The Extra Who Stole the Hero's System
Chapter 22: A Helping Hand - 2

Chapter 22: A Helping Hand - 2

"I wonder if it can fit in my mouth."

Evelina’s words, innocent on the surface, yet loaded with an unsettling double meaning. My face, which had just begun to relax, flushed red. My mind raced, Was she... was she implying what I thought she was implying? Was this some kind of noble flirtation? The thought was truly confusing and uneasy for me.

I stared at the comically large cucumber in her hand, then at her innocent, yet subtly mischievous, smile. My brain, usually so quick to analyze code and solve complex problems in my former life, felt utterly short-circuited.

"Evelina," I managed, my voice a little strained, "that’s... that’s a very large cucumber."

She quickly giggled. "It is, isn’t it? The bigger ones always have more... substance. More to work with." She winked, a playful, yet unsettling, gesture. "Don’t you agree, Kai?"

I swallowed hard. "Right. Substance." I quickly averted my gaze, focusing on the pile of normal-sized vegetables. This is going to be a long night.

She handed me the enormous cucumber and a larger knife. "Alright, your turn. Let’s see how you handle this one."

My hand felt dwarfed by the sheer size of the vegetable. I picked it up, its weight surprisingly substantial. I tried to chop it, but the knife felt awkward, too small for the task. My enhanced Strength and Agility were useful in a fight, but apparently not for delicate kitchen work.

Evelina, meanwhile, was effortlessly dicing carrots, her movements fluid. She glanced at my struggle with the vegetables, followed by a soft smile on her face. "Having trouble, Kai? It just needs a firm hand, you know. Sometimes, the larger ones require a bit more... force to get through." She demonstrated with a particularly thick carrot, slicing through it with ease. "Don’t be shy. You have to really commit."

I focused on the cucumber. Commit. Right. I pressed down harder, forcing the knife through it skin. It finally gave way with a satisfying thwack.

"There you go!" she cheered. "See? Just needed a little encouragement. And a good, strong grip." She then picked up a long, slender zucchini. "This one’s a bit different, though. It’s more about finesse. You have to be gentle, but precise. You don’t want to bruise it." She ran her fingers suggestively along the zucchini’s smooth surface. "Some vegetables are just more sensitive, you know."

The kitchen, despite Evelina’s strange comments, was surprisingly comforting. The rhythmic chop of knives, the simmering of water, the warm, earthy scent of vegetables – it was a stark contrast to the eerie and unwanted feel that permeated the rest of the manor. For a moment, I almost forgot about the dead assassin, about Lord Sapphire’s hidden agenda, about the system. Almost.

"Evelina," a voice suddenly called out.

Luminous bounced into the kitchen, his mouth full of nuts, his eyes wide with curiosity. "What are you two doing in here? Making soup? Can I help?"

Evelina’s demeanor shifted instantly. Her suggestive comments vanished, replaced by the perfect image of a loving, patient older sister. "Luminous! Of course, you can help! You can be our official taste-tester." She handed him a small bowl of chopped carrots. "But no eating the ingredients before they’re cooked."

Luminous giggled, happily munching on the raw carrots. His innocent presence was a welcome distraction, a brief return to normalcy. He chattered about his nuts, about the market, about a particularly interesting street performer he’d seen. Evelina listened patiently, occasionally ruffling his blue hair.

I watched their interaction, trying to make sense of it all. Evelina’s shift in behavior was seamless, almost frighteningly so. It reinforced the idea that her ’niceness’ could be a performance, a carefully constructed facade. But then, her genuine warmth towards Luminous, her easy affection, felt undeniably real. It was a confusing paradox.

As Luminous eventually wandered off, promising to return for the final taste test, Evelina turned back to me, a faint, knowing smile on her lips. "He’s a handful, isn’t he? But he’s so sweet." She then picked up a long, slender leek. "This one, Kai, is tricky. It’s long and firm, but you have to be careful when you cut it. You don’t want to get too... enthusiastic. A gentle, steady hand is best." She demonstrated, her movements precise, her eyes meeting mine with that familiar, unsettling glint.

We continued to chop, to dice, to slice. The pile of prepared vegetables grew steadily. The aroma of the simmering broth filled the kitchen, a comforting, homely smell. Despite the underlying tension, despite Evelina’s strange jokes, there was a rhythm to it, a domesticity that was both alien and strangely appealing.

Finally, after what felt like hours, the soup was ready. It was a thick, hearty vegetable soup, steaming gently in the large pot. Evelina ladled it into two bowls, the rich aroma filling the air.

"There!" she announced triumphantly. "Our masterpiece! Come, let’s sit by the fire and enjoy it."

We carried our bowls to a small, cozy nook in the kitchen, where a fire crackled merrily in a large hearth. The warmth was comforting, chasing away the lingering chill from the night air. I took a spoonful of the soup. It was delicious. Rich, flavorful, and incredibly warming. It was the first truly hot, home-cooked meal I’d had since my reincarnation, and it felt like a small luxury in this chaotic new life.

Evelina watched me, her eyes sparkling. "Well? What do you think, Kai?"

"It’s... it’s wonderful, Evelina," I admitted, genuinely. "Truly delicious."

She beamed, a look of pure delight on her face. "I told you we made a good team! We always did." She took a spoonful of her own, a contented sigh escaping her lips.

As I continued to eat, the warmth of the soup filling my mouth, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. Here I was, sitting in a luxurious kitchen, eating delicious soup with a beautiful, seemingly loving sister. Yet, outside these walls, an assassin lay dead and a powerful father harbored dark secrets.

Was I simply wasting my time cutting vegetables in the kitchen, when I should be reinforcing my defenses against any potential move by Lord Sapphire? The thought at me, a persistent worry in the back of my mind, even as the warmth of the soup settled in my mouth.