落とし穴２３掘：メイドさん (Part2)
I held out the menu so that Kirue, sitting beside me, could see it.
She leaned in, our shoulders brushing as we both peered at the page.
"Oh, I see. Hmm? These are pasta dishes, aren't they? Did you teach them how to make these?"
"Yeah. It was a hit at home, so I gave the recipe to the Laboratory. If it goes well, I thought maybe a dedicated pasta shop would be viable."
"A specialty shop, you say? Indeed, with this much variety, it would certainly hold its own. Oh, in that case, I shall have the Japanese-style mushroom pasta. I wasn't able to try it last time."
"Fair enough. Then I'll go with the Caesar salad and the salmon and salmon roe pasta. Excuse me! We're ready to order."
"Coming, boss!"
"I'll take this, this, and the salad. And bring this out after the meal."
"Gotcha. Please wait a moment."
The staff member retreated.
"After the meal?"
"Yeah. I suggested it, and since it’s finally on the menu, I decided to order it. Look forward to it."
"Yes."
We savored our pasta dishes, and finally, the post-meal treat arrived.
"W-what is this!?"
Kirue was trembling, staring at the object before her in shock. Well, I suppose that’s only natural for a woman.
"It's called a parfait."
"A par-fay?"
"The etymology is something like 'perfect,' right? In other words, the completed form of sweets? Or rather, it's a dessert that says, 'I’ve gathered all sorts of sweets together!'"
"C-could it be that this white mass in the center is..."
"Yeah. It's the vanilla ice cream you like, Kirue."
"!!"
Her eyes wavered in astonishment.
"This is what they call a strawberry parfait. It’s made with strawberries, your favorite, as the main attraction."
"Strawberries as the main attraction!? What a luxury!"
"As you can see, I’ve topped the vanilla ice cream with sliced strawberries and surrounded it with more strawberries cut into quarters. The sauce is also strawberry-based, so you can enjoy the flavor of strawberries throughout the vanilla base."
"Ah, ah, ah..."
"Well, it looks a bit plain on its own, so I had them stick a long baked confection in there. You can enjoy it by scooping up some ice cream with it."
"It’s a work of art. From every angle, this is culinary art!"
Huh? I thought she’d be so happy she’d dig right in, but she wasn't touching it. Instead, she was just staring at it in awe, calling it art. This is bad—it’s going to melt at this rate...
"Now then, this parfait has another way to be enjoyed."
"Oh?"
"It requires a specific condition."
"A condition?"
While Kirue tilted her head, I casually grabbed a spoon and dug into the parfait, making sure to get both ice cream and strawberry.
"Ah! The art!"
"The condition is having someone important with you. Here, say 'ah'."
"E-eh? But, Yuki-sama..."
"If you're going to fuss, I'll just throw it away. Is that what you want? To treat a work of art so callously?"
"Uuu... ah."
Kirue opened her mouth, and I popped the spoon in. She closed her lips and began to chew slowly.
"It's... delicious. *Sniff.*"
"H-hey? You're crying!? I'm sorry, did I hurt you? Was I not considerate enough?"
"No, that's not it. I'm just happy. I'm so very happy."
Kirue smiled joyfully, tears streaming down her face.
"I see. Then let's make sure to finish the rest."
"Yes."
In no time at all, the parfait vanished into Kirue’s stomach. After the meal, we spent time at the Laboratory sipping tea and chatting about various things, and before I knew it, the time had come for everyone to return home.
"Well, everyone will be back soon. Let's head home and start preparing dinner."
"Yes. Thank you very much for today."
"It might be tough to do every week, but let's do this two or three times a month. It’ll be fun, I’m sure."
She seemed surprised by my words, her eyes widening, but she quickly broke into a beautiful smile.
"I would be delighted to accompany you!"
Yeah, that smile alone made the time spent with Kirue worth it. Thinking that, I started walking toward home, turning my back to her.
"...love you."
Kirue muttered something, but I was focused on my surroundings and didn't quite catch it.
"Did you say something?"
"No, just talking to myself."
"I see."
***
**Side: Kirue**
Shera-sama’s husband.
A kind-hearted man who treats a maid like me with the same respect as his wives.
I think I finally understand what Ria-sama meant.
Surely, being a Hero isn't about power, skills, or titles.
The man walking in front of me is someone who truly strives for the sake of everyone.
The light that is the Hero of Hope.
That is why this feeling is not merely a duty to my master.
It is the sincere feeling of a woman.
"Yuki-sama, I love you from the bottom of my heart."
Shera-sama says it is fine, but such a statement is far too bold for a mere maid.
If I were to say that where Yuki-sama could hear me, I would surely be made a wife immediately.
That is why I say it in secret.
I love you.
Now, I must fulfill my duties.
I shall return to the inn and perform my responsibilities as a maid!
It is my turn tonight, so... yes, I feel like I might just burn up with passion.