“Oh, another thing . . .”

“What?”

“I’ll be forming divisions to take care of cooking and other small tasks soon, so if any of you are interested in learning how to cook, speak up. Preferably, anyone that isn’t comfortable fighting and would rather avoid it.”

Raphtalia had started helping out with the cooking lately, but it was still just too much.

“I’d like to.”

“Me too.”

One of the girls and the therianthrope named Imiya got out of the carriage.

“You sure?”

I was pretty sure the girl was one of the slaves that Raphtalia had brought to ask for a midnight snack. As for Imiya, he was a therianthrope covered in fur from head to toe. I could just imagine someone complaining that his fur would get in the food. I couldn’t put him in the cooking division, but maybe I could assign him to some other task. He was supposed to be good with his hands. Maybe he had already figured out something else he wanted to do.

“Yeah. I . . . I like cooking. Fighting isn’t really . . . isn’t for me . . .”

“Okay then. It’ll be tough, but do your best.”

I looked at Imiya.

“Umm . . . Those small tasks . . . I . . . I want to do those . . .”

“Alright. I’ll train you both bit by bit, but you’ll still have to level up, too, so don’t think you can get out of that.”

“I know.”

Imiya and the girl nodded and stood by my side.

“We’ll be back.”

Raphtalia waved to us.

“Okay! Off you go!”

“Don’t worry about me, Raphtalia.”

“Huh?”

The girl that had joined the cooking division mumbled as she waved back. What was she saying?

“Okay?”

“I’m not worried!”

Huh? Oh, I get it. He might try to intimidate us, but I’m not scared, so don’t worry. That’s what she meant.

“Okay, we’ll be back!”

“Here we goooo!”

The carriage rattled off into the distance.

“Now then. You two give me a hand.”

“Okay!”

I set about teaching them how to cook and take care of other miscellaneous tasks.

“Bubba Shield, you’re good with your hands.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah! You’re really good at cutting up fish and monsters!”

Being told that didn’t feel bad at all.

“My shield has mysterious powers that make things taste better, so I can’t really take the credit. When you’re cooking, think about the flavor of your . . . parents’ cooking, and try to recreate that.”

“Okay! I’ll teach you how to make something I like, Bubba Shield.”

Flavor of your parents’ cooking . . . I kind of stepped on a landmine with that one, but she’d replied with a smile on her face. I guess it was fine as long as she was smiling.

All said and done, I ended up being the one being taught something new, but whatever.

“Is this how you’re supposed to cut the jewel?”

“Yeah. That’s pretty good for your first time.”