Chapter 146 - Dinner

But their conversation was again interrupted by a rumbling stomach, this time even louder that led Ethan to smile without even noticing it while Maple, even more embarrassed than before, tried to hide further...

Although Ethan had again decided to spend his SP for a dinner to suit everyone, he promised that this wouldn't happen again as one of his d.e.s.i.r.es, was to cook for them. Although the first few times would certainly fail, for him it wasn't important...

But it was precisely during these thoughts that brought him doubts...

'What would Maple eat? I don't know what she prefers, nor if she likes something rather than something else..'

Even if he knew what foxes in his previous world normally like, it would be hard for him to imagine two foxes from two different Universes eating the same things, but the fact was Ethan didn't really know what to feed her, before a panel appeared in front of him.

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[Fruits and Vegetables]

Price: 5000SP

Various fruits and vegetables found in one of the World 1999 forests, Fruits are famous for their sweetness, while vegetables are an addition that usually local people confuse for fruits, defining the whole as a single large group.

---

Reading the description, Ethan decided to buy them since they seemed to be just what he needed from the name...

But that wasn't all he bought. Lacking a table suitable for eating, Ethan decided to buy it at the measly cost of 1000 SP.

After buying it, he got up and kept Maple in his arms, so that he could place the table without causing any trouble.

Although Maple was still a bit sceptical about being picked up in such a way as Ethan wrapped her with his arm, but she was slowly getting used to it while he made a table and chairs appear, which didn't surprise anyone in the room since they all were aware of his Space Magic while Ethan used the hand he had released by placing it in the centre of the table.

Seeing Ethan focused on making something appear from his inventory as usual, Maple watched closely how his "magic" truly worked, and seeing the object form as Ethan raised his hand upwards, Maple could only reaffirm within herself that Ethan was not using any art, but that he was purely relying on something else, what she would call 'Unique Magic'.

Maple, although this was the second time Ethan had used his "magic" in front of her, was still shocked by the level of complexity his magic had reached. She knew that the arts were something purely related to humans who lived in Inari, which made them stronger than other regions, but if Ethan could use such magic, Maple knew none of them would stand a chance against him, and even though she had mixed feelings, it reassured her a little.

Even though this was something she couldn't communicate to her parents, Maple would have loved to tell them she would come back as soon as things settled down, and that they shouldn't have thought she had perished in that accident...

As Maple sent these messages in her mind, even though she knew no one would receive them, Lefiya could see how Ethan had brought up a glass cup with an assortment of food inside that she had never seen before.

Although Lefiya did not know much about general knowledge, around her and even about Orario itself, she knew that these fruits didn't come from the city.

"..Is it another one of the things from your homeland? I've never seen such fruits before"

To this question though, Ethan shook his head before answering naturally

"No..it's from where I found Yowaka.."

As he said this, Ais raised from the bed to take the seat next to Ethan while Lefiya nodded before remembering that Maple came from the Dungeon, and this didn't particularly surprise her since in places such as the 18th floor of the Dungeon located in Orario, there were lots of fruits.

What was most surprising to her was that this Dungeon contained within it a living being, which led her to theorize Ethan couldn't only access a Dungeon but something different, but these doubts were brought for a second time as Ethan turned the whole table to laid dishes before he returned to the centre of the latter....

But before thinking about what to buy for them, Ethan saw Maple again seemed lost in her thoughts and probably hadn't even noticed the food that was on the table, so Ethan decided to sit in his place before taking one of the fruits from the cup.

By bringing it close to her, Ethan could see how Maple's attention shifted from her complicated thoughts to the fruit after smelling properly, this is because what Ethan had taken was one of the fruits that Maple used to eat as a snack, and though probably it was best reserved as some sort of after dinner, Maple's hunger wouldn't have waited such a thing.

But even though this was his way of 'eating fast' Ethan could see how the way she ate always seemed to be 'compound' since she ate slowly and with relatively small bites from which Ethan could see that her teeth were almost pure white.

From this behaviour, Ethan had derived not only more information on what he considered Maple's uniqueness, but even that the latter was probably a noble.

This is because trying to put the image of the ideal noble next to her, Maple seemed to have many traits that a noble normally would possess, but this also led Ethan to wonder if in the world 1999 all foxes were similar to 'nobles' before deciding to ignore this unnecessary thought, since he understood that she liked fruits very much.

While Ethan watched Maple slowly eat the fruit with his smile that could only amplify, Ais continued to look at Maple while she thought about her goal, which was to establish a friendly relationship with her.

While this was happening, Lefiya now felt a bit out of the 'group' and didn't know what to do, before she could see Ais take a look at him as she nodded to make her understand she could sit at the other place near Ethan.

In her insecurity, although she had understood the message, Lefiya ended up joining hands trying to calm down as she moved slowly to sit next to Ethan while he, raising his eyes for a second to look at Lefiya before telling her

"You don't need to worry so much, Lefiya. Even if we're not in a relationship, you are and will always be an important part of this group. It may happen that you feel out of place, but in that case I just have to repeat you every time it will serve that you are not."

His words led Lefiya to wince with a mixture of different emotions before looking down until she was staring at the floor. She knew very well that to fight her embarrassment, her insecurity, and all that, it certainly wasn't enough just one feeling or a day or two, but it would have been a long time before Lefiya could feel natural even in front of Ethan, instead of just 'in her inner d.e.s.i.r.es', but Lefiya was more than ready to face this long and difficult journey, as her happiness depended greatly on this.

Her embarrassment was driven by the fact the chairs had all been placed very close to each other, making the trio closer enough that If Ethan tried to spread his legs, he would be able to 'touch' Lefiya and Ais' legs.. even though this didn't create any problem for Ais, Lefiya felt enormously nervous. She knew Ethan wouldn't do anything without her permission, but the mixture of d.e.s.i.r.e and embarrassment made her continually relapse into her insecurities, returning again at the starting point.

While Lefiya was lost in her thoughts, Maple finally finished eating the fruit Ethan had given her and, in no time at all, she had locked her eyes on the others placed on the table, which made Ethan instinctively giggle.

Taking the cup with one hand, Ethan placed it on the ground after placing one of the towels he had bought to wash her under the cup.

With this done so as not to soil the floor, Ethan made the dish he had bought for Maple appear before putting some fruits contained in the cup inside it.

Seeing this, Maple immediately realized she could eat all the 'sweets' she wanted, considered so by her and though she was curious to know how he had obtained so many fruits sold to Inari, Maple could only postpone these thoughts for a second time since the level of hunger she was experiencing was capable of 'triggering' her side as a little girl, while the noble side that would have been doubtful about the current origin of the fruits and how Ethan had obtained them was put 'at rest.

But the thing that wouldn't change under any circ.u.mstances, was the way she ate.

Since childhood, in fact, Maple had been accustomed to eating in a certain way, and even if composed, it served to let Maple taste the food well instead of just eating it.

While Maple slowly enjoyed another of the fruits she was used to eating, Ethan finally bought food for them, and decided to opt for something very classic, but still delicious...

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After some time that Ethan had bought and put food on the table, the group was immediately satisfied by the meal with the first of them being Ethan. He, in fact, hadn't yet tasted many of the 'typical' foods of this world, but this was definitely one of the best for him.

"...What is this brown soup..? It's delicious.."

Nodding as if to confirm Ais' words, Ethan smiled since he had discovered this wasn't one of the typical products of Orario

"It's called miso soup"

Looking for a second at the last part of the soup left, Ais finished it before writing down in her mind to have this prepared by Ethan when he would be able to cook it, as he had said, he seemed to have the recipe for this dish, which was actually true, since once Light would be able to interact with him as usual, Ethan would ask her to teach him the ways of cooking, and also had the opportunity to try it directly with her in their home in his domain...

'Another reason to find out how to enter my domain...'

This was all he thought before he took his look under the table to see how the situation proceeded to Maple...

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(I have a discord server. discord.gg/cpVr5X8. You may ask me: "Why should I enter the server?". Well, I'm replying to every interesting question you readers are asking in my chapters, so, you should absolutely enter if you want to read my answers. Ah, and you can find some image reference of items in the story such as Light..! (Soon even Qienta).. so it's recommended to join, I frequently post polls as well, regarding things that(most likely) will be present in the story. One last thing, I post chapter updates in my discord right after I posted on , so I guess you can join to be able to know when I post chapters faster.)

(Poll going on in the discord: Who do you prefer? Qienta or Light? | Cat-girl or Renard(Fox) | Are you liking the interactions between Maple and Ethan?)

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(Alternate Titles: "If I was the one not eating for days, That fruit wouldn't have lasted even a few seconds OwO", "Lefiya will somehow find a solution for her embarrass.e.m.e.nt..it's a bit sad to me...", "Ethan, from improvised chef to real chef?", "Where the heck is Light!?!?")