"Ding-dong—!"

The clear sound of the doorbell rang.

"Coming," Tohru called out, getting up to open the door. "What brings you here so early today? Have you eaten?" the dragon maid asked casually to Lucoa, who was standing outside.

"I'm here to lie low for a bit. And yes, I'm in the middle of eating." Lucoa held up the bowl of eight-treasure congee with a smile.

"Hm?" Tohru's expression turned to one of surprise. 'Lie low?' She looked at the congee in Lucoa's hand, and her surprise deepened. She stepped back to let her in, asking curiously, "What are you hiding from? And what's that...?"

"I was just trying to give a human friend a little... bonus, but his family wasn't too happy about it. They even wanted to come at me with a hatchet..." Lucoa slipped off her shoes, her silk-stockinged feet padding onto the floor. She put on a mock-melancholy expression and sighed dramatically before raising the bowl with a smile. "As for this... it's called eight-treasure congee. That friend of mine made it. It's really delicious, you know. Want to try some? I can share."

"Isn't that human friend's family a bit ungrateful? You offer him a bonus, and they want to chop you up!" Tohru rolled up her sleeves in righteous indignation, her hands almost transforming into dragon claws as she stood up for Lucoa. Her reaction was so strong that it made Lucoa a little embarrassed.

"It's not that serious, really..." she said, waving her hands dismissively.

"...Alright, then." Tohru respected her wishes and let it go. Her gaze fell on the bowl of congee. She had seen similar glowing dishes on TV before. "Is that friend of yours from this world?" she asked. "The Culinary Sage?"

"What Culinary Sage?" Kobayashi, who was eating breakfast at the table, overheard their conversation and turned to Lucoa. "By the way, Miss Lucoa, why would someone's family want to chop you up for giving them a 'bonus'? Was there some kind of misunderstanding?"

Kanna's eyes, however, were fixed on the bowl in Lucoa's hand. She had heard Lucoa offer to share. Her small nose twitched as she caught the warm, rich, sweet aroma. It smelled delicious. Her sky-blue eyes lit up as if stars were dancing within them.

"Mhm," Lucoa nodded at Tohru, answering her question. She then walked over to Kobayashi and placed the bowl on the table.

Kanna saw the gently glowing congee and her small mouth opened in a tiny "o." "Sugoi!" she whispered in her child-like voice. "It's glowing!"

Lucoa smiled at Kanna, pulled out a chair, and sat down. She turned to Kobayashi, who was staring at the congee in amazement, and waved a hand. "No misunderstanding... it was mostly my fault." She scratched her cheek with a finger, no longer joking. "I asked my friend if he wanted to see my clothes explode and offered to perform for him. His girlfriend probably got a little jealous, and then someone who loves to stir up trouble went to get a hatchet, so I made a run for it." Lucoa figured Yurine was probably just bluffing at first, but then Jashin-chan actually went to get the hatchet. Once the weapon was in hand, she probably would have had to use it to save face.

"Huh!?" Kobayashi, who had been marveling at the fact that Lucoa's friend was the Culinary Sage, was now staring at her in shock. So that's what you meant by 'bonus'? No wonder his 'family' wasn't happy! I wouldn't be happy either! You completely deserved to be chased with a hatchet! Kobayashi was screaming internally, her mind in chaos as she looked at Lucoa in a completely new light.

"I see!" Tohru, who had returned from the kitchen with three small bowls, was also speechless. She looked down at Lucoa, her eyes narrowed. "And here I was, thinking your friend's family was so ungrateful. It turns out you were the problem all along!" Tohru looked like she had a toothache. She was fond of Kobayashi, so she could understand Yurine's feelings.

"Ahaha—!" Lucoa laughed, trying to charm her way out of the situation. She spooned some congee into each bowl, changing the subject. "Here, everyone, have a taste."

The moment she finished speaking, Kanna reached out a small hand, picked up a bowl, tilted her head back, and poured the contents into her mouth.

The instant the congee touched her tongue, she tasted the sweetness of the grains. The texture was smooth and silky. With a gentle press of her tongue, the various ingredients, enveloped in the thick, creamy base, melted in her mouth. The lotus seeds were soft but not mushy, the red beans were sandy but not paste-like, and the pearl barley still had a slight, chewy bite. The longan meat, saturated with moisture, was as soft as candied fruit, while the raisins burst with a sweet and sour juice between her teeth...

It was unbelievably delicious and conquered Kanna's taste buds in an instant. Her blue eyes widened, a bright light flashing within them.

But what truly amazed Kanna was that after she swallowed, a strange energy surged through her body. This energy quickly burst forth, and the clothes she had transformed from her dragon scales were torn to shreds, scattering like confetti in the air.

"...Incredible!" Σ(◯Δ◯∥) Kanna, still holding the bowl, had a look of utter shock on her usually deadpan face. It was the first time she had ever eaten such a dish.

"Whoa—! What's with this congee!?" Kobayashi, whose clothes had also exploded, instinctively covered her flat chest, completely stunned. Who could she complain to about this? She drank some congee, and her clothes disappeared!

"...!" Tohru's eyes also widened in shock as she watched her black and white maid outfit disintegrate in the wave of energy emanating from her body. Her golden twin-tails whipped back like wheat in a hurricane, rustling in the invisible wind.

"This is his cooking. Delicious, isn't it?" Lucoa rested her chin on her palm, her head tilted slightly. Her usually closed eyes were now open, revealing one golden-and-blue eye and one green one, a stunningly beautiful combination. For some reason, she felt a long-forgotten sense of pride, like she had found a treasure and was showing it off to her friends.