Why does it always turn out like this?
I was making a nutritious and delicious rice porridge packed with eggs, meat, and vegetables. I might have gone a little overboard with the ingredients, but that’s just my imagination. Maybe it’s because I whimsically added some Gora-chan extract. Mandragoras are said to cure all ailments, after all.
Then, when I added a fatigue-recovery herbal concoction made by my brother, something strange happened. The porridge started shining in rainbow colors! And the bubbles turned into soap bubbles. Wow, so pretty… wait, who in their right mind would eat such a suspicious-looking porridge?!
But when I tasted it, it was unexpectedly delicious. The dried Leviathan I used for the broth did an excellent job. There was a small tragedy where the vegetable warriors, distracted for a moment, leaped into the pot on their own, but they were simmered into a wonderfully soft and delicious state. Daikon radish and carrots are highly recommended. Then I added the legendary Rainbow Phoenix’s egg… Wait, was the rainbow effect from the egg?!
As I was pondering what to do with this suspicious porridge, I suddenly felt a surge of strong magical energy.
“What!?”
The direction from which I sensed the magic also happened to be where Pochi and the others were. I left things in the capable hands of Mary and Nex, but had I underestimated the situation!?
I took off running. Ladle in one hand, clay pot in the other. Why didn’t I leave them behind? Probably because I was panicked and just grabbed them instinctively.
“Pochi! Mary! Nex!”
When I arrived, desperately out of breath, I was greeted by—
“Lyrical☆Magical☆Musical! Solve anything☆Magical Shrine Maiden☆Magical Mary!!”
Mary-tan had been cursed into a magical girl and was now elegantly and beautifully dancing in shrine maiden-style magical girl attire.
… How did this happen?
Wait. Oneechan can’t keep up with this at all.
“”The two hopes guiding the future! Shine bright! Magical Shrine Maiden☆Maryrin!!””
Mary struck a dramatic pose alongside Rinka. Mary and Rinka together make Maryrin, huh. Wait, when did Rinka even get here?
For now, I placed the ladle and clay pot on the ground and gave them a wholehearted round of applause. However, I’d like them to apologize to all shrine maidens and priests everywhere. No, seriously, can someone explain why this is happening?
Then, the two shrine maiden-styled magical girls began performing a sacred dance. Their movements, perfectly synchronized, looked as if they had been rehearsing together all along. It was the same dance my elder sister, Koto Neechan, used to perform back home.
I remembered… Back when I was still Rin, I admired the role of the dance partner. My body had been too weak to ever fulfill that dream, but I had once hoped to dance alongside Koto Neechan one day (reality escape mode activated).
I pulled out my flute and began playing to accompany them. This was one of the few tunes I could play. Even though I couldn’t dance, I had at least learned the flute for moments like this.
Then, from the two magical shrine maidens, a gentle light began to radiate… cleansing the land with its glow.
“Oh… Just as the prophecy foretold… The maidens in white and red garments shall purify this land and stand upon the land of light…”
Wait, isn’t that just a modern version of that deer from the Valley of the Wind? No, their robes aren’t blue, so maybe not.
More importantly—who are you, old man? And why do you have rice and other bits stuck all over your cheeks and hands… Wait, did you eat that suspicious porridge?!
And you ate it with your bare hands?! Wasn’t it hot??
“Nom nom nom.”
“Munch munch munch.”
Looking at the clay pot, I saw a child and a well-dressed lady devouring the porridge at an alarming rate.
“… Huh?”
Even the ever-composed Rosarin couldn’t keep up with this. My brain just fell a lap behind.
Uh… I had put the ladle and clay pot (still full of porridge) on the ground to applaud. And now the porridge was being devoured in real time.
“… Stealing food?”
At my words, a black cat-eared boy immediately reacted, bowing his head to the ground.
“I’m sorry, nya! It’s my fault, nya! Please don’t punish my little sister!”
The young black cat boy desperately shielded his tiny, fluffy sister.
“Were you hungry?”
“… I’m sorry, nya… We were starving… And it smelled so delicious…”
“Alright, eat as much as you want! But grabbing food with your bare hands—didn’t you burn yourself? Here, here, eat to your heart’s content!”
“Huh?”
“Do you like sweets? Want some steamed cake?”
There were many things I wanted to ask, but more importantly—when I find a tiny, hungry fluffball, my mission is to make sure they’re full!
“It’s so delicious, nya…”
“So yummy, nya. Oneechan, thank you, nya. Hey, can we share some with others like Mimi?”
I turned to see… an entire group of hungry, fluffy kids staring at me.
“Eat up!!”
I went full Thousand-Hand Kannon mode, cooking more and more. Of course, I made more porridge, but I also brought out the emergency stash of stuffed bread I had originally prepared for Dirk. The hungry fluffballs ate to their heart’s content.
Now, I was brushing the full and satisfied fluffballs. Become fluffy. Become extra fluffy.
Oh? The fluffballs…? When they touched the white radiance from the shrine maidens, their fur changed from black to pure white. Even the surprising whiteness was taken aback.
And then, the little fluffballs suddenly evolved into well-built figures on par with Geraldin-san.
Huh? Oneechan can’t keep up with this? No, I’d rather just turn away from this harsh reality.
“Rosarin-chan, what did you do this time?! Why did the scrawny, wounded fluffballs transform into buff, muscle-bound warriors?!”
“You idiot, Rinka! Your kagura dance must have leaked some kind of Hassou Massou (Hyper Muscle) curse!”
“No way! If anything, I might give off some fujoshi energy, but I prefer slender guys!!”
So you *do* give off fujoshi energy! Alright, let’s just blame Rinka for everything!!
“… It’s probably because of this.”
Nex brought over the clay pot, which was faintly glowing in rainbow colors.
“I think so too. Only the ones who ate the mysterious glowing rainbow bubble porridge have become buff.”
And then, everyone’s gaze turned to me.
“The cold stares are piercing me!”
“… Will they turn back to normal?”
“… Who knows?”
I’d rather ask that question myself. But probably… once they digest it, they should go back to normal… probably.
“I’m just glad everyone is healthy, nya.”
Our Mary-tan was still as much of an angel as ever. Good health is the most important thing!!
What do you think about this chapter?
