Devil's Meal

A sweet aroma fills the room as the witch tinkers around in the kitchen. I couldn't really tell if what she was doing was cooking or not with all the mana in the atmosphere and the spells she keeps casting on the food.

"If I do this, the food will taste less bitter. Combined with this spell, the overall taste should improve."

Is what she would mutter to herself while nodding agreeably. It made me worry for her, believe it or not. Seeing such a fair-looking lady talk to herself while making some sort of unknown concoction was both pitiful and entertaining. After a bit of casting spells on the mysterious dish, she pulled out another weird ingredient.

"Just a nib.."

She whispered to herself. From where I was sitting – I was currently by the dining table farthest to the kitchen – I was barely able to catch the beginning of her sentence. I missed the ending of her whisper.

I could have used mana to enhance my hearing, but I decided against doing so. She was an adept user of mana–much more than I was. The leagues of difference between us was like a chasm of talent and potential, only surmountable by hard work and dedication. Even then, the chasm was still deeper than anything. Trying to conquer such a hurdle would be nothing short of foolishness.

After cutting a bit of the cone shaped vegetable(?), she diced the part she cut into even smaller pieces. Immediately after doing so, she poured the diced-up vegetable(?) into her cauldron.

I thought that a cauldron was a weird tool to use for cooking what I assumed to be our meal at first, but was surprised when I saw her use it without the slightest bit of hesitation. She seemed to be familiar with this kind of cooking, knowing where everything is without once being wrong.

Eventually, the appetizing aroma intensified. It was so tempting that I almost rushed there without a second thought. I held my ground, though, not without difficulty. Ever since coming to this labyrinth, I haven't had the chance to enjoy or even make a proper meal.

Not that I had the ingredients anyway

The witch grabbed a long ladle and began stirring. It seemed that was the final step; she eventually settled and began to pour the soup on a bowl. She only poured it one though. While this was a little questionable, hunger spoke more enticing words.

Eat

She held the small bowl in front of her with great care as she approached where I had been sitting obediently. She moved closer and closer, each step careful and precise. The floor was creaky and uneven.

Why won't she just use magic?

I mused curiously. It was possible that she had some sort of rule or personal promise in not prioritizing convenience over whatever her reason was. Eventually, the thought faded away. All my doubts were replaced by the enticing aroma of the mysterious soup.

"Here you go. Eat up and enjoy."

She said in a motherly tone. It was suspicious, definitely suspicious. No matter how you thought about it, what was happening was overly suspicious.

But, still…!!

The witch offered me a spoon, her warm, suspicious smile still plastered on her face. I grab it without hesitation.

It doesn't matter anymore! If this is going to be my last meal, then I at least have to make it worth dying over…!!

I dip the wooden spoon into the bowl, stirring it around. And, finally, without a second thought, I open my mouth and take a spoonful of the mysterious soup.

"…?!"

It was delicious; extremely delicious. Better than anything that I have ever tasted before, both this life and my last life(especially the former). The mindboggling way the ingredients complemented each other spoke volumes of the ingredient's compatibility and the chef's ability to make such a delicious dish.

I look to my savior. She was still smiling. Her lips curved upward, though not enough to reach her ears. She also had eyes that exuded gentleness, care, pride, and… pity.

Not worrying over the last barely noticeable emotion tucked behind her blank eyes, I take another spoonful. Then another, and some more. The soup seemed to become more and more delicious the more I ate it. After a few short moments, the bowl was inevitably empty.

I patted my belly, satisfied for the first time since coming here. I let out a burp as well, not minding my surroundings whatsoever. I look back at the witch. She was still smiling.

"You finished faster than I thought… well, I guess that's for the better. Anyways, you won't be getting another serving. D-don't look at me like that! This is really for your own good, okay?"

Despite my desperate attempt to a appeal to her better nature, nothing happened. This was one of the rare occasions where I actually tried to appeal to somebody this way.

Guess experience still triumphs over all

Her expression changed once more. This time, she looked worried and doubtful, as if she just saw a ghost or a horrible nightmare.

"Ah! It's here."

At the same time she said so, my tongue caught on fire. It felt like my mouth was trying to burn itself as the spiciness intensified.

W-wateer…

I reached for the kitchen. My mind was hazy with heat and my body was drenched with sweat. My shirt was practically glued to my body from the heat.

Eventually, I reached the kitchen. Without any prior knowledge of where to look, I scavenged the entire area for any kind of beverage to soothe my parched throat.

Soon enough, I had reached a dead end. Even after opening every cabinet and drawer, I couldn't find anything. It's not like there was a faucet that I could drink from either.

Then how does she…?

A single thought floated on my hazy mind. No matter who it is, water was a necessary resource. Considering she has a lake all to herself, I highly doubted she wouldn't have any in her house.

The lake…!!!

Immediately, I dashed for the front door. I had already mapped the first floor of this place in my head. I knew exactly where to go. A few seconds later, I could already see the aforementioned door.

I didn't slow down, instead enhancing my speed with mana. My body ached as I poured mana into it; the heat prevailed.

With this much speed, breaking that door and reaching the lake shouldn't take more than a few seconds–

*BAM*

My head crashed against the wooden door, knocking me unconscious. The witch's words lingered.

"That went better than I thought."