A Former Police Officer Who Died And Get A Second Life!

Chapter 342: A Family Meal

"Okay! Papa, please!"

"Please!"

Joa still looked like he had more to say, but at the children’s request, he reluctantly moved away from Qiong Xing’s side.

Disaster averted.

Smiling at the children as they ran over calling, "Mama!", Qiong Xing settled in to wait for the karaage to finish cooking.

Since Leander and the others would probably have nothing to do while waiting, he asked them to prepare the dishes and utensils.

They clearly wanted to stay and watch the food being made, but when Qiong Xing whispered that getting everything ready would mean they could eat sooner, they headed off without a single complaint.

"Oh, that looks good. It should be fine, but cut one open and check the inside just to be sure."

The karaage had turned a beautiful golden color and looked perfect on the outside, but he still worried whether it had cooked through properly.

Once they confirmed it was done, he had the children taste it first since they had worked so hard helping.

Their faces immediately lit up as they declared it delicious.

In that case, all that remained was to keep frying.

Qiong Xing cheered them on while they worked in the heat.

"...Maybe we should just eat here. It’d be better for Leander and the others too, right?"

"Got it! We’ll get everything ready right away!"

Judging from how impatient Leander and the others looked, there was no way they would wait until every last batch was finished and carried into the living room.

So although it was technically the kitchen, Qiong Xing suggested eating there instead.

Immediately, chairs and plates for everyone were brought over at remarkable speed.

"Make sure you eat your vegetables too. Alright then, go ahead."

"Thank you for the meal!"

Watching his family eagerly dig into the food made him glad he had decided to make it.

The entire day had started with nothing more than a random craving.

They had gone hunting, fought a deadly enemy to the death, at least in Qiong Xing’s mind, and somehow ended with him getting a nosebleed.

It had been a rather ridiculous day all around.

Still, seeing everyone smile and happily declare the food delicious made it all worthwhile.

Partway through the meal, after his nosebleed had finally stopped, Cari thoughtfully fed some karaage to Qiong Xing himself.

As a result, Qiong Xing was able to enjoy the meal just as much as everyone else.

...

Qiong Xing tilted his head, wondering why no one was saying anything in the silence that had fallen over the room.

From his perspective, there should have been plenty to talk about.

Instead, one person looked completely confused about how things had ended up like this, while the other was trembling with nervousness and fear, cold sweat running down his face.

"Some time ago, Theodora asked me how she could become more feminine."

"W-Wait, Qiong Xing! Th-This isn’t... I-I mean..."

Thinking they simply needed a starting point for the conversation, Qiong Xing began explaining the situation to Katarina and the others.

Theodora immediately started frantically shaking her head.

What was wrong?

"But I’m a man, so I don’t really know that much about it. So I thought it would be nice if another woman, especially Grandma, could teach her a few things."

"And why me?"

There were certainly other women in the guild.

There were female adventurers and several female staff members as well.

Katarina was probably wondering why Qiong Xing had singled her out.

"Hmm... I could be wrong, but I think the kind of femininity Theodora and Danan are looking for is the kind that someone like Grandma has."

"Huh?"

Theodora and Danan both wanted to be beautiful or cute as women.

But before that, they were fully aware that they were adventurers.

"I don’t think they’re looking for ordinary femininity. I think they want to remain beautiful and elegant while still being adventurers."

An adventurer could style her hair however she liked and take care of it just as any other woman would.

But things like hands, nails, and skin were different.

They wielded weapons.

They used magic.

Sometimes they stood as shields to protect their companions.

Qiong Xing believed what they sought was the beauty of women who fought.

"You said you’ve retired, but that doesn’t mean you can’t fight anymore, right? Your beautiful hair, your skin, your figure, your posture... I think you’re exactly the kind of woman those two admire."

"..."

All three fell silent.

For some reason, Sarin who had been quietly observing the conversation beside him reached over and patted Qiong Xing on the head.

And he did so with an exceptionally bright smile.

On his other side, Albe was visibly trembling after witnessing it.

"T-That’s not... I don’t care about being the kind of beautiful woman you’re talking about..."

Katarina’s voice sounded irritated.

However, her face was bright red.

It was obvious she was only trying to hide her embarrassment.

Theodora and the others stared in surprise, clearly seeing this side of Katarina for the first time.

"Even for you two, it would be a problem if you got so nervous in an important moment that you couldn’t speak, wouldn’t it? If something happens, you can’t rely on the Guild Master for everything. I think it’s important to be able to suggest ideas, discuss different options, and work together to find the best solution."

Qiong Xing hoped such a situation would never arise, but he could not say it was impossible.

What if Katarina was unavailable when it happened?

What if she was injured and unable to give instructions?

They could not simply do nothing because she was absent.

Nor could they say they were incapable because she was not there.

As adventurers, there was no telling how long they would remain in this town, but Qiong Xing believed there was no harm in preparing for the future.

"Well, that’s only part of it. Honestly, I’d just be happy if everyone got along."

It was merely Qiong Xing’s personal opinion.