Like Lock and Ryukyu, both of them liked green peppers very much. Green peppers appeared as a side dish on their table at almost every meal.
But for Nejire and Jiro Kyoka, the two of them showed the same frightened expressions they had earlier when facing preserved eggs, staring at the green peppers as if they were a natural enemy.
Lock said confidently, "Don't worry. It's definitely not the green pepper method you're imagining. I guarantee you'll be satisfied."
Japanese people generally didn't like eating green peppers, and many anime protagonists were even given the standard setting of hating them.
To a certain extent, this reflected the author's own preferences.
The main reason was that Japanese elementary school lunches were uniformly provided by schools, and menus were designed according to student growth needs.
The green peppers in those meals weren't stir-fried with eggs or meat, but boiled with a small amount of oil. Green peppers already had a strong smell, and only became fragrant when stir-fried over high heat.
Boiled in water…
Anyone who had tried it knew—this was genuine dark cuisine.
Lock smiled. "Nejire, cut the green peppers in half, wash out all the seeds inside, remove the stem ends, and then slice them into thin strips."
"O–Okay!"
Nejire took a deep breath. Although she had a traumatic impression of boiled green peppers, since Lock promised this time would be different, she decided to trust him.
"Kyoka, peel the tomatoes and beat the eggs into a bowl," Lock added.
"Hmph, leave it to me," Jiro Kyoka snorted and went off to work in the corner.
Ryukyu was washing rice. Thankfully, the rice cooker was large enough—otherwise there wouldn't be enough for so many people.
Most of the remaining ingredients were handled by Lock himself.
Fish was indispensable on the table. To save time, he decided to slice the tuna into sashimi.
There were also shrimp. Lock planned to make shrimp tempura, a very common dish in Japanese cuisine.
Time passed quietly.
Before anyone realized it, all the ingredients were ready, waiting to be cooked.
On the other side, Nejire had been squatting by the trash can, cleaning out the pepper seeds. After finishing, she prepared to stand up.
At the same time, because her eyes had grown sore from staring too long, she subconsciously raised her hand and rubbed them lightly with her fingers.
The result—
A burning sensation instantly spread from her hand. Nejire shut her eyes in pain, and after squatting for so long, her legs felt weak when she stood up.
Panicking, her unsteady body lost balance, and she fell backward.
"Careful!"
Lock reacted instantly. An arm shot out from the side and caught her, pulling her into his arms.
"..."
The air fell silent.
His shout made the rest of the girls who were watching idly turn their heads in unison. Ryukyu looked at Nejire and Lock with a meaningful, almost teasing gaze.
Being held so suddenly, Nejire caught that familiar masculine scent. Her face flushed red at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"Aunt Ryukyu, could you bring some tissues and help Nejire wash her eyes?" Lock said calmly.
Under the subtle gazes around them, his expression didn't change. He steadied Nejire, then stepped back and explained evenly, "Falling is dangerous."
"Mm…"
Nejire bit her lip. Her posture was awkward, and the lingering numbness from her waist made her feel both embarrassed and irritated.
Unexpected situations like helping someone like this were always dangerous—whether up or down.
Nejire knew her waist was very sensitive. It was a clear weakness.
"Ah? What just happened?" Mt. Lady asked casually from the living room.
Jiro Kyoka also turned around. Not seeing everything clearly, she frowned slightly. "Lock?"
I always feel like there are so many accidents whenever Nejire is around… Lock complained silently as he prepared to explain. He had no intention of taking advantage of anyone.
At that moment, Sirius spoke up, drawing everyone's attention.
"I saw it clearly. Nejire almost fell, and the director just happened to be standing next to her and supported her."
"So that's what happened," Mt. Lady said, immediately losing interest. She turned back to the TV.
Jiro Kyoka wasn't angry either. She felt a little uneasy, but since it was clearly an accident, there was nothing she could say.
Lock silently praised Sirius in his heart. If he had been the one to explain just now, it might not have been believed—or would have raised more questions.
Sirius, who was purely eating melon, had resolved the situation in just a few words.
When year-end bonuses came around, Lock had already decided—Sirius would be getting a big red envelope.
The atmosphere quickly returned to calm.
Those watching continued watching, and those working in the kitchen kept working.
As for Nejire, who had washed her eyes and calmed down, she was still very embarrassed—but she quietly let out a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, she had only been caught just now. If something like the bathroom incident from that day had happened again, she would have been so ashamed and angry y she wouldn't have been able to stand it.
At the same time, Nejire realized she hadn't felt repulsed at all when Lock held her.
Instead, his arms had felt warm and reliable—completely different from the first time they met, when Lock needed her care like a younger brother.
"Nejire, why don't you go rest in the living room and leave the rest to us?" Lock said.
His voice snapped Nejire out of her wandering thoughts. She really was a bit flustered now, so she nodded and left the kitchen without refusing.
All of this was seen by Ryukyu. She nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Lock. "Is it just me, or…?"
"Let's do it together," Lock replied.
There happened to be two stoves in the kitchen. Ryukyu handled the deep-fried dishes, while Lock took charge of stir-frying.
Lock turned on the heat and poured oil into the pan. When the oil reached the right temperature, he added the green peppers.
His Fire Dragon Slayer Magic was surprisingly useful in daily life—his control over flame and temperature was extremely precise.
Then the thin strips went in, stir-fried, followed by seasonings.
Very soon, a wonderful chemical reaction took place, and a tempting aroma spread through the air.
"Smells amazing…"
Both the girls in the kitchen and the melon-eaters in the living room looked over curiously.
Seeing Lock in an apron, spatula in hand, Mt. Lady commented, "The director is really skilled. Looks like he truly knows how to cook."
Hatsume Mei nodded. "Lock looks like a professional chef."
Sirius smiled. "Don't you think the director looks like a househusband?"
"A house cook?"
"That actually fits."
"The room's clean, his cooking looks effortless, and his domestic ability is maxed out!"
And just like that—
Without Lock knowing it, he had earned himself the title of househusband.
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A/N: 40+ Advance Chapter Has Been Uploaded.
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