This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 118

Life inevitably brings about moments that one cannot avoid even once.

Back in the day, it was the moment of awakening talent, and now it was meal time shared with Dogun.

‘Is it going to be okay…?’

Honestly speaking, I was somewhat confident until the beef radish soup was completed.

This was mainly because it looked quite decent on the outside, and for a first attempt, it tasted surprisingly good.

Up until that point, everything seemed fine… but then I got a slight cut on my hand, and when making the rolled omelet, I ended up needing Dogun’s help, leaving my confidence at half.

It was as if I was confident yet also unsure.

Anyway, I had completed the last dish, the rolled omelet, and placed it on the dining table, leaving only one thing remaining.

Receiving Dogun’s evaluation.

“Mm, is the last dish just the rolled omelet?”

“… Yeah.”

“Well, it’s not a bad combination for breakfast, but… if this is a birthday spread, it feels a bit…”

“… A bit what?”

Was he about to say it was modest?

Judging by his tone, it sounded like it, so I shot him a look as if to say, “If you’re going to say something unnecessary, just keep quiet.”

Modest, huh?

How dare he say such a thing after how hard I worked to prepare all this from the morning.

Perhaps my glare had an effect.

“… Well, I can understand that opinion! But thinking about it again, eating too lavishly in the morning isn’t really good for the body. If you end up feeling bloated or something, oh…”

Dogun quickly changed his stance.

Just imagining that seemed horrific to him as he shook his head vigorously and picked up the neatly arranged spoon.

“Anyway… I’ll eat well?”

Dogun’s first pick was, of course, the soup.

He took a spoonful of the appropriately cooled soup and brought it to his mouth without hesitation.

Then, with a small slurp, he downed what was in the spoon… Watching him, my heart tightened with anxiety and started pounding.

‘Still…’

The soup should be okay, right?

After all, the response had been quite good when I tasted it earlier…

Even trying to reassure myself like that, my heart, which had started racing, refused to calm down easily.

I ended up taking a spoonful of soup to follow Dogun’s lead.

I thought that if I could at least confirm the taste wasn’t bad, it might settle my nerves a bit.

So, I took exactly one spoonful, and—

‘Why… is it… salty…?’

Instead of feeling reassured, my anxiety increased.

And rightly so, because the soup was a bit too salty.

I was sure it had been perfectly seasoned the last time I tasted it, so how did it end up like this?

‘… Ah.’

Now that I think about it, I had kept it simmering over low heat because I heard that would enhance the flavor until I served it.

That must be why the broth had reduced and turned out like this.

Of course, it was only slightly reduced, so it was still edible, but the memory of it tasting better lingered in my mind, making the word “failure” bounce around my thoughts.

Dogun’s silence after tasting it was probably due to that.

The awkward atmosphere that arose from it didn’t sit well with me.

“Ugh… it’s a bit salty. I should’ve used less soy sauce.”

I was the first to speak up.

Feeling a bit sour, I thought that if I admitted it first, Dogun would naturally feel more at ease and share his thoughts too—

“Really? I think it’s fine.”

It seemed Dogun had a different opinion.

“Uh, really?”

“I don’t know about your taste, but this level is just right for me. After all, I was planning to eat it with rice anyway.”

Strangely, that one comment instantly lifted the gloomy mood I had just moments ago.

While simultaneously making me feel a bit bashful.

With my lips slightly pouted while I was sulking, Dogun said something, and I couldn’t help but recall how my expression brightened instantly; I worried it would be too obvious.

Yet, I couldn’t help but keep glancing at Dogun, probably because I was that curious.

And as if to meet my expectations, Dogun’s hands moved continuously.

Although he made an excuse that it was for Dad, was it because I had filled the menu only with his favorite things?

The sight of him eagerly eating was… pleasant to behold.

Thanks to that, I realized something.

Now I understood why Dogun and Dad had always urged me to try their cooking.

If every time something was made, I could witness this kind of scene?

Wouldn’t I end up loving cooking?

That’s why I had been staring intently, but did my gaze end up bothering him somehow?

“Uh, are you not eating?”

Dogun cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Uh? Oh, I should eat.”

His shy reaction was unlike him after ten years, and thanks to that, I nearly let out a giggle, but I managed to hold it in and nodded slowly.

Then he said—

“Hurry up and eat. You’re going to be late.”

Feeling shy, he pointed at the mackerel placed in the center of the table and personally filleted it, placing it atop my portion.

At that moment, I thought… it was like I was married to Dogun.

I couldn’t help but think that if I were to marry Dogun, our breakfast would probably look like this.

Other girls might throw all the household chores onto the guy, but I wasn’t thinking along those lines.

If we did housework together, it would increase the time I could spend sweetly with Dogun, so why would I do that?

It was probably because of those thoughts.

Suddenly, a wave of embarrassment washed over me to the point it was hard to articulate.

Just moments ago, I had been fine, but all at once, my face burned.

After seeing so many strange things today, it was inevitable.

With the word “marriage” colliding with all the things I had seen today, my mind started running wild with daydreams that I must never let Dogun know.

That’s why I couldn’t lift my head to look at Dogun, just picking at the rice grains in front of me—

“… Ah, right.”

At that moment, Dogun’s voice broke the silence.

“From the day after tomorrow, I won’t be able to make breakfast for four days, so either ask Dad for help or set an alarm? Don’t be late like usual, sleeping in.”

“… Huh?”

What was that all of a sudden?

Did I do something to upset him?

Considering what had happened recently, that was the first thought that came to mind, but as I quickly lifted my head to check Dogun’s expression, it didn’t seem to be the case.

After all, the look on Dogun’s face was filled with annoyance and a bit of frustration.

So, I decided to ask.

What could possibly warrant that?

“… Why? Did you plan to train separately with that senior in the morning?”

That was the first thought that came to my mind.

And if that was the case, I was prepared to jump in with any excuse—

“No, it’s not like that…”

He said it wasn’t.

Then what the heck was it?

“What is it then?”

What could it possibly be?

“… I have a training camp starting the day after tomorrow.”

“What…?”

“I’m going to a training camp. From school.”

Ah.

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Though saying it now, I can’t help but mention that the most baffling event when I attended school in my past life was undoubtedly the training camp.

A school trip at least had the excuse of visiting historical sites, but a training camp was essentially paying to go suffer, wasn’t it?

And not just suffering, but I distinctly remember it being a time when we used to get yelled at for the most trivial reasons.

‘Well, the talent show or campfire we had on the last night was somewhat fun… but…’

Those were things we could do even on a school trip.

Even the few good things, let alone the teachers who could rest while leaving the students in the care of the advisors, it just seemed there was absolutely no reason for the students to pay to go there.

Of course, that was based on my past life’s standards, and the training camp in this world had its significance.

‘It’s more like a large-scale disaster drill.’

What more can I say?

In this world, training camps were more like preparations for when another or villain attacks.

Due to that purpose, it was normal for the whole school to participate instead of just one grade, unlike in my past life.

Anyway, given the circumstances—

“Senior!”

“Ah… you’ve arrived?”

Though temporary, thanks to my role as a manager, I had been moving around with the senior since before we set out.