Chapter 16
1020words
When I regained consciousness, I was awakened by a... extremely complex smell that was difficult to describe in words.
In that aroma, there was the rich fragrance of premium Wagyu beef fat, the herbal freshness of vegetables, the saltiness of sea salt, and even a hint of... fruit sweetness?
Each of these scents on their own could be considered top-tier.
But when they were mixed together in a rough, chaotic manner, forming a bizarre odor similar to "putting an entire imperial feast into a blender and pulverizing it," that effect was quite invigorating.
At least, for someone like me whose sense of smell was abnormally sensitive due to superpowers, it was no less intense than having a tear gas canister explode next to my ear.
I suddenly opened my eyes and struggled to sit up in bed.
My head was still groggy, but my body seemed to have regained a bit of strength.
"You're awake, partner."
Rin's voice came from beside the bed.
I turned my head and saw her holding a large bowl, looking at me calmly. She had changed out of her tracksuit, probably because it was stained with my blood. Now she was wearing one of my loose old T-shirts, which looked somewhat incongruous on her but added a touch of domesticity to her appearance.
And in the large bowl she was holding, there was a bowl of... grayish-green, steaming, as thick as concrete... paste-like substance.
"This is..." My voice was somewhat hoarse, my throat dry.
"According to the 'Ayashiro Ai Care Manual' Version 1, Article 4: Patients in a weakened state should consume liquid or semi-liquid foods that are easy to digest and absorb." Rin explained in a tone as if introducing a new weapon, "This is my 'Complete Nutritional Recovery Meal' specially made for you, combining 18 highly nutritious ingredients through ultra-high-speed physical blending and precise low-temperature cooking techniques. One bowl can supplement all the energy, protein, vitamins, and trace elements you need for an entire day."
I looked at that bowl of stuff which resembled "slime remains" in color, texture, and smell, and felt my stomach cramping.
"...That crushing sound," I asked with difficulty, "what was it?"
"It's a food processor." Yui's voice came from beside me, with a kind of weak feeling as if she had just survived a disaster. She was leaning against my door, her little face pale. "When Rin was trying to put a frozen Wagyu beef into the food processor, since it didn't fit, she... directly used her hands to break that frozen meat, harder than stone, into several pieces..."
As Yui spoke, she shuddered, still traumatized by the memory.
I... I think I can perfectly imagine that scene.
"That was just a reasonable operation to improve processing efficiency," Rin refuted with a straight face. "Besides, the final product was successful."
As she spoke, she scooped up a spoonful of that indescribable paste and brought it to my mouth, her eyes containing a hint of... an emotion I was very familiar with.
It was that look of longing for approval and expectation, like when she made "charcoal tamagoyaki" in home economics class.
Faced with such eyes, could I say "no"?
Could I tell her "this thing looks like a biological weapon, I'd rather starve to death than eat it"?
No, I couldn't.
Because she is my guardian.
This is her first time putting all her effort (in the physical sense) into making a dish to "take care" of me.
Although the result... has her own unique style.
I took a deep breath, like a warrior heading to the execution ground, and opened my mouth.
In Rin's eyes, a barely noticeable gleam of delight flashed.
The warm, sticky paste slid into my mouth.
At that moment...
My brain crashed again.
I felt as if my taste buds had been trampled three hundred times by ten thousand wildebeests from the Sahara Desert, marching in perfect unison.
Sweet, salty, umami, bitter, sour... all the flavors exploded on my tongue, then mixed together chaotically like a spilled palette of paint, forming a chaotic taste that transcended the limits of human gustatory experience.
I even tasted a hint of... metal.
Heaven knows if she had thrown in parts from the food processor she had crushed with her hands.
"How's... the taste?" Rin asked with an expectant face, "I strictly followed the nutritional ratio chart, theoretically, the balance of flavors should be in the optimal range."
With an ashen face, I struggled to swallow that mouthful of "Complete Nutritional Recovery Meal."
Then, facing Rin, I forced out a smile that looked worse than crying.
"...It's... very much your style."
"Positive feedback received. It seems this recipe can be added to the standard menu." Rin nodded with satisfaction.
No! Please don't!
My inner self was screaming frantically, but I couldn't utter a single word.
And so, under the watchful eyes of Rin and Yui (with a face full of sympathy), I held back tears as I ate that bowl of "loving care for the sick meal"—comparable to torture—spoonful by spoonful, until it was all gone.
When I finished the last bite, I felt as if my soul had undergone a baptism.
The world had become utterly tasteless.
However, miraculously, after that bowl of stuff entered my stomach, a warm current began flowing through my entire body.
My body, which had been empty due to mental energy overdraft, seemed to be injected with high-octane fuel and began to be refilled with strength.
My headache eased, and my body felt much lighter.
"...The effect is... outstanding." Rin looked at the data on her handheld scanner and came to a satisfied conclusion.
I weakly leaned against the headboard, looking at this "human weapon" who was seriously analyzing the effects of her "cooking," my heart filled with mixed emotions.
Being protected by her perhaps meant facing countless dangers.
But being "taken care of" by her seems to be... in another sense, a more severe double test for both body and mind (especially the tongue).
My future is truly filled with uncertainties and challenges.
