream, eating here won’t inflate my stomach, but I can still enjoy the taste of the food.
By the way, the place we meet changes each time, and this time, we’re at a riverside that you would often see in school dramas.
[Speaking of which, I have always been thinking about this…… but Makina-san, your tastes are quite commoner-like, aren’t they? Burgers, hotdogs, yakisobas, doughnuts, takoyakis……Many of the foods I’ve eaten in my dreams are those I’m familiar with. Did you like them even back then?]
[Hmmm, that’s a tough question. I mean, in the first place, before I became a God, I ate almost only jelly drinks and canned food. After I became a God, I lost the need to eat anymore, so there are many things I’ve never actually eaten in the first place.]
[I see……]
Speaking of which, I did hear her talk about her story for a bit…… About how she used to live on an artificial island. About how she got to know Alice, and that she had never actually experienced the outside world, only using her clairvoyance to see it……
And then, shortly after she met Alice, she became a God, and she lost the need to eat…… It’s just a guess, but I think the food that Makina-san likes to eat are those that she and Alice ate together.
Considering this, I felt that Makina-san also had a complicated situation.
As I had such thoughts in mind…… Makina-san suddenly had a surprised look on her face.
[……Having such doubts at this moment. Could this be…… a roundabout sign!?]
[Unnn?]
[My beloved child wants to eat Mother’s home cooking?]
[……Yes?]
[I see, that’s right after all. Mother’s cooking really is special for her children, isn’t it? What a careless mistake, this is. I didn’t have much experience eating myself, and not to make excuses, as I never had a home-cooked meal with my parents, the idea had completely slipped my mind. My beloved child is hungry for Mother’s love, so you must have been indirectly sending me signs for some time now. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it. I will make up for the delay with my love, so I hope you will forgive me. Now then, the question is what to make, right? Of course, I know perfectly well the taste preferences of my beloved child, and I even know how many of your favorite foods you have eaten in your life, but it’s not just a matter of making you your favorite food, right? Having a mother’s taste makes the dish special in its own right, but what’s important isn’t just its taste, but also its warmth and sense of relief. Being the mother that I am, eating my home-cooked food is a supremely relaxing time for my beloved child, so I would like to pursue a gentle taste that is appropriate for such a moment. I did learn all the dishes with my Omniscience, but what dish to choose is a testament to my skills as a mother, and if I had to choose something that fits this situation, I guess it would be a bento, right? A bento box filled with Mother’s love. As a side dish, I guess I really would need to include my beloved child’s favorite food, burger steaks. So that it will taste good even if it gets cold……]
Somewhat tinged with madness…… but still, speaking in a slightly milder tone than usual, I looked at Makina-san and wished that she would return the complicated feelings of sympathy I had earlier.
Well, since she didn’t go out of control this time…… It’s kinda better, right? She won’t go crazier and crazier from here on out, right? ……For the time being, I just hope it will just end up as a normal homemade bento box.
……Incidentally, I’m currently in a dream. I guess just as humans had witnessed it and written dreams as such————- I feel like my hopes here would just be in “vain”.
(T/N: 夢 = dream, 儚い = vain, fleeting, short-lived)
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [I mean, his current state…… Kaito thinking “she didn’t go out of control this time, so it’s kinda better” means he’s pretty corrupted already……]
