Chapter 390: Mama’s Charm
"Lian want corn!"
"Corn, right. I like it too. I usually only boil it, so next time we eat it, maybe we should try grilling it."
"Grilling it!?" Lian looked surprised, but when Qiong Xing told him it could also be delicious with soy sauce brushed on and then grilled, his eyes sparkled.
Some people preferred it simply boiled, but Qiong Xing enjoyed both ways without particular preference.
In a sense, he was not very particular about food.
"It’s also good mixed into rice and cooked together. Tomatoes are also delicious when stewed with meat, so let’s try making it together next time."
"We want to eat!"
The twins raised their voices excitedly.
They were at an age where they ate well and grew fast.
Although not as much as the twins, the two who also loved eating had hearty appetites.
"...I think I’ll pass on tomatoes."
Albe who had been caught along the way made a strained face upon hearing the word tomato.
"If you can manage to eat it raw, then I think you could eat it even more easily when it’s cooked."
"Is that so? But... it’s tomato, you know?"
Albe always finished whatever was served.
Of course, knowing he disliked tomatoes, Qiong Xing had been reducing his portion significantly compared to the others.
Because of that, Albe also ate without complaint.
"That tomato sauce used on pizza was fine, wasn’t it?"
"Well, that one was tasty, but still..."
He said he disliked it, but it was only raw tomatoes he struggled with.
He had only recently realized that if it was cooked, he could actually eat it.
Until then, he had never considered cooking it, but once it was prepared, he found himself eating it quite deliciously.
"Then it will definitely be fine. It’s also good when stewed with chicken or hamburg steak."
"We want to eat it!"
Despite Albe still hesitating, Cari and Lian were already excited and eager to try it.
They decided to try making it next time and for today, they would focus on making doria.
"Mama, Lian wants miso!"
"...Eh? In doria?"
Qiong Xing had never tried that combination before, so he could not guarantee the taste, but since Lian insisted, he added miso to Lian’s portion.
Cari wanted tomatoes, so he got tomatoes.
When asked what Albe wanted, he immediately replied, "Meat!"
They also prepared versions with fish for Rui, extra mushroom for Qiong Xing, and a meat-heavy one for Leander.
"There are so many different flavors, it’s interesting. Can I have a bite of yours later, Qiong Xing?"
"Of course. Let’s all try different ones together."
Sharing a meal around the family table like this felt truly fun and nostalgic.
"Let’s make sure Elias gets plenty of vegetables."
"Ughh~"
With affection, Qiong Xing packed in a generous amount of vegetables to make up for the days he had gone.
...
To Qiong Xing, it was not particularly strange.
He had even possessed similar items in his previous life, so he had assumed everyone knew about them.
"...A charm?"
"Yes. It doesn’t really have any special power, but I prayed that you all would stay healthy and happy, so please keep it with you."
"Lian’s ribbon!"
It was the red ribbon Lian had once given him, saying she wanted matching ones.
Qiong Xing had accepted it, but as a man, wearing it himself felt somewhat awkward.
Still, it had been a gift, and not wearing it also felt wrong, so he had been unsure what to do with it for a long time.
"I braided it together with the ribbon Lian gave me and Mama’s hair. I recently learned that hair also contains magic power."
"Only for demons or those with magic power."
Depending on the individual, it varied, but he had only recently learned that those with magic power had it stored even in parts of their body such as hair.
So he had taken his own overly long hair and Lian’s cute ribbon, which she would surely like, and braided them together before fastening it around her still small and delicate wrist.
"If you don’t mind, I also made some for Cari and Albe. I don’t think you’ll run out of magic so easily, but better safe than sorry."
In total, he had made four: for Lian, Qiong Xing, Albe, and Cari, all of whom possessed magic.
He intended to make some for Ise and the others if they ever asked.
"Seriously, cutting your hair without permission again. Leander and the others are going to get mad at you."
"They might be disappointed, but they won’t be angry. Besides, it’s my hair. It would be strange for Leander and the others to be mad about it, wouldn’t it?"
To make the so-called charm bracelets, Qiong Xing had cut off his previously untrimmed long hair.
The one who had cut it, Albe, had been half exasperated and shaking his head while saying it felt lighter.
"That’s not the point, I think. Well, whatever. Thanks. Mine is black, huh?"
Qiong Xing’s was red, Lian’s pink, Cari’s white, and Albe’s was black.
"Just a feeling, I guess. I thought black would suit you."
He and Lian’s ribbon colors had been decided from the beginning due to the ribbons they already had, but for Cari and Albe, after much consideration, Qiong Xing had chosen contrasting black and white.
"I see. But this makes it easier for me to wear, so it’s good. Thanks."
"I’m glad you like it. Are you okay, Cari?"
It seemed difficult for Cari to wrap it around his wrist by himself, so Qiong Xing helped him put it on.
Cari nodded happily.
"So with this, Mama will always with me."
"That’s right. If you ever run into trouble or suffer from magic depletion, please use it. There may be times when I cannot be by your side, so think of this as me when that happens."
Lian, being human, would not suffer from magic depletion, but for Albe and Cari, Qiong Xing did not want such a thing to happen.
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