"Eight-treasure congee" originally meant a congee made with eight different ingredients. Nowadays, however, many versions contain far more than eight. The one Ryohei Tanaka made today was no exception.

He used japonica rice, glutinous rice, and purple rice as the base, then added peanuts, red dates, lotus seeds, pearl barley, red beans, longans, white fungus, raisins, and goji berries. The resulting congee was thick, lustrous, and emitted a soft, gentle glow.

Persephone II sat at the table, her gaze passing through the rising steam to the deep, purplish-red surface of the congee. The rice grains had been cooked until they were soft and broken down, blending with the beans and barley into a creamy base. The red dates were plump and round, their skins split to reveal golden flesh. The longan meat had absorbed moisture, its translucent pulp glistening like amber. The white fungus had dissolved into silky, snow-like threads, weaving through the gaps between the red beans and lotus seeds. The peanuts had shed their red skins, revealing their creamy white centers. Goji berries dotted the surface like drops of vermilion, and raisins, like little green candied fruits, peeked out from within the congee.

A warm, sweet aroma wafted through the air, whetting the appetite of all who smelled it.

"Itadakimasu!" Persephone II said cheerfully, eagerly picking up her spoon. She scooped up a spoonful of the congee, blew on it gently, and brought it to her lips.

"Mmm—!" 'Super delicious!' Her beautiful, ruby-like eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in pleasure. She savored it slowly. The congee was smooth and velvety, with a rich rice fragrance and the unique sweetness of simmered grains. It melted on her tongue, leaving behind a mellow, lingering aroma. The soft, mealy texture of the red beans added another layer of satisfaction. The peanuts retained a slight crunch, and the white fungus was as smooth as silk. The intense feeling of happiness from that single bite seemed to lessen the pain in her leg.

"There are so many ingredients in the sweet congee today..." Lucoa praised with a smile, taking an elegant sip. "One bite is so satisfying!" The graceful line of her back flowed smoothly to her waist and onto the chair, forming a beautiful curve. The fullness of her chest rose and fell gently with her movements, appearing even softer under the black fabric.

"It's soft, sweet, and has such a rich, complex texture..." Yurine said, also praising the dish. She took a small taste, a smile of contentment spreading across her face. "It's delicious!"

Next to them, Minos had her face buried in her bowl, her tail wagging as she slurped down the congee with a "slurp, slurp" sound. If you didn't see her, you might have thought you were listening to a pig at a trough.

...

Japonica rice boosts the immune system and promotes blood circulation. Pearl barley aids metabolism and reduces gastrointestinal burden. Lotus seeds can lower blood pressure, calm the heart and nerves, and provide nourishment. Red dates also enhance immunity and have excellent restorative properties... Eight-treasure congee has been considered a medicinal food since ancient times.

As the warm congee settled in their stomachs, a gentle warmth spread outwards, and the sweet taste lingered on their tongues. "Hah..." Minos put down her bowl, tilted her chin up in satisfaction, and exhaled a breath of sweet-smelling warm air. She felt a gentle warmth flowing through her limbs, as if every grain and every 'medicinal' ingredient was releasing its pure energy within her body. She felt completely at ease.

Suddenly, a scorching heat erupted from her meridians, and the medicinal power steamed out through her skin. For a moment, she imagined the clothes on her body bursting apart and scattering like scraps of cloth. "Ugh..." Minos instinctively raised her hands to cover her chest, only to feel the soft fabric of her clothes. She blinked, looked down, and realized her clothes were perfectly fine. "...You scared me!" Realizing it was just her imagination, she lowered her hands and stood up. "I thought my clothes had exploded!" she grumbled, heading to the kitchen for another bowl. One bowl was naturally not enough for her; she usually ate three.

"Clothes exploded?" Jashin-chan, who believed that the strong had no need for clothes, looked at Minos's back, a little confused about what she meant.

The others, however, understood.

"Today's congee is really something else!" Lucoa's lips curved into a smile as she looked at Ryohei. She lifted her left eyelid and said in a seductive tone, "Is Tanaka-kun trying to give me some kind of instruction through his cooking? I'm fine with it! Just say the word, and I'll put on a show for you."

Yurine shot the shameless Lucoa a sidelong glance, while Ryohei, for his part, was actually a little tempted. But... "I'm not! I didn't! Behave yourself!" He suppressed the thought and waved his hand dismissively.

"This offer is valid forever," Lucoa said with a smile, ignoring his refusal and taking another sip of congee.

Yurine felt she could no longer tolerate this. She turned her head, looking around. "Where's my hatchet? Where did I put it?"

"I'll go get it for you!" Jashin-chan's eyes lit up. She eagerly put down her bowl and darted out of the living room.

Even Yurine herself was taken aback, then speechless.

"Let's just chop her up first," Ryohei suggested to Yurine. That little devil was actually fanning the flames. She really deserved to be cut into eight pieces.

"Mmm, okay," Yurine nodded lightly. Her reddish-brown eyes shifted to Ryohei, and she smiled sweetly. "And who's next? Who do you think we should chop up after that, Tanaka-kun?"

"You're not going to chop me up, are you?" Ryohei was stumped. He felt that whatever he said now would be wrong.

Yurine just hummed. Of course, she couldn't chop up Ryohei, but she was seriously considering chopping up Lucoa. It wasn't the first time the thought had crossed her mind.

"If you're going to chop me up, I'll run," Lucoa said matter-of-factly. She had a good sense of self-preservation and figured Yurine was probably targeting her. Not wanting to put Ryohei in a difficult position, she decided it was best to make a strategic retreat and lie low at a friend's place for a while. Though she said this, her tone was calm, as if she were talking about something trivial.

"Tsk—!" Yurine clicked her tongue.

...

Minos had a habit of eating: first, she would wolf down her food, and then she would savor it. Now, she was taking small sips of her congee and listening to their conversation. She looked from Yurine to Lucoa. 'Are they really going to fight?' She wasn't sure. It seemed like Yurine might actually do it, but it was also possible she was just talking. They had never really fought before.

Persephone II peeked at Yurine. She still had a good impression of her, but she didn't quite match the description Ryohei had given. Was she really a gentle person? Or was it that... 'The meaning of 'gentle' in the human world is different from in the Demon World?' Persephone II was lost in thought.

"Yurine, I brought the hatchet!" Soon, Jashin-chan returned, brandishing a sharp hatchet, looking thrilled.

"Time to go," Lucoa said, glancing at her. She picked up her unfinished bowl of congee and vanished from the living room.

Jashin-chan froze, then complained loudly, "Why'd she run? What's she running for? What a coward!" She was disappointed she didn't get to see the main wife versus the mistress drama, and she had also been planning to sneak-attack Yurine. Now her plan was ruined.

Meanwhile, at the Kobayashi residence, they were also just starting their breakfast...