When Seele walked out of the mine shaft, she witnessed a surprising scene.
Takatsuki was standing in the open space, and around him, pots, bowls, and plates floated.
These utensils were enveloped in clusters of clear water, being rinsed back and forth by the currents. Takatsuki stood in the center like a commander, directing these ordinary objects.
"Seele, you're done with your bath."
Takatsuki saw Seele emerging from the mine shaft and greeted her: "Wait for me for a moment. I just went to give the leftover rice to the miners nearby, so I was a bit slow."
"Okay, Takatsuki, Seele is fine."
Although she said this, Takatsuki didn't make Seele wait long.
Because he didn't want to wash dishes by hand, Takatsuki used the power of the Chicken Talisman to suspend the pots, bowls, and plates in the air with water, then added dish soap, like a dishwasher.
It just took a long time because he wasn't proficient enough, but with continuous use, his mastery of the Chicken Talisman's power grew.
"Let's go. It's getting late. Let's get some rest."
Putting the items back into the Gate of Babylon, Takatsuki opened the passage back to the Goethe Grand Hotel.
"Mm!"
Seele scurried over to Takatsuki's side and took his hand...
...
Theoretically, there was no day or night in this underground world, but humans couldn't go without sleep.
So the people of the Underworld still set daily rest times according to the clock, just like sunrise and sunset on the surface.
At least when Takatsuki woke up, he saw people already beginning to trickle onto the streets outside.
When he got up and knocked on Seele's room door, the door opened immediately.
"Good morning, Seele, though I'm not sure if it's morning."
Takatsuki said playfully.
The time on his terminal wasn't this world's time, and he couldn't be bothered to convert it.
"Good morning, Takatsuki."
"Seele, you didn't wake up a long time ago, did you?"
Hearing Takatsuki's question, Seele was startled for a moment before replying: "Mm."
Is that why she opened the door so quickly?
"Seele, if you woke up early, you don't have to keep yourself cooped up in your room. You can go out and explore, or come find me."
"It's okay, I'm already used to it."
Seele's words made Takatsuki feel a pang of heartache.
This considerate and thoughtful girl chose to bear the burden herself rather than trouble others.
Throughout one's life, one gets used to countless things: getting used to studying, getting used to working, getting used to family, getting used to friends, and… getting used to loneliness.
Takatsuki reached out and patted Seele's head.
"If you ever feel lonely, you can always come find me. I'll always be here."
Seele blinked, then reached out and held Takatsuki's hands, smiling at him.
"Okay!"
After Heaven's Stairway re-established its connection, Takatsuki held Seele's hand.
"Let's go, let's get some breakfast and see what it's like here."
Although the cave salamander from yesterday had made it difficult for both of them to eat, Takatsuki thought it unlikely that all food would be like that. After all, it was still considered meat.
When Takatsuki arrived on the first floor, the proprietress, Gertie, was busy behind the counter.
"Good morning, esteemed guests. Did you sleep well last night?"
There weren't many people in the first-floor restaurant. It seemed Takatsuki had woken up relatively late, barely missing breakfast.
"Is there still breakfast?"
Takatsuki asked Gertie.
"Of course, what would you like to eat?"
Gertie took out a menu and handed it over. Takatsuki noticed that this menu looked much more normal.
Sun pancakes, Belobog red sausages, black bread, white bread, and Black Bread Soda Iceberg as a dessert.
This time, it looked much more normal.
"Let's have one of everything except the black bread."
"Alrighty."
Soon, after Takatsuki paid with the winter city shield he had drawn in his room last night, the breakfast Takatsuki ordered was served at the table.
Takatsuki and Seele did not sit facing each other, but rather sat on the same side, leaning together.
Using projected chopsticks, Takatsuki flipped the sun pancake in front of him to examine its ingredients.
"Looks like there aren't any strange ingredients."
He used a projected small knife to cut off a small piece, then, under Seele's curious gaze, put it into his mouth.
"Hmm, eggs, milk, flour, oil, salt, and sugar."
High-level culinary skills brought not only proficiency in cooking but also excellent taste and discernment.
"You can eat it, Seele."
After cutting half and giving it to Seele, Takatsuki reached his chopsticks towards the next item, the Belobog red sausage.
"That…"
Seele's voice made him stop his movements.
"What's wrong?"
"Takatsuki, could you also give me a pair of chopsticks?"
Gertie had naturally prepared double portions of cutlery for Takatsuki and Seele, but just as Takatsuki had thought, people here didn't have the custom of using chopsticks.
The prepared cutlery consisted of ordinary knives, forks, and spoons.
"I want to practice more…"
"Oh, I see. You can."
Projecting a pair of chopsticks didn't even take a second, and the magic power consumed was merely a drop in the ocean for Takatsuki.
After Seele took the chopsticks, she imitated Takatsuki's actions, cutting the pancake into small pieces with a knife and putting them into her mouth.
Watching Seele's chopstick skills become more proficient, Takatsuki was quite pleased, but he focused his attention on the Belobog red sausage.
Slicing it thinly, piece by piece, Takatsuki picked up a slice and put it into his mouth.
"Hmm, it's similar to smoked sausages I've had before."
So, there are pigs here?
The meat in the red sausage didn't seem to be anything strange; even after processing, Takatsuki could still tell it was ordinary pork.
After "testing for poison," he shared half of the red sausage with Seele. Takatsuki then projected a small spoon and looked at the last local specialty food.
Black Bread Soda Iceberg…
He put the shaved ice, stained brown by the soda, into his mouth with the spoon.
"Hmm, it tastes a bit like kvass."
Although the main meals here had somewhat disgusting raw ingredients, the local specialty foods were actually quite interesting.
At least Takatsuki and Seele both ate happily.
"Compared to this guy's cooking, it's still far behind."
In Seele's heart, a voice spoke up.
"Don't say that, Seele. Sister Gertie also prepared it very carefully."
Seele replied to her other self in her mind.
However, Hei Seele was somewhat ungrateful: "Even with careful preparation, it's still not as good as what this Takatsuki guy casually whips up. What an idiot. Don't you like your Takatsuki? Why are you starting to speak up for this person named Gertie?"
"I'm not… I just think Sister Gertie worked very hard, and we should learn to be grateful."