Bonus Short Stories

Nadine’s Cooking Challenge, Part 1: The Proper Equipment

Nadine had always longed to learn how to cook.

Born to a family of Assassins, she had grown up viewing food purely as a source of energy in between training sessions. While she enjoyed eating meat for her required protein intake, in order to stay toned, she had always wished she could eat purely for enjoyment’s sake.

She was a master of poisons, but when it came to seasonings, she was a total amateur.

“In that case, why don’t I show you the ropes? Everybody’s gotta start somewhere!”

“That voice...!”

That shiny blonde hair! Those pointy ears!

“Heh heh! Katherine Foxxi, future owner of the Little Vixen, to the rescue!”

The beautiful Mage stood with her hands on her hips, wearing a white smock over her regular clothes, her sleeves all rolled up.

“Whoa... What on earth are you wearing, Katherine?”

“Pretty dorky, huh? This is a traditional foxkin apron called a kappougi. It protects your skin and clothes from kitchen spills. It’s strictly functional, but in a way, that makes it even cuter. Beautility at its finest! Y’know?”

“Beautility...” Nadine pondered the word. Beauty plus utility.

Growing up, she was raised to always choose function over form. When it came to clothes, it was easier to throw on a loose-fitting dress and be done with it. That way she could carry her weapons close to her body.

“The regulars love to complain about it, but I mean, you see male chefs wearing white uniforms all the time, am I right?”

“Good point.”

“So yeah, when I’m working in the kitchen, it’s all about safety first!”

“I agree it’s good to be well-equipped. And your kappougi has nice long sleeves, so I imagine it’ll protect your arms much better than a regular apron.”

And so Nadine decided: if she wanted to learn to cook, first she needed to dress like a cook.

“Could I possibly borrow that?” she asked.

Katherine grinned. “You bet!”

“Wow! I definitely feel protected wearing this!”

Big, round glasses. Lavender pigtail braids. And a white smock over a curvy body.

Nothing could possibly be more adorable... Except...

“Uh, Nadine?”

“Yes?”

“Wh-What’s with the knife?”

“Huh? Oh, um, I heard these are used to cut meat.”

“I mean, yeah, they are... but if we’re just making popcorn chicken, we don’t need a cleaver!”

“O-Oh... I see...”

“Everybody’s gotta start somewhere... I can do this, I can do this...!”

Could she turn this total novice into a regular chef? This was one challenge Katherine couldn’t wait to tackle!

From then on, customers at the Little Vixen occasionally caught sight of a young woman in braids and a kappougi peeling potatoes in the kitchen. She was frequently seen following the owner’s granddaughter around the restaurant like a faithful puppy, which only made her all the more popular. But whenever some uncultured swine attempted to make a pass at this bespectacled beauty, he was inevitably treated to a shower of blue Fireballs...

Nadine’s Cooking Challenge, Part 2: Rolled Omelets

Today found Nadine itching to make rolled omelets. Why, you ask? Because the members of Lilium had recently gone on a picnic to the park. And while they were eating, Nadine overheard one Katherine Foxxi saying how rolled omelets were “the best packed lunch food, like, ever.”

Katherine had been giving Nadine cooking lessons at the Little Vixen, and now Nadine had discovered her teacher’s favorite food. Katherine Foxxi, the dedicated hard worker with glamorous good looks, liked rolled omelets... so Nadine was going to make them.

But when it came to rolled omelets, there was one major point of contention...

“Sweet or salty...? That’s the real question here.”

Standing in the kitchen of the Little Vixen, Nadine stared down at the different seasonings lined up in front of her. On the counter next to her was a basket full of eggs. It was early in the morning, so she had the space to herself for a while, but she’d need to cook and clean up before the restaurant opened for business a few hours from now. There was no time to waste.

Did Katherine prefer her omelets sweet or salty? As someone with very limited cooking experience, this hurdle was a big one to overcome.

“First things first... I might as well get started and experiment.”

Summoning her resolve, Nadine rolled up her sleeves and got to work.

Sitting on the counter were two items one would normally never see in a kitchen: a stack of weighing paper and a pair of scales.

“I never know what it means when the recipe calls for a ‘pinch’ or a ‘spoonful’ of something... It’s too vague. If I’m doing this, I’m doing it my way!”

Growing up in a family of Assassins, Nadine was trained from an early age to handle medicines and poisons—substances that were always measured precisely. She prided herself on following instructions to the letter.

Of course, she hoped that someday she could learn to measure things at a glance, the way Katherine could... But for now, Nadine was going to stay within her comfort zone, using the methods that felt the most natural to her.

The front door swung open, its bells clanging loudly.

“Good morning!” Katherine called as she walked in with a box full of freshly procured ingredients. “Wait, what the...?”

She could smell something sweet.

“What the—Katherine?!”

Blushing, Nadine peeked her head out from the kitchen.

“Aha!” Katherine shouted the instant she laid eyes on her. “You’re practicing in there, aren’t you?”

“Uhh... well... yes...”

“Cool, cool. Let’s see what’s on the menu!”

“Wha—hey! Katherine!”

Katherine walked into the kitchen, sniffed all the little omelets lined up on the counter, and popped one into her mouth.

“Hmmm... Very sweet!”

“Is... Is that bad?!” Nadine’s eyes filled with tears. I had a one-in-two chance and I STILL got it wrong?!

“No, no, it’s good! It’s a little burnt, but I actually kinda like that!”

“R-Really?!” Nadine beamed brightly—a much more open display of emotion than was usual for her.

Katherine’s heart skipped a beat. I always thought she was just a prissy little wallflower, but... the more time I spend with her, the more new sides I find...

“Nothing wrong with a little sweetness.”

“O-Oh... That’s good...”

For the record, the way Katherine usually made her rolled omelets was... by not adding any seasoning whatsoever.

Nadine’s Cooking Challenge, Part 3: Sandwiches

That night, Nadine asked a single, fateful question:

“Katherine, would you like to be my partner in crime?”

***

Meat. Lots and lots of meat.

It was late at night, and the Little Vixen was closed, but there was still food on the table: Court Grand Roast Pork, the latest addition to the menu, plus a soft, fluffy loaf of bread.

Of course, by this point, there wasn’t much of it left.

“When you said ‘be my partner in crime,’ I didn’t know this was what you meant,” said Katherine.

“Oh... Sorry... I just couldn’t bear to wait,” said Nadine.

Meat was her all-time favorite food, but because she carried herself in a meek, unassuming manner, the people around her tended to jump to one very misguided conclusion: that she liked sweets.

“This morning I was craving a sandwich, but when I went to buy one, the shopkeeper insisted on giving me his ‘specialty sandwiches’ for free. Obviously I appreciated the gesture, and they were all very good, but... well...”

They were all fruit sandwiches. Dessert sandwiches, in other words. For the record, they were all perfectly edible, but what Nadine wanted was something hearty and filling.

“So I was left craving meat sandwiches all day long!”

“...You know, I’ve been thinking... Is everyone in Lilium a total glutton, or what?”

“Well, you’ve seen the way Tanya wolfs downs every meal like it’s the best thing she’s ever tasted! It’s contagious!”

“Right... So why invite me?”

“Oh... Well... I was thinking perhaps you and I could make something together... If that’s alright with you, Katherine,” Nadine explained with a shy smile.

Katherine stared back in shock.

Not even in her most unlikely dreams had she imagined she’d ever be sitting here with Nadine of all people. While the two women were in the same graduating class back in adventuring school, Katherine was a popular Magic Academy graduate and straight-A student in the Mage course, while Nadine was a forgettable wallflower in the Healer course.

“Stop that.”

“Huh?”

“Stop calling me Katherine. We’re old friends from school, remember? It’s... y’know... It’s just kinda needlessly weird and formal, don’t you think?”

“Wait, so... you mean...?”

“Call me Kathy.”

“What?!”

“...Or whatever other nickname you want. Anything but Katherine. And in return, I’ll call you Nadi.”

“O-Okay then... Kathy it is.” It almost felt like they were... friends... Nadine smiled to herself. “Kathy,” she repeated, testing the sound on her tongue once more.

This was followed by a mildly awkward silence.

“A-Alright then, let’s make some sandwiches or whatever!”

And so the Little Vixen’s poster girl rolled up her sleeves.

How to Make a Court Grand Roast Pork Sandwich:

Step 1—Lightly toast two slices of bread.

Step 2—Spread a healthy amount of mustard and mayonnaise onto each slice.

Step 3—Place thin slices of dried pork tenderloin (in this case, restaurant leftovers) on top of one slice.

Step 4—Slice a leek into julienne strips and place atop the pork.

Step 5—Place the other slice of bread neatly on top of the julienned leek, sauce-side down, and pat into place.

Step 6—Cut in half and serve.

Nadine let out an awestruck gasp. “It... It looks so good...!”

“Yeah, well, it’ll taste good, too.” Katherine chuckled, satisfied with her accomplishment.

And right as they were having a taste test—

“We’re baaaack!”

“Mon dieu, this Sorceress is starving!”

—the bell over the door jangled, and in walked Tanya and Laplace, who had just finished a quest for the Guild.

“Whoa, what’s that? It looks good!” Tanya exclaimed when she saw their plates.

“Heehee... It tastes good, too,” Nadine replied.

“Did you make it?”

“No, it was all Katheri—I mean, Kathy.”

“Yeah, but you bought the bread, Nadi,” Katherine pointed out.

“Graduated to pet names, have we?” Laplace asked with a knowing smirk.

“Oh... um...” Nadine faltered... but just then, the conversation was interrupted by a loud gurgle.

“Hahaha... Sorry about that!” Tanya grinned, almost bashful. “We haven’t eaten anything since lunch.”

“Well, we still have enough fixings for another sandwich,” said Nadine, rising from her chair. “Why don’t I make you one? Will you, um... supervise me, Kathy?”

“Sure thing!”

Tanya and Laplace exchanged a look as the two headed off into the kitchen together as if they had always been the best of friends.