BBQ With Everyone
Today's BBQ was held at an all-weather training ground. Since it's a training facility, we can enjoy it warmly even in winter.
Both the new seuyu sauce-based and meso-based marinades were a huge hit.
My aunt and uncle even asked me to give a lesson to the Longest family’s chefs next time.
"Little Joan, this sauce is delicious!"
Gan called out.
"L-Little Joan, since it's winter break, could you teach me how to cook again?"
Martin, looking nervous, also addressed me without honorifics and stuttered slightly.
"Hehe, Gan, thank you. Martin, I'll teach you again. Oh, and everyone, please train with me starting tomorrow."
Maybe it's awkward for them to switch from calling me "young lady" to "little." Oh my, they're blushing…
How adorable.
"Of course. But can you really keep up with us?"
Orki looked concerned.
"Yeah. And isn’t the Old Madam going to be teaching? From what I’ve heard, it’s supposed to be quite tough."
Nat whispered.
"But I want to get stronger. I’ll do my best."
“… You don’t have to get stronger. I’ll protect you.”
Martin muttered softly. Just then, Brother Gene came over.
"What? Martin, are you saying you'll protect me~? I'm so happy~!"
He said and clung to Martin.
"Hey! Get off! Stop it, you're gross!"
Martin tried to escape, but Gene wouldn’t let go. Everyone around us burst into laughter.
As they were messing around, they lost balance and fell off the log they were using as a bench, landing on the ground while still holding each other. Startled, they locked eyes and froze for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing. In the end, they were both clutching their stomachs in laughter.
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"Servants and private soldiers, all gathered around the fire, eating together, drinking together… it’s kind of nice."
Arandolf commented.
"We never used to have anything like this. Even Jo—back then, she wasn’t the kind of child who laughed so freely. She was always selfish, throwing tantrums when things didn’t go her way. So when she was judged as having a Null attribute, I secretly thought, ‘Serves you right.’ Ah, but I don’t feel that way anymore. She’s cute now, great at cooking, and even got my eyesight restored by her. I love her—so much that I don’t want to hand her over to anyone.
The reason we can all laugh together like this now is because Jo… or rather, because Jo regained the memories of her past life and changed everything.
This BBQ too—Jo suggested that since both the servants and private soldiers are part of the Lampail family, we should deepen our bonds like family. Some of the servants came from the orphanage, and they were in tears from happiness."
"A past life, huh… I wonder what kind of person she was."
"Apparently, she was an adult woman who had a family and worked."
"That explains why she doesn’t seem like a five-year-old."
As he said this, Arandolf looked toward Joan, who was laughing and chatting happily with the private soldiers. Noel, following his gaze, also looked at Joan.
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"Mmm, this seuyu sauce marinade is delicious! The green onion salt lemon sauce is refreshing too, I might overeat."
Julietta couldn’t stop eating because the sauce was so good.
"The garlic meso one, right? This is great too. Eating meat with this… Ahhh! It makes the ale taste amazing!"
Gilbert was enjoying meso for the first time.
"You guys have work tomorrow, don’t you? Usually, you go home during the day, but today… Oh, I see, you're planning to stay the night and head straight to work tomorrow, aren’t you?"
Stanley looked exasperated as he spoke to Julietta.
"Just this once! I wanted to talk more with my father and brother~." *Munch, munch…*
"I also wanted to talk more with my father-in-law and brother-in-law." *Munch, munch…*
"You two just want to eat Joan’s cooking, don’t you?"
Will pointed out.
"T-That’s not… *munch* …true. I also… *munch* …wanted to spend more time with Mother." *Munch, munch…*
"Yeah, yeah." *Munch, munch, munch…*
"You guys have no credibility… Sigh. Sorry, Margaret, you’re struggling with morning sickness, and here they are."
Lindsay turned to Margaret with concern.
"Thank you, Mother-in-law. Actually, ever since I started drinking Joan’s warm water, I’ve been feeling better. She even made a vegetable-packed meso soup for me so I wouldn’t miss out on the BBQ, and I was able to eat it just fine… So, I’m okay."
"Margaret, don’t push yourself, okay? But with Joan around, I feel reassured. I was shocked when I first heard—Null attribute, past life memories, and even extraordinary skills. And on top of that, she doesn’t want to just be protected; she asked to be trained. Just last year, she was still a selfish little spoiled girl, but now she suddenly seems like an adult. It’s a little lonely, honestly. I mean, what kind of five-year-old understands the struggles of morning sickness?"
"That’s true. But even so, she still acts like a child sometimes. She’s still a prankster. Just the other day, I heard she kept poking Ben, who was too sore from muscle pain to move, while grinning."
[Ahhh~~~]"Even with past life memories, Joan is still Joan. She hasn’t changed."
Will said, looking toward Joan. The adults around him followed suit.
"””Uwaaah~~ It’s so cold~~~~!!!"””
Gene, Vince, and Joan were playing by putting ice down the necks of the drunkenly passed-out Usa, Matsu, and Dai. Everyone around them laughed as they watched.
"Hey! Get back here!"
Usa and the others started chasing them.
“"Uwahaha~~~ Run for it~~~"”
Gene and Vince took off running.
"Kyaahaha~~ Nooo~~~~"
Joan ran too, lifting her dress up to her knees because it was hard to run in.
"Hey, Joan, put your skirt down!"
Noel chased after her.
[……..]"Where exactly is the ‘adult’ in that?"
Will asked.
"Maybe we should focus on refining her etiquette first, rather than her combat skills?"
Lindsay murmured.
*Whoosh…*
[!!!!!]Joan, still running, suddenly teleported right in front of them.
"Whew~ now they can’t catch me here."
Hearing that,
"Joan! No cheating!"
Lindsay scolded.
"Mother, that’s not the problem. Joan, we agreed not to teleport carelessly, remember?"
Noel sighed and reminded her.
"But~ it’s so convenient…"
"No ‘buts’!"
"Fiiine. Sorry…"
Joan muttered, pouting.
She was a mischievous grandma at heart, always looking for an easy way out. In her past life, she had been notorious for getting overly competitive in games, making her grandchildren cry, and being called childish by her family.
Because of her natural personality, despite her five-year-old body, she sometimes managed to be seen as a typical child.
What do you think about this chapter?
