Chapter 66: "I'm Not a Gluttonous Demon!"
Steak is one of the most common and classic dishes in Western cuisine, typically prepared by pan-searing or grilling. It's a method beloved by foodies all over the world because it preserves the natural flavor of the meat while developing a rich, fragrant crust.
Ryohei decided to pan-sear the steaks.
Wearing his apron, he stood before the stove, snipped open a vacuum-sealed bag with a pair of scissors, and took out a thick-cut steak that was slightly larger than his palm. It was a beautiful, substantial piece of meat, a full 3 centimeters thick. It had a deep red luster, with clear, fine muscle grain and fat marbled evenly throughout like a piece of fine art. You could tell just by looking at it that it was a top-quality steak.
A classic black pepper steak should do the trick, Ryohei decided after a moment's thought.
He took the other two steaks out of their bags, patted them dry with a paper towel to remove any excess blood, and placed them on a plate. He then evenly coated them with a layer of olive oil and seasoned them with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.
"Minos, how do you like your steak cooked?" Ryohei asked, turning to look at Minos and Jashin-chan, who were busy stuffing the rest of the steaks into the refrigerator.
"Hmm…" Minos paused her work and tilted her head. "I'm fine with anything. You can just decide for me." She could eat it at any level of doneness, and sometimes, when she was impatient, she'd just eat it raw.
"Alright, medium-well for me, then," Ryohei said, going with his own preference. He didn't like it too rare or too well-done.
He then turned to Jashin-chan. "What about you?"
"I want mine medium-rare. I like a more tender texture," she said, closing the fridge door and holding up five fingers.
"Oh, I like it more tender, too," Minos quickly added, raising her hand.
"Okay, two medium-rares it is," Ryohei nodded. He then called out to the living room where Yurine was curiously examining the bottles of Demon World wine. She also requested medium-well.
The steaks needed about fifteen minutes to marinate. Ryohei used the time to prepare some side dishes for Minos, who hadn't eaten breakfast. He took out some broccoli, a tomato, an egg, and a bundle of udon noodles.
In the living room, Minos saw Yurine looking at the wine she'd brought. "Want to have a drink, Yurine-chan?" she offered enthusiastically.
"No, thank you. I have classes later," Yurine replied, putting the bottle down. Getting drunk would be a disaster.
"I see. Well, we can drink when you get back," Minos said. She then grabbed her backpack and suitcase. "I'm going to go put my things in my room."
"Okay, go ahead," Yurine nodded.
When Minos returned, she went straight to the kitchen counter, propping her ample assets on the countertop as she leaned forward, her expression hungry. "Why aren't you cooking the steaks yet?"
"They need to marinate. Just a few more minutes," Ryohei said, doing his best to look at her face and not at other, more prominent features. "Do you want some fruit while you wait?"
"Yes!" she replied without a shred of hesitation.
"Go ahead and grab some from the fridge. There's plenty to choose from."
"Okay~," Minos chirped, her silver cow tail swishing as she went to the refrigerator.
In the living room, Yurine quietly looked up from the book she was reading. Next to her, Jashin-chan, who was supposed to be playing on her tablet, kept glancing at the Demon Eye Mask on the coffee table. She looked at her tablet, then back at the mask. Finally, her curiosity got the better of her. She nonchalantly picked it up, opened the box, and put it on.
"Huh?" (´｀;) ?
"Hmm?" (.0 – 0.)?
"It's so dark! What part of this is 'fun'? They lied!" she grumbled.
"You're an idiot," Yurine said, her face a mask of exasperation ( ≖_≖). She pulled a folded fan from under the table, moved her tablet to safety, and then began smacking Jashin-chan with the fan. "Take that thing off right now and stop being stupid!"
"Owww—!"
"What's wrong?" Minos asked, returning with a plate of washed cherries to see Yurine whacking Jashin-chan.
"I don't know! Yurine is hitting me for no reason!" Jashin-chan wailed, pulling off the mask with tears in her eyes. She flopped onto the sofa and reached a hand out toward the kitchen. "Subject, your girlfriend has gone crazy! Come and control her!"
Yurine's movements paused for a split second.
"Can't be done," Ryohei called out from the kitchen, where he was heating up a skillet. "You must have done something to provoke her first. Just accept your punishment and try to be a better demon."
…Do you even hear the nonsense you're spouting?! And what do you mean, I must have done something first?! I really didn't do anything this time! Jashin-chan fumed, her body shaking with rage. After a few more smacks to her rear, she scrambled off the sofa and fled.
Minos, meanwhile, had returned to the kitchen counter with her cherries and was happily watching Ryohei cook.
"Smells so good!" she sighed deeply. The thick-cut steak was sizzling in the hot pan, a plume of white smoke rising from it. The spicy aroma of black pepper and the rich, savory scent of the beef, mixed with the fragrance of rendering fat, was making her drool.
Ryohei glanced at the drooling Minos and couldn't help but smile, remembering her declaration from the other day: "I'm not a gluttonous demon!"
He blanched the broccoli in another small pot and boiled the udon. He then slid the steak to one side of the pan, added the broccoli to fry in the beef fat, and cracked an egg next to it.
"Chef, is that first one for me?" Minos asked, her silver tail swishing back and forth, her big eyes looking at him with a pleading expression.
"Mhm." Ryohei tossed a knob of butter into the pan, adding another layer of flavor. The butter melted instantly, its rich, nutty aroma mingling with the scent of the steak and pepper. The steak itself began to glow with a soft, golden light.
He plated the broccoli, the fried egg, and the steak, then covered the plate with another one to let the meat rest. Resting a thick-cut steak was a crucial step, allowing the muscle fibers to relax and the juices to redistribute, making it more tender.
While the steak rested, he started on the sauce. Before long, two more little foodies had appeared at the counter beside Minos.
"Here you go. Steak with Udon Noodles. Have a taste," he said, presenting the final dish.
It was a beautiful plate: a satisfyingly thick--cut steak, udon noodles coated in a glossy black pepper sauce, a perfectly fried egg, vibrant green broccoli, and a bright red tomato cut into wedges. The aroma was incredible.
Minos's eyes could see nothing else.
"Itadakimasu!" she said cheerfully. She carried the plate to the dining table, sat down, and eagerly picked up her knife and fork.