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Appetizer: Prologue
I love curry.
After spending a long day at school or work, your body and mind get utterly exhausted, and hunger reaches its peak.
When you open the front door of your home in that worn-out state, the aroma that immediately hits you is irresistible.
I can't be the only college student who thinks this way.
Just imagine it for yourself.
Onions sautéed until golden brown, potatoes fluffy all the way through, and carrots.
Boneless beef ribs that melt tenderly in your mouth, or thick, hearty chunks of beef.
The rich meat juices from the long-simmered beef mix with the gentle flavors released by the vegetables, creating a miraculous harmony in the pot.
And the final addition to this flavorful broth is curry roux, which gradually dissolves, turning the pot's contents a delicious brown and giving it that rich, thick consistency.
Ahh. I'm so hungry.
Drowsing on the living room sofa, I was awakened by the curry aroma drifting over and turned my gaze toward the kitchen where it's coming from.
Mm-hmmm.
There, preparing curry for dinner with practiced hands, was my mother.
Hmm. All right! Just need to add the secret ingredient and it'll be perfect!
Ah, Mom. So there's still more to add?
Curry that already smells this delicious is going to get even more delicious!
Raito! The curry's almost ready, so could you go call Karen?
While stirring the pot, Mom asked me to run an errand.
What I wanted to do was stay and witness the moment when slightly firm, glistening white rice gets served onto a plate and watch that pure white innocence get ravaged by thick, gooey curry.
Got it, Mom.
Though reluctant to leave behind the curry's aroma, I got up from the sofa and headed upstairs.
Upstairs were my room and my sister's room, plus the storage room.
I walked straight to my sister's room and lightly knocked on the door to call out.
Hey, Karen. Dinner's almost ready.
I waited a moment, but there was no response.
Don't tell me she . . .
With a sinking feeling, I opened the door and stepped into Karen's room.
The room was overflowing with cute accessories and stuffed animals, just like you'd expect from a fifth-grade girl, but my sister, the owner of all that, was nowhere to be found.
What's this?
There was a small round table in the middle of the room.
I spotted a note on top of it and unconsciously clicked my tongue.
I already had an idea of what it said, but I picked it up to confirm anyway.
You just noticed? You're sooo clueless, it's hilarious! I'm already somewhere gross, where you could never find me. No matter how much you search, it's pointless, and if you get lonely, just have Mommy comfort you, okay? To my mama's boy pervert loser big brother.
Countless bratty words written in the rounded, adorable handwriting typical of girls.
Though I was used to these kinds of exchanges by now, it still pissed me off.
Sister or not, I'm amazed by how much of a brat she can be.
I crumpled up the note and tossed it into the trash can.
Then I immediately left Karen's room and headed to another room upstairs.
Knowing her, she's probably using that thing again.
I headed to the end of the hallway, farther from mine and Karen's rooms.
This part of our house served as a storage room, where we kept various odds and ends.
There it is, just as I thought.
Opening the storage room door, a strange sight unfolded before me.
There was an eerie object swirling in empty space, emitting red light.
This was what I called the Portal to Another World, though that was just my own name for it.
Simply put, it was like a warp device that connected to other worlds.
Why did such a mysterious thing exist in the storage room of a perfectly ordinary household?
That's something I would have liked to have known myself, but whatever.
What I did know is that when the portal glowed red, it meant someone was currently traveling to another world.
And without a doubt, that someone was my cute little sister.
No matter where you run, I'll definitely bring you back.
After muttering that, I put on the sneakers I'd prepared beforehand in the storage room, then threw myself into the Portal to Another World.
All to bring my sister back home after she ran away to another world, so we could enjoy eating curry together at dinner.
After all, tonight is curry night.
First Serving: Dear Little Sister, That's Way More Than Even an Extra-Large Curry
When the evil dragon sealed within the abyss of darkness awakens from its thousand-year slumber, the world shall be consumed by black flames and meet its end.
This is a passage from a legend that has been passed down since ancient times in the Holy Kingdom of Anista, located at the center of the continent.
However, people never dismissed it as mere superstition or fiction, and with the royal family at the center, they made meticulous preparations to counter the Evil Dragon that would eventually revive.
They conducted years of research into new magic, developed the finest weapons and armor, and trained knights to wield them.
A thousand years of human technology and effort bore fruit, giving birth to knights who possessed the greatest strength in history.
Even against the legendary Evil Dragon, everyone believed and expected that these knights—who represented the pinnacle of human evolution—could defeat it.
Impossible! How can the Evil Dragon be this powerful?
Our Holy Knight unit is completely wiped out!
But reality was never kind.
Humanity wasn't the only thing that had grown over the thousand years.
The Evil Dragon had also grown within the abyss of darkness, gaining the power to destroy the world.
Merrick. Is everyone still breathing?
Yeah, somehow. But we don't have the strength to swing our swords anymore.
All the young knights who stood against the revived Evil Dragon had been defeated, and now they could only look up at the massive Evil Dragon approaching the royal capital.
Damn it. If I'd known this would happen, I could have gotten myself a girlfriend or something.
Don't complain, Marind. Until the very end, let's believe in miracles.
The close friends who served as captain and vice-captain of the Holy Knight unit looked up at the sky as if in prayer.
For a thousand years, humanity had never relied on divine help, striving to achieve peace through their own strength alone.
The knights who bore the expectations of all humanity now prayed with all their hearts, "O God. Please, please save this world!"
GROOOOOAAAAARRRRR!
The Black Dragon roared and was finally about to unleash black flames toward the royal capital.
Children of man. You have fought well to come this far.
Light poured down from the storm-clouded sky, and a beautiful voice echoed through the air.
The moment it heard that voice, the ferocious Evil Dragon stopped moving completely.
Oh, this voice is . . . !
Could that be . . . the goddess who once sealed away the Evil Dragon?
As the light poured down from the sky and bathed the knights' wounds, they began healing rapidly.
Now then, knights. One more push. Accept my divine protection, and this time for certain . . .
The voice from heaven gave encouragment to the knights.
But halfway through, something strange happened to the heavenly voice.
Huh? Wh-who is? Don't do such things . . . Ah, ah, no, you shouldn't! Ow!
The heavenly voice turned panicked.
Seeing this, both the knights who had been shaking with relief and the Evil Dragon who had stopped moving could only stare in confusion.
Both sides gazed up at the sky in bewilderment for several moments.
Everyone, sorry to keep you waiting.
Eventually, a single woman descended from within the light.
She had long brown hair flowing behind her and wore a silver armored dress. The knights swallowed hard, completely forgetting their situation as they stared at her overwhelming beauty.
She had large, almond-shaped eyes, a refined nose, and cherry-colored lips.
Her stunning figure was well-defined even beneath the armor she wore.
She was truly a beauty who could have been mistaken for a goddess come down from heaven.
You must be . . . ! But . . . your voice sounds different from the heavenly voice we heard before.
Kneeling before the woman who had landed, the knight captain asked who she was.
She smiled beautifully and patted the head of the kneeling knight.
I am the goddess's messenger, Saint Karendor. I descended at the goddess's command.
Ooh, Saint Karendor!
Knights, leave the rest to me. I'll destroy the Evil Dragon.
With that, Karendor turned toward the Evil Dragon and thrust her right hand forward.
White light gathered at the tip of her hand, forming into a single sword.
Now, time for repentance. Evil one, face the power of holiness!
GROOOOOOAAAAARRRRR!
And so the Evil Dragon, risen from the depths of darkness, clashed with the saint who had descended from heaven.
This would become the new saga that the people of the Holy Kingdom of Anista would tell for all eternity.
The legend of Saint Karendor was the beginning of it all.
* * *
The Holy Kingdom of Anista had once been on the brink of collapse due to the Evil Dragon's revival.
However, Saint Karendor averted that crisis, and humanity succeeded in achieving true peace for the first time in a thousand years.
And now at Anista's royal castle, a grand party was being held to welcome the saint who had saved the world and celebrate her great deeds.
Gourmet dishes prepared by the country's finest chefs adorned the tables, while enchanting music played by court musicians filled the hearts of all present.
The celebration, filled with blessings and joy, could truly be called a scene from paradise itself.
Lady Karendor, I am deeply grateful to you for saving Anista.
In the center of the venue, the King of Anista, accompanied by the Holy Knights who served as guardians, expressed his gratitude to Saint Karendor.
Please raise your head, King Anista. I only did what was natural.
Karendor smiled compassionately at the elderly man who bowed deeply.
Her graceful demeanor drew sighs of admiration from everyone in the venue.
What a beautiful celebration. I'm happy to receive your gratitude, but first let's enjoy ourselves.
Karendor smiled brightly and headed toward the table laden with food.
However, before she could pick up a serving plate a young Holy Knight stepped out in front of her.
Lady Karendor! Before you eat, would you please hear me out?
It was Merrick, the vice-captain of the Holy Knight unit, with his silky golden hair and refined, slender features.
He knelt at Karendor's feet and offered her a single rose.
Oh my, this is . . .
From the moment you descended from heaven and I first laid eyes on you, you captured my heart completely.
Karendor's eyes widened at this sudden turn of events, while Merrick desperately tried to convey his feelings. But his public confession only caused more chaos.
Wait! Merrick! You're not the only one who's fallen for Lady Karendor!
That's right! I've seriously fallen for Lady Karendor too!
The remaining members of the Holy Knight unit rushed forward, pushing between Karendor and Merrick.
Every one of them was a young knight with world-class abilities, possessing outstanding looks that rivaled even Merrick's own.
I'm different from Merrick, who was drawn to your appearance. It was seeing you gallantly defeat the Evil Dragon that revealed your true charm!
No, that's not right! I think that voice of yours—mature yet adorable—is absolutely perfect!
Stop spouting nonsense! I'm the one who loves Lady Karendor more than anyone!
The Holy Knights who had been cooperating to save the world mere hours ago were now engaged in a heated argument over Karendor.
Oh my, well . . . this is quite troubling.
Despite her words, Karendor couldn't quite hide a pleased smile as she found herself in a situation where handsome young knights were fighting over her.
However, this would be the last time she could show such happiness in this world.
Everyone, please calm down. Don't fight over me . . .
Hey you. Don't you feel empty doing this kind of thing?
Huh?!
When suddenly tapped on the shoulder, Karendor jumped with a start and let out a strange cry.
N-no way? Wh-why . . . ?
Her saintly smile completely gone, Karendor trembled like a girl terrified by nightmares and slowly turned around.
Hey there, long time no see.
Someone completely out of place in this fantastical world was standing there. It was a black-haired young man dressed casually in a white hoodie and navy jeans.
However, Karendor knew the identity of this seemingly out-of-place figure better than anyone.
Aaaaahhh! B-Big Broth . . . ?!
His name was Raito Ushino.
Come on, it's dinner time. Karen, let's go home, already.
To Karendor . . . No, to Karen Ushino, he was her one and only brother in the world.
* * *
There she was, surrounded by handsome knights with pointlessly sharp jawlines, looking straight out of a shoujo manga. And she stood looking like a beauty in an armored dress, wearing a creepy, smug grin.
Good grief. What a waste. She has such beauty and an outstanding, beautifully curvy figure, and she is completely ruining it with this behavior.
Exasperated by her disgraceful behavior, I sighed and tapped her shoulder.
Hey you. Don't you feel empty doing this kind of thing?
Huh?!
She must have been quite surprised by the shoulder tap because she sprang up with a weird sound.
N-no way! Wh-why . . . ?
Her satisfied expression from moments before was nowhere to be seen.
I gave a casual wave to the woman turning around in complete terror.
Hey there, long time no see.
Aaaaahhh! Rait . . . !
The moment she saw my face, the woman in armor dress let out a huge scream, her eyes bulging with shock.
Well, at this point, I guessed there was no need to be considerate anymore.
No matter how you looked at it, this woman in front of me was my precious little sister.
Come on, it's dinner time. Karen, let's go home already.
I reached out toward Karendor—rather, Karen—who must have been thoroughly enjoying herself being praised as a saint and surrounded by handsome men.
However, Karen didn't take my extended hand, instead backing away as if trying to escape.
Why?! Why can you always find me every single time?! Today I even changed my appearance using power I got from the portal!
She gained power from the portal.
That's right. When you passed through that Portal to Another World, you could obtain any abilities you desire to your heart's content.
Karen's current appearance was likely created using power obtained that way.
Hey! Answer me properly!
Watching Karen shout with her face bright red, I could feel my energy draining.
We'd repeated this kind of exchange so many times, yet she still didn't understand.
I'm your big brother, you know? Of course I can easily find my little sister.
That's not an answer! Gross! Pervert! sister-obsessed stalker!
Even though I just stated a simple fact, Karen flew into a rage, waving both hands wildly.
My cute little sister. She must have been embarrassed because she was happy about the deep connection she shared with her big brother.
Lady Karendor! What on earth is happening?
Who is this strange man? Could he be a minion of the Evil Dragon?!
Everyone, protect Lady Karendor!
As I was mulling this over, those handsome knights positioned themselves in front of me to protect Karen. Not only that, but every single one of them drew their sword and took a fighting stance.
But I was not interested in the handsome knights. I was interested in the name they used.
Karendor . . . huh? Hey, couldn't you have come up with something more creative?
Gah!
Just tweaking your real name is way too lazy. Though I guess, if your own name wasn't in there, you wouldn't get the same thrill from being fawned over, right? I see, so that's why . . .
Sh-shut up! Who cares about something like that!
From the way she was grinding her teeth and stamping her feet, it seemed I had hit the mark.
But it was not just the name I wanted to criticize.
Sure, the name doesn't matter. But Karen . . .
Karen had grown into an adult form using some ability she had gained from the portal.
And thanks to having good base material, she had become quite a beauty.
I'll acknowledge that much. It was only natural that my cute little sister would reach this level of beauty.
However, however. No matter what, this was something I absolutely could not accept as her brother.
Even if you're imagining your future self, you've gone way overboard with the enhancements.
The silver armor dress covering Karen's body showcased her abundant chest, so full that the metal plates covering her torso looked ready to burst, bouncing and jiggling every time Karen moved.
Even I love curry, but I wouldn't go for that massive of an extra-large portion.
How depressing. The sight of a woman's chest bouncing always filled my heart with joy, but knowing it was just an illusion created by my sister made me feel melancholy instead of happy.
Hah?! I'm not enhancing anything! This is my true form!
Just give it up already! A woman's chest isn't valuable just because of its size!
Don't try to comfort me! I'm Mom's daughter too, so I'll get big someday!
True, Mom's chest is huge, but you're obviously . . .
Shut up, shut up, shut uuup!
Karen suddenly flew into a rage at what I thought was perfectly reasonable advice.
Seeing her like this, the knights around us looked even more confused.
Um, Lady Karendor?
What's been happening to you?
Well, just moments ago she was perfectly acting the part of a saint born to save the world so it was understandable they'd be surprised to see such a childish side of her.
Ah, gentlemen. I'd advise staying away from that girl. She may look beautiful right now, but it's all an illusion and her true identity is a bratty little kid.
Taking pity on the knights who'd fallen for my sister, I offered them a word of warning.
What did you say?! How dare you speak such slander about Lady Karendor!
Lady Karendor's beauty is the one and only truth in this world!
I've never seen a woman with such a pure heart!
My life spent solely for battle. What taught me the color of love was precisely Lady Karendor's beauty! Her captivating, desire-stirring boo- . . . body!
The knights completely smitten with Saint Karendor surrounded Karen while continuing to shout endless praise. Actually, that last guy was being downright sexually inappropriate.
A-ahh . . .
Naturally, Karen, who had no defenses against this kind of teasing, turned bright red and started squirming uncomfortably.
No matter how mature she looked now, she was still just an elementary schooler at heart.
If you're gonna get all flustered, maybe you should've thought twice before doing that.
Ugh, grrr!
Watching my sister like this is pretty embarrassing for me too, or maybe "awkward" is a better word for it.
I muttered this complaint while watching Karen grind her teeth and my words catch the knights' attention.
Lady Karendor's brother?!
Then could you also be a messenger from the goddess?!
Ah, I see. So that's the kind of conclusion they'd jump to.
Just as I was thinking it'd be too much hassle to bother correcting this misunderstanding, Karen reached her breaking point.
Aaaahhhhh! That's it! I'm really mad now! I'm done with you!
Karen, having apparently reached her breaking point, exploded in a loud outburst.
This guy's a fraud pretending to be my big brother! Throw him out right now!
A-are you sure that's all right?
Beat him up, beat him up! All of you gang up on this jerk!
Yes, as you command!
My sister's cover should already have been blown, but she was still supposedly the hero who saved the world.
Following Karen's orders, all the knights simultaneously pointed their sword tips at me.
Well, I guess there's no helping it.
I pulled out my precious partner, gleaming silver, from my clothes pocket.
Upon seeing it, the knights raised their voices in anger.
You bastard! Are you mocking us?! You think you can oppose us with something like that?!
To defeat you all, I don't need any blade greater than this.
D-don't you dare mock us!
With roars, the knights charged at me while raising their swords to strike.
I readied the weapon in my hand and met their attack.
Hah!
There was a flash as we passed each other.
The sound of metal clashing against metal rang out through the now-silent party hall.
Forgive me, partner. I never thought I'd end up using you for anything other than eating.
What glowed in my right hand was the spork I'd used ever since elementary school.
Its tip reflected the gorgeous chandelier light with a brilliant gleam.
All the knights who had attacked me collapsed to the ground on the spot.
Impossible! We were defeated by a mere spork?!
To look down on a spork is proof that the lives you've lived are shallow. The weight of a spork changes based on all the ingredients. No, all the curry it has carried.
While wiping my spork clean with a handkerchief, I imparted this universal truth to the knights.
Hopefully they too would someday awaken to curry's magnificence.
Now then, Karen. It's just you left.
Hmph! Don't get cocky just because you beat a bunch of weaklings!
The venue had erupted into chaos after the knights were defeated so quickly, and most people had fled. Apart from the unconscious knights, only Karen and I remained.
I'll give you credit for finding me so fast. But no matter what kind of Cheat Ability you've got, you think a gross big brother can actually beat me?
With a triumphant expression, Karen declared this while thrusting her right hand toward me.
The ability I wished for in this world is The Ability to Become The Ideal Self!
No sooner did she speak than white light gathered at the tip of Karen's outstretched right hand, transforming into the shape of a sword.
I see. A convenient Cheat Ability that let her grow into an adult woman with an outstanding figure and also obtain the strength of a saint who saves the world.
If I want to be stronger than you, it'll come true! So no matter how hard you try, it's pointless! Time to teach my loser big brother his place!
Right then, Karen had probably become an "ideal self" that was stronger than me, her brother.
Hence her confidence and this bratty behavior.
Well, I'm not heartless, you know? If you get down on your hands and knees and apologize, I might forgive you! But in exchange, you'll be my pet in this world!
Now, what to do?
I could have also used the same portal power as Karen and obtained a powerful Cheat Ability.
However, if I were to forcefully subdue Karen head-on right now, it would require somewhat rough methods.
Hmm . . .
As her brother, it wouldn't be right to make my sister understand through methods that go beyond appropriate discipline.
In that case, there was only one approach I should take.
Hey, Karen. Aren't you hungry?
Huh . . . ?
Aren't you hungry? You haven't touched any of the party feast yet, have you?
When I asked this, Karen suddenly put her hand to her stomach, as if she was only just then realizing she's hungry.
Now that she was aware of it, her stomach started letting out cute little growling sounds.
Haha, I knew it. You always get cranky when you're hungry. It's a dead giveaway.
N-no way! I'm angry because you're annoying, Raito!
Okay, okay. But more importantly, when you're that hungry . . . Are you really sure it's a good idea to send me away?
Huh? What are you trying to say?
Karen furrowed her brow and shot me a suspicious look.
I brushed off her sharp glare and kept pressing.
Sure, all the food at this fancy party is probably delicious. But I don't think that the food you really want to eat is high-class cuisine like this.
Ah, eh?
Karen's gaze flickered toward a nearby table.
Spread across it were elaborate dishes the chef had poured his heart into for the Lady Saint.
Fancy meat in some kind of sauce, delicate appetizers wrapped in who-knows-what . . . While refined adults might appreciate this stuff, I couldn't imagine a kid like Karen finding any of it appealing.
N-not really! I'm fine with those . . .
Karen's eyes darted around as she hesitated. She was right on the verge of giving in.
I didn't let this perfect opportunity slip by and played my ace in the hole.
Curry.
What?!
Karen's stomach rumbled.
Karen, just think about it. Curry. With your empty stomach right now, what you really want to devour is Mom's delicious curry.
Her stomach kept growling.
Every time I mentioned curry, Karen's stomach rumbled even louder.
Mom's . . . curry . . . Gulp.
Karen must have been picturing it right then.
She was imagining herself sitting at our family dining table with Mom's curry right in front of her. With her drool trickling from the corner of her mouth, and her mind completely lost in thoughts of curry, it was the perfect moment.
There! You let your guard down!
Haaah?!
I whipped out my other secret weapon from my pocket—the wooden rice paddle—and knocked the glowing sword right out of Karen's grip.
Then I caught Karen and tucked her firmly under my left arm so she couldn't move.
Capture complete!
Noooo! Don't touch me! Pervert! Molester! Let go! Let go! Let gooo!
Karen thrashed around wildly, flailing her arms and legs while dangling in midair.
But her struggles only produced light tapping sounds and didn't cause any real damage.
That's not working at all, Karen. It looks like you're already starting to think that going home to eat delicious curry sounds better than being a saint.
That's probably why her precious Cheat Ability wasn't working either.
Honestly, I didn't think it would go this smoothly, but my sister was such a simple girl.
Shut up! You're a clingy idiot! Lolicon! Curry freak!
Hey, don't you understand your position yet?
Realizing she couldn't win with violence, Karen fell back on rapid-fire childish insults as her final act of defiance.
In that case, I had no choice but to use my ultimate technique.
Karen, besides serving up rice, what other uses do you think a rice paddle has?
Huh? What does that have to do with . . . Eek!
I swung the rice paddle in my right hand down and struck Karen's bottom directly.
Here's a spank delivered to my little sister's bottom.
Don't mess with me! You think you can get away with doing this to me . . . Ngh! Aaah!
I kept smacking her bum.
Stop, eek! Big broth . . . Ahh! Really, stop . . . Eeeeeek!
Even though Karen's perky bottom in her saint outfit was protected by the armored dress's skirt a brother's loving spanking could not be stopped by any obstacle.
Ooo, waaaaaahhhhh! No, no, no, noooo!
Around the tenth smack, Karen finally gave up and started crying.
Stop it! That's making me feel all funny!
Have you learned your lesson?
I'm sorryyyy! It was all my fault!
Good, you apologized properly. That's my girl.
Seeing Karen apologize through her tears, I returned the rice paddle to my pocket, its job done.
Then, still holding Karen under my arm, I turned around.
The handsome knights who had collapsed, unable to fight, were still watching our exchange with bewildered expressions.
My foolish sister has caused quite a disturbance. As her brother, I deeply apologize.
After bowing politely to them, I raised my free right hand high.
Portal! Return!
As I shouted this, a familiar portal appeared before Karen and me.
This one led, of course, to the storage room in our house.
Still holding Karen under my arm, I threw myself into the portal that transcended dimensions.
Instantly, the world filled with pale light and a gentle floating sensation enveloped my entire body.
We're home!
Within just a few seconds, we landed on the storage room floor.
I'd like to say it was nice to breathe in Earth's fresh air again, but this room was pretty dusty.
I really need to clean this place up properly next time.
Waa . . . Waaahh . . .
And it's here that I finally noticed the changes in Karen, who I was still holding under my left arm.
Her mature voice had returned to her usual sweet, childish tone.
Her loose, flowing brown hair had returned to its usual twin tails.
Her silver armor dress had become one of the curry T-shirts from my collection (which she borrowed without permission).
The dress's skirt portion had changed back to a daringly short miniskirt, and the bulky shin guards had returned to blue and white striped thigh-highs.
Sniffle, sniffle . . . I finally got to be an adult woman . . .
Before, her height had been about the same as mine, and she'd had an impressively developed chest. But now there was no trace of any of that left. Everything had shrunk back to the appropriate size for a ten-year-old.
Well, this was her real form anyway.
Even if you had become an adult woman, it would have been artificial. Nothing but fake.
But don't worry, you'll grow into a real beauty someday.
I was about to say it out loud, but Karen's crying intensified before I could get the words out.
Waaaaaahhhhhhh!
Ah, no, Karen. You are . . .
You're stupid, Raito! I hate you! Let go of me already! Waaaaaa!!!
Okay, okay. Sorry, sorry!
I quickly set the struggling Karen down on the floor and gently stroked her small head.
I'm sorry for dragging you back like that. But I really wanted us to have dinner together.
Sniffle, sniffle . . . Really?
Yeah. And tonight we're having Mom's special curry, you know? If you keep crying like that, you won't be able to taste how good it is.
Okay . . .
Karen roughly wiped away the tears streaming from her large eyes and sniffled loudly.
I took Karen's hand and slowly opened the storage room door.
Wow . . .
Then the aroma of curry drifted up from the kitchen on the first floor, tickling our nostrils and awakening our hunger.
Mmm . . . Ahh. No matter how many times I smell it, curry always smells amazing.
Karen didn't respond to my comment, staying silent.
But the small hand I was holding squeezed mine just a little tighter.
Ehehe! I'm hungry!
When she smiled like this, what more was there to say?
Now all that was left was for everyone to enjoy that delicious curry together.
