The Maid’s Return and the Master’s Meal

“Kuroki-neechan, you’re back.” The children swarmed around her.

“Mm.” Kuroki Nao nodded, her expression cool and detached. While she was unfailingly polite to everyone, it was a politeness that inherently kept others at arm’s length.

It was only when she ventured deeper into the church courtyard that her eyes finally landed upon the man who occupied her every thought.

“Master, I’m back.” The icy facade of indifference instantly shattered, and she sprinted towards his silhouette.

“Master, I missed you so much,” Kuroki Nao said, her voice tinged with a hint of a sob.

Closer and closer she came, until she reached Tang Wenxu, throwing her arms around him in a fierce embrace. She rubbed her face against his chest with fervent affection.

“Hey, that’s a bit much. Everyone’s watching,” Tang Wenxu said, slightly embarrassed, motioning for Nao to rein it in.

“But I missed Master so much, I couldn’t help it! Eh-heh~”

She flashed a mischievous, Peko-chan-like expression, tapping her head and sticking out her tongue in a playful display of cuteness.

Kuroki Nao was like a cat—aloof and dignified in front of strangers, but utterly doting and affectionate with her beloved.

“Well, in any case, you’ve worked hard,” Tang Wenxu said, patting her head with the tenderness one would show a younger sister. “Let’s go. I’m cooking tonight.”

The news that Tang Wenxu was going to cook instantly caused an uproar.

“What?” the children exclaimed in surprise. “The freeloader can cook? It must be absolutely disgusting.”

Teasing Tang Wenxu had become a daily ritual for the children. In just a few days, many things could become habits, such as ganging up on someone. Their innocent minds reasoned that he had taken their Kuroki-neechan, making him a bad person.

At the dinner table, Kuroki Nao feigned an expression of worry. Yet, in her heart, she was thinking, ‘You’re all going to be scared out of your wits in a moment. Master’s cooking is the best in the world.’

“How about we fast today? Look, even Kuroki-neechan is frowning,” one child suggested, noticing Nao’s unusual expression. They had already assumed Tang Wenxu’s cooking would be some kind of dark culinary abomination.

“Dinner is served!” Tang Wenxu shook a bell.

He brought out plate after plate of dishes, each beautifully presented with meticulous plating. Though they were merely potatoes and sweet potatoes, the sight alone was enough to whet one’s appetite, a faint, mouth-watering sheen visible on the food.

“French potato stew, baked sweet potatoes, and golden potato pancakes,” Tang Wenxu announced politely, like a proud attendant, listing each dish by name.

“This was made by the freeloader? No way,” one child muttered.

“Mia-nee must have secretly helped,” a little loli added.

“Presentation isn’t important; what matters is whether it tastes good,” Myles declared, picking up his fork and digging in.

“Whoa, stop! Are you trying to die?” The children frantically tried to dissuade him, as if Myles were consuming poison.

After one bite, Myles said nothing. Instead, he ignored their pleas and continued to eat, head down.

Perhaps… just perhaps, it wasn’t as terrible as they had imagined. With this thought, the children began to eat one by one.

And so, things spiraled out of control. The children had never tasted such delicious food, and in a flash, they devoured everything on their plates. The child who had earlier suggested fasting was now licking the remnants of food from their plate.

“How was it?” Tang Wenxu asked.

“It tasted awful!”

“What a waste of food!”

“Ugh~”

Despite disparaging Tang Wenxu’s cooking, their bodies were honest, consuming plate after plate. Some of the more ravenous children wanted more, but quickly realized there was no food left.

‘Is there really none left?’ The children looked around, only then discovering the culprits.

Father Kant’s side of the table had a mountain of empty plates, and even Mia had several extra empty plates beside her, her face flushed with a hint of embarrassment.

Although the children did not praise his cooking despite enjoying the delicious meal, instead hypocritically disparaging him, Tang Wenxu was not at all disheartened. On the contrary, he was delighted, for all the plates were empty.

Empty plates were a chef’s medal, after all.

From that day forward, Father Kant established a new rule in the church: Tang Wenxu was forbidden from cooking. The reason was simple—for a church with a less-than-optimistic financial situation, Tang Wenxu’s cooking could make three days’ worth of food disappear in a single meal. It was simply too terrifying.

Later that night, Tang Wenxu sat on the bed in Nao’s room.

“Nao, there’s something I need to discuss with you.”

“Are you going to sleep with me tonight? You can, you know.” Kuroki Nao opened her arms.

“No, I want to know where you work.”

“What? So you are interested in Nao’s workplace.” She covered her mouth, chuckling. “Actually, Master, you care about Nao, don’t you?”

“No…” Seeing Nao’s slightly disappointed expression, he changed his mind. “Well, it’s not entirely about caring. You see, it’s not good for me to be idle all the time; I should do something.”

“Do something… adult?” Kuroki Nao began her unique teasing once more.

“Look me in the eyes, I’m serious.” Tang Wenxu, uncharacteristically, didn’t blush at her teasing.

“You’re serious?” Her face instantly flushed wine-red, and she shrugged off her clothes, revealing her bare shoulders. “Then…”

‘It’s best to ignore Nao when she’s in this state for a few minutes,’ he thought.

“Tomorrow, I’m going to your workplace. Can we work together?”

“No,” Nao replied. “We only hire women there.”

“No, huh?” Tang Wenxu didn’t seem particularly disappointed, as if he had expected it. After all, even if Nao refused, he already had other plans.

Nao pondered for a moment. “It’s not impossible. You could cross-dress! Master’s face is very cute; with a little makeup, no one would easily notice.”

“I’m sorry, I’ll take my leave.”

“No, Master, you absolutely must wear women’s clothes! Nao really wants to see it.” Nao, holding the maid uniform she had just taken off, lunged at Tang Wenxu with a mischievous grin.

…

“So cute~” Kuroki Nao had succeeded. She wore a triumphant expression, while Tang Wenxu huddled miserably by the edge of the bed. He had been forcibly dressed in the maid uniform Kuroki Nao had just taken off, complete with white thigh-high stockings.

“…”

“Don’t cry, Nao will take responsibility for Master,” Kuroki Nao declared magnanimously.

“Like hell I’m crying!”

“So, consider it? It’s not shameful to cross-dress for work.”

“I, Tang Wenxu, would rather starve to death, die outside, or jump off a cliff than wear women’s clothes again!” Tang Wenxu refused righteously.

“My dear Master, one day I will make you wear the wedding dress I personally made for you.”

“That day will absolutely never come.” Tang Wenxu thought for a moment. “Personally? Since when do you know how to make clothes?”

“I just started learning recently. I’m an apprentice to an old tailor now. It’s a pity he isn’t taking any more apprentices, otherwise I’d really want to work with Master. What a shame.”

“Ah, it is a bit of a shame. It’s getting late; you should get some sleep. You have to work tomorrow, don’t you?” Tang Wenxu looked at her regretful expression and said gently, “We’ll go to Komi City together tomorrow morning. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely find a job.”

Just as Tang Wenxu was about to get up and leave the room, Kuroki Nao abruptly stopped him.

“Oh, Master, these are the gold coins Nao earned today. Please take them and use them.” Nao pulled out two gold coins, which for an ordinary person, would be more than enough for a day’s worth of food, drink, and entertainment.

“Master, you don’t have to work every day from now on, you know. You can stay home every day like before, it’s fine. I’ll support you.”

“How can I do that? I’m a man, a seven-foot tall man; how can I be a kept man?” Tang Wenxu was deeply moved but still refused.

“Master, why must we be so distant?” Kuroki Nao puffed out her cheeks, looking a little displeased. “Or are you saying you think it’s too little, or that Nao is useless? If you don’t take it, Nao will get angry.”

“You are the best maid, and for your sake, I must become a master worthy of you, which is why I cannot take your money.” With that, he closed the door.

Tang Wenxu was just such a man—a bit chauvinistic and a bit weak-willed. His sense of pride, however, was well within Kuroki Nao’s expectations, for she understood her Master better than anyone. Though his pride seemed somewhat comical, it was also precisely what made him endearing.

Kuroki Nao sniffed the spot where Tang Wenxu had been sitting, murmuring, “My dear Master, my charity isn’t something you can refuse just because you want to, you know~”

Father Kant had provided reliable information earlier. These past few days, Tang Wenxu had been diligently practicing swordsmanship and asking Father Kant many questions about the Adventurers’ Guild. Although he had been advised not to take dangerous jobs, Tang Wenxu was very likely to register as an adventurer at the guild tomorrow.

‘Tomorrow will truly be exciting, my dear Master.’

As if to ensure nothing went wrong, she opened her magical spatial pouch and checked its contents again. Inside were various weapons, a large denomination of gold coin exchange crystals, and… a human skin mask!?