Chapter 10

“Whoaam…”

“Wake up, Linda. You're a professor. You need to go to university.”

Linda's eyes fluttered. Her blurry vision gradually focuses on the person standing beside her. She had her long black hair tied into a ponytail, with an apron in front of her.

“Mom…? Give me five more minutes.”

“I'm not your mom! Also, don't give me that!”

She pulled the pillow from under Linda, then smacked her head with it.

“Mmph!”

Linda pushed the pillow away, sitting upright and breathing heavily. She looked around her.

“You're way too unguarded! You're sleeping in front of the demon lord! What happens if I have hostile intentions!?”

“You'll kill me?”

“Th- That's absurd! Absurd, I tell you! I'll never go that far!”

“Hmm…”

Linda was still sleepy and a bit dizzy. She shook her head side to side.

“Come and eat breakfast while it's hot.”

“Yes, mom.”

“I'm not your mom!” Meline stormed out of the living room, heading back into the dining room. Linda sluggishly got to her feet. Kade was helping set up the table while Meline moved a pot of delicious-smelling soup onto the table.

It was a nostalgic smell.

“Hot southern-style beef soup?”

“Yes.”

“Ah…”

The soup brought back memories of her travels to Linda. She only traveled with the heroes' party for a year, but there were so many memories they created together. That year truly felt like the best time of her life.

“It's the hero's recipe, isn't it?”

“You really should start mentioning the hero by his name.”

“No can do. You'll hunt him down otherwise.”

This recipe was actually sent by the hero directly as a sign of goodwill. It's a delicious beef soup with a distinct sweet and sour flavor. It's really refreshing.

The hero knew that she liked to cook, so he sent her recipes from his hometown. Meline was reluctant at first, but ended up cooking them anyway.

Linda pulled a chair to the table.

“Good morning, Miss Linda. Here you go.” Kade put a bowl filled with rice in front of her. “Feel free to add more if it's too little.”

“Kade… marry me.”

“Huh?”

“Hey! What do you think you're saying?”

The words had completely slipped out of Linda's mouth.

“Besides, I'm the cook here! If you want food, you should marry me!”

“Sure.”

“Don't answer ‘sure’!”

“Besides, aren't you a two-in-one deal with Kade?”

“Don't make it sound like some grocery store promotion!”

A laugh leaked out of Linda's lips.

“I'm just joking. By the way, do you have an extra room?”

“I'm not letting you move in! Not at all!”

“Aww…”

“What do you mean ‘aww’!?”

After Kade finished handing the portions, they sat down and began eating together. The second the soup touched her tongue,

“Yep, that's it. I'm moving here.”

“You're not!”

“You're all adults now, right?”

“If you want to supervise us, do it when we're still children!”

The taste was otherworldly. Various emotions flowed through her mind. It wasn't the first time she had eaten Meline's cooking, but back then, she always prepared different dishes. Tasting one from her journey, one that the hero cooked for her, filled her with a great desire. To eat better stuff.

“Please, I'm begging you! I don't want to eat instant meals anymore!” Linda cried out while holding Meline's hand.

“Then learn to cook!”

“I can't! I physically can't! The hero tried teaching me! We need to see a doctor after that!”

For the heroes' party, among the strongest humans in the world, to require going to the doctor after a simple meal… Neither Meline nor Kade could imagine it.

“St- still… There's absolutely no way I'm sharing a house with the heroes! No, not happening! Not happening, I tell you!”

“Please!” Linda made the most adorable face she could muster. Combine that with her naturally good looks, and she began melting the ice in Meline's heart.

“I'll do the cleaning! Yes, I'm confident I can!”

Kade raised his hand. “Umm… I'm already doing it, Miss Linda.”

“All the cleaning?”

“Yes. Meline deals with the cooking and dishwashing, and I deal with the other housework.”

“Wow… doesn't that mean I don't need to do anything?”

“You're not freeloading on us!”

“... I have a paycheck?”

“I have an entire country's worth of money!”

The back and forth went on for a while. Whatever Linda had, Meline had more. For a while, it seemed like Meline had the upper hand, until she offered her something she couldn't reject.

“I have the hero's contact.”

Meline fell silent. Contact magic required consent from both parties. No matter how powerful she is, no matter how much she tried, she couldn't contact the hero because she didn't have his consent.

“Bu- but it's not like he's willing to meet with me.”

“Oh, he might reconsider.”

Meline gulped. She realized Linda had her dancing in her palm. It was simply an offer she struggled to refuse.

“I could contact him right now.”

“Ye- yeah, but we won't know if you're lying.”

Contact magic worked by connecting a part of the mind together. Their conversation would be inaudible to the outside world.

“You won't know if I'm telling the truth either.”

Linda's eyes stared at Meline like a lion glaring at its prey. She understood that the situation had been turned over. She's now the one in control.

“How about I convince the hero to meet you. You won't fight, but at least you'll see him.”

“...”

Meline had been waiting for this opportunity for eleven whole years, ever since she began the invasion. Even if she couldn't fulfill the fated battle, their meeting might shed light on the circumstances.

Meline groaned. She clearly didn't want her professor living with her, but at the same time, Linda held the key to getting what she wanted. Even if it was just a possibility, just the faintest of hopes.

“... Fine. You win.”

“Yess!”

“But I expect a meeting with the hero as fast as possible. If not, I'll kick you out myself.”

“Thank you very much!” Linda repeatedly bowed her head. Meline heaved a heavy sigh.

•••

Through a curious case of coincidences, Kade's and Meline's professor was now living with them. She had been around the two for a long time before they moved to university, so it wasn't like a lot of change was needed.

“Phew, that's all of it.”

Linda didn't have a lot of stuff as well, so she could move in at night. She cited the ‘rising cost of living’ as the reason for her move. Due to the special circumstances surrounding Kade and Meline, the news didn't come as a surprise to the university.

While living with one's students did come with its own set of suspicions, particularly around being favored and stuff, but when she was asked this, she cited the special circumstances and, for safety reasons, then continued to pile it up with even more excuses.

Eventually, the university relented. Although, then again, Linda wasn't a normal professor either. Being an ex-member of the heroes' party came with its own set of perks. Saying that she had little influence over the university is a massive understatement.

“I thought you would have more stuff,” Meline said while looking through the boxes in the living room. Linda's room would be on the second floor, but since it's already late, she will move most of her stuff tomorrow. Linda stood on the stairs, having just moved some essentials. She heard Meline’s words and said,

“When you move with the heroes' party a lot, this is what happens.” Linda sighed, gazing up at the ceiling. She recalled the various moments she had with the heroes' party. Whether it was their time camping under the stars, enjoying a hidden hot spring together, or tasting the various dishes they came upon on their journey.

“You know, both you and the hero enjoyed cooking. You two will definitely get along.”

“I’m trying to fight him, not get along with him.”

“Will you give that up already? It’s been eleven years.”

It had been eleven years since it began, and ten years since the ‘invasion’ unofficially ended. Ten years since she last saw the other members, ten years since their grand adventure together. Ten years since she decided to stick with Kade and Meline. They still talk occasionally with each other thanks to contact, but their individual business made it difficult for them to meet up.

“Oh, by the way, I’ve contacted the hero.”

“What did he say?”

“He’ll consider it, for my well-being.”

“Wait, so if I kick you out.”

Linda winked. “The hero won’t meet you.”

“That’s so unfair!”

“That said, it won’t be long, though.”

Meline tilted her head.

“The hero said he’ll eventually come, but again, not to fight.”

“Interesting.” A smirk appeared on Meline’s lips. “I’m looking forward to our meeting.”