TPMITWON Chapter 55: Rice and Eggs

"Yeah! We can go to Pakura-chan's house!" Makima exclaimed softly with excitement, her previously tense body now relaxed and filled with happiness. She hugged Pakura tightly, feeling the warmth of the friendship that Makima had been searching for all along.

"By the way, do you have something to eat?" Souta asked a bit awkwardly, feeling a lighter mood after that moment. He smiled stiffly, trying to divert attention from the emotional moment.

Hearing the question, Pakura and Makima exchanged glances. A small smile appeared on their faces before the two little girls burst into laughter together. Makima hurried to the kitchen with quick steps, and Pakura eagerly followed to help.

Souta remained silent, watching them with slightly hesitant eyes. He thought that cooking might not be their strong suit, but he decided to stay calm.

Even though Souta wasn't sure if the dish they were going to make would be edible, he chose not to say anything and just waited.

While waiting for their arrival, Souta reached into his clothing and carefully pulled out several sheets of paper. The papers looked a bit crumpled, but every stroke on them seemed to hold a great secret.

These papers were the result of findings at the Puppet Arts Theater—where Souta currently worked. Although most of the papers were filled with seemingly meaningless scribbles, to Souta, they were a very valuable treasure.

The sketches depicted the parts of the Wooden Puppet in great detail, and Souta felt that there was something greater he could learn from these images.

With great care, Souta began to examine each drawing closely. The dim lighting in the room added a mysterious atmosphere, forcing his eyes to focus deeper.

In each sketch, Souta discovered surprising elements. The arms of the Wooden Puppet could transform into a sword with sharp blades, the body could merge and change into a sturdy large shield, and the head could transform into a long and fearsome spear.

Each transformation of the Wooden Puppet seemed to give it new life, as if the creature itself could adapt to its surroundings.

"Who could create such a complex design?" Souta thought, his heart racing with curiosity.

In every stroke, Souta began to sense a high level of ingenuity, artistry, and technique—something he might have never encountered before. Who was the creator of these sketches? Were they an artist or a highly skilled craftsman?

Moreover, Souta began to ponder something that troubled his mind even more: why did the Puppet Arts Theater need so many workers?

Souta had heard rumors that they were planning to hold a grand performance in the coming months.

However, the scale of the event remained a mystery to Souta. "How grand and magnificent could the performance be that they need so much manpower?" Souta thought, his mouth slightly pursed as if deep in thought.

Yet, in the midst of Souta's contemplation, a smell that greatly stimulated his sense of smell brought him back to reality. The delicious aroma of food slowly spread through the air, diverting Souta's attention from his racing thoughts.

Before long, the two little girls appeared from a narrow hallway. Pakura and Makima, carefully carrying a wooden tray. The tray was filled with simple yet appetizing dishes.

Pakura placed two bowls of rice topped with warm fried eggs on the table, while Makima followed with one bowl of rice and fried eggs, along with three glasses of cold water.

Souta stared at the food with slightly wide eyes. "Hmm... rice? And eggs? Are you sure you're serving this?" Souta asked with a hesitant tone, his voice sounding surprised.