Chapter 5
“Why would I take it out on you for no reason? Since you said you’re willing to do anything, I’ll leave dinner to you, okay?”
“As you command~” Qifeng agreed readily. “I’ll go see what ingredients we have.”
She zipped off.
“Was Qifeng always a masochist, ever since she was little?” Lian Qi quietly asked me.
“N-No, she wasn’t…”
“Don’t tell me she went astray cultivating her magic? Her magic is transmuting golden chains. Remember what she said in the dorm, sharing her ‘experience’?”
“What did she say?”
“‘I inexplicably fell in love with the feeling of being tied up,’ ‘Being bound tightly by the chains gives me a great sense of security,’ ‘The feeling of being dominated is amazing’—stuff like that.”
“Eh, eh, eh? You actually remember such shameful things?” Even I feel embarrassed just hearing it.
“I was listening very seriously to her sharing her experience of creating Inherent Magic, okay? Although it sounded like a masochist sharing her self-bondage experience, there was still some value in it.”
As she spoke, Lian Qi looked at me, a wicked smile on her lips, which gave me a bad feeling.
“I’m talking about the obsession needed to create magic. Look, isn’t it because of my obsession with explosion magic that I coincidentally created magic that can ‘explode’ your clothes?”
While I was zoning out, she swiped a finger lightly across my chest—I really thought my clothes had exploded again. I yelped and hugged myself in a defensive crouch.
But nothing happened. Lian Qi just giggled.
“Your reaction, like a ‘bird startled by a bow,’1 is so cute.”
“Y-You’re playing pranks on me again!” I glared at her resentfully.
What if she explodes my skirt, too? I have to be on guard.
“Um, excuse me—” Qifeng returned. I saw she was holding—the dragon egg!? “How do you cook this?” she asked blankly.
“You too!? You think it’s an ingredient!” I’m so helpless. By the way, where did she get that? I remember putting it on the sofa when I came in, not in the cupboard.
“That’s not for eating!”
“Right. It’s not for eating. It’s for Fei’er to hatch,” Lian Qi said.
“H-Hatch!?” Qifeng blinked, looking completely bewildered as she held the dragon egg.
I’m really worried Qifeng is going to imagine me sitting on the egg.
“The ingredients are in the freezer. Go see what’s left,” I said to Qifeng helplessly.
Qifeng nodded and zipped off again. A moment later, she reappeared, waving a tomato and a cucumber in front of us. “Fei’er, this is all we have.”
“Eh? No way… I’ve been gone so long, I forgot. Let me see.” I opened the freezer and sucked in a cold breath. Not because it was empty, but because the dragon egg was sitting inside.
“Silly girl! You—Get over here!” I grabbed her by the ponytail and pulled her over. “Ow—! Don’t grab my ponytail!”
“I told you to put the dragon egg back on the sofa! Why did you put it in the freezer!?”
“I’m sorry… I thought it needed to be kept fresh, so I…” she said, tears welling in her eyes.
“If the dragon inside this egg ever hatches, it’ll be a miracle,” Lian Qi said, taking the dragon egg from the freezer and walking away.
I feel the same way. This egg has really been through a lot.
“I’m sorry…” Qifeng said, rubbing her eyes. Seeing her looking so pitiful, I didn’t have the heart to blame her.
“Forget it, I forgive you. Since there aren’t many ingredients, I’ll just make noodles for you.”
“Huh? You’re making noodles?” Lian Qi peeked over.
“I’ll help!” Qifeng raised her hand, eager to join.
Lian Qi smiled faintly. “How nice. Two ‘housewives’2 in the home.”
“Actually, Qifeng knows more than I do. She can make cakes.”
“That birthday cake from last time? It was delicious.”
“Hehe, thanks for the compliment. Next time it’s your birthday, I can give you one, too.” Qifeng said, taking the freshly washed tomato from my hand. “You’re afraid of sharp things. I’ll cut it for you.”
“Eh? Fei’er, you have a phobia of sharp objects?” Lian Qi asked in surprise.
“Just a little.” I smiled knowingly. Qifeng is my childhood friend; she knows me very well.
This is why I chose a hammer as my weapon. Speaking of which, Lian Qi hasn’t seen my Holy Light hammer yet.
In no time, three bowls of hot noodles were on the table. I’m actually a little ashamed. It’s Lian Qi’s first time visiting my home, and I’m only serving her noodles.
Although Lian Qi didn’t mind at all and seemed perfectly satisfied with just a simple bowl of my noodles, I still feel like it should have been a more splendid meal. At least four dishes and a soup. Oh well, I’ll have to make it up to her next time!
As for Qifeng, I don’t need to worry about her. I don’t even treat her as a guest.
After dinner, Lian Qi… actually offered to wash the dishes!? This was quite unexpected. It’s the first time since I’ve known her, right? It was so novel that I couldn’t help but go and watch her focus on washing the dishes.
“What’s wrong? Why are you staring at me washing dishes?” Lian Qi glanced at me, seeming a bit uncomfortable being watched.
“N-Nothing. I’m just a little surprised,” I smiled. Could it be that Lian Qi has already forgotten our master-servant relationship? I haven’t worn the maid outfit in so long, I’ve lost my self-awareness as a maid.
“It’s just three bowls.” Lian Qi said, glancing at me again. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten the master-servant relationship between us.”
“Alright…”
She’s emphasizing it like that, so I guess I was overthinking it.
“I just… don’t feel like a guest at your place, that’s all,” Lian Qi said faintly.
“Eh?” Her sudden words made me freeze for a moment.
“Although this place isn’t as big as Fontainebleau Manor, it feels like home.”
“Feels… like home?”
“So I’m not planning on going back for now. Do you mind?”
“N-No, no, of course not,” I said quickly.
“After all, your home is in the Royal Capital, so it’s convenient for going to the Magic Academy or the royal palace. And Fontainebleau Manor is too big. It always looked so tiring watching you clean it.”
Uwaah!
“Are you… thinking of me?”
I didn’t say it out loud, but I was really touched.
“Hmph. Don’t misunderstand. I’m thinking of myself, too. Fontainebleau Manor is just too big. It makes me feel insecure when I sleep.”
“Is that why you always sleep in the living room?” I said weakly.
“Besides, I’m used to living under the same roof with you at the Magic Academy. I call your name, you hear me, and you come right away.”
I smiled. “That’s true. Back at the dorm, you were always calling me to help tie your tie, get your bath towel, grab your pajamas, and so on…”
“The main thing is, you sleep right next door. I can push you down anytime,” she said with a wicked smile.
Lian Qi is always like this. Just when I can’t help but think she’s a good person, she always splashes cold water on me.
Hmph. But she won’t get the chance to strike tonight! Qifeng decided to stay the night, which was just as I expected.
Footnotes
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惊弓之鸟 (jīng gōng zhī niǎo) - A Chinese idiom meaning “a bird startled by the mere twang of a bowstring.” It describes someone who is easily frightened due to past trauma. ↩
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厨娘 (chúniáng) - Literally “kitchen-girl” or “female cook.” In this domestic context, Lian Qi is jokingly calling them “housewives.” ↩