'Wow, I'm warm to my toes.

　As I was mumbling while slumped over the table, Dad Nord cleared his throat.

　This deliberate gesture is something that Nord-Dad often does when he wants to be heard.

　Sensible me, I manage to look up and look at him.

　He has this serious expression on his face, even though a moment ago he was fascinated by the warmth of the kotatsu.

　That's strange. Especially since I didn't do anything bad today.

　The matter of the battle pencils is also a big deal, but there shouldn't be any worries because it's going on without any problems.

''Well Al, are you going to sell this too?''

　I wondered what he was so serious about, but apparently Nord Dad was worried about the sale.

　It's true that after the battle pencils, I'd be worried if he swallowed and brought out something like this.

'No, I'm not thinking about it at all. I'm just putting these in the comfort of my mansion or my home.'

Good. Good for you.

　Relieved to hear my answer, Father Nord eased himself off without asking any more questions.

　It's not that I'm trying to sell anything.

　If it's going to cause too much trouble, it should be as much fun as you, your family and friends can have.

'Ooh, we're really getting together at a small table,'

　That said, it was Bartolo, the cook, who walked in.

　He has his hands in thick red mittens and is holding a large pot with both hands.

　The pot smelled very good, but I couldn't help but notice the strangely pretty mittens. Did someone give them to me, or did I buy them myself? It's a mystery.

　Meena put a potsherd on the kotatsu and Bartolo put a large pot on top of it.

　When I asked him to open the lid, there were a lot of ingredients swaying around in it.

Today's nabe is a chicken broth pot. The broth has been thoroughly prepared, so it's very tasty, isn't it?

'Oh!　Yummy!

　There were a lot of chicken wings floating around in the pot.

　The steam smelled very good, probably because of the flavor of the chicken blended in.

　Smelling it made me completely hungry.

　As Meena served the dishes, Mother Erna picked up the ladle and began to pour the ingredients.

'What would you like to eat, Nord?'

Chicken wings, cabbage and mushrooms, please.

　When Father Nord said this, Mother Erna served them and handed them to Father Nord.

Here, I'll make you a portion for Al.

'What?　That's unusual, isn't it?

"...apparently, Al. I don't think he wants to eat pot.

　Sheesh. I inadvertently slipped up at the unusual sight.

'It was a lie, it was a joke, I'm sorry.

　When I apologized for the flow, Mother Erna took the teacup from me as if it couldn't be helped.

'What would you like to eat?'

More chicken wings, bok choy and scallions.

You're still so tacky.

　The bowl of tea with plenty of ingredients is in front of us.

　It looks very delicious.

"Mine, too, please.

　Mother Erna received her sister Elinora's teacup and silently poured the ingredients into it.

"Wait a minute. Why don't you ask me anything?

'If you ask Elinora, all she'll tell you is to have more meat, right?

No, it's not and...

　But her eyes were completely swimming.

　I'm sure she said, "Lots of chicken wings! I must have meant to say.

'Wow, that's a lot of vegetables.'

　In this way, the bowl returned to Elinora was filled with vegetables.

　You can have the second and later ones yourself. It's a mother's way of making sure you eat as many vegetables as possible while you can.

What do you want to eat, Silvio?

More chinese cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, chives and scallions.

Do you want chicken wings?

I'll eat later.

　Whether you eat the meat first or later, that's your choice.

　But the later you eat it, the fewer you eat it, the fewer you get.

　I can easily predict that future by looking at the fierce sister's face next to me.

'I'll fill in for Erna,'

Thank you.

　Father Nord, who is the last one to serve Erna's food.

　It would have been faster if Erna had served it herself, but it's nice to know that you care.

　Nord used a ladle to pour the ingredients for the pot and handed it to Erna.

　The chicken wings, Chinese leeks, shiitake mushrooms, Chinese cabbage, and carrots seem to be all included in the soup, but it seems that he knows Erna well enough to know that there is one more chicken wing in the soup than there is in the Chinese cabbage.

　I noticed that, but I didn't say anything.

Well then, let's eat.

　When everyone's portions were ready and Father Nord's voice echoed, Sister Elinora was the first to get her hands on it.

'Ack!'

Well, that's what happens when you don't let him cool off a little.

Shut up.

　Sister Elinora returned and huffed and puffed on the chicken wings.

　She wants to eat the meat first, no matter what.

　I'd like to eat the bok choy first, too, but this guy, with its firm broth, must have accumulated a lot of heat.

　Hey, we're in the warm kotatsu now. There's no need to hurry.

　I breathe on it and slowly sip the broth.

"Oh, there's a nice chicken broth coming out.

I'm sure I'll have plenty to drink.

　Brother Silvio and Father Nord seemed to be satisfied with the soup, which was well infused with chicken broth.

　The flavor of the chicken and the sweetness of the vegetables were well represented in the soup.

　I sip the soup and let it cool with my breath as I sip the soup and bring the bok choy to my mouth.

　Mmm, it absorbs the flavor of the soup well.

　And yet, this crispy crunchy texture is very irresistible. I love Chinese cabbage in a pot because it's a vegetable and yet the feeling of satisfaction is very strong.

　The white onions were also tender and the green onions were firmly sweet.

　The chicken wings were very tender and the skin was very pliable. They were tasty and salty when eaten, and were a nice accent to the lightly seasoned nabe.

'Better than any hot pot I've had in the summer,'

'Oh, by the way, Al and your sister and I used ice magic to make the room cold and eat a pot of food.

I didn't know you were doing that.

'It's not like they eat casserole in the summer to begin with.

　Brother Silvio said as if to remind me, and Father Nord and Mother Erna said in dismay.

　It may be a silly thing to do, sure, but that thing is a good thing.

　We ate the ingredients and drank the soup and repeated the process.

　The warm pot warms me from the inside out, and the kotatsu warms me from the outside out.

　This combo is wonderful.

　Eat a hot pot and be warm. Dust in the kotatsu.

'Elinora, you take too much,'

Oh, yeah?

　By the time I refill my drink and reach the second cup, sister Elinora was already on her fourth cup.

　Considering the fact that Silvio's brother was still on his second cup, I should save it.

　Perhaps sensing this, Elinora sister put down the ladle for now.

　However, Elinora sister is thirteen years old. You can't blame her for wanting to eat more than us, since she's at a prime eating age and is exercising every day.

''Jahn, Bartolo-san told me to bring you some additional ingredients!

　As I was thinking of asking Bartolo for some additional ingredients, Meena walked in at the right time.

　There are many additional ingredients on the plate Meena is holding. That includes, of course, the chicken wings.

'Just right!'

That's Bartolo.

He said he'd leave the stewing to Mr. Alfried!

　........Hey.

　Well, as long as we don't have a gas stove, we need to take the pot to the kitchen to cook the ingredients.

　Since there are still some ingredients left over, it's understandable that it's quicker to simmer them here, but I can't explain it.

''Yes, yes, you can simmer them, right? Meena, put the ingredients in.

Yes!

　Meena poured the ingredients from the plate into the pot, and I poured a psychic on the pot to levitate it and set up a fireball underneath it.

　The pot is a little higher, but I can serve the ingredients if I lean over properly.

'Alfried-sama, how would you like to serve the shime?'

How would you like to see Sister Elinora and Brother Silvio?

Dinner!

I'm okay with that too.

　Brother Silvio chuckled at Sister Elinora's strong insistence, and said with a bitter smile.

''Well, then, at dinner.''

I understand!

What's the meaning of the word "clammy"?

　As Meena left, Mother Erna and Father Nord nodded their heads curiously.

'The ingredients alone won't fill you up, so we're going to put some rice or spaghetti in the last of the leftover soup.

I see. You think about it a lot, don't you?

Aside from the spaghetti, what about putting rice in the soup?

So, without your mother, Erna?

Wait. I didn't say I wouldn't eat it.

　He seems to eat himself while pointing it out.

　Well, putting rice in the soup wouldn't look so good.

　The grains of rice would fall apart and float, and it wouldn't look good.

　But those things are powerless in front of the deliciousness of the shime.

　Until the ingredients in the pot are cooked, everyone eats what's in their own bowl with care.

　Then, when the additional ingredients are cooked, everyone eats the ingredients again.

　When all five of us ate together, it was gone in a flash, leaving only an amber-colored soup in the pot with the ingredients' broth concentrated in it.

''Then I'll add the rice!

　Meena put the rice in there and mixed it lightly, then poured everyone's portions.

　Me, sister Elinora and brother Silvio, who were already used to experiencing the deliciousness of shimmy, got their hands on it right away.

''Yes, it's delicious!''

The flavor of the soup is soaking into the rice!

　When they saw Brother Silvio and Sister Elinora eating it with great relish, Mother Erna and Father Nord began to eat it with trepidation.

''Oh, it's delicious.''

This is good.

　But then Mother Erna and Father Nord noticed how tasty it was and started to eat it too.

　In no time at all, the shime was gone and everyone was full.

The food was delicious. Do you think we ate a little too much?

I didn't know there was a way to eat like that at the end.

Doesn't it taste just as good as it should?

　I can't stop eating a pot from now on. Even if I'm full, I'll still eat it.

　And it's even better to lie on the kotatsu when I'm full.