Chapter 153.2: The Gods’ Respite II – (2) (1/2)

There was a dancing girl at the door again.

This time, it was a woman with fair skin. She had long red hair and plain features, but her breasts were about the same size as Rana's. Her legs were neither thin nor fat.

She gives off an air of normalcy, the kind that gives rise to a feeling of approachability.

Even though I've never seen her before, I feel no tension nor a sense of distance. It's like we've been friends for decades.

Even though gods are generally not very approachable………

Hmm? Why did I peg her as a god?

「Souya-sama, I'm sorry, is my elder sister intruding on you?」

「Could it be that you’re Meltouvius-sama?」

She's the god of an allied merchant company.

「Ara~ You can tell?」

「Yes, for some reason」

I just had a feeling.

Or rather, it’s because this is the second time.

「I've thought this for a while now, but you and I are a ”good match”, don't you think? Do you also have this feeling that we're destined to be together?」

「Eh, yes」

It doesn't feel bad to hear a god say that to me.

After all, back in the day, every god in the city refused to contract with me.

「So, what do you think? How about you contract with me as well? It's not often that someone gets to contract with two of the Minerva sister gods. It's an honor that all the riches and treasures in the world can't buy. And if you agree to it right now, I'll even include a special offer that cannot be disclosed to my elder sister」

We Japanese are very susceptible to the words ”special offer”.

「Can you tell me more about that special offer?」

「Fufu, let's go somewhere quiet, just the two of us, and then――――――」

There was a strange glint in Meltouvius-sama's eyes, then……

「Ahhnnn!」

……she let out a lovely moan when Misuranika-sama appeared from below her and squeezed her breasts.

「Souya, for future reference, let me teach you something. If you bring a woman like this to your bed, she'll wring you out until you're all dried up. So beware」

「G, got it」

So that's what the special offer entails………

That only makes me even more interested.

「Ah, ahnnn! I, I don't know who you are, but I really did come here to retrieve my elder sister!」

「I'll take care of this one. Well, why don't you make her something to eat?」

「Understood」

For the newly arrived god, I went back into the kitchen.

It would be boring to serve ramen again. Now that the number of people has increased, I suppose nabe would be good.

I added dried shiitake mushrooms from the alternate world into the vegetable broth meant for ramen to make the stock for the nabe. Taking some slightly shriveled cabbage, I sandwiched some pork belly between them and filled the pot with them. It was simple, but I covered it with a lid and put it on the fire.

I glanced over at the gods and saw that they were chatting and laughing among themselves.

It makes me smile to see the gods getting along with each other.

But, well, the all-female lineup is simply magnificent.

I want to join them. I want to be sandwiched between them.

As I waited for the nabe to heat up……

「Souya, there's another visitor」

「Alright~」

There was another knock at the door.

I opened it again and found a male elf standing there. He was wearing the same white robe that Rana used to wear. He was an elf, so he was as good-looking as one would expect elves to be, but somehow, he seemed to be just an alright-looking elf.

To put it bluntly, he was quite the unremarkable elf.

「Hey there, Husband-dono」

「Could it be that you're Ezusu-sama?」

「That’s right」

It was my wife's god.

「I noticed gods gathering around you, Husband-dono, so I thought I'd join in. I've brought you some gifts」

He handed me the basket he was carrying on his back.

There were many wild vegetables and mushrooms inside.

「Thank you so much for these. Please come in, the food will be ready soon」

「No, it's no problem. Excuse me for intruding」

I led Ezusu-sama to the kotatsu that was crowded with goddesses.

「Hey~, you elf~. Pour me a drinkk~」

「Hi there, elf. I believe you're the protector of the forest's bedchambers. What kind of lovemaking techniques do the elves use in the forest? I'm very curious」

Is everything going to be alright, I wonder. Particularly with the Minerva sisters……

Leaving that aside, I went to check on the nabe.

Since Ezusu-sama had gone out of his way to give them as a gift, I added the mushrooms and wild vegetables into the nabe.

「Good sir, how about these?」

「Oh, tomatoes, huh? That's a good idea, Lars. Let's add some cheese as well」

The golem that had been sleeping in its flowerpot handed me some magnificent-looking tomatoes. There were six of them, each one bigger than my fist.

Did we have such tomatoes growing in our basement garden? Hmm? Wait, rather than that………

「Is something the matter?」

「You……you're talking normally……」

Lars had talked normally. Upon closer inspection, it looked different than usual. There was a big sprout growing on top of its head. It looked almost like a samurai's chonmage.

「Could it be that you’re Ukazor-sama?」

He's a god who contracted with some of my party members.

Apparently, he was originally a Japanese samurai.

「Yeah, that's right. I smelled a very nostalgic aroma, you see? Mind if I join in and have some?」

「You’re welcome to, of course」

「Much obliged」

Did I summon him with miso and soy sauce?

Ukazor-sama, in the body of Lars, pottered over to the kotatsu.

Ezusu-sama was being mobbed by the Minerva sisters.

I'm not going to go too deep into it because it might turn into a religious war. I didn't see anything.

I added the tomatoes and cheese into the nabe and watched over it.

「Souya, you got a minute?」

「Yes, do you need more snacks?」

Okaa-sama had come to the kitchen.

「I wanted to try something that Ea had mentioned before. It's called udon, I believe. If it's not too much trouble, can you make some?」

「Udon, huh………」

It's not like I can't, but I'm busy watching over the nabe at the moment.

「I'll teach you how to make it. Then you can make it yourself」

「Ooh. That sounds good」

Misuranika-sama also came over and made a suggestion, which Okaa-sama accepted readily.

My god, when did you learn how to make udon? You always seemed to be sleeping, but have you actually been observing closely when we cooked?

Misuranika-sama took out some flour, water, salt, and a rolling pin, then mixed them together swiftly on the countertop.

My god is a god who gets things done when she puts her mind to it. She sleeps all the time when she doesn't though. In other words, it should be safe to leave that to her.

When the nabe came to a boil, I took it off the fire and added some miso. I adjusted its taste until it had the right level of saltiness, and then added a pinch more.

The nabe was completed.

I grabbed the pot and brought it to the kotatsu. I laid out serving plates, spoons, and forks on top of the kotatsu and it was ready to be eaten.

「It's hodgepodge nabe of the alternate world. Please feel free to eat it as you like」

「Ohhh, so this is the dish my children made using the thing called miso」

Ezusu-sama cheered.

「Nabe with miso, huh? How I've missed this」

Ukazor-sama spoke in a solemn voice. Since his body was a golem, I couldn't really read his expression.

Actually, can he even eat with that body?

「Another meager dishh~? Souya, why are most of the dishes you cook so humblee~?」

「Now now, Onee-sama. If you have a problem with it, you don't have to eat it」

Leaving the plastered Gravius-sama to her own devices, Meltouvius-sama portioned out and served the nabe to the other gods.

This god is the type who takes initiative at drinking parties. She's the capable type.

「Husband-dono, Husband-dono, come sit next to me」

「Eh? What is it?」

I was called over by Ezusu-sama, so I took a seat at the kotatsu.

「So, how are things? How's Rauaryuna? She's a late-bloomer and lacking in self-confidence on top of it, so there weren't any men in the forest who were interested in her. She may be an ugly woman to the elves, who are blind to her charms, but in the eyes of Hemu, she's beautiful enough, am I right?」

「Even if you ask me that, I can only say that things are going well……」

Are you a close uncle or something?

「”Going well”, huh? I'm glad to hear that. You look like you might be a late-bloomer too, Husband-dono, so I thought you might not be ready yet. No matter what happens in the future, it would be a pity for a woman to have nothing to look forward to」

This topic is kinda troubling for me.

「Elff~, I'm out of boozee~!」

「Hahahaha, you should take it easy or it will harm your reputation」

Ezusu-sama filled Gravius-sama's cup for her again.

I'm really sorry for the actions of the god I'm contracted with, Ezusu-sama.

「Here, Souya-sama, you should have some too」

Meltouvius-sama handed me a serving plate with a portion of the nabe.

In a different way, I feel bad.

「Alright, here you go, little dwarf god from the sticks」

「Mmm, thanks, servant lady」

For a split second, I thought I felt a surge of killing intent. Meltouvius-sama also handed Ulazor-sama a plate. With that, everyone had been served.

There were still some ingredients left in the nabe, but for now………

『Itadakimasu』

Ukazor-sama and I put our palms together and got ready to dig into the nabe.

『………………』

My chopsticks stopped when I noticed the indebted sisters and the elven bedchamber protector staring at us.

Ukazor-sama ignored them and ate with gusto.