Even if Yoshimura Eto did not straighten her legs, her short legs still would not touch the ground...
But they could not really be called short legs. Despite Yoshimura Eto not being tall, her body proportions were quite perfect.
With such proportions, her legs looked very slender.
Because Yoshimura Eto was small and light, having her entire body pressed against Ihei Byakuya did not feel heavy at all.
It was more like holding a soft body pillow, which instead gave Byakuya a rather comfortable feeling...
"Tonight you have to keep reading until I am satisfied, otherwise you are not allowed to sleep."
Yoshimura Eto wanted to force Byakuya to read to her, and at the same time memorize those characters she still did not recognize.
"Alright, alright."
Ihei Byakuya replied in a lazy tone.
Like an old father who had no way to deal with his own little ancestor.
And with Yoshimura Eto sitting on his thigh listening to him read, it felt even more like that...
...
Originally, they had returned home before four in the afternoon, but because he was teaching Eto how to read and reading to her, they were still sitting on the sofa even when it was almost six and time for dinner.
At this point, Ihei Byakuya was already a little tired, but Yoshimura Eto was still fully immersed.
And Eto's hunger situation was also different from Byakuya's.
Because Eto was a half-ghoul, she could eat humans, normal food, and could also engage in cannibalism.
Any of these could eliminate hunger.
Eto and Byakuya had known each other for less than two days. She had probably engaged in [Cannibalism] not long ago, so she did not easily feel hungry.
"It is about time to eat, right?"
At this moment, Ihei Byakuya spoke up.
"No, finish reading this part of the story first."
Yoshimura Eto shook her head.
"Alright..."
Ihei Byakuya thought that it would probably take another half an hour, but there was nothing he could do. After all, he had gotten entangled with such a little ancestor...
...
Half an hour later.
"Alright, this is the end for now. I will go make dinner, and we will continue after eating."
Having finally finished reading this story, Ihei Byakuya directly closed the book.
"Eh!"
Yoshimura Eto was still a bit unsatisfied.
But since the food Byakuya made was delicious, she could accept continuing later.
Ihei Byakuya personally cooked in the kitchen, using ingredients he had bought on his way home from school today.
Because his family had required him to learn cooking from a young age, he already had quite decent cooking skills.
About ten minutes passed.
Ihei Byakuya brought the dishes out of the kitchen one by one.
Although he was in Tokyo, what he cooked was mostly Chinese cuisine.
"Dinner is ready."
Ihei Byakuya said.
Smelling the aroma drifting from the table, Yoshimura Eto finally closed the book in her hands.
She had just reopened it to review the characters Byakuya had taught her that she originally did not recognize.
Sitting at the dining table and looking at the fragrant dishes, Yoshimura Eto was already a little impatient.
At this moment, Byakuya had even helped Eto serve rice, treating her purely like a child.
Although, judging by Eto's age, she really was a child...
He even continued by picking food for Eto.
Only then did Yoshimura Eto suddenly realize that something was off.
Watching Byakuya pick food for her, she felt that she was being treated like a daughter again by this guy.
"No."
Yoshimura Eto immediately blocked Byakuya's chopsticks with her own, saying unhappily, "I can pick food myself. I am not a little kid."
"Alright, alright."
Seeing that Eto was always unwilling to admit she was a little kid, Ihei Byakuya laughed.
"I really could not tell that you are actually so good at cooking."
Yoshimura Eto ate very happily the entire time, and now suddenly exclaimed.
At noon she had eaten the bread and such that Byakuya had bought and left at home. She had not eaten a proper meal because Byakuya had still been at school.
Compared to what she ate at noon, the contrast with dinner was very strong.
But what Yoshimura Eto cared about the most was that a half-human from Sunlit Garden actually knew so many things, especially being so skilled at cooking.
In Eto's understanding, the half-humans from Sunlit Garden were specially trained into killing machines. This was something she learned from the diary her mother left behind.
Logically speaking, growing up in such an environment, they should know nothing except fighting.
Yet Ihei Byakuya...
"It counts as a hobby. I specifically learned it myself."
Ihei Byakuya explained.
Such an explanation would not arouse Eto's suspicion.
If he said he had learned cooking on his own since childhood, that would be a problem, because Eto knew his Sunlit Garden background and the situation of Sunlit Garden.
"I see... no wonder it tastes so good."
Yoshimura Eto praised Byakuya's cooking.
"As long as it tastes good. I can make it for you every day in the future."
Ihei Byakuya said with a smile.
But right after saying this, he felt a bit of regret.
Did this not make it seem like he was voluntarily letting Eto cling to him every day...
"You said it."
Yoshimura Eto immediately said with a serious expression, "You are not allowed to abandon me."
Although this seriousness was only on the surface, in reality she was still disguising herself as the human little girl she imagined when interacting with Byakuya.
It was just that sometimes she would also reveal her true side...
Fortunately, Ihei Byakuya did not take Eto's words seriously. He only responded verbally, "Of course. I definitely would not do something like that."
"Mm!"
Yoshimura Eto nodded with a smile.
"Eat first. If it gets cold, it will not taste good."
Ihei Byakuya said.
Although he clearly knew that Eto was playing a pretend family game with him and had another purpose in reality,
he was still willing to cook for Eto and such.
Not only because he sympathized with Eto's past experiences,
but also because...
For someone who personally cooked the food, having someone taste it and give praise was itself an enjoyable thing.
After that,
once dinner was finished, Ihei Byakuya had just put all the tableware back into the kitchen sink and had not yet washed them when Eto urged him to continue teaching her how to read.
"Come quickly, I want to read."
"I am coming, I am coming."
...
Even late at night, when it was time to prepare for sleep.
Yoshimura Eto stayed in the living room and did not plan to return to the bedroom.
"Eto, it is already very late. It is about time to sleep."
Ihei Byakuya looked at the time. It was already ten o'clock, and he still had to get up early for school tomorrow.
Yet Yoshimura Eto was extremely willful.
"No! I am not satisfied yet. Or you can just keep reading until I fall asleep."