After the lid was removed, a large, golden-yellow flatbread was revealed inside the pot.
A rich scent of Milk also wafted out.
Above the golden-yellow flatbread was a layer resembling Milk, and within that layer were countless ingredients.
Mushroom, slices of meat... and so on.
Judging by its appearance, the flatbread looked excellent and could easily whet one's appetite.
This was the result of Kamisato Ayaka's efforts over the past three days.
This dish was something Yuuko had taught Kamisato Ayaka and had her prepare after careful consideration.
In fact, this was the dish called Pizza.
"You succeeded, Miss Kamisato," Yuuko congratulated her.
Although Kamisato Ayaka did not look overtly excited, her slightly trembling body already revealed her emotions.
Yuuko then chuckled:
"I believe your mother's friend will be able to sense the sentiment you poured into this dish."
Kamisato Ayaka nodded gently, then bowed solemnly toward Yuuko:
"Mr. Yuuko, thank you so much for this period! If not for your encouragement and tireless instruction, I definitely wouldn't have succeeded!"
"No, this result was achieved solely through Miss Kamisato's own hard work," Yuuko said, shaking his head with a smile:
"Rather than that, since the dish is finished, shouldn't we wrap it up and send it to your mother's friend?"
Kamisato Ayaka nodded seriously, then retrieved a large box from the house.
She placed the Pizza from the pot inside, completing the packaging.
Seeing this, Yuuko also let out a soft sigh of relief: "Well then, the commission entrusted to me by Mr. Ayato is complete."
The past few days weren't exactly exhausting, but they weren't exactly relaxing either.
In any case, it was good that the commission was completed smoothly.
Next, Kamisato Ayaka only needed to deliver this gift to her mother's friend.
Yuuko didn't intend to go along and interfere.
However, Kamisato Ayaka looked conflicted at this moment, and after a long silence, she spoke weakly:
"Um... Mr. Yuuko, could I also ask you to accompany me?"
"Uh." Yuuko was slightly stunned: "But you're going to see your mother's friend. Is it really appropriate for an outsider like me to tag along?"
Kamisato Ayaka shook her head:
"No, the reason I was able to make this dish was entirely due to Mr. Yuuko's guidance and support. I cannot attribute this success solely to my own efforts."
After speaking, Kamisato Ayaka turned her head away again and said in an extremely low voice:
"Also... I don't want my mother's friend to see me looking pathetic..."
Yuuko still heard this: "Pathetic? Why would you look pathetic?"
Kamisato Ayaka's eyes widened, and she said incredulously: "Mr. Ren! Ren! Yuuko! You heard that!?"
"I was right next to you, of course I heard it," Yuuko said, spreading his hands helplessly.
Kamisato Ayaka's face flushed crimson, and finally, she sighed helplessly:
"Just as Mr. Yuuko heard, I don't want my mother's friend to see me looking pathetic."
"So why exactly would you look pathetic?"
Kamisato Ayaka struggled with the thought for a long time before saying softly:
"Because... I don't have any friends... If I go alone like this, I think it might worry my mother's friend..."
"Ah?" Yuuko was slightly startled, then couldn't help but laugh aloud.
Kamisato Ayaka puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction and muttered, "Mr. Yuuko! Please don't laugh at me!"
"My apologies, I just didn't expect Miss Kamisato to have such a worry. Wait, Miss Kamisato, you don't actually have any friends? I see you interact quite closely with the populace normally."
Kamisato Ayaka sighed softly: "That's just interaction. In reality, people only see me as the Demoiselle of the Kamisato Clan. No one can communicate with me on equal footing..."
"Is that so." Yuuko fell into contemplation.
After thinking about it, it seemed quite normal.
After all, Kamisato Ayaka is the Demoiselle of the Kamisato Clan. Such a disparity in status would indeed make it very difficult for her to find true friends.
At this moment, Kamisato Ayaka's cheeks were slightly flushed, and she murmured softly:
"However... I don't feel that restraint around Mr. Yuuko. Spending time with Mr. Yuuko feels like genuinely spending time with a friend..."
Yuuko heard that too this time, but he didn't point it out directly. Instead, he pondered for a moment and smiled:
"In that case, how about I become Miss Kamisato's friend?"
Kamisato Ayaka was slightly startled: "Mr. Yuuko..."
After a brief moment of stunned silence, a faint smile appeared on her face:
"Mr. Yuuko, thank you."
Yuuko waved his hand:
"Let's not dwell on this for now. By the way, your mother's friend's name is Tsubaki, right? So where does Tsubaki live? Let's go deliver the gift now."
Kamisato Ayaka nodded, then took out a worn notebook from her clothes.
That seemed to be the diary her mother had left behind.
She opened it and glanced at it, then said: "My mother's friend... Tsubaki lives at..."
Kamisato Ayaka's expression was slightly strange, and she remained silent for a long time, seemingly deep in thought.
After a while, she shook her head: "Never mind. Let's just go and see, Mr. Yuuko."
...Afterward, Yuuko and Kamisato Ayaka, carrying the Pizza, arrived at the location mentioned in the notebook.
Actually, this place was not far from the Kamisato Estate.
It was even below the cliff where the Tenshukaku is located... After arriving here and looking at the desolate, uninhabited scenery around them, Yuuko scratched his head:
"Miss Kamisato, is this really Tsubaki's residence?"
Kamisato Ayaka also looked slightly confused. Cupping her chin, she said uncertainly:
"This is indeed the location mentioned in my mother's diary, hmm... To be honest, I don't know what's going on..."
Seeing this, Yuuko said helplessly:
"Well, since we're already here, let's look around. Did Miss Kamisato's mother's diary mention anything else?"
Kamisato Ayaka pondered for a moment before replying:
"The diary says this... 'The crane brings a flower to adorn the hair, the white rabbit sews four pieces of moonlight into a skirt...'"
Listening to Kamisato Ayaka recite the code-like sentence, Yuuko contemplated for a moment and then spoke:
"It looks like some kind of cipher. It seems if we follow the instructions in the cipher, Tsubaki will appear?"
Kamisato Ayaka nodded gently: "It certainly seems so."
"Then let's search around this area."
"Mhm."
Just like that, the two began searching constantly at the foot of the mountain.
Fortunately, they didn't have to search long before they found a secret passage.
Inside the secret passage was a black box.
What was inside the box was a worn notebook.
That... also seemed to be a diary... Yuuko contemplated for a moment while looking at the notebook.
Then, as if realizing something, he picked up the notebook and handed it to Kamisato Ayaka:
"This must be Tsubaki's notebook. It belongs to your mother's friend, so I won't look at it. The contents of this notebook should be witnessed by you."
Kamisato Ayaka's mouth was slightly agape, but she still accepted the notebook.
At this moment, she also had a certain premonition.
"Go ahead and see what's written inside. I won't peek." After saying this, Yuuko deliberately stepped aside.
Seeing this, Kamisato Ayaka solemnly opened the notebook and slowly flipped through the pages.
As she read, her expression kept changing, and various complex emotions continuously showed on her face.
The most prominent emotion was bitterness.
Only after Kamisato Ayaka turned to the last page did she gently close the notebook.
Yuuko walked over then: "Since you've finished reading, let's head back."
Kamisato Ayaka was slightly surprised, and she asked:
"Mr. Yuuko, aren't you going to ask what's in the notebook? Aren't you curious about... where my mother's friend, Tsubaki, is?"
Yuuko waved his hand and chuckled: "I just need to be Miss Kamisato's friend. Besides, it's normal for friends to have some secrets they can't share, isn't it?"
Yuuko had actually guessed what the contents of the notebook were.
Based on the identity of Kamisato Ayaka's mother, coupled with Kamisato Ayaka's complex expression while reading the notebook.
And factoring in this desolate location.
He estimated that the person named Tsubaki likely didn't exist at all.
Kamisato Ayaka's mother, probably just like Kamisato Ayaka, didn't have many friends due to her status.
And so, to relieve stress, she fantasized about a friend named 'Tsubaki'.
Yuuko could understand the phenomenon of inventing a friend out of thin air.
But knowing it was one thing; there was no need to say it aloud. In situations like this, it was best to pretend ignorance.
However, Kamisato Ayaka seemed to have seen through Yuuko's thoughts, and she was stunned for a long time.
She then gave a bitter smile:
"Mr. Yuuko, you really are so gentle..."
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