Chapter 30: The Saint Who Looked Like She Wanted to Say Something

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When they passed through the door of what had once been an abandoned house—and was now their home—the sun had already begun to sink. Having finished unloading the belongings from the cart, Lloyd hoisted a mattress onto both shoulders and carried it into the bedroom. Lusha followed behind him, holding the freshly folded fabric sheets in her arms. Although they had cleaned, a faint trace of dust still lingered in the simple room. In the corner stood a semi-double bed without a mattress.

“Alright… That’s done.”

Lloyd laid the mattress on the bed and made small adjustments to its position. Watching him, Lusha stepped closer and gently spread the sheet over it. As she smoothed it out, she used her hands to pat out the air.

“Wow… Look, Lloyd. It’s so fluffy!”

Pressing her palm lightly against the sheet to test its softness, Lusha spoke with clear delight. Her expression was innocent, almost like a child.

“I’m glad you like it. With your size, even if you sleep with your arms stretched wide, there’s still room. Sleep as much as you want.”

“…Yes, that’s true. If it’s just me, I suppose there will be quite a lot of extra space.”

Her smile from just a moment ago vanished. Trailing her words, Lusha glanced at Lloyd with a look that seemed like she wanted to say something.

What? Is she unhappy about something?

She had looked so happy just a moment ago, yet her attitude suddenly changed. Even on the way back from town, she hadn’t acted strange at all. What happened?

“Hm? Did we forget to buy something?”

“N-no! It’s nothing. I’ll make dinner now.”

Forcing a smile, Lusha hurried out of the room with light steps.

“Hm…?”

Lloyd tilted his head but didn’t pursue it further. He couldn’t even begin to guess what meaning lay behind her silence, her words, or that troubled smile. In the simple kitchen lit by the glow of evening, Lusha prepared the meal with practiced efficiency.

She used dried meat and vegetables they had bought in town, and some wild greens they had gathered. It seemed she was making a variety of dishes. Apparently, she had learned many methods of making preserved foods during her time at the monastery. Because she prioritized ingredients that kept well, her options were likely limited, yet a nourishing aroma rose from the pot, brimming with warmth.

Hmm… Nothing for me to do.

Enjoying the scent, Lloyd sat on a chair in the living room and waited for the food to finish. He had asked if he could help with anything since he was bored, but she told him she was fine on her own and that he should relax.

“It’ll be ready soon, Lloyd!”

Just then, her voice carried over from the kitchen.

“Got it. I’ll turn on the light.”

“Thank you!”

Lloyd lit the lantern and gently placed it on the small wooden table. The once dim room was wrapped in a soft orange glow. Lusha ladled food from the pot and immediately carried it over. The wooden bowls were filled with a white, slightly thick, steaming dish. Seeing it for the first time, Lloyd raised his brows in surprise.

“Oh? What’s this?”

“Ah, is this your first time having stew?”

“Yeah. I’ve never eaten a white one before.”

As Lloyd stared into the wooden bowl, the soft steam tickled his nose. The scent, somehow nostalgic, relaxed his expression naturally. He had eaten brown stew before, but never a white one. The color looked like it might be milk-based, but milk didn’t keep, so they hadn’t bought any. What had she used?

“This is White Stew with wild greens and dried meat.”

“White Stew? There’s such a thing? What’s the white part? Cheese?”

“No, there’s a plant called milk grass that has a flavor very similar to milk. I mixed that with some herbs and used potatoes to thicken it.”

As she explained, Lusha handed him the steaming wooden bowl. Come to think of it, she had compared herbs and spices very carefully at the shop and bought several kinds. Lloyd, who rarely cooked, couldn’t tell the differences, but milk grass must have been among them.

“Normally, you use real milk, so I suppose this is like a fake White Stew. If we had milk, I could let you taste the real thing.”

Saying so, she drooped her brows apologetically. Milk tasted good, but carrying it from town meant it might spoil on the way. Without a magical chilling item or a dairy cow on the property, it would be difficult to use milk in cooking. Lloyd stared at the white liquid for a moment, then smiled faintly.

“No, for me this is my first White Stew. So I’ll just say this is the real one.”

“Lloyd. If you say that in front of people, you’ll embarrass yourself, you know?”

Lusha giggled at his light-hearted comment. She said that, but he didn’t mind making a fool of himself. He already knew well, just from these past few days, that her cooking was delicious. Surely her “fake” version tasted better than the “real” one made by anyone else.

“And I also made pancakes using flour and eggs. They taste wonderful with honey!”

Two golden-brown pancakes sat on a wooden plate. Beside them was a compote of dried fruits releasing a faint sweet aroma.

“Hmm… At this point, I’m more inclined to believe you’re the daughter of a chef.”

“Eh!? Th-that’s impossible!”

“No, no, it’s suspicious. Are you really monastery-raised?”

“I-I am! Really… At the monastery, we were taught all kinds of preserved-food recipes. I think anyone there can make this much!”

Blushing, Lusha looked away. Lloyd watched her and chuckled softly.

“No, I’m praising you. Thanks.”

“Good grief… Don’t tease me.”

Pretending to pout, because she was only pretending, Lusha sat down. Fran, his former party member who also had a past at the monastery, had never been this knowledgeable about cooking. Lusha was simply gifted. After the two offered a brief prayer before the meal, they brought the stew to their mouths.

“Oh.”

The moment he tasted it, the mild thickness and soft scent of milk grass spread through his mouth. The umami of dried meat and the subtle bitterness of wild greens blended together, a gentle warmth filling him to his core.

“This is delicious…! I could eat this forever.”

“Hehe, I’m glad. There’s plenty more, so don’t hesitate to have seconds.”

Lusha smiled in relief. And so, the night in their once-abandoned home passed warmly and quietly. With the dishes left forgotten on the table, the two sat facing each other under the lantern light. Lloyd savored the simple but undeniable feeling that their life together had truly begun.

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