The Taste of Home

The blonde woman was Mina and Rikon's mother. Her name was Chloe.

Chloe threw her full support behind Mina's proposal that they take me in. Kyle chuckled. "Looks like I've suddenly gained another daughter."

Only Rikon looked bewildered. "Is this actually happening?"

Which only proved that Rikon was the most normal person in the family.

Kyle leaned in and whispered to his son.

"Listen, boy. Stay on Shirin's good side. Ten years from now, she's going to be a knockout. And just so you know, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠elves are extremely flexible..."

I didn't catch the rest. Rikon's face had gone scarlet, and he hung his head so low it nearly touched his chest. Kyle had definitely said something inappropriate.

What is wrong with this guy...

At any rate, I was sitting at the kitchen table in Mina's house, waiting for a meal.

The house was an annex behind the inn — spacious enough for a family of four, and steeped in the warm, lived-in scent of people actually living there. It was a kind of warmth I had never once felt in the lonely studio apartment I'd come from.

Chloe and Mina were preparing the food. Dishes clattered, and a delicious smell drifted through the air.

"Alright, it's ready~"

One by one, dishes began appearing on the table.

"Shirin, you're in for a treat!" Mina said with a grin. "Mom's cooking is the best in the village! That's why the inn never runs out of customers!"

"Oh, you." Chloe ladled a generous helping of meat and stew onto a plate and set it down in front of me. "I put in a little extra effort, just for you. Eat up, dear."

Rikon shuffled over and held out a big loaf of bread.

"H-here. Have this too."

"Thanks."

The moment I took it, Kyle ruffled Rikon's hair.

"That's my boy. That's how it's done. Women are weak to being looked after."

"Th-that's not what this is." Rikon's face went red all over again. "I'm just looking out for her as her older brother."

"That's my son. Pretending to be a harmless big brother to lower her guard — a classic strategy. Your old man used that one all the time. That's how I won over your mother, too..."

"Oh, you used it, all right. There wasn't a woman in the area you didn't try it on."

Chloe's voice had gone ice-cold.

"Rikon. If you go around laying hands on women like that, you'll end up just like your father — ruined, and on the run. Forget becoming a great knight. You'll be sneaking out of town in the dead of night."

"Ruined? On the run? That was a daring escape for the sake of true love—"

"One more word and you're going hungry."

"......"

Kyle's mouth snapped shut.

Mina and Rikon both let out small sighs at the sight of him.

"Go on and eat, Shirin."

Chloe's voice was gentle again. I picked up my spoon and took a bite of the stew.

My eyes flew open.

It was delicious. So good it startled me. Before I knew it, I was shoveling food into my mouth. Not just the stew — the meat and the bread were incredible too. I could say without a shred of hesitation that this was the best food I had ever eaten.

Something welled up in my chest.

I remembered sitting alone in my studio apartment, hunched over a cup of instant ramen. How long had it been since I'd shared a warm meal with other people?

My nose stung, and my vision blurred. I quickly ducked my head.

Crying over a meal. How embarrassing. It would make everything awkward.

But it was already too late. Mina leaned in, her voice tight with worry.

"Sh-Shirin? Why are you crying?!"

I rubbed my eyes with my sleeve.

"No, something just got in my eye..."

My voice came out choked and tearful.

The table fell silent. Everyone had stopped eating to look at me. I wanted to tell them not to worry, but if I opened my mouth I knew I'd start sobbing out loud, so I bit my lip instead.

Kyle crossed his arms.

"Hmm. Looks like Shirin's never had a warm family meal like this. No parents, I take it?"

...He's not wrong, but it kind of sounds like an insult. And he didn't have to poke the sore spot quite so directly.

"Oh, you poor thing..."

Chloe stood and came around the table.

"You must have been so lonely all this time."

She pulled my face into a tight hug.

"W-wait a second...!"

My face was buried in her chest once more.

"It's alright, Shirin. I'll be your mother from now on."

I couldn't breathe. I struggled for air, but the more I squirmed, the tighter Chloe held on.

...And just like that, I nearly suffocated again — right in the middle of dinner.

After the meal, Chloe headed to the inn for the evening service.

It was the only inn in the village, but being this far out in the sticks, overnight guests were rare. They seemed to make most of their profit from the food. More of a restaurant with lodging attached than a proper inn, really.

Still, business was clearly booming. Lively voices were already spilling from that direction. Well — with Chloe's cooking, of course it would. If she sold food like this back where I used to live, she'd have a famous restaurant on her hands in no time.

Rikon rolled up his sleeves and went along to help his mother.

And as for me...

I was in the bathroom with Mina.

She had begged me to bathe together, and I'd been dragged along against my will. "Taking a bath with my little sister has been my lifelong dream!" she'd said, eyes sparkling, and I hadn't been able to bring myself to refuse.

The bathroom was spacious. Smooth stone tiles covered the floor, and a large wooden tub sat against one wall. Kyle had hauled in bucket after bucket of hot water, sweating buckets himself, until ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the tub was full.

Once it was ready, Mina turned to me.

"Alright, Shirin. Clothes off."

"......"

I hesitated. I might have looked like a little girl, but mentally I was a grown man.

"What's wrong? Are you embarrassed?"

"No, it's not that..."

"Hehe, I'll wash you! Leave it to your big sister!"

Mina started peeling off my clothes.

...It'll be fine.

I pushed the complicated thoughts aside and let her hands do as they pleased. Before long, the two of us were sitting side by side in the tub.

The warm water melted the tension from my body, leaving me drowsy and loose. Mina plastered herself against my back and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Heehee, I'm so glad you're here, Shirin. From now on we'll bathe together every day, sleep together, and go play at gathering herbs in the forest. Okay?"

She seemed completely convinced I would be staying in this house from now on.

I stared at the rippling surface of the water, thinking.

Now that I was in another world, I wanted to go on adventures and see everything there was to see. ...But there was no need to rush off. I could stay here, gather information at a leisurely pace, and take my time. I had plenty of time, after all.

And more than anything, I had the family I had wanted so badly in my previous life. Chloe was beautiful, kind, and an amazing cook — the perfect mother. Kyle talked a lot of nonsense, but he was handsome and strong. As a head of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠household, he was actually pretty reliable—

The bathroom door slammed open.

"My girls! Daddy's joining you~"

Kyle strode in without a stitch of clothing on, bold as anything.

"Kyaaah!!"

Mina screamed, and I cast a spell on reflex.

A massive pillar of water slammed into Kyle's gut. He let out a strangled grunt and went flying out of the bathroom.

"......"

I decided it might be best to put my evaluation of Kyle on hold for a while.

The next morning.

I woke to a soft, squishy pressure against my cheek and a pleasant scent.

Chloe was holding me tight. I was fairly certain I had fallen asleep with just Mina last night. When had she come in?

I stirred, and Chloe opened her eyes.

"Mm? Shirin, did you sleep well?"

Her voice was languid and sleepy. I flushed and answered.

"Y-yes..."

"Time to make breakfast~"

Chloe sat up and stretched. I hurriedly looked away. Beside us, Mina was still sleeping soundly.

When Chloe started preparing breakfast, I went to the kitchen to help. A little later Mina woke up and joined in, and Kyle and Rikon started carrying dishes. The house filled with energy from the first thing in the morning.

Breakfast was omelets and soup, and of course it was incredible. To think I could eat food this good every day. Staying with this family had been the right choice.

After a hearty meal, we headed to the inn to help with the morning service. Chloe cooked with practiced ease while Mina and I prepped ingredients.

Then a thought occurred to me.

What ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if I used magic?

Yesterday I had watched Kyle sweat buckets filling the tub by hand. There was no need for that. I could develop some kind of magical device and build a modern hot-water system. A refrigerator, too — there were all kinds of ways magic could be put to use.

I'll work on it little by little.

The inn door opened, and villagers started filing in one by one.

"Hey, Chloe, morning!"

"Oh? That kid — isn't that the elf from yesterday?"

One of the men from the palisade recognized me. Chloe smiled and patted my head.

"Everyone, this is Shirin. She's our youngest daughter from now on. Be good to her, alright?"

"Whoa, that Kyle's a lucky bastard. Getting a cute daughter like this!"

"A cute little elf? She'd make the perfect inn mascot!"

Warm laughter filled the inn.

And then—

The inn door slammed open, and armored soldiers poured in.

"Out of the way!"

The soldiers shoved people aside, clearing a path. And through that gap, a man swaggered in.

A rolling belly. Greasy skin. A familiar type of face — greedy, mean, the classic villain look.

A soldier's shout rang through the room.