A few days ago, Ryan had shared his "Anchor Point" theory with Mobius, and it wasn't just a half-hearted claim.
The concept of pioneering is inherently risky — as you walk, you can easily lose track of where you're going. That's why Ryan proposed the theory: even if you fall into the abyss, you can always look back and see a light in the distance.
That light might not directly help you, but it can remind you of where you came from and where you should be heading.
Ryan couldn't fully explain this abstract concept, but he just knew it felt right. It was like when he was cooking — his mind could completely empty, and all the worries seemed to vanish in an instant.
Who cares about being a savior, a blazing hero? Those things don't matter right now. He could deal with them later.
Wrapping soft rice in egg, Ryan cooked the sauce while gutting the fish that Elysia had bought. He sprinkled onion and spices on it, and placed it into the oven that Vil-V had just rigged up. The oven automatically recognized the contents, so Ryan didn't need to adjust the settings. It took care of the time and temperature all by itself.
"Always fiddling with these odd gadgets. But after all the tinkering, I have to admit, my room is fully equipped now. Of course, the expenses must be deducted."
Ryan took a deep breath, tied on his apron, and put on a headscarf. As he picked up the spatula, he treated the moment with the same seriousness as facing a "Herrscher."
Time to give it my all!
The pork ribs, coated in egg whites and flour, sizzled as they hit the hot oil, turning golden brown on the outside. After draining the excess oil, Ryan poured the cooked curry sauce over the top.
He repeated the same steps four times, making sure to prepare a larger portion for the center. Reaching out with his right hand, electromagnetic force pulled the strainer into his palm. He tapped the table gently, sending vegetables into the strainer before dropping them into boiling water for a few seconds. With a flick of his wrist, he placed them onto the plate.
Curry pork rib omelette rice, done.
"Now, let's prepare a side dish."
Ryan wiped the sweat from his forehead, glanced at the green peppers and beef on the table, and pulled a jar of pickled vegetables from the fridge. He crushed some garlic, diced the green peppers and beef into half-centimeter cubes, and heated oil to about 80%. Adding the garlic and pickles to the pan, they sizzled loudly, then he added the minced beef, soy sauce, and salt, shaking the pan continuously before finishing off with the peppers. Finally, he used the spatula to evenly spread it onto the plate.
Ding.
At that moment, the fish was done. The new countertop split in half, and a conveyor belt lifted the fish up. Without needing Ryan to do anything, he poured the scorching hot oil over the fish.
Sizzle.
The surface of the fish turned golden as the seasonings seemingly ignited, releasing a rich fragrance.
"It smells so good." Elysia had snuck into the kitchen at some point, her nose twitching as she clapped her hands lightly. "It really needs to be you cooking, Ryan."
Greedy cat, showing its claws.
Elysia didn't have such complex thoughts. She was just happily enjoying herself, no matter what.
Slap.
As she reached for the tempura, Ryan slapped her hand lightly, causing her to retract it quickly.
"What are you doing, Ryan?"
"Wash your hands, grab a plate, then go ask next door for some tables and chairs. With all of you here, this small room can't fit us all."
"I'm already done!"
As soon as Ryan finished speaking, Vil-V excitedly ran over. Without Elysia needing to lift a finger, the robots with her began moving things. Elysia stood nervously beside them, afraid these metal lumps might drop the plates.
Ryan glanced around the cramped living room. In the center, a two-meter-sized box stood. As the box split open, a round table and chairs popped out, large enough to seat six or seven people.
"Extreme compression, fully modular design. It can unfold smoothly in any area, and can even serve as a stage or..."
"You're just saying Mei deducted a lot from the budget for this, aren't you? Inventing something useless like this."
Vil-V immediately choked up, scratching her head. "How could it be useless? This is a genius invention. See, it's already being used."
"But we could have borrowed some next door. No need for all this trouble."
"Heh, Vil-V, next time you waste funds, I'll go report it to Mei, and you'll definitely get an earful."
Sakura and Mobius each grumbled, causing Vil-V's face to flush. "How can an inventor's work be called a waste? Every idea has its purpose."
"Alright, alright. Anyway, this part of the expenditure falls on me. Let's eat before it gets cold." Ryan patted her head lightly and shot a glare at Mobius, making it clear:
"You're no better."
With the help of the robots, the meal was quickly set on the table. As soon as Ryan picked up his chopsticks, Elysia pressed his hand down and grinned as she pulled out her phone to take a picture.
"A dinner this beautiful deserves to be shown off."
"Ah, you reminded me. I'll take a picture for Rin." Sakura got excited too. After sending it, she looked at Vil-V, who was focused on eating. "Aren't you going to take a couple of pictures?"
"These little guys wouldn't understand social media. I'll take a shot once I get full AI." Vil-V muttered.
Tch, how boring.
Mobius glanced at the three of them and curled her lips, secretly pulling out her phone to snap a photo. She thought this wasn't for showing off, but rather testing the focus of Klein and the others.
Of course, Ryan noticed these little gestures. He grabbed a piece of pork rib and took a bite. The crispy exterior and tender pork melted in his mouth, with a subtle sweet and salty flavor. His eyes squinted in pleasure.
My cooking skills are still this good.
He tasted the spicy grilled fish and saw Elysia and the others enjoying their meal, all their eyes lighting up.
"It's delicious!"
"Ryan cooking really surpasses mine."
"Ugh, I've got to hurry up and finish 'Chef.'"
"Definitely better than instant noodles."
Being praised by one person is nice, but by a group of beautiful girls? That's indescribable. Ryan could only force himself to stay calm and suppress the corners of his mouth from lifting. He switched the TV to the entertainment channel.
The concert of Eden was playing on the screen. Since so many stars had physically disappeared, she stood at the center of the spotlight.
The sound from the speakers was deep and melancholy, as if facing the unstoppable tide of time, leaving only a heavy sigh.
"'Only Time'? Did you write this piece, Ryan?" Elysia suddenly spoke up after swallowing a bite of pork chop.
What? he wrote it?
Mobius instantly looked up. She only cared about the money and didn't know about Ryan work, nor did she care about music.
Sakura's eyes sparkled, full of confusion and admiration. As a music enthusiast, she knew how great Eden's emotional singing was, but half of that credit had to go to the far-reaching melody.
"Don't be surprised. This is just basic stuff."
Ryan adjusted his glasses, and the smile on his lips couldn't be suppressed.
Mobius frowned instantly, but she couldn't argue. In biology, she was better, but in other areas, Ryan was far stronger. Of course, she would never admit it out loud.
So, she didn't dare to make sarcastic comments and continued to eat her food in silence.
With Eden's voice as the background, Ryan focused on his food, enjoying the satisfied expressions of the others, and savored the fact that as a chef, this was the best compliment.
Aside from battle and research, he had left more color in this world.
"Ryan, you seem to be in a good mood," Elysia whispered as she elbowed him.
"I just think a lively atmosphere is nice." Ryan looked up, seeing Elysia plate was empty, and he scooped the untouched omelette rice onto her plate. He sighed a little, "Times like this make you forget all those troublesome thoughts. I can't protect everyone, but as long as I have you all, I'm not lonely."
"Hehe, looks like I've succeeded. I guess I'll have to bother you more from now on." Elysia clapped her hands together, not knowing which part of the conversation was her real goal.
"Bring your own ingredients, I'll handle the cooking. With Vil-V doing her thing, the kitchen equipment here is pretty complete." Ryan agreed cheerfully, took a sip of tea, and then asked, "Elysia, how many more plans do you have hidden?"
Elysia immediately became energized and began counting on her fingers. "I want to go to the amusement park, the New Year's ball, the hot spring trip, summer beach..."
She babbled on, making Ryan want to vent his frustration. Not a single one of her plans involved battle. Anyone who didn't know would think she was in some youthful slice-of-life world.
No worries? Unaware of suffering?
It's not that. Because the world is growing more and more broken, she wants to hold onto the last bits of beauty. What I'm doing is trying to preserve these beauties for a little longer.
"Well done, Elysia. In a sense, that's a kind of strength that most people can't imagine. I've never seen you sad."
"No, I do cry sometimes, secretly." Elysia made a wiping-eyes gesture.
"Come on, I don't want to see that. I can't imagine seeing sadness on that face of yours."
"What if something happens that forces me to?"
Ryan set down his tea cup, staring at her seriously. "Then I'll help you solve it."
Her purple eyes widened slightly, her clear gaze hiding some unspoken worry, which slowly faded away. It was obvious that Elysia, who always seemed full of life, was hiding something deep within.
Was it because the end was near? Was she slowly remembering something? With her intelligence, even a word or two would lead her to terrifying conclusions. If I hadn't been paying attention, I wouldn't have known.
Ryan heart tightened, and his breath quickened a little. He suddenly realized something he had known but never wanted to address.
This most beautiful, most passionate, never despairing, always loving girl... is a Herrscher!
"Ahem, I really want to take a picture of that pervert look on your face."
"Ryan, you're looking at me so boldly, especially in front of Mobius and the others. When did you become so daring?"
The mix of anger and joy in their voices made Ryan look away. He gave a quick glance at Elysia pure smile, which had no trace of forced laughter, as if the problem didn't even exist.
In the face of that smile, even his inner sorrow dissipated.
No matter how desperate the future may be, beauty can always be found. That's Elysia, and only Elysia.