Arthur finished what he was doing and dusted off his hands.
Phainon had said Castorice wanted to see him.
Although Arthur was not quite sure how to face the girl who was always so shy, he was already here, so he ought to at least say hello.
Then Arthur pushed open the door.
And then...
"Ah!"
With a soft cry, a warm, yielding body collided with his chest.
Arthur instinctively reached out to steady her.
He lowered his gaze.
A delicate face stared back at him, flushed as red as a ripe apple.
Castorice.
"Arthur, I-I-I-I'm sorry!"
As though she had been burned, Castorice sprang out of Arthur's arms and stumbled several steps backward, nearly crashing into the counter behind her.
Her eyes darted around, unsure where to look. She resembled a frightened little rabbit.
"I-I didn't do it on purpose!"
She stammered out an explanation, her voice growing quieter with every word.
Arthur looked at her and could not help smiling.
She was still the same.
She had not changed at all.
"It's all right. Did you hurt yourself?"
Castorice shook her head frantically.
"N-No!"
She lowered her head, unable to meet Arthur's eyes.
The kitchen fell silent for a moment. Phainon was just walking out from the back when he saw the scene and stopped short.
Then he grinned.
"Well, Castorice, you finally got to see Arthur?"
His voice was unmistakably teasing. "Why is your face so red? Have you been sneaking chilies?"
Castorice's face grew even redder.
"I-I have not!"
Phainon burst into laughter.
At that moment, a deep voice came from farther inside the kitchen.
"Savior."
Mydei stood before a counter, a kitchen knife in his hand, staring coldly in their direction.
"Savior, stop standing there watching the show and bring me what I need."
Phainon's smile stiffened.
"Savior?"
He scratched his head. "Mydei, could you stop calling me that all the time?"
"Of course, Savior."
"You!"
Phainon nearly jumped with frustration, but in the end, he merely sighed in resignation and waved a hand at Arthur.
Mydei raised the knife and pointed toward a nearby shelf. "Scallions, ginger, and garlic. One portion of each. Hurry."
Phainon sighed and obediently headed toward the shelf.
As he passed Arthur, he muttered under his breath, "That guy never changes."
Castorice was still standing where she had been, her head lowered, not daring to move.
Arthur looked at her and spoke gently.
"Do you need any help?"
Castorice froze, then raised her head to look at him.
Her face reddened again.
"N-No, thank you."
"I-I can manage on my own."
As soon as she finished speaking, she turned to flee.
"Castorice."
Arthur called out to her.
Castorice stopped but did not turn around.
Arthur walked over and stood beside her.
"It's been a long time. Have you been well?"
Castorice's shoulders trembled slightly.
Then she slowly turned around.
"Yes. I-I've been well."
Summoning her courage, she raised her head and looked at Arthur.
"And you?"
Arthur smiled.
"I've been well too."
In the kitchen, the soup simmered and bubbled, sending plumes of steam into the air.
Phainon was busy chopping scallions, ginger, and garlic in the corner, still grumbling under his breath.
Mydei stood at the counter, wholly focused on preparing the ingredients.
And Castorice stood before Arthur, her cheeks flushed and her eyes shining.
"All right, enough. Stop blocking the way."
Phainon came over carrying the chopped scallions, ginger, and garlic. "You two can talk outside. This is a kitchen, not a place for idle bystanders."
He began pushing Arthur toward the door.
"You too, Castorice. Wait outside. Dinner will be ready soon."
Castorice watched as she and Arthur were ushered out. She opened her mouth as though she wanted to say something, but no words came.
Phainon glanced back at her.
"Mydei and I are enough in here."
Castorice paused, then nodded.
She followed Arthur out of the kitchen.
The kitchen door closed behind them, leaving Arthur and Castorice alone in the corridor.
Castorice lowered her head, twisting her fingers together.
Arthur looked at her and smiled gently.
"Castorice."
"Yes?"
"I remember that when we were at university, your dream was to become a novelist."
Castorice's footsteps faltered slightly.
"Those fanfictions you wrote," Arthur continued, a faint smile touching his lips, "I still remember them.
One was about a vampire and a strategist from the East. It was especially good.
Back then, all the girls in our class were eagerly waiting for each new chapter."
Castorice's face reddened again.
This time, however, her reaction was different.
She raised her head and looked at Arthur.
"You still remember?"
"Of course. It really was excellent."
Castorice was silent for several seconds.
Then she smiled softly.
"I'm still chasing that dream."
Arthur looked at her.
"Then why are you working here as a chef?"
"Lady Aglaea needed help. When the Golden Grand first opened, they were short-staffed.
She came to me and asked whether I could help out for a while."
Castorice paused.
"I thought about it, and then I came."
"Just like that?"
"Yes, because everyone else was here too."
Castorice nodded. Her gaze moved past Arthur toward the hall at the end of the corridor.
"Phainon is here. Mydei is here. Hyacine is here.
Lady Aglaea is here, and Cipher visits often too..."
She turned back and looked at Arthur.
"Everyone is here."
Arthur fell silent.
He looked at the girl before him.
The girl who had always hidden in a corner at university, who spoke in a soft voice and blushed whenever anyone looked at her.
She had changed, yet somehow she had not changed at all.
"So," Castorice continued softly, "I came here. I help out while continuing to write."
"You're still writing?"
"Yes." Castorice nodded. "After I finish work at night, I go home, turn on my computer, and write."
Arthur looked at Castorice and suddenly did not know what to say.
This girl had paused along the road toward her dream, then started moving forward again.
She might be going a little more slowly, but she had never truly stopped.
"Arthur," Castorice suddenly said.
"Yes?"
"Aren't you chasing your dream too?"
Arthur paused.
"Your game, Honkai Impact 3rd."
"I played it. Everyone else has played it too."
"Everyone says that anyone capable of creating a game like that must be someone who is sincerely pursuing their dream."
Arthur looked at Castorice and fell silent.
Castorice met his gaze without looking away.
"So we're all chasing our dreams. We're simply doing it in different ways."