The path she walks.
Next up was the meat. Lightly seared on the outside, it looked like raw meat... and white rice. It all looked incredibly delicious. The sides were steamed potatoes, sautéed spinach, and glazed carrots.
First, I took a bite of the rice. Sweet. It was just plain white rice, yet it was unbelievably delicious. The rice itself and the way it was cooked were both perfect! Somehow, the rice looked soft and radiant. Freshly cooked rice is justice!! Then I placed a piece of that steak-like raw meat on top... No, wait! This is steak! It only looks raw, but it's fully cooked! The meat juices, the sauce, and the rice tangled together... it was exponentially more delicious! Too good to be true!!
“So good…”
My vocabulary had dramatically declined. Everything’s just good. So good. The juicy meat brought bliss.
“Ojousama, today’s rice is cooked to perfection. I carefully selected the rice variety, removed every cracked or chipped grain, and fine-tuned every factor from soaking time and water content to rinsing technique, heat level, the type of firewood used, and even the steaming time. This rice is the result of my relentless pursuit of excellence.”
“In other words, it’s supreme rice... practically a rice deity…”
Rice so glossy it makes you want to worship it. Rice that brings happiness with every bite.
“I think it’d be fine just cooked normally though.”
“Rinka, don’t ruin the mood! Sure, it might seem excessive, but Dan worked so hard because he wanted to serve Rosarin the best rice possible!”
“Rinka, no meat and potatoes for a year.”
“I deeply apologize!! All hail the rice deity!!”
Rinka immediately prostrated herself. Just how much do you love meat and potatoes? Seriously, how dare you insult the rice deity.
“There’s meat and potatoes, by the way. It’s just staff food, but I heard it’s your and Curtis’s favorite.”
“Dan... you're a god!! A god among chefs!!”
Rinka happily stuffed her face with the meat and potatoes and rice.
“Mm… It’s different from Rin Neechan’s, but it’s the best!! So good! I’m in heaven!!”
“The meat is from the Indescribably Rare Buffalo. Among its finest cuts, this is the chateaubriand. Thanks to Ojousama, everyone gets to eat such a rare cut.”
“Never heard of that name before.”
“Yeah. A kind dungeon master summoned a top-tier monster for me. I didn’t even have to search—it was summoned for me, saving time.”
Rinka looked at me with a twisted expression. She seemed to have figured it out from that hint.
“Wait... don’t tell me... the hidden dungeon!? You mean that Yamata Beast King Ox-Bird was taken down for something like that!?”
“It made great soup stock. I also made bird char siu.”
“That’s the reason it got taken down!?”
It seemed Rinka finally understood. What’s the problem? It was delicious, and it helped people in the end. She got noisy, so I popped a piece of meat in her mouth and she quieted down. It’s so good it makes you not want to waste time talking.
“Indeed. It was quite strong.”
“Yeah… it really… almost killed us…”
“Mhm… no kidding…”
Geraldin-san looked pleased, while his sons looked worn out. Thank you all for your cooperation.
“Rosarin, don’t do anything too dangerous, okay?”
“I’m fine! There were no problems!!”
Aside from being assigned a rank no one’s ever reached before!!
“Oh, by the way, they’re planning a new rank announcement and award ceremony.”
“Hmm.”
“I was entrusted with the invitation from the Lord.”
“No thanks. I’m not going. I’ll skip it because we’re going on our honeymoon.”
My brother looked at me and seemed to sense something.
“Rosarin, explain.”
“Yes, sir!!”
It had become a reflex. I ended up spilling everything I’d tried to keep secret.
“A new, unprecedented rank, huh…”
My brother stared into the distance. It’s not like I wanted this! I didn’t ask for some over-the-top rank!
“Well, you *are* called ‘Rosarin the Glutton’ by the monsters, and you *are* number one on the SSS-Rank Monster Association’s blacklist.”
“Rinka, you IDIOT!! Don’t say unnecessary stuff!!”
“By the way, number two is Geraldin-san.”
“Ha ha ha!”
That overly carefree old man laughed it off, but to me, it was an extremely dishonorable title. Please don’t expose it.
“…… Miss Rinka, what is this SSS-Rank Monster Association?”
Alphage-sama asked, grinning. He knew already—he’s just mean.
“The SSS-Rank Monster Association is a union of intelligent monsters. They list dangerous individuals to raise awareness and try to avoid overlapping territories.”
“And the number one most dangerous individual on that list is Miss Rosarin, huh.”
“What exactly *are* you aiming for, Rosarin? World domination??”
Aldin, the shining white Lord himself, dropped a bombshell.
“No!! I just wanted Dirk to eat delicious meat every day, so I went out hunting! And leftover monster bones and such sell well, so it’s a win-win! I’m a great wife! Yes! What I aim for is to be Dirk’s wife!!”
So I don’t need weird titles or rankings. If I can spend peaceful days with Dirk, that’s all I want!
“… That’s true. Rosarin might be a little wild, but she’ll make a fine wife.”
“Tousama, I love you!!”
“Yeah, Rosarin’s the best wife.”
“Dirk, I love youuu!!”
As I basked in the support of the two of them, Alphage-sama muttered:
“… Like parent, like child. Like husband, like wife, huh?”
“Well said!”
Just as I was about to protest how rude that was, everyone nodded. Damn it.
What do you think about this chapter?
