We returned to my house the moment the sky turned completely dark.
Once we opened the door, the aroma of boiled Mirte Mushroom and freshly baked bread enveloped us. Our attention was immediately drawn to the humming figure of my mother, busy at work the kitchen.
"I'm home," I said, announcing our return.
"Welcome back~," My mother replied from inside.
After we stored our equipment, we quickly went into the kitchen.
She turned to look at us the moment we entered the room, and she frowned as she noticed how dirty we were—or more precisely, how dirty Tizmilly was.
"My! Tizmilly! Are you okay?" She gasped and rushed toward Tizmilly. She checked Tizmilly's condition, wiping Tizmilly's cheeks with her apron.
"I-I am okay, Mrs. Roost. I am just a little tired..." Tizmilly muttered with a vague blush on her cheeks.
"You need a bath. Don't worry, Aunty had warmed the water for you."
Then my Mother looked at me and narrowed her eyes. "And you, Theo!"
I could only tilt my head, oblivious of why she suddenly became angry.
"Why do you always bring Tizmilly into Dungeon!? Which girl will be glad dating inside a monster-filled place?" My mother asked me while placing her hands on her waist in an intimidating pose.
"Don't worry, Tizmilly is strong. And we were not dating..." I answered, looking at Tizmilly to seek her help, and Tizmilly nodded in response.
But My mother seemed to be still unsatisfied even after that.
"Even if that is so, can you say that Tizmilly enjoy her time while you two were inside? Huh?"
Only after Tizmilly herself told my mother that it was her who wanted to become stronger and joined me that my Mother calmed down. She seemed to recall about the boiling soup in the kitchen after that. My Mother rushed back to take the pot off the stove and turned off the switch of the stove.
I let Tizmilly take a bath first as I went to help my mother setting up the dining table. Once Tizmilly finished, it was my chance. Then, it was our dinner time.
The dishes couldn't be called luxurious whatsoever, but it was warm, and that was what important.
"Mom's cooking is always incredible!" I praised as stuffed the bread into my bowl of soup.
"Haha, of course!" She replied as messing with my hair.
I could feel eyes filled with longing watching me. And it was Tizmilly, as expected. My mother also noticed it, as she came closer to her and started to mess her hair up as well.
"Here, Tizmilly, too!" My mother giggled with a bit too wide smile, clearly having a good time.
"Ah-ah... M-mrs. Roost?" While Tizmilly could only blushing, '!?' marks popped out of her head.
I laughed watching them and ignored Tizmilly when she pleading me to help her getting my Mother off her. After all, I couldn't defeat my Mother.
We continued to slowly digging our dinner until we finished all the soup. And, surprisingly, it was Tizmilly who ate the most. She could only cover her red face with her palms as my mother teasing her about how she would become a big woman if she continued her current appetite.
She ate five bowls and 8 pieces of bread, so actually, maybe she might really become one. I laughed at the idea.
We washed the utensils together at the sink and let my mother rest at the living room, before the fireplace. As I rubbed a spoon with the sponge, I turned at my left and saw through the small window that the snow was already started to fill the world outside. Naturally, it brought me to think about the Academy.
"We have to return to the Academy... Right?" Tizmilly muttered.
She also looked at the snow. And maybe even thinking about the same thing as I am.
I nodded before opening my mouth.
"Yes. After the festival, what about hiring more maids? We will not be able to go to restaurant everyday once we're back at the Academy, and it will be too much if we just leave my Mother and the girls managing it."
Tizmilly slowly nodded her head.
"You're right..."
I noticed that Tizmilly's hands had slowed down. She also lowered her head. And as I looked at her more closely, I could see that her hands were subtly trembling.
'Returning to the same place where she lost everything... It wouldn't be great. She must be afraid. I knew that feeling.'
I quickly finished washing the utensils on my side and washed my hands.
From personal experience, I knew that saying too much things or trying to cheer her up here wouldn't be good for Tizmilly. And I also wanted her to solve her problem by herself so that she could grow stronger in the future. Both mentally and physically.
I lightly tapped her shoulder.
"Come on, wash yours faster," I said, showing her my best smile. "You don't want my Mom to finish all the cookies alone, do you?"
Tizmilly immediately perked up the moment I mentioned about cookies. She stopped getting down over the thought of the Academy and immediately hastened her movement.
'Heh, her appetite really has been greatly increased after she tasted my mother's cookings, huh? So cute.'
We then put the utensils back into the cupboard.
The first snow has come.
The Deep-Lore Delve Festival was waiting for us days later, and once the winter ended, our third year in the Academy would start.
Hopefully, nothing troublesome would happen then.