'Am I under an illusion?'

Fafnir stared at the glowing hand-torn chicken in front of him, lost in thought. He couldn't detect any trace of magic, which was very strange.

"Mmm—! This is delicious!" Kobayashi exclaimed, her eyes lighting up the moment she took a small bite. The chicken was springy and juicy, the meat tender. As she chewed, a wave of savory flavor spread across her tongue—the rich aroma from the scallion oil sauce, a perfect hint of sour and spicy, all interwoven with the fresh taste of the chicken, creating layers of flavor.

Kobayashi couldn't help but tilt her chin up slightly. While savoring the taste, she remarked, "This is a great appetizer! And..." she added, "I bet it pairs really well with a drink!"

At the mention of alcohol, Kobayashi's eyes immediately turned to Ryohei Tanaka, who was getting bottles from the liquor cabinet. Was he about to make them cocktails? Her anticipation grew.

'I see! So that's how it's made?'

Her consciousness pulled into the culinary vision, Tohru watched as Ryohei prepared the hand-torn chicken like an alchemist. She felt as if she had learned the recipe and made a mental note to try it when she got home. Of course, she knew she couldn't make it glow under normal circumstances, but that was no problem. As the saying goes: where ability fails, magic prevails! Although Kobayashi had strictly forbidden her from using her "delicious-making magic," she had been struck by inspiration recently and developed a new version. Kobayashi had only banned the old version, not the new one! Tohru planned to give Kobayashi a surprise.

"It certainly would go well with a drink," Makoto Takiya, who was sitting next to Kobayashi, agreed with a nod.

In the open kitchen, Jashin-chan was already preparing the second dish: Sprite-marinated cucumber. To make it, the ends of a cucumber were trimmed, and the middle section was shaved into thin strips with a peeler. The strips were placed in a bowl with chopped chili, sugar, salt, rice vinegar, and enough Sprite to cover them, then chilled in the refrigerator to marinate. It was a perfect dish for summer.

Fafnir took a serving. In a small, palm-sized blue-and-white porcelain bowl, the cucumber slices, as green and translucent as jade carvings, soaked in a crystal-clear Sprite syrup. Tiny bubbles clung to their surface, and a few bright red chili pieces provided a splash of color. It looked incredibly refreshing.

Fafnir picked up a slice with his chopsticks and brought it to his mouth. As he bit down, a faint "crunch" echoed in his ears, and a cool juice burst forth in his mouth. The sweetness of the Sprite and the freshness of the cucumber flowed over his taste buds, perfectly accented by the heat of the chili and the tang of the vinegar. A slight bubbly sensation fizzed on his tongue, like swallowing a gust of cool wind. The texture was truly unique.

Fafnir chewed for a few moments, savoring the taste, then swallowed. A coolness slid down his throat to his stomach, making him feel refreshed and lifting his mood.

And then, in the next instant, he found himself standing in the middle of a garden. He was on a soft, tilled patch of earth, the soles of his shoes sinking into the damp, morning-dewed soil. A vibrant web of green vines crisscrossed before him, their bamboo supports casting fragmented shadows that looked like flecks of gold leaf sprinkled on the ground. The newly-formed tiny cucumbers were still covered in fine fuzz, and bees, their legs laden with pollen, buzzed around the yellow blossoms at their ends. Further away, ripe cucumbers weighed the vines down in graceful arcs, and dewdrops on their skins rolled with the gentle breeze, catching the light and sparkling like diamonds.

...

Ryohei Tanaka always found bartending to be an elegant affair. The ability to choose different ingredients and recipes based on one's mood and creativity to craft a unique drink—the process was extremely enjoyable. Nearly two months had passed since he first started mixing drinks. In that time, he had made hundreds of cocktails and had a few creations he was particularly proud of.

Tonight, he planned to make a "Forest of Fireflies" to treat Lucoa's friends.

He had Jashin-chan bring six cylindrical glasses and fill them with ice. Five of the glasses were filled eight-tenths of the way with sparkling water. He then took a shaker, added some ice, and poured in apple-pear vodka, white rum, blue curaçao, gin, and oolong tea. He capped it and—shake, shake—poured the mixture into the five glasses. The "Forest of Fireflies" was complete.

Without needing to be told, the ever-observant Jashin-chan moved the cocktails to the counter and introduced them to Tohru and the others. "This is the Forest of Fireflies. Please enjoy."

For Kanna, Ryohei mixed orange juice, pineapple juice, and lemon juice with a dash of grenadine to create a Fruit Punch. He stirred it with a bar spoon, garnished it with two lemon slices, and placed the non-alcoholic cocktail on the counter in front of her. "This one's for you, Kanna-kun. It's a non-alcoholic cocktail—a Fruit Punch!"

"Arigato!" Kanna, who was in the middle of eating her Sprite cucumber, looked up and blinked her big, innocent eyes. She hadn't expected to get a cocktail of her own. A happy expression bloomed on her face as she thanked him in her soft, childish voice. Lucoa leaned forward and slid the Fruit Punch closer to her.

Kobayashi looked at Ryohei in surprise, then smiled. "How thoughtful of you! The cocktail looks beautiful, too. I almost don't want to drink it!" Her gaze fell back to her glass.

The "Forest of Fireflies" was stunning. The bottom of the glass was filled with translucent, sparkling water that emitted a soft white glow, which gradually transitioned upwards into a greenish liquid, tinging the light with it. The ice had melted slightly, and the remaining cubes huddled together, suspended near the bottom. Tiny bubbles, like fireflies, drifted up along the sides of the glass. It was too beautiful to drink. Although Kobayashi looked and dressed like a man, she had a girly side.

Tohru, on the other hand, had no such reservations. She picked up the glass with her gloved hand and took a delicate sip. A refreshing coolness immediately spread through her mouth. The drink was light, with a perfect balance of sweet and sour, and a hint of fresh herbs mixed with the fruitiness. It was crisp and not cloying. Even for someone like her who didn't drink much, it was delicious and slightly stunning.

Tohru couldn't help but take another sip. In her beautiful, orange, slit-pupil eyes, the faint glow of twinkling fireflies was suddenly reflected.

~~~

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