Lord of Disease (JP-GL) 256

256: The Special Seasoning of a Cute Sister’s Sarcasm

“It really is a perfect day for a picnic.”

I smiled at Rebecca as I spread out the cloth that had been tied to the picnic basket, which served as our leisure sheet. It had been sunny for the past few days, so the ground wasn’t muddy, and I was glad I didn’t have to worry about the cloth getting wet, since it wasn’t waterproof.

I used the picnic basket as a weight to keep the cloth from blowing away and placed the items we wouldn’t be using right away in the corner.

“…Yes, it is, big sister.”

Rebecca was trying to act nonchalant, but her expression was a little stiff.

“Rebecca, your expression is a little stiff. Not enough to deduct points, but still. Relax.” I took off my shoes and sat on the cloth.

“How can I relax in a place like this? …Why are you so calm?”

Rebecca’s usual demeanor returned, and she glared at me.

“Because Liz is here.”

I said lightly, as I took out a pot of tea.

The tea was a blend of herbs, or rather, a mix of whatever leaves were available. There were few herbs I recognized, but the taste wasn’t bad.

Some of these herbs were cultivated, but since we weren’t being particularly extravagant, these were wild-harvested, commonly sold at the market. And ‘blend’ was a euphemism for ‘not properly sorted.’ Since it was cheaper, we usually bought the blend.

Liz said she changed shops randomly, partly as a countermeasure against poisoning.

The ordinary, everyday life of walking the same path, going to the same familiar shop, and buying the usual things… was a pipe dream for me now.

But to be here now, with a girl with pale skin and elf ears, dressed like a young lady, having a leisurely picnic… that, too, was a kind of happiness.

Since the blend ratio wasn’t fixed, the taste was different every time, and that, too, was a good thing.

“…You trust her.”

“She’s a maid I can entrust my life to.”

I trusted Liz, as a maid and as a vice-commander. And her skill as an assassin was beyond question. She was also a ‘defender,’ a counter-assassin. The defender was always at a disadvantage. The attacker always had the first move, and they only needed to succeed once. The defender, on the other hand, had to react, and they couldn’t afford a single failure. And Liz, so far, had never let her protectee be killed.

Her skill as an attacker was also undeniable. She knew the enemy’s methods inside and out, and she could choose the path they would least expect. Her self-proclaimed title of ‘one of the top five assassins’ was no exaggeration.

Incidentally, the incident with Samarkand was a gray area, but officially, the person in charge at that time had been the substitute guard who had been put to sleep by a single spell. Knowing Liz, she probably considered it her own responsibility. But I was alive, and I could still act as a decoy. And that, I thought, was all that mattered.

Rebecca asked, hesitantly, “Were you… not okay with just Liz?”

“This is a special occasion… and a picnic with Rebecca is fun, too.”

“…I see.”

Rebecca, who seemed a little happy, took the wooden cup I offered her, which I had filled with tea from the pot and warmed with magic. It was the same principle as warming the ooze for the bath, and if you didn’t need precise temperature control, it was a basic magic… an application of mana control. I savored the convenience.

“To be able to drink a hot beverage anytime… is a cheat, isn’t it?”

“Is it?”

“If you have it all the time, you might not notice, but it’s very convenient.”

“…I suppose so.”

We drank our tea. After a while, I spoke again.

“So, there’s something I want you to do, Rebecca.”

“Hmm?”

“This.” I pulled an iron contraption from the picnic basket.

Rebecca pointed to the ‘iron contraption’ in my hand, a thing that looked like two iron plates with a handle.

“What is that, that looks suspiciously like a hot sandwich maker?”

“You know your tendon.”

“Tendon?”

“It’s a running gag. A term from my homeland’s comedy.”

“I wasn’t trying to be funny.”

“Then it’s a natural talent. So, my cute little sister, does this look like anything other than a hot sandwich maker?”

“Of course not.”

I smiled.

“So, it’s a hot sandwich maker. I was thinking of having you toast it with your magic flame. Outdoor cooking is the best part of camping.”

“Didn’t you say this was a picnic?”

“They’re similar.”

“Are they…”

“Don’t worry about the details. Now, toast it with a nice, even flame!” I held out the hot sandwich maker.

“Honestly, this Ma… big sister.” Rebecca, perhaps remembering her role, called me big sister, though with a sigh.

“[Wisp Fire].”

Her wand was tied to her arm and hidden under her blouse, but she didn’t use it. A blue-green flame appeared at the tip of her index finger. And she intensified the flame, and with the burning flame, she began to toast one side of the hot sandwich maker.

“It’s hard to control the heat with this.”

“I’m surprised you even tried.”

Ignoring her calm retort, I assumed the heat was about the same as a gas stove and flipped it over at what seemed like the right time.

Then, a happy aroma wafted through the air.

“Oh, the smell of toasting bread.”

“It’s working.”

“Yes. —[Enchanted Resist Fire].” A faint red light glowed on my hands and then faded into my skin. Now I could hold the hot bread with my bare hands, and if I accidentally touched the hot sandwich maker, I’d probably be fine.

“You’ve gotten good at that.”

“You’re the one who taught me, so you should know. Though Liz is worried about my poor memory.”

“I’m worried about that, too.”

Ignoring her, I opened the hot sandwich maker and took out the finished hot sandwiches. The bread was a beautiful golden brown. They were perfect hot sandwiches.

“Now, let’s eat.”

“What’s inside?”

“Ham and cheese. Be careful, it’s hot.”

“I should be the one saying that.”

Rebecca and I both took a bite of the hot sandwiches at the same time. My teeth sank into the crispy bread, and I quickly bit off a piece, being careful not to let the hot, soft filling spill out, and savored it.

Rebecca’s eyes widened.

“Hey, this is delicious… wait, you can cook?”

“Your sister’s words are like a blade.”

The perfectly melted cheese stretched, and I took another bite. The rich flavor of the cheese, combined with the thick, flavorful ham, which I had scored to make it easier to bite through, was a reminder that the best part of a hot sandwich was eating it fresh and hot.

“Oh, right. Liz made this for you, didn’t she?”

“I made it.”

“Huh? But… you’re the Lord of Disease.”

“That title doesn’t mean I can’t cook. And I’m a little hurt that you’d say that about a hot sandwich.” Honestly, as long as you didn’t mess up the combination of ingredients, the only thing to worry about was the heat.

“But, it looks simple, but it’s actually quite a bit of work.”

“Is it?”

Like asking Liz to buy good cheese, good ham, and good bread.

“The seasoning is special, too.”

“Special?”

“A big sister’s love♪”

“…Haha.” A dry laugh.

“Rebecca, you’ve almost completely dropped your act.”

“Oops.” Rebecca quickly composed herself—then relaxed—and smiled, an expression befitting her age.

“…But is it really alright to be so relaxed?”

“I’m confident in my perfect performance.”

“Performance…?” A sidelong glance, befitting her age.

“Now, let’s have the second hot sandwich. This one’s sweet. It’s filled with butter and honey from Litalside.”

“Ah, that sounds delicious.”

I took the second set of hot sandwiches from the cloth they were wrapped in and placed them in the hot sandwich maker. Rebecca immediately lit a will-o’-the-wisp on her fingertip, and we were ready.

A truly idyllic holiday scene.

Anyone who saw me now would surely think that I was a fangless, un-supreme-commander-like, spineless person.