Chapter 38: The Taste of Power and Cuisine

Kenji listened to the system's explanation, now understanding the reason behind the sudden change.

The golden egg that appeared above Hyoudou Issei's head wasn't static—it evolved based on the strength and potential of its holder.

And now, it had risen from three stars to four stars.

The reason?

The Boosted Gear—the Red Dragon Emperor's Sacred Gear—was on the verge of awakening.

As one of the Thirteen Longinus, a God-Slaying Weapon, it was among the strongest artifacts in existence. Even though it wasn't fully awakened yet, it was powerful enough to push Issei's fate forward.

Kenji smirked to himself.

The pieces were moving.

By the time his thoughts settled, he had already arrived home.

After a simple wash-up and dinner, the sky had darkened…

---

Meanwhile, in Kuoh Academy's old school building, where the Occult Research Club gathered—

A crimson magic circle flickered beneath Koneko Toujou's feet.

Without hesitation, the small white-haired girl stepped toward it.

"Going on a mission, Koneko-chan?"

Akeno Himejima, who was pouring black tea for Rias Gremory, glanced at her curiously.

"Yeah," Koneko responded with her usual flat tone.

"Senior Kenji asked me to play games with him."

The words were spoken calmly.

Yet, silence filled the room.

Rias and Akeno exchanged surprised glances.

"Kenji-kun, huh…?" Rias muttered, resting her chin on her hand.

If they remembered correctly…

This morning, Kenji had invited Koneko jokingly. It wasn't an official request, nor did it count as a demon's contracted mission.

Yet, here Koneko was—treating it like a real assignment.

"You really like Kenji-kun, don't you?" Akeno teased, her voice dripping with amusement.

Koneko blinked, unfazed. "His games are fun. And his cooking is good."

Ah.

So that's what this was about.

Every time Koneko visited Kenji's place, he prepared delicious food—something she had quickly grown attached to.

Rias and Akeno glanced at each other again, realization dawning on them.

Kenji could cook.

And if Koneko—a girl who rarely showed interest in anything—was this eager, then his cooking must be something special.

Rias suddenly had an idea.

One that involved Koneko… and Kenji.

---

Back at Kenji's home—

He had just finished washing up when a red magic circle appeared in the center of the living room.

Kenji wasn't surprised.

He recognized the signature teleportation magic instantly.

Koneko had arrived.

But when the magic circle's glow faded, Kenji paused.

This time, she wasn't alone.

Standing beside her were Rias and Akeno.

"Hm?" Kenji raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't expecting company."

Koneko, as always, wasted no time.

"Kenji-senpai, I'm here."

She patted her stomach—a clear sign of hunger.

Kenji sighed, but his smile didn't fade. He knew her too well.

Meanwhile, Akeno smirked. "Kenji-kun, you're so biased. You invite Koneko-chan over for food, but you don't cook for us?"

She pressed a finger to her lips, feigning a hurt expression.

"Could it be that you prefer cute little girls over mature women like us?"

Her words dripped with mischief.

Kenji felt a headache coming on.

"Alright, alright. I get it," he said, waving a hand. "You're here for food too, huh?"

"Smart boy," Rias said with a playful smile.

Kenji sighed again.

"Fine, take a seat. I'll cook something up. We can talk after."

And with that, he turned toward the kitchen—before Akeno could tease him further.

As Kenji disappeared into the kitchen, Akeno let out a soft chuckle.

"Oh, he's fun."

Rias smiled as well.

Meanwhile, Koneko silently stared in the direction of the kitchen, her golden eyes unblinking.

She had skipped dinner on purpose—just to eat Kenji's cooking.

Now, she just had to wait.

---

Half an hour later—

A rich aroma filled the house.

Kenji emerged from the kitchen, carrying a tray filled with steaming dishes.

The moment he placed the food down, Koneko immediately picked up her chopsticks.

She didn't hesitate.

Not even a second.

Rias and Akeno, watching from the side, felt even more curious.

Just how good was Kenji's cooking?

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