Melina's Visit (4)
“Hmph…”
As expected, things didn’t unfold in a particularly positive direction. The two women locked eyes, exchanging sharp glares in a silent battle of wills that left even me sighing in exhaustion. Caught between them, I felt like I was standing alone in the midst of a storm.
“I won’t lose. Not to you, at least.”
Melina declared it low and fierce, clinging to my arm like a wild beast staking claim to its territory. Her voice carried a steely resolve laced with subtle venom.
“Sorry, but I’ve got the absolute advantage here. You should just give up.”
Elisha, meanwhile, wore a relaxed, confident smile. But the emotion behind it was anything but warm. She emphasized her superiority with every word, looking down on Melina as if she were beneath her.
“After all, I’m Arnold’s fiancée.”
That line drove the point home with devastating certainty. It was perhaps her most lethal strike.
“No one can deny that.”
Elisha’s tone brimmed with the confidence and pride of her social standing. The title of fiancée was her most powerful weapon.
“Tch…”
Melina bit her lip and clicked her tongue in frustration. Her expression screamed refusal to admit defeat, but her silence acknowledged the unfavorable position she was in.
“……”
As the icy standoff dragged on, I finally spoke up to lighten the mood.
“By the way, aren’t you all hungry? It’s about lunchtime—want to head to the cafeteria?”
It was a peaceful-enough afternoon, but lunchtime was approaching. The academy kept its cafeteria open even on weekends for student convenience, so I’d suggested it casually to diffuse the tense atmosphere.
“Oh, right!”
But no sooner had I finished than Elisha’s eyes lit up like a lightbulb had flicked on in her head. She clapped her hands as if struck by a brilliant idea.
“Why didn’t I think of that?”
Muttering self-reproachfully, she gently wrapped her hands around mine. Her touch was soft, but the intent behind it was anything but light.
“Arnold, you must be hungry. I’ll cook for you myself.”
Her sudden proposal caught me off guard, but Melina reacted first.
“What? What’s that supposed to mean?”
Melina couldn’t hide her fluster, glaring at Elisha. Elisha just smiled leisurely, as if savoring the response.
“I’ve got some confidence in my cooking skills, you know.”
Looking down at Melina with smug assurance, she turned to me.
“So, Arnold, I’ll make you something really delicious. I’ll show you I’m the woman you need more than that elf.”
Melina ground her teeth at the blatant provocation and shot to her feet.
“I can cook too!”
Her voice was firm, her face etched with fierce determination. Hand on her chest, shoulders squared defiantly, she glared at Elisha like a predator refusing to yield its prey.
“Oh yeah? Then let’s make it a contest. Whoever makes the tastier dish wins.”
Elisha grinned, as if she’d been waiting for exactly this. Her tone dripped with confidence, her momentum unyielding.
“Fine! Whoever captures Arnold’s taste buds wins, right?”
Melina accepted without hesitation, her eyes gleaming with conviction. I sighed, stuck between them. I’d only meant to calm things down, but it had spiraled in a completely unexpected direction. If anything, it had escalated.
“Exactly. It’s settled, then. I won’t lose.”
“Neither will I. I’ll prove I’m a better match than his fiancée.”
With those emotionally charged words, they both stepped forward in unison—and threw open the door to leave.
“Where are you going?”
They didn’t even turn back as they shouted in reply.
“To get good ingredients, obviously!”
With that, they vanished like the wind. The room fell into sudden silence. In the wake of their bickering departure, an odd weariness settled in alongside the quiet.
“Haa…”
I pressed my fingers to my throbbing temples and sighed. Somehow, I had a bad feeling their rivalry wasn’t ending anytime soon.
“Maybe it’s for the best that Eily’s away right now.”
Eily’s face naturally came to mind—she’d left for the mansion for some quarterly accounting. If she’d witnessed this, things would’ve gotten even messier. She’d said she wouldn’t be back all day, so in a way, it was a relief.
Time passed, and the door opened as the two returned, arms laden with bags bulging with all sorts of ingredients.
“We’re back.”
Elisha set her bags on the table with a bright smile, radiating confidence.
“Heavier than I thought.”
Melina wiped sweat from her forehead with one hand, looking worn out. But her eyes burned with competitive fire.
“Just wait a bit—I’ll make something tastier than Elisha’s.”
She snorted lightly, very much aware of her rival.
“Good luck topping me.”
Elisha fired right back, her gaze ablaze with rivalry.
“Mind if we borrow the kitchen? This way?”
“We’ll clean up after. Don’t worry!”
They headed to the kitchen with their ingredients. I wondered if leaving those two alone in one space was wise—their verbal sparring showed no signs of stopping.
“Just you wait, Elisha… I’ll crush that stuck-up nose of yours.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Sure enough, as I hovered anxiously at the kitchen doorway, they kept up their bickering without tiring, prepping their dishes.
“Arnold! Look forward to it—I’ll make the best meal of your life.”
Melina waved and called out to me with innocent cheer, briefly easing the tension. But Elisha shot her a look and quipped,
“All that fussing means yours probably isn’t anything special.”
Melina snatched up a knife and glared.
“Shut your mouth and focus on your own cooking!”
Elisha shrugged and pulled out a pan.
“Now I’m even more excited. Can’t wait to see how disappointing it’ll be.”
“I’ll throw that right back at you later—so look forward to it.”
Her words were sharp and deliberately mocking, but Melina didn’t back down.
“Fine…!”
After the exchange, Melina’s eyes hardened with resolve. With deft movements, she began prepping her ingredients.
Tatata-tak—
Her knife danced nimbly across the wooden board. The tomatoes sliced into perfectly even thicknesses, revealing her familiarity with cooking.
“Huh, not bad at all.”
“This is basic. I can do it without practice.”
I praised her genuine skill, and she twirled her knife with casual flair.
“Unlike some smooth-talking type~”
She shot Elisha a mocking glance.
“……”
Elisha silently fetched a pot, poured oil into the pan, and began heating it. Her motions were graceful and precise.
As the oil spread, she said calmly,
“Let’s see how far ‘basic’ gets you.”
Melina narrowed her eyes at that, then chopped harder.
“Let’s see what all your fussing amounts to.”
The kitchen soon filled with the rhythm of knives and the sizzle from pans. Melina moved with speed and passion, while Elisha handled each ingredient meticulously, controlling every step with perfection. Their styles clashed starkly: Melina’s whirlwind of enthusiasm and improvisation versus Elisha’s meticulous planning and refined technique.
The atmosphere grew ever more intense. Words lessened, but their rivalry pulsed through glances and gestures.
Melina flashed a sly smile and taunted again.
“You can’t even imagine how pathetic yours will look next to mine once I’m done.”
Elisha flipped the meat in her pan, releasing a rich aroma into the air. She replied softly,
“Actions speak louder than words. Arnold will judge who’s better.”
From outside the kitchen, I watched them and sighed inwardly. As expected, their cooking had become a battlefield of pride and emotion, far beyond mere meal prep.