DanMachi: Cheat? What's a Cheat?

Chapter 17: What is home

— POV Hestia —

I'm standing in front of the little stove, staring at the pot containing... my masterpiece.

Soup.

Soup that I'm gonna make for Kaen-kun.

Soup that'll prove I'm a useful goddess.

But... why am I so nervous?

My hands are shaking a little as I lift the pot. It's heavy, but whatever. What matters is Kaen-kun's reaction later.

I've been waiting for this all day. Since this afternoon I've been going back and forth to the kitchen, smelling the soup, hoping it'll taste perfect.

But now... I'm having doubts.

What if it doesn't taste good? What if Kaen-kun doesn't like it? What if he's disappointed?

I shake my head hard. No! I worked really hard today. It's gotta be good!

With kinda rushed steps, I walk out of the kitchen carrying the big pot.

"Kaen-kun! I brought the food!"

I see Kaen-kun straighten up and turn toward me. Those brown eyes of his immediately focus on the pot in my hands.

"Soup!" I say proudly, puffing out my chest. "Only one menu tonight, but it's special!"

I stand in front of him in what I hope looks like a professional pose. Hands on hips, chin up a little, big smile showing confidence.

Come on, Kaen-kun! Praise my masterpiece!

"Looks amazing, Goddess," he says with a smile.

I almost jump for joy! He said amazing! He hasn't even tried it but he already said amazing!

"Right?! I told you it'd be good!" I shout, then do a little spin with the pot still in my hands. I feel like I'm dancing. "Come sit! I'll get bowls and spoons!"

I run back to the kitchen with so much energy the wooden floor creaks. But... where are the bowls? And the spoons?

"Oops!" A bowl almost falls from my hands.

"Where is it?" The spoon wandered behind the stove.

After a bit of chaos, I finally manage to bring all the eating utensils.

"Sorry it took a while," I say while arranging the bowl and spoon. "The spoon wandered behind the stove."

Now for the most important part: pouring soup into Kaen-kun's bowl.

I do it with excessive care, scared of spilling even a drop. This is a special moment. The first soup I made for my familia member.

Steam rises slowly as the pale brown liquid flows into the bowl. Pieces of meat and vegetables get carried along... though their sizes aren't really consistent. But it's fine! What matters is the taste!

Proudly, I place the bowl in front of Kaen-kun.

"Let's eat, Kaen-kun!"

I sit across from him, staring at him with sparkling eyes. My heart's pounding hard. This is it... the moment of truth.

With full attention, I even ladle soup into his bowl. I wanna make sure he gets the best part.

Kaen-kun takes the spoon, blows on it a bit, then...

He puts the first spoonful in his mouth.

I hold my breath.

His expression... freezes.

Then... he chews.

His face keeps changing. Sometimes frowning. Sometimes squinting. Sometimes holding his breath.

But he keeps eating!

I feel like an artist watching someone look at their painting for the first time.

"Looks good, right?" I ask hopefully.

He nods while chewing. "It's good, Goddess. Really... warming."

I almost cry with happiness! He said it's good! Kaen-kun likes my cooking!

"Then I wanna try my masterpiece too!" I shout proudly.

I pour soup into my own bowl, then scoop up a piece of meat. Enthusiastically, I put it in my mouth and...

"PFFFFT—!!"

I spit out the soup.

Oh god... what is this?

It tastes... like dishwater. Bland, weird, and... not good at all.

How's this possible? How did I fail at making simple soup?

Suddenly I get a bit panicked, is Kaen-kun starting to doubt my cooking?

Anyway, when Kaen first joined my family, I bought food from a stall.

Which was food that didn't sell, so I bought it cheap. Then reheated it.

Doesn't reheating food count as cooking? I'm starting to doubt.

I'm a bit anxious in my heart whether Kaen realizes that the food I cook has a different taste from what I cooked before (even though I only reheated it).

"Goddess! What's wrong?!" Kaen-kun looks shocked.

"I-I..." I stammer, my face turning red. "I thought it would taste more... better..."

I stare at my bowl with deep guilt. "Why does it taste like dishwater...?"

Tears start pooling in my eyes. I feel... like a failure.

I'm scared Kaen-kun will say my food doesn't taste good.

I wanna be a useful goddess for Kaen-kun. But I can't even make good soup.

I look down, trying to hold back my sadness. But those tears are already pooling in the corners of my eyes.

Why do I always fail? Why can't I do simple things like cooking?

Is it over? Has Kaen-kun realized I'm a useless goddess and is gonna leave me?

"Goddess Hestia."

I lift my face and look at Kaen-kun.

It's over, somehow my heart hurts. This is the first time I've felt so useless as a goddess.

Looking at Kaen-kun's face I know he's gonna say my food doesn't taste good and start planning to leave me.

With a bitter smile in my heart I wait for Kaen-kun's criticism.

"This soup... is really... delicious."

I blink. "K-Kaen-kun...?"

I'm a bit shocked, is he lying? But I can feel that he's not lying.

Do people have different tastes? I feel like the food I made doesn't taste good.

But Kaen-kun says it's delicious.

I'm a bit confused.

Or maybe Kaen-kun said that so I wouldn't be sad? Kaen-kun is really kind.

But the kinder he is, the more guilty I feel. Anyway, a good person like Kaen-kun is paired with a useless goddess like me.

"I'm serious. This is more delicious than all the food I've ever eaten in the village. Seriously. I'm not joking."

My eyes widen. He... he's not lying. I can feel the sincerity in his words.

Kaen-kun... he doesn't want me to be sad.

"Kaen-kun..." I whisper softly.

I quickly wipe my eyes with my hand. I can't cry. I have to be strong.

It'd be embarrassing if Kaen-kun saw my face while crying. Anyway, I heard someone becomes ugly when they cry.

"I... I was just too excited. I wanted you to like my cooking."

"I do like it," he says firmly. "And I wanna eat this soup every day."

I laugh. My eyes are still red, but my heart feels warm.

I know he's praising me so I won't be sad.

Kaen-kun... he's so kind.

We continue eating. I only eat a little because... well, I know how it tastes. But I keep glancing at Kaen-kun who keeps finishing his soup.

He's really eating it. No complaints. No disgusted face.

Makes me more determined to become a useful goddess.

"Kaen-kun," I say suddenly.

"Yes, Goddess?"

"I... I'm gonna learn to cook better food. Promise."

I look at him with determined eyes. I'm gonna learn. I'm gonna become a useful goddess.

"Goddess doesn't need to force herself. I'm already happy with this."

"But..." I bite my lower lip. "I wanna be a useful goddess for Kaen-kun. Not a goddess who's just a burden."

Then Kaen-kun says something that makes my heart stop beating.

"Goddess Hestia is never a burden. Goddess... is home for me."

Home?

What's that? I don't understand what he means by home?

Isn't home a place where we sleep and take shelter?

I feel my brain getting a bit hot, I feel embarrassed that as a goddess I don't understand what Kaen-kun said.

Seems like I gotta find out later what Kaen means, seems like I gotta find my friend, it's been a week since I saw her.

I'm too embarrassed to meet Goddess Hephaestus because I owe her money.

"Home?"

"Yeah. In the village, I didn't have anyone. No one waiting for me to come home. No one making dinner. No one caring whether I was okay or not."

He looks at his soup, then smiles.

"But now, there's Goddess waiting for me to come home. There's Goddess making food for me. There's Goddess worrying if I get hurt. That's... more than enough."

I don't understand what he's saying, but I feel touched, making me more curious what he means by home?

The word "home" touches me?

Tears start pooling in my eyes again. But this time it's not because I'm sad.

"Kaen-kun..." I whisper with a trembling voice.

I am... his home? Does he mean the place we live?

"So, even soup that tastes weird doesn't matter. What matters is that it's made with love. And I can feel it."

I laugh while wiping my eyes. My chest feels warm and full.

"You... how can you say sweet things like that with such an innocent face?"

"I'm just saying the truth."

"Geez..."

After we finish eating, I see Kaen-kun getting ready to collect the plates and bowls. Oh no! I can't let him do that!

"No! Let me wash them!" I protest while grabbing the bowl from his hands.

"But Goddess—"

"Kaen-kun must be tired from the Dungeon all day. Let me clean this up." I smile widely. "Besides, I cooked, so I'm responsible for cleaning up!"

I won't let Kaen-kun who's already tired from working hard for our familia still have to wash dishes.

"Alright, thank you, Goddess."

"You're welcome, Kaen-kun!"

I gather all the eating utensils enthusiastically, then hurry to the small kitchen. While washing dishes, I hum a little tune happily.

Today... even though my soup didn't taste good, I feel happy.

Kaen-kun said I'm his home.

I... am home for someone.

Even though I don't know what he means.

But something that makes my heart feel warm must be something good.

That's more than enough to make me the happiest goddess in the world.