Chapter 2: Yuuji a “Loner-NEET” Evolves into “NEET”
Part 9. Yuuji, Seeing Magic for the First Time in His Life
After the tears had stopped, Yuuji and Alice became brother and sister. While giggling with embarra.s.sment after seeing Alice’s smile, he left her in the living room, while heading towards the kitchen to make lunch.
Since today they had become brother and sister, Yuuji decided that they will eat without reservation as he took out the bird meat.
Carefully removing the bird’s fat, he followed the recipe and mixed soy sauce, cooking sake, mayonnaise, oyster sauce, ginger, and garlic to make a sauce, and put the bird meat together with the sauce in a bag to marinate[1] it.
While waiting for it to marinate, he returned to the living room and continued chatting with Alice. Both of them made “tee-hee” and “dehehe” embarra.s.sed grins that had no meaning.
“Well, it’s unavoidable for today.” (Kotarou)
Kotarou decided she would tolerate the two of them.
After 30 minutes had pa.s.sed, he warmed the remaining salad oil and covered the bird meat with potato starch. Then he gentle fried[2] it at low temperature and then took them out for a moment to let it cook through the residual heat. Finally he put them back, but this time into hot oil.
Yes, it was karaage[3]. Moreover it was the twice cooked style. He liberally used the seasonings and oils, so it was a luxury dishes for Yuuji.
On the plate for Alice he served the white rice, s.h.i.+ny golden karaage, with stir-fried mushroom and wild herbs as the side dish, and clear soup made from instant broth[4].
Yuuji was really splurging. It was like the Last Supper, he used the precious ingredients and seasonings.[5]
But it couldn’t be helped, since it was for the anniversary party for his new younger stepsister. If t would make Alice say that it is delicious, Yuuji wouldn’t e reluctant to make today the Karaage Anniversary either.
Since it was her first time seeing it, Alice timidly ate the karaage.
She then opened her eyes wide while eating it *nom*nom* with smiling face.
「Delicious~! This is delicious~ Yuuji-nii! It’s the first time I’ve eaten something as delicious as this!」(Alice)
Then today will be Karaage Anniversary.
By the way the mountain bird that was used in cooking was a bit firm, when Yuuji tasted it before, he broke into cold sweat.
With their bellies full, two people and one animal were relaxing on the sofa and Yuuji resumed his questioning season.
「Oh yeah, were there only humans like Alice in the village? Are there elves, dwarves, or beastkin?」(Yuuji)
Since his was feeling relaxed and blissful, Yuuji asked questions about the village that was attacked by bandits. The “Fine Play” that he had shown up until now could be written off.
“Don’t you have any delicacy[6]?” (Kotarou)
Kotarou bared her fangs in bad mood.
「Etto ne, the hunter Doni-ojisan is a wolf beastkin. On his head there are triangle-shaped ears! He also has a tail that I could touch it secretly without anyone knowing. Ah! Yuuji must also keep it secret!」(Alice)
“Alice who lets out secrets by accident is lovely” so Yuuji made a complacent smile. However, he then understood the subject and froze in place.
「Alice, beastkin, exist right? By any chance, elves too? Dwarves too?」(Yuuji)
「Uun, Alice has never seen elf-san and dwarf-san. However, in Mama’s story there was elf and dwarf! That’s why, Alice thinks they exist.」(Alice)
He raised both of his clenched fist to the heaven, Yuuji silently made a Guts-Pose[7].
“That’s gross...” (Kotarou)
As if saying that, Kotarou stared him with cold eyes, but he didn’t seem to be bothered by it.
「Th-then, then, does magic also exist? Like igniting fire or creating wind....」(Yuuji)
「Eh? Alice can also use magic. Since Alice is the only one that can use magic among the children in the village, everyone said that Alice was amazing and praised Alice!」(Alice)
「Really!? Amazing, Alice is amazing!」(Yuuji)
Yuuji’s tension had pierced through the roof. Kotarou also seemed to be interested by it and gazed at Alice with gleaming eyes.
「But Yuuji-nii can also use magic, right? Making the room bright, making fire, also making cold and hot water come out.」 (Alice)
It was the electric lamp, gas stove, faucet and bath. Incidentally, Yuuji remembered that Alice was only a bit surprised and didn’t make a great uproar when she saw them. Surely, as a certain master had said that: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”[8]
「Uun, the thing is, it’s not me that use it but rather that the magic is put into the house. What kind of magic can Alice use? Can you show a bit of it in the garden?」(Yuuji)
“O~ka~y~” Alice answered as if it was something trivial and started to *pitter-patter* run to the garden. “Hey, your physical strength hasn’t completely recovered, don’t do anything excessive”, Yuuji warned as he chased her. This came from the same man who request Alice to do magic.
「Then Alice will start~! First is to make fire! Ei~!」(Alice)
While Yuuji and Kotarou were watching, Alice yelled cutely as a mild fire flickered at her fingertip.
「Alice always helped mama make small fires! Thank you as always, or Alice is amazing, Alice receives praises!」
Alice’s words didn’t reached the ears of Yuuji who was watching the fire dumbfoundedly while leaking a weird voice “Woaaa” or Kotarou who was running around and around her.
You know what? I dare to dare that it will be Kotarou and not Yuuji that will use magic first after Alice.......
Also please no spoiler, I haven’t read that far.....
[1] Marinate or Marinade
[2] Gentle_frying (cooking a food on a oil in low heat)
[3] Karaage (唐揚げ or 空揚げ or から揚げ), marinated meat or seafood or lasered WHALE MEAT coated in potato starch and deep fried in oil
[4] Instant Das.h.i.+. Homemade one is more delicious....
[5] Yes.... That Last Supper.
[6] Delicacy: j.a.panese term for the concept of “considerateness or subtlety or tact or thoughtfulness to other people condition or situation”. This concept is important in East Asian culture. j.a.panese Harem MC is famous for their lack of delicacy.
[8] It’s “Clarke’s Third Law”. I never expect that it will get mentioned by a j.a.panese WN
