The Elegant Dining Table of the Pendragon Family: Satou's Deduction Fails Again Today
Satou Pendragon, former programmer turned adventurer, prides himself on logic. So when the sasakama he *knows* was delivered vanishes from a perfectly functioning refrigerator—with every window locked from the inside—he does what any rational mind would do: he deduces.
Unfortunately for Satou, his deductions are wrong. Again.
Between a household of hungry companions, a fish that may or may not have ever arrived, and a so-called "presence" that turns out to be his own party member, Satou's dete
The Elegant Dining Table of the Pendragon Family: Satou's Deduction Fails Again Today - The Sasakama Festival Was a Huge Success! Even If the Deduction Was Wrong, the Dining Table Was Full of Smiles
The sunset was painting the cobblestones of Seryu City orange.
The bustle of the shopping district was slowly being swallowed by the quiet that marked the end of the festival. The frames of the stalls that had been so frantically busy now stretched long shadows across the ground, and only the footsteps of people who had finished cleaning up echoed sporadically here and there.
"...I'm exhausted."
Satou Pendragon dragged his heavy feet along the road toward the mansion. A cloth bag filled with festival supplies hung from his shoulder. Dried sweat clung to the back of his neck.
"The Sasakama Festival was a huge success."
He muttered to no one in particular. The air brushed coolly against his cheeks.
"It was a huge success, sir! Pochi has never seen so many people eating sasakama before!"
Pochi bounced along beside Satou, her brown bob cut swaying. Her dog ears stood perked up with delight. Her tail was swishing through the evening breeze.
"The stall's sasakama disappeared in no time."
Tama narrowed her golden cat eyes between her short black locks and spoke lazily. In her hands was a small package she'd apparently gotten at the festival. It probably contained something sweet.
"You girls, how can you eat that much and be fine?"
Arisa said with a hint of exasperation, her long silver hair swaying in the evening wind. Her emerald green eyes glared at Pochi and Tama.
"Festival food goes to a separate stomach, sir!"
"Tama too. Separate stomach."
"...That theory, I'm starting to seriously wonder about it."
Arisa pressed a hand to her forehead. A deep sigh escaped between her fingers.
"Well, it's good that you're energetic."
Satou smiled wryly and lightly patted both their heads. Pochi's hair was slightly damp with sweat. Tama's hair slipped smoothly through his fingers.
"Liza, you okay? Not tired?"
Satou called out to Liza, who was walking quietly behind. Her dark green straight hair glowed softly in the sunset. Her amber, vertically slit eyes looked straight ahead.
"...No problem."
Liza answered briefly. Her voice was quiet, as if melting into the twilight air.
"Liza worked so hard at the festival too, sir! She was super cool!"
Pochi clung to Liza's arm. Liza's brow twitched slightly, but she didn't shake her off.
"...Is that so."
"Yeah! Pochi saw Liza carrying three whole wooden crates, sir!"
"Liza is strong."
Tama gently touched Liza's tail. Liza's tail twitched.
"...Don't touch."
"Aww."
"Don't touch."
"Okay."
Tama obediently withdrew her hand. But her golden eyes were still chasing Liza's tail.
"Come on, let's hurry home. We still need to make dinner."
"Right. Tonight, I'll cook up some sasakama dishes that were a hit at the festival for dinner too."
At Satou's words, Pochi's and Tama's ears twitched in unison.
"Sasakama! Sasakama for dinner too, sir!?"
"Tama loves sasakama."
"Yeah. Solna gave us the leftovers from the festival. I'll use that and make something extravagant."
"Yay! Pochi's tummy is already growling, sir!"
"You were eating at the stalls just a minute ago..."
"That was just eating the festival atmosphere, sir! Real food comes now, sir!"
"Tama also likes Satou's cooking best."
"...Hearing that makes it worth cooking."
Satou smiled, looking a little embarrassed.
When they reached the mansion, Satou headed straight for the kitchen. The fatigue of the festival weighed heavily on his shoulders. But once he gripped a knife, his body moved surprisingly well.
(Alright, let's cook.)
Satou took the sasakama out of the refrigerator. The blue lumina light quietly illuminated the interior. The cool air wrapped around his palms.
"I'll help."
Arisa stood at the kitchen entrance. Her silver hair was tied back in a single bundle.
"That'd help. Then can you cut the vegetables?"
"Sure. ...Oh, right. Don't bother coming up with a dish name today, okay?"
Arisa said pointedly as she picked up a knife.
"...I won't."
Satou smiled wryly.
"Really? When you started saying 'Sasakama Crystal Dream' at the festival, I didn't know what to think."
"That was, well, the momentum of the moment..."
"That's not a name you come up with from momentum."
"...I have no excuse."
Satou's shoulders slumped.
"Well, it tasted amazing, so I'll forgive you."
Arisa chuckled softly. Her smile looked gentle in the light of the crystal lamp in the kitchen.
"Thanks. ...I'll use a proper dish name today."
"Of course you will."
The two of them began cooking side by side. Satou deftly prepared the sasakama while Arisa cut the vegetables. The sound of knives echoed rhythmically through the kitchen.
"...Satou, hey."
"Hm?"
"Today's festival was fun."
Arisa said quietly as she cut the vegetables.
"Yeah. It was a lot of work, but it was fun."
"Your deductions were off the mark as usual, though."
"...Please don't bring that up again."
Satou grimaced.
"But hey, in the end everyone had a good time, so isn't that fine?"
"Yeah. ...My deductions may have missed, but food eaten together really is the best."
Satou said with feeling as he worked his hands.
"Deductions were unnecessary from the start, weren't they?"
Arisa giggled.
"Ugh..."
Satou clutched his chest.
"But it's true that Satou's cooking is delicious."
Arisa looked straight at Satou. Her emerald green eyes caught the light of the crystal lamp and sparkled.
"...Yeah. Thanks."
Satou turned his face away, a little embarrassed.
(What was that, all of a sudden?)
Something deep in his chest grew just a little warm.
Before long, the dishes were laid out on the table. Sasakama miso soup. Grilled dried fish. Sasakama mixed rice. And a dressed dish made with the leftover festival vegetables. Steam danced swaying above the table.
"Wow! What a feast, sir!"
Pochi bounced up and down on her chair.
"Smells good."
Tama's nose twitched, her eyes sparkling.
"Liza, sit down. You worked hard today too, so take your time eating."
"...Got it."
Liza quietly sat down in her chair. Her amber eyes gazed steadily at the dishes on the table.
"Alright, let's eat."
"["Thanks for the food."]"
Pochi and Tama's energetic voices rang out across the table.
"Thanks for the food."
Satou also murmured a small "thanks for the food" and picked up his chopsticks.
Pochi stuffed a piece of grilled sasakama into her mouth with gusto.
"Delicious! Way too delicious, sir! Pochi's mouth is full of happiness, sir!"
"Tama likes this too."
Tama quietly sipped her miso soup.
"...Delicious."
Liza took a sip of soup and murmured briefly. Her voice was very small, but it reached everyone at the table clearly.
"...Thank you, Liza."
Satou smiled at Liza, embarrassed. Liza said nothing and took another sip of soup.
"Liza said it's delicious, sir! Amazing, sir!"
"Liza rarely gives her impressions, so that's precious."
"...Shut up."
Liza's cheeks flushed slightly.
"Fufu."
Arisa laughed happily.
"Alright, I'll eat too."
Satou brought the sasakama mixed rice to his mouth. The umami of the sasakama had soaked through the entire dish.
(Yeah, I did pretty well, if I do say so myself.)
"...My deductions may have missed, but food eaten together really is the best."
Satou murmured with feeling.
"Deductions were unnecessary from the start, weren't they?"
"Could you retort a little more gently there?"
"Can't. That's my job."
"...I see."
Satou smiled wryly.
"Seconds, sir!"
Pochi held up her empty bowl high with both hands.
"Tama too. Seconds."
Tama also held out her bowl.
"S-Seconds, huh. Hold on a moment."
As Satou stood up to serve the seconds, Arisa said with exasperation.
"How much stall food do you think you two ate at the festival?"
"Festival food goes to a separate stomach, sir!"
"Tama too. Separate stomach. Can still eat sweets."
"...Separate stomach — what's going on with your stomachs?"
Arisa glared at the two of them.
"Uh... Arisa, your bowl's empty too. Want seconds?"
Satou said, looking at Arisa's bowl.
"...Huh?"
Arisa looked at her own bowl. It was indeed empty.
"...I'll have seconds too."
Arisa held out her bowl, looking a little awkward.
"...Separate stomach?"
"No! Mine was just normal hunger!"
"Yeah, yeah."
Satou laughed as he served rice into Arisa's bowl too.
"Arisa has a separate stomach too, sir!"
"I said that's not it!"
"Arisa thought it was delicious too, huh."
"...Well, it is delicious."
Arisa murmured quietly.
"You're not being honest, sir!"
"Oh, be quiet."
Laughter echoed across the table.
That was when it happened.
Knock knock.
There was a sound at the front door.
"...Who's that?"
Satou tilted his head.
"I'll go."
Liza quietly stood up.
"Ah, Liza, I'll come with you."
Satou followed after Liza.
When they opened the front door, a boy with a grumpy expression stood there. Short brown hair. Slightly dirty clothes. A large paper package in his hands.
"Orion?"
"...Hey."
Orion Muno said brusquely.
"What's up, at this hour?"
"My sister said there were leftovers, so take them."
Orion thrust the paper package toward Satou.
"Sasakama?"
"...Yeah. The stuff left over from the festival. It hasn't gone bad, so it should be edible."
"Thanks. That helps. ...But you came all the way to deliver it?"
"...Well, you helped me out at the festival."
Orion said in a low voice. His gaze wandered restlessly around Satou's feet.
"...Did you come to say thanks?"
"N-No! My sister told me to bring it, so I just brought it!"
Orion's face reddened as he raised his voice.
"My, aren't we not honest."
At some point, Arisa had appeared behind Satou. She was grinning.
"Shut up! It's none of your business!"
"Yeah, yeah. ...Satou, isn't this perfect timing? Why don't you have Orion join us for dinner too?"
"Ah, right. Orion, have you eaten dinner yet?"
"...Not yet, but."
"Then come eat with us. We've got plenty of sasakama dishes."
"...I'm fine, really."
"Don't be shy. You came all this way. Right, Liza?"
"...There's a seat."
Liza said briefly.
"See, Liza says so too."
"...Fine. Just a little."
Orion stepped through the entrance, looking embarrassed.
"Excuse me for intruding..."
Orion's voice was so small it nearly vanished.
"Orion's joining us too, sir! Today's a lively dinner, sir!"
Pochi happily circled around Orion.
"Shut up, dog."
"Pochi is not a dog, sir! Pochi is a dog-type beastman, sir!"
"Same thing."
"It's not the same, sir!"
"Yeah, yeah."
Orion sat down in a chair at the table.
"Orion, tea."
Tama placed a teacup filled with tea in front of Orion.
"...Ah, thanks."
Orion looked at Tama with a slightly surprised expression.
"You're welcome."
Tama smiled brightly.
"Then I'll serve your portion too, so wait a moment."
Satou headed to the kitchen.
"...I don't eat that much."
"Don't be shy. You're young, so eat up."
"...You're the same age as me, you know."
"Right, I am. Then as a same-aged peer, eat up."
"...That makes no sense."
Orion chuckled softly.
Before long, warm dishes were laid out in front of Orion too.
"...Thanks for the food."
Orion murmured quietly and took a sip of miso soup.
"...It's good."
Orion said quietly.
"Right?"
"...Well, it loses to my sister's cooking, though."
"I see. I'd like to try Solna's cooking sometime."
"My sister's cooking is more, you know, homey..."
"Homey, huh. I think mine's pretty homey too."
"...You think so?"
"Don't you?"
"Well, I'll admit it's good."
Orion said, embarrassed.
"You're so not honest."
"Shut up!"
Laughter echoed across the table again.
"Satou, Pochi wants another serving too, sir!"
"Tama too."
"You girls really do eat a lot..."
"We're growing, sir!"
"You're not the only ones growing, you know."
Satou laughed as he served the seconds.
"...Satou, I'll have a little more too."
Orion quietly held out his empty bowl.
"Oh, sure. Eat plenty."
"...Yeah."
Orion smiled faintly.
(Somehow, this is nice.)
Satou looked around at everyone gathered at the table.
Pochi was stuffing her face with rice while wagging her tail vigorously. Tama was happily sipping her miso s
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