Waking up to an unfamiliar ceiling, Yuu lifted the blanket, still wearing his swordsman outfit from when he logged out. After confirming the only name on his friend list was lit up, he summoned his one-handed sword to his back, left the guest room, and knocked twice on the master bedroom door next to it.
"You ready?"
"Not yet! Don't rush a lady changing clothes, you jerk!"
Asuna's dissatisfied complaint came from behind the door, sounding like a girlfriend who needed half an hour to get ready before going out. Yuu could only resignedly shout, "I'll wait downstairs, hurry up!"
"I know~"
Yuu really wanted to ask, "What's the point of wearing pajamas in a game?" but he immediately dismissed the foolish idea when he remembered she might come up with ten reasons and argue with him. He turned and headed downstairs.
The living room, styled in Western European fashion, was complete with a wooden table, fireplace, and rocking chair. Clean white curtains quietly covered the nighttime view outside. The adjacent kitchen had a large oven and a full set of cooking utensils. If you didn't look closely, you might mistake it for a real-world villa—the realism was stunning.
Yuu sat on the brown sofa, unsure what kind of leather it was made of, but it felt more comfortable than his real-world couch. He let his entire body sink into its soft embrace, looking around. Though they'd just moved in, the house was already fully furnished, and the decor clearly exuded a warm, intimate vibe for a couple. The soft yellow lamplight illuminated every corner, somehow giving a sense of safety and comfort.
"Maybe it was designed by a professional," he thought unromantically.
Not long after, Asuna came downstairs, greeting him casually.
"Good evening, Yuu-kun."
"Good…" His words stopped midway, and Yuu frowned slightly. "Asuna, why are you still in casual clothes? You know we're about to go on a mission, right?"
"Of course I know. I'll change before we leave~" Asuna waved her hand nonchalantly, then turned toward the kitchen, looking around curiously before picking up a kitchen knife.
"Besides, isn't it weird to cook in armor? It totally kills the vibe, and you can't make good food like that!"
"Cook?" Leaning his head on the sofa's backrest, Yuu turned to her in surprise. "You're cooking now?"
"Of course!"
The silver knife gleamed as it spun three times in the air. Asuna gripped the handle confidently, her face showing an eager expression.
"Otherwise, why did I learn this skill? It's all for provisions during the mission!"
Yuu spread his hands. "Alright, cooking in a game probably doesn't take long anyway. Since we got a free kitchen, might as well use it to practice your cooking skill."
"Ugh… Can't you phrase it a bit nicer?" Asuna puffed out her cheeks, giving him a childish glare.
Yuu smiled and stood from the sofa. "Sorry, sorry. You cook first, then. I'll go out and check the situation—there should be info about the trial."
"Okay, be careful~"
After her cheerful voice faded, the girl began familiarizing herself with cooking in the game, while the young man stepped into the brightly lit night, habitually gathering information.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Not long after, Yuu closed the front door, returning to the warm living room.
"So that's how it works…"
Muttering thoughtfully, he was about to share his findings with Asuna when he heard her call from the kitchen.
"Yuu-kun, perfect timing. Come here for a sec!"
"What's up?"
Setting his thoughts aside for now, Yuu entered the kitchen and stood beside her. The first thing he saw was four soy-sauce pork sandwiches on the counter. They looked identical to those sold in shops, even faintly carrying the aroma of sauce from the pork.
Yuu raised his eyebrows, about to praise her: "Nailed it on your first try? They don't—"
"Heh!"
Something soft and fluffy cut off his words—a piece of toast stuffed with fried egg, pork, and lettuce. Caught off guard, Yuu didn't dodge and obediently chewed, swallowed, then looked at the girl beside him.
Asuna blinked her clear eyes, her brown hair falling to one side with her head's movement, gazing at him expectantly.
"How is it? Good?"
After a brief pause, Yuu, force-fed, answered honestly:
"Delicious."
"Hmph hmph~"
Her expression lit up instantly. Asuna brushed the crumbs off her hands, then proudly put one hand on her hip, puffing out her chest.
"I made it perfectly following Grandma Martha's recipe—of course it's delicious!"
After showing off, she suddenly grabbed the kitchen knife from the cutting board, vaguely pointing it at him with a sweet, friendly smile:
"And next time you want to comment on my cooking, please eat first before talking, got it?"
The glinting knife reflected on her face. Yuu raised both hands, slowly backing away while explaining seriously.
"I was just going to comment on how they look. They're like store-bought bread—no careless intentions at all."
"Really? Well, thanks for the compliment then."
Asuna shrugged indifferently, finally setting the knife down, then pushed him out of the kitchen.
"Alright, alright~ Just wait in the living room! I'll bring the snacks later."
"There's snacks too…" As he walked out, Yuu glanced back at her.
She tilted her small face up, showing a soft, cheerful smile slightly different from usual.
"Of course! First time cooking in the house—how could I be satisfied with just a few sandwiches?"
"In the house?" Yuu couldn't help but be surprised. Asuna already considered this temporary lodging their home?
As if realizing her words were off, Asuna quickly cleared her throat, correcting herself seriously: "This is a house in the virtual world. I've cooked in the real world too!"
"Oh, I see…"
Yuu gave a resigned smile, saying nothing more, then followed the warmth of her hand back to the living room. About ten minutes later, Asuna came out carrying a wooden tea tray with a teapot, a plate of biscuits, and two white porcelain teacups.
"Tadaa, afternoon tea set~"
Asuna smiled and sat across from him, arranging the items on the tray one by one, speaking happily: "This place really has everything. Though the style's not quite to my taste, it'll do for now—we can buy new stuff later."
"You're even planning to replace the teacups? You're really going all out…"
Picking up the teacup filled with tea, Yuu thanked her and took a sip. The tea was light yet fragrant, as if red and blue flowers bloomed through the mist—a delicious herbal tea that refreshed the mind.
He took a biscuit and ate it with the tea. The two blended as they slid down his throat, the warm aroma seemingly melting his entire body from his stomach, enveloping his head from within. As an expert-level chef, Yuu couldn't help nodding repeatedly—though this was a virtual world, the sensation of delicious food felt incredibly real.
"Good?"
Asuna propped her chin with both hands, not eating herself, just smiling as she watched him enjoy it with closed eyes.
Snapping back, Yuu answered in a serious tone:
"Really good."
Asuna's smile brightened even more.
"As long as it's good! I made these biscuits while thinking about how you teased me about constipation at noon, and I put in all my feelings~"
"…"
His hand, reaching for another biscuit, froze midair. Yuu frowned slightly, giving her a strange look.
Asuna initially tried to maintain her {What are you looking at? Realize your own foolishness} expression, but being stared at so directly, she couldn't help giggling, covering her slightly flushed face with the back of her hand.
"Haha, just kidding~ Eat, eat, I'll send you the sandwiches first…"
Taking a deep breath, brushing the hair falling over her eyes behind her ear, Asuna slid her right hand down, opened a window, and sent him a trade request. After Yuu clicked accept, she also placed a scroll in the trade window.
"This is…?"