After Nakamura Azami’s fate was finally sealed, Alex, with an unshaken expression, returned to the kitchen to finish cooking for his family. Technically, it was supposed to be Erina’s job—after all, it was her culinary skills the girls wanted to evaluate. But, as usual, everything had fallen back onto Alex.

Erina and Hisako watched him, still not understanding what had happened in the hall. Freya had firmly insisted they stay out of it, warning them that it was better not to witness what was going on. And yet, despite their curiosity, Alex remained silent. That silence only fueled their unease, but neither of them dared to ask questions—instead, they simply returned to their tasks, stealing glances at Alex from time to time.

They remembered the look in his eyes—cold, emotionless, almost inhuman—as he went to the hall to “handle the problem.” Freya, meanwhile, had gone to rejoin the other girls to find out how the conflict ended—and who had dared to bring Nyaruko to tears.

However, after listening to those present, Freya heard a near-unanimous opinion: Nyaruko had simply put on a performance. All the girls shook their heads with smirks, once again convinced that she had fully inherited her father’s fickle and unpredictable nature. And Nyaruko, noticing the extra attention, acted like pure innocence itself.

Once the questioning was over, the group quickly switched to a new, no less important matter—where was the food, and how much longer would they have to wait?

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Alex, Erina, and Hisako worked non-stop, trying to finish everything on time. To keep the food from cooling, Alex cast a magical spell that preserved heat and freshness. Erina watched in amazement—it had never occurred to her that magic could be that useful in cooking. Secretly jealous, she grew increasingly determined to learn how to use magic just like she did knives and frying pans. She began peppering Alex with questions—how magic worked, whether she could learn it, and whether it could help her unlock her culinary potential. Hisako didn’t join the conversation, but she listened carefully, memorizing every detail.

At last, when all the dishes were ready—including special desserts for the younger ones—the trio began carrying the food into the hall, placing plates in front of the eagerly waiting girls.

When Erina and Hisako stepped into the guest area, their eyes immediately went to the ceiling and walls—cracks ran across every surface like a giant spiderweb. The girls exchanged a glance, realizing this was the aftermath of the recent events Alex refused to explain. Erina made a firm decision: she would get answers later.

In the meantime, Alex invited Erina and Hisako to sit at the kids’ table, so they wouldn’t have to stay on their feet while watching everyone’s reactions. He himself was eagerly waiting to see how the girls would react to Erina’s cooking.

And she did not disappoint. The food caused a wave of delight. The girls devoured it with pleasure, and some even let out muffled moans of bliss. One of the first was Juri—something her constant rival, Chun-Li, immediately seized upon, mocking her reaction.

“Last time you laughed at me, and now you’re the one moaning. Aren’t you ashamed to make sounds like that?” Chun-Li asked with a sly grin.

Juri, not one to stay silent, instantly fired back with sarcasm. The argument escalated quickly, and soon the two were on their feet, forehead to forehead. A fight was only a breath away—until Alex teleported between them, gently but firmly separating the two.

Erina watched in shock. She couldn’t understand how a simple lunch could so easily spiral into a near brawl. What surprised her even more was how the other girls reacted—with laughter instead of concern. Some giggled, talking about who else had moaned from the food. Even Red and White, usually composed, praised Erina’s cooking.

After separating Chun-Li and Juri, Alex returned to his seat. He had barely sat down when another muffled moan echoed nearby. He turned—this time it was Valerie, whose face instantly turned bright red. She stared at her ice cream as if it were the sole culprit of her embarrassment.

When she finally looked up, Alex was smiling at her. That only made her blush harder, and she glared at the dessert as if trying to incinerate it with her eyes.

Erina, watching the scene unfold, listened as the girls competed to praise her cooking, and she felt a warm pride spreading through her chest. It wasn’t the arrogant pride she used to know, but something real—something meaningful. Even when the richest elites or royal figures complimented her, she had never felt such joy. But the approval of this strange, loud, and sincere family… it was something special.

At that moment, Alex, sensing her gaze, turned to her and smiled, raising a thumbs-up. Erina gave a soft huff, tossed her hair back like a true lady, and lifted her chin with pride.

“Alex, I agree,” said Hestia with her mouth full, looking like a content little hamster. “We should bring this girl home with us.”

All the girls nodded in agreement with Hestia’s words. No one objected to the idea of enjoying food like this every day. Gloria, Namiyo, and Kiriko were especially interested—women who had taken on most of the household and cooking duties. With the family constantly growing, extra hands were more than welcome. Especially if those hands could cook with such finesse.

For Gloria, Kiriko, and Namiyo, having Erina join them would be a perfect opportunity to learn new skills, expand their culinary repertoire, and master dishes on a whole new level. With her cooking alone, Erina had already earned their respect and trust.

“I’m with the shorty on this one,” said Loki cheerfully, not losing her playful tone. “If we had a chef like that at home, I wouldn’t even mind gaining a few extra pounds… Maybe my boobs will grow.”

“That’s never happening,” the girls replied in unison, shattering Loki’s illusion without hesitation.

Loki’s left eye began to twitch. What stung most was that even Ais, Riveria, and Tiona—the ones she least expected—agreed with the others. Offended, Loki loudly began cursing every woman with an impressive bust, pointing at them and shouting that “boob size isn’t everything!”

In response, the girls simply folded their arms under their chests and gave a slight lift, casting significant looks in the goddess’s direction. A vein on Loki’s temple throbbed dangerously fast, and finally, under the influence of alcohol, she burst into tears and ran to Alex for comfort.

Alex did his best not to laugh as he gently patted his wife on the head—yet again, she was having a meltdown over her chest size. The laughter in the hall grew louder but quickly died down when everyone realized Loki was just using the opportunity to cuddle with Alex. With a sly grin, she was already perched in his lap, calmly finishing off his strawberry ice cream.

For Erina, though, the whole scene only brought more questions. She couldn’t understand what the girls were talking about, or why their conversations sounded so… strange.

“Alex, what are the girls in your family even talking about?” she asked quietly, watching as Loki cozily settled on his lap.

Alex smiled gently and replied,

“That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about. The offer I was planning to make.”

“You want me to come with you?” Erina asked, trying to collect her thoughts.

“Almost. I want to offer you the position of personal chef for my family. In return, you’d get the chance to cook with ingredients you could never find in this world. Imagine it—dozens of worlds, each with its own rare animals, vegetables, fruits, spices. New culinary horizons beyond anything you’ve ever dreamed of.”

Erina listened, her heart skipping a beat.

“You’re asking me to leave this world… and go with you?” she said, barely getting the words out.

“Exactly. What’s holding you here? You’re already the heiress of the Nakiri family, known across the globe. You’ve cooked for the most powerful people, for the elite. What’s next? An academy? A restaurant? Teaching? You can still do all of that—later. But I’m offering you something more. Growth. A chance to make your name known not in one, but in many worlds. Imagine your dishes being tasted by gods and mortals, demons and heroes, beings you’ve never even heard of. You could become a legend across the multiverse.”

Alex’s voice was calm, but there was power in it… like a demon whispering temptation into her ear, offering a dream too seductive to refuse.

Erina’s eyes began to shine. Every word struck deep. He was right—she had already achieved everything in this world. Her true future lay beyond it. Borderless cuisine. The chance to serve not just the chosen few, but those who had never known true flavor.

Even Hisako, who had been silent until now, was watching Alex intently. His offer sounded too unbelievable to be real—but it was real.

“Poor Erina…” Lucina muttered with a smirk. “A demon is seducing her.”

“What can I say? It runs in the family,” Alex chuckled, raising a finger. “Don’t forget who my brother is.”

“Who’s your brother?” Erina asked, surprised. She already knew about one.

“Lucifer. Though we haven’t met yet,” Alex answered casually, dropping another information bomb.

Erina put a hand to her forehead, fighting off a growing headache. Alex’s family felt so absurd and fantastical, it was almost impossible to process. And yet, despite everything, she found herself seriously considering his offer. And she had to admit—it sounded damn tempting. To open a restaurant not in one, but in dozens of worlds… To make the Nakiri name known beyond this reality. The thought stirred her soul and awakened her ambition.

The fire returned to her eyes—the same inner light that had once been caged by Azami Nakiri’s ambition and pressure. Freya watched her closely. The goddess noticed immediately how Erina’s soul began to glow—brighter and brighter with each passing moment. She was truly glad to see that light.

Alex observed Erina quietly. He understood how difficult it was to make such a decision. Unlike his other girls, Erina still had family in this world—complicated, but still present. The others had long left their pasts behind and had no one left to return to.

“You know, Erina,” Alex said softly, placing a hand on her head, “you don’t have to answer right now. Think it over until tomorrow. You’ve got time.”

“And what happens tomorrow?” she asked, looking up at him.

“Tomorrow, we leave. I’m on vacation, and staying in one place is boring. There are still so many worlds to visit,” he said, gently running his fingers through her hair.

“You mean… other worlds?” Hisako asked, intrigued.

“Exactly. But for now, we’ll return to our temporary home. And you, Erina… think carefully about my offer,” he said, gently lifting Loki off his lap and rising from his chair.

At that very moment, Anya, Nyarko, and Jinx clambered onto Alex, wrapping their arms around him from both sides. Alex just smirked as he felt his daughters hugging him tightly. He snapped his fingers — and the entire room transformed in an instant: the cracks on the walls and ceiling vanished, the dishes were cleaned and neatly placed, and everything looked as if nothing had ever happened there.

Erina and Hisako watched in open astonishment. It was yet another proof of just how practical magic could be… even if neither fully grasped how such spells required immense power.

Then Alex snapped his fingers again — and space split before them, opening a rift into another world. One by one, the girls from his family, cheerful and satisfied, stepped through the portal, reminding Erina with teasing smiles to think carefully about the offer. Still stunned, Erina could only nod silently.

Alex was the last to step into the rift. He turned back and waved goodbye to Erina and Hisako. Behind him, Anya, Nyarko, and Jinx also waved enthusiastically, still gushing about how delicious the ice cream had been.

Once they were gone, silence fell. Erina and Hisako exchanged a glance, unsure of what to say. The room was once again perfectly clean. All signs of Alex and his family’s presence had vanished. It felt as though the entire encounter had been a dream.

But Erina felt a faint emptiness inside. And in that moment, she understood why Alex had said his offer could change her life — he was absolutely right. If she chose to go with him, it wouldn’t just be a new chapter, but an entirely different story. A story where she could chase her dreams on a scale she had never imagined possible.

“Lady Erina, what are you thinking about?” Hisako asked softly, gently touching her shoulder.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Erina replied with a faint smile. “I’m wondering whether I should accept his offer… or stay. It’s harder than it sounds.”

Hisako only nodded. She understood all too well that the choice between stability and the unknown — between a familiar life and an extraordinary opportunity — was never easy. And she had no idea what advice she could give her friend in such a moment.

Realizing there was nothing more to do at the restaurant, the girls headed home. Erina hoped that in the quiet of her own space, she’d be able to think things through calmly. But what she didn’t know yet was that a sleepless night awaited her — one full of doubts and contemplation. And if it weren’t for Alex’s magic restoring her energy earlier, she would’ve already collapsed from exhaustion.

Back at home, Erina sank into the sofa, staring blankly ahead. Hisako, noticing her dazed state, decided to do what little she could. The simplest thing she could offer — was tea.

“Lady Erina, please have some tea. Maybe it’ll help you gather your thoughts and come to a decision,” she said gently, placing a cup of hot green tea on the table in front of her friend.

“Thank you, Hisako. Tea really does sound nice right now,” Erina replied with a grateful but weary smile.

Hisako gave a silent nod and sat in the armchair, quietly watching Erina as she sat with the cup in her hands, her eyes still lost in the empty space before her. She was deep in thought, seemingly unaware of anything around her.

Enough time had passed that they should have gone to bed, but Erina still couldn’t make up her mind. Not even a hot bath brought her relief — neither to her body nor to her mind. Lying in the water, she stared at the ceiling, endlessly replaying Alex’s words in her head. When she finally returned to her room, wrapped in a towel, she let out a tired sigh and collapsed onto the couch.

“Why is making a choice so exhausting…” she muttered, burying her face in the pillow, as if hoping that some kind of sign would come to her in return.

Of course, no answer came. But, as often happens in such situations, the inner tension turned into irritation. Unable to hold back, Erina began punching the pillow, as if hoping to knock a decision out of it.

After a minute of this “therapy,” a simple thought came to her: a list. A rational approach. She stood up, went to the table, took out her notebook, and began writing down reasons — first, the reasons to stay in this world. When she finished, without hesitation, she moved on to the list of reasons to accept Alex’s offer and go with him.

When both lists were ready, Erina noticed that the reasons to stay were far fewer. Almost everything boiled down to food and cooking. At the same time, the “pros” list was voluminous and inspiring. But, strangely enough, it was about food too — only on a much larger scale.

“Well… that doesn’t seem to have helped me,” she muttered, putting the notebook aside. “Maybe manga will.”

Choosing a fantasy genre volume, Erina plunged into reading. She imagined herself in a world full of magic, where she had her own restaurant — cozy, warm, loved by everyone from commoners to gods. She pictured herself cooking rare dishes using ingredients found only in fantasy worlds. Nakiri-branded restaurants appeared in all sorts of corners of these worlds, and Erina’s name was spoken with admiration even by dragons.

And just on the page where the dragon first appeared, Erina suddenly thought:

“How does its meat taste?..”

Whether it was dangerous or not didn’t matter. She was only interested in how to cook it, what to serve it with, and what aroma its fat would give when fried. From that moment on, the manga stopped being an adventure and became a culinary guide for her.

The more fantastic creatures she saw in the comic, the deeper she sank into thoughts about the taste of their meat and cooking methods. Unconsciously, she moved from the couch to the desk, opened her laptop, and started searching the internet for information about fantasy creatures and their anatomy — purely theoretical, of course.

Erina wrote recipes, made notes, drew cooking diagrams, invented side dishes, sauces, and ways to serve. She spent the rest of the night like this, unaware that dawn was breaking outside the window. The sun was slowly rising when Hisako knocked on the door.

“Lady Erina, are you already awake?” she called softly, slightly opening the door.

Peeking inside, Hisako saw Erina sitting at the table, feverishly jotting something down in her notebook, occasionally glancing at the monitor screen. Intrigued, Hisako stepped closer and looked over her shoulder. There, neatly written in the notebook, were recipes and cooking methods… for fantasy monsters.

Fully absorbed in the process, Erina didn’t even notice someone was in the room. And when she reached out to stretch her shoulders, her elbow accidentally hit Hisako’s face.

“Ouch!” she cried, clutching her nose.

“Hisako?!” Erina spun around sharply and saw her friend rubbing her reddened nose. “Why are you sneaking around like a ghost? I thought you were asleep!”

“It’s already morning… I came to wake you up,” Hisako said softly, sniffling, tears welling up in her eyes.

Erina raised an eyebrow in surprise, then turned toward the window — the sun really was shining outside. Just to be sure, she checked the clock — eight in the morning. She smiled sheepishly, realizing she had been sitting at the computer all night.

But what surprised her the most was that she didn’t feel tired. On the contrary, it felt like energy was bubbling inside her. Trying to understand how that was possible, Erina came to a simple conclusion:

“It’s probably magic… Alex definitely did something,” she muttered and, waving her hand, decided not to overthink it.

After washing up and changing clothes, Erina and Hisako went downstairs to wait for Alex. Neither knew exactly when he would arrive to hear Erina’s answer, so they just decided to sit in the living room.

During the night, Erina was increasingly leaning toward accepting Alex’s offer and going with him to another world. However, one doubt still tormented her — family. Leaving this world, she wasn’t sure if she could return. Too many unknowns, and that’s why she decided to ask Alex a couple of important questions before making a final decision.

As time dragged on, Erina flipped through her notebook again — the pages were already filled with ideas for dishes inspired by fantasy fauna. She was almost eagerly awaiting the moment when she could discuss it all with Alex.

And then, after a while, there was a knock at the door.

Erina and Hisako exchanged glances. Who else could it be but him?

With a slight smile, Erina got up from the couch and went to the door, looking forward to the meeting. However, upon opening it, she froze — the smile slipped from her face. Standing before her was not Alex, but Alice Nakiri, with her dazzling, as always, smirk.

“Hi, Erina! I decided to drop by. Admit it, you’re glad to see me, right?” Alice exclaimed, squinting slyly.

“You’re not coming at a good time, Alice. I don’t have time to chat,” Erina replied coldly and directly, frowning.

“Wow, you even dressed up! Don’t tell me you’re waiting for a guy?” Alice laughed, noticing Erina blush slightly.

She leaned forward, continuing to mockingly study her cousin. Suddenly, her eyes widened.

“No. No. NOOO! You’re really waiting for a guy?! Who is he?! Do I know him?! Is he from the academy?! Or the one who conquered your impeccable taste?! It can’t be! I’d definitely know if someone surprised you!”

Alice babbled on, bombarding Erina with questions, then ended with unintelligible mumbling, clearly lost in a storm of guesses.

“You don’t know him. And now, please leave. You really came at the worst time,” Erina said irritably, trying to push Alice away from the doorstep.

“Ha! No way. I have to see this mysterious suitor,” Alice stubbornly declared, starting to resist.

A struggle began — Erina tried to push Alice out the door, while Alice clung to the doorframe with all her might, refusing to give up. Neither of them backed down. Erina just wanted to get rid of her cousin before Alex arrived, while Alice was desperate to uncover the mystery of the guy who had managed to touch the heart of the “Ice Queen.”

Hisako came out, drawn by the noise, and saw the scene: Erina pushing Alice, Alice holding onto the doorframe, both fighting as if the fate of the world was at stake.

“Hisako! Help! We have to push Alice out before he comes!” Erina called out to her friend.

Hisako immediately understood who she meant — of course, Alex. Alice heard this, and her eyes flashed with interest.

“Oh, so that’s what’s going on… You know too?!” she hissed, staring at Hisako. “Don’t you dare help her!”

Hisako froze. On one side was her mistress and friend; on the other was Alice, Erina’s cousin. Torn between loyalty and etiquette, she silently prayed that Alex would arrive right now and put an end to the scene.

And her prayers were answered.

From inside the house came a strange crackling sound — as if the air itself was breaking. Both girls instantly stopped struggling and looked toward the sound. The space in the middle of the room seemed to crack open, and through the fractures appeared… Alex.

He stepped out of the rift as if nothing unusual had happened. Before his eyes was quite an interesting scene: Erina pushing Alice at the door, and nearby — a stunned Hisako. Three pairs of eyes fixed on him. Alice’s gaze was especially expressive — full of absolute shock.

“Um… Seems like I’m a bit early? I can come back later if I’m disturbing,” Alex said calmly, keeping a stone-cold expression on his face.

Erina gave Alex such an empty but meaningful look that no words were needed: “You could have come at least a little later.” Alex pretended not to notice the silent reproach.

Alice still stood there, mouth agape. Her eyes darted between the cracked space and the guy who had just stepped out of it. She recognized him.

“It’s you!” she exclaimed, pointing at him.

“That’s right, it’s me,” Alex replied with a wide grin, giving himself a thumbs-up. “Glad you remember me, red-eyed princess.”

“Do you know each other?” Erina asked, surprised to hear the recognition in Alice’s voice.

“Well… kind of. We’ve only met once,” Alex said. “Back then, she caught me with a cigarette on academy grounds and threatened to expel me if she caught me again. Nice first impression, right? But that doesn’t matter. Have you made a decision about my offer, Erina? There isn’t much time left; we’re leaving soon. That’s why I came early.”

“What is all this about? What offer? What’s going on here?” Alice demanded, shifting her gaze between Erina and Alex. Help us continue by reading at the source: MV2LEMPYR.

Erina sighed heavily and looked at Alex, asking with her eyes whether she should tell the story. He just shrugged indifferently — it seemed he didn’t care if one more person found out.

Nodding, Erina took her cousin’s hand and dragged her into the living room. Alex silently followed them and settled into an armchair. While Hisako was brewing tea, Erina began her story — thorough, serious, and without unnecessary emotion. Alice nodded, listening carefully to every word.

Alex took the cup of tea from Hisako, smiled gently at her, and thanked her. He sipped his tea, watching Alice’s face light up with growing surprise.

When the story ended, Alice froze for a moment. Then her eyes sparkled like a child seeing an amusement park for the first time.

“Can I come with you too? Well, if Erina changes her mind, I’ll take her place! Just imagine: another world, unfamiliar food, unknown flavors!” Alice exclaimed enthusiastically, grabbing Alex by the shoulders.

“Who said I’d change my mind?” Erina pushed her away irritably. “I just wanted to clarify a couple of important details. So back off.”

“Alright,” Alex said calmly, looking at both of them. “So, what do you want to know, Erina? And as for you, Alice… I don’t mind if you’re really ready. But I hope you’re not just acting on impulse?”

“I’m ready! The academy is boring. And there — a chance to use my cooking talents on new people!” Alice said cheerfully, nodding energetically.

Alex smiled, surprised but not objecting. He came for one, but would leave with two. And knowing Erina, he was sure she wouldn’t go without Hisako. Three talented cooks for his family? A good deal.

Erina shot an annoyed glance at Alice, but she seemed oblivious.

“First of all: I’m taking Hisako with me. No arguments. She’s my friend, and I want her close, even in another world,” Erina said, flipping her hair back with a regal air.

“No problem. Honestly, I knew you’d say that from the start. And I must admit: Hisako’s cooking really is delicious,” Alex replied, setting the cup down on the table.

“Second question: Will I be able to come back? Or at least call home? And also — can I send food to grandpa?”

“Yes, yes, and yes again,” Alex nodded. “Return at the first request. I can even make you a device to travel back and forth. Calls are no problem: we have phones that work between worlds. And about sending food to grandpa — of course, I’m not against it. That goes for you too, Alice. And Hisako.”

“In that case… I accept your offer,” Erina said confidently. “Should I start packing? And what exactly?”

“Take a bit of everything — for both warm and cold. If needed, I’ll make clothes on the spot. Now get ready — we’re leaving soon, and I don’t want to waste my vacation time,” Alex said, tapping his phone screen.

The three girls nodded in unison and went off to their rooms to pack. The most excited, of course, was Alice — she literally flew out of Erina’s house and rushed to pack her suitcase.

While the girls were getting ready, Erina managed to call her grandfather — Senzaemon Nakiri. She didn’t say much. She simply informed him that she and Alice had been hired by someone, and that this was a chance to start a new chapter, cooking dishes that didn’t exist in this world.

Her grandfather asked questions, trying to learn more, but Erina didn’t go into details. Her voice carried an unusual enthusiasm, and that was enough. Knowing what his granddaughter had been through, Senzaemon didn’t object. He felt that she was truly happy.

“I’ll keep in touch,” Erina promised. “And I’ll definitely cook a dish that will amaze you.”

Alice called her mother. The conversation was brief and chaotic. Essentially, she just said she was going on a journey with Erina to seek new flavors and inspiration.

To be continued…

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep