How did I turn my victim into a phoenix-like hero?

"No, I was thinking, if you don't want to hear it, I can just send you the file. We're out having fun, you probably don't want to hear this kind of thing."

"No way, I had a blast chatting with Sirocco!"

Cass placed his hand on his chest, looking so sincere that anyone who didn't know better would think he was about to offer his heart.

His honest statement earned him a look of regret from Sirocco, as if he wished he hadn't said it.

"Okay... let's start with the lowest level."

He propped his cheek up with his left hand and used his right hand to scrape up the leftover toppings from the strawberry shaved ice and pile them in the center of the plate.

“The lowest-level staff, like Cliff and Henson, in kitchen terms, are the chores workers who are responsible for collecting garbage and washing dishes.”

The shredded coconut used as garnish was piled up by Sirocco; each piece was very small, but the total amount was considerable.

"Next are the officers, from lowest to highest. Green-clad officers, junior chefs, such as Gnoro who helps Cliff, are at this level. From here on, there are the members who possess the Refining Tree Nest."

Place the remaining crust of the pizza on top.

"Purple-clad cadre, intermediate chef, Mute."

It evokes the lingering shaved ice.

Sirocco paused for a moment, and seeing that Cass was listening attentively, he continued to scrape up the loose, rich chocolate sauce and put it on top.

"...A black-clad officer, a top-tier chef, we haven't encountered them yet. Finally..."

On Sirocco's plate, various leftover scraps were piled up in a trapezoid, the clean, shiny part of the tray lining them.

Finally, place a strawberry on top, and a small pyramid made of food scraps is complete.

"The head chef claims to be God's agent and a cult leader."

120. Katya used a two-dimensional flat-ground fall (3k).

"Then the Itzabilis they're talking about must be the top-level chef for state banquets."

“No, Izabilis is their only customer; all he has to do is open his mouth and eat.”

Sirocco finished off the pile of leftover food in one go.

"oh....."

"That's enough for you at this stage."

Sirocco murmured: "Talking too much will trigger unnecessary actions and make it difficult to control the plot."

"By the way, refining the tree nest is...?"

"I'll send you a document with more details later. You can also send it to your colleagues so they can know as well."

"Yes, thank you, Sirocco."

Cass had a refreshing smile on his face.

The main advantage is that there's no need to worry about your identity being exposed at the moment.

Actually... I still wanted to ask.

The story of Sirocco's date yesterday.

However, asking would only deepen Sirocco's suspicions.

Just thinking about it makes me feel depressed.

Cass tried a bite of the now-cold "mango pastry" to try and ease the memory of yesterday.

The outer layer is crispy, and with a gentle press between your teeth, the slightly sweet cream no longer splatters but solidifies into a refreshing texture. Inside, the distinct chunks of mango blend beautifully with the sweet and sour cherry puree.

".....Ugh!"

Because it was baked so well, the crispy part, along with the filling, fell onto the table after just one bite.

"Be careful, it's such a waste. This little piece is worth 30 rupees."

Sirocco tenderly wrapped it in a tissue.

Was he trying to feed me, wiping my lips with his slender finger while saying something like, "You naughty little glutton..."?

Cass's face began to turn red.

Sirocco cut off the part that had hit the table with a knife, and put the rest back on another plate and handed it to Cass.

What a boring and outdated reaction.

Cass felt a chill run down his spine.

and many more....

Think of it another way: this is mango pastry that Sirocco cut for me himself!

There were fingerprints on it (pressed through a tissue), and the lingering scent of Sirocco's fingers.

Too profitable.

"You don't want to eat? If you don't want to..."

"Of course I will."

Cass picked it up with both hands and, without hesitation, put it directly into his mouth.

Close your eyes, savor the flavors, and try to find the taste of the person you care about in the smooth texture of the fruit and the pastry.

--------

As Cass had originally planned, they went to the movie theater.

Perhaps because it was a weekday, there weren't many people.

Cass skillfully operated the ticket machine, scanning the QR code with his phone and receiving two tickets.

Back in the rest area, we waited with Shirlock in the lobby for the movie's start time.

"Pretty Cure is a bit too childish... The last thing I watched was something more realistic like Madoka Magica. I haven't watched anything this cheerful and child-friendly for many years."

Sirocco flipped through the brochure for the movie "Yes! Pretty Cure Elulu GoGo! Adventure in the Sweet Kingdom," which was the movie they were going to watch later.

"Huh... those related videos I sent you...?"

Did you not watch it at all?

Am I just being overly familiar and pushing things that Sirocco isn't interested in...?

It's more disheartening for the person making the recommendation than for the other person to be initially uninterested and then not even look at it after being recommended it.

"No, I have watched those edited clips and short videos. The animation and music are really top-notch, no wonder it's a national-level work. It's just that I haven't watched a whole series yet."

It seems that Sirocco wasn't entirely uninterested after all.

Cass rekindled his hopes of a strong push.

"Then I recommend you watch the second generation of 'Meteor Impact' first! That's a project aimed at people aged 13 and up, so that's the best place to start. Although the setting isn't as vast and complex as the previous works, the plot and the entanglements between the characters are very interesting. Although Elulu's transformation only has two forms, an initial form and a final form, every episode is incredibly exciting. You can tell the director and production staff have a huge passion for the series, and the music is so catchy after just one listen..."

"Stop, stop, stop, stop—I know, I know, stop talking now. I fully understand your love for this work, so don't get so close to me with your eyes shining and your mouth watering."

Sirocco quickly retreated.

"I'm sorry... I got a little carried away."

Cass wiped his mouth with a tissue.

The more you push something someone likes, the more resistant they'll become. It's better to take a step back and not be too aggressive.

"Hertad! How did you wake up? Do you want to watch with us too?"

"It's all because of your incessant chatter that I'm bothered. You've dragged me to watch enough already... Anyway, I'm just reminding you not to be so... in human terms, 'get carried away'."

"Yes, we can't scare Sirocco away like this."

Cass reflected for a moment, then slowly said:

"Let's take this opportunity to take a look. There's no point in forcing you if you're not interested."

"Well, I'll give it a try. If all else fails, I'll just treat it as appreciating the painting."

When Sirocco saw that Cass had suddenly become so calm, he awkwardly scratched his head.

--------

100 minutes later, Cass and Shirlock walked out of the screening room.

"Are you alright? Here, some tissues..."

This should be the fourth tissue I gave to Sirocco.

"Thanks...."

"Although I was also very touched, there was no need to cry like this."

Kas was initially moved to tears when he saw the part where Elulu's friend, Ral, sacrificed himself to protect the Sweet Kingdom and Earth. However, he noticed that Sirocco next to him had already cried until his eyes were red and his voice was choked with sobs.

This, on the contrary, calmed Cass down.

"I didn't cry, I just got wet from the rain."

"Where is the rain indoors?"