Chapter 9
“Kiieee…!”
Theo’s tail bristled up in the shape of an exclamation mark, full of protest.
Of course he wouldn’t accept this quietly. His pride in cooking ran deep.
But Heidi desperately wanted at least one month of freedom from his questionable meals.
There has to be a way… Some way to give Ber the kitchen without hurting Theo’s feelings.
After racking her brain, she finally came up with a clever excuse.
“Don’t be upset, Theo. There’s actually a good reason why Ber should handle the cooking.”
“What reason?”
“Think about it. You’re already in charge of two very important jobs—cleaning the house and helping me with farming. And now that strawberry season is starting, you’ll be even busier.”
“……”
“If you take on cooking too, that’s three jobs! Isn’t that too much for one fox?”
Even Heidi had to admit it was a smooth argument.
Theo’s big yellow eyes spun in thought.
“That’s true! Theo’s super important and busy!”
“Exactly!”
Phew. Looks like he’s buying it.
But then—
“Still… I can’t just hand over your meals to anyone. You said my cooking was the tastiest, remember?”
…Oh no.
Her own white lie had come back to bite her.
“Then he has to prove himself! Human, it’s a cook-off! Beat me today, and I’ll give up the kitchen!”
Theo puffed his chest, eyes blazing, arms crossed like a tiny warrior.
A cooking duel? Seriously? Ber won’t mind… right?
Heidi looked up at Ber, worried.
“I accept.”
Ber folded his arms calmly, mirroring Theo’s pose.
For someone who looked so stern at first, he was surprisingly willing to play along with a little monster’s game.
“Of course, a duel needs conditions.”
“…?”
“Ki-ki! Yes, conditions! If I win, cooking stays mine!” Theo wagged his tail, already excited.
“If I win,” Ber said evenly, “I’ll take charge of cooking. And I have one more condition.”
“What is it?” Theo asked, narrowing his eyes.
“From then on, don’t call me ‘human.’ Call me by my name—Ber. If you use my name, it’ll help us feel more like friends.”
“Hmm… Fine! Since I challenged first, I’ll allow it if you win. I don’t call just anyone by their name, you know!”
With that, the terms were set.
The battle for the kitchen had begun.
“Great! Heidi will be the judge! Let the cooking duel start!”
“Yes.”
Ber’s blue eyes locked with Theo’s golden ones. Sparks seemed to fly in the air.
Theo was just a kid, so his fiery competitiveness made sense. But Ber… he was treating even this tiny duel with total seriousness.
Well… at least I’ll get to see Ber’s cooking at 100% effort.
Heidi sat at the table, ready to judge, her palms a little sweaty.
Theo leapt onto the counter and pulled out two aprons from the drawer.
He tied on his little frilly pink apron, then handed Ber the other one—a cute bear-themed apron Heidi had sewn.
“Here, human—uh, Ber! Apron!”
“Thank you.”
On Heidi, the bear’s face looked round and adorable. On Ber’s broad chest, though, the bear stretched out sideways.
…He really does have a huge build.
Heidi quickly averted her eyes, focusing instead on Theo.
“So, what are you cooking, Theo?”
“Cream potato gnocchi!” he declared.
“That chewy potato pasta with cream sauce?”
“Yup! I saw it in your cookbook!”
“That’s one of my favorites!”
“Then look forward to it! I’ll make it great!”
It was a nostalgic dish—her mother had often made it when she was little.
Still, could Theo really pull it off? He kneaded well enough, sure, but his tiny hands struggled with knives.
What about chopping bacon or onions? Heidi worried silently.
Theo mashed potatoes, mixed them with flour and egg, and kneaded away.
“Done with the dough!”
Surprisingly, it looked decent—round and springy.
“Now time to chop the other stuff… Kiiee…”
His ears drooped. As expected, he was stuck.
His big yellow eyes grew watery, and Heidi’s heart ached. She wanted to help—but as the judge, she couldn’t interfere.
Meanwhile, Ber moved with effortless calm. His knife blurred, hands precise and fast. He tasted his broth, adjusted the seasoning with ease—he looked every bit a seasoned cook.
That’s… stew? Potatoes and pork… looks like a spicy kind of soup.
The aroma hit her nose. Savory, rich, just the right kind of spicy. Her stomach growled before she could stop it.
Gnocchi was nostalgic, sure. But now, as an adult, she craved strong flavors.
By the time she’d downed three cups of tea to distract herself, Ber spoke.
“It’s finished.”
He placed the covered pot on the table.
Heidi reached to lift the lid—
“Kiieee…”
Theo shuffled over, tail drooping, eyes downcast.
Her excitement faltered. Poor little guy.
Then Ber spoke firmly.
“Not yet. My dish is done, but I’d like to help Theo finish his. I won’t accept victory unless it’s against a completed dish.”
Wow.
Heidi couldn’t help but admire him. He really was like a knight—honorable, chivalrous.
Theo trembled, his golden eyes shimmering.
“Ber…”
“And besides,” Ber added, “it would be a waste. That dough you made looks excellent. It deserves to be finished.”
With that, he moved to Theo’s station.
Tak-tak-tak! His knife flew, dicing Theo’s ingredients with ease.
“Uh, bacon and onions over here! Cream’s there!” Theo scampered to keep up, fetching what Ber needed.
Working together, they finished the gnocchi in no time.
At last, both dishes sat on the table.
Heidi picked up her spoon, tasting each one carefully while both sets of eyes—one calm, one anxious—watched her.
“They’re both delicious,” she said at last.
“What?! That’s too vague!” Theo cried.
“All right, all right. The gnocchi… the creamy sauce and fluffy potatoes balance perfectly. The dough is chewy and fun to eat. Honestly, it tastes just like the dish my mother used to make.”
“Kiyaa!” Theo’s face lit up, tail wagging furiously.
Thanks to Ber’s help with seasoning, it wasn’t too bland or too salty either—just right.
“And the stew…” She paused, savoring. “The broth is bold, salty, spicy, full of flavor. The meat is tender, rich with aroma but no gaminess at all.”
In truth, it was the kind of dish that begged for a drink on the side. But mindful of Theo’s young age, she kept that thought to herself.
“Still, as the judge, I have to choose a winner.”
Both pairs of eyes—blue and gold—focused intently on her lips.
“…”
“…”
