The Tanaka Family Reincarnates

est assured, I will protect you’ to me?”

I asked Oliver with a sigh that was starting to resemble my mother’s recently, or so I’ve heard people say.

While I was a little surprised at myself for being able to guess the true feelings he hid behind his impudent speech, I was no better, still unable to be honest, as always.

“Wha— What stupid things are you saying!”

Oliver, whose face turned red instantly, averted his eyes to the carriage’s window awkwardly and sank into silence.I laughed once again at his easily-understood attitude that said  ‘Humph, not talking to you anymore.’.

Back then, I would have thought, ‘He said something infuriating again’, but now, knowing that he was just shy, it simply amused me.

While knitting a delicate lace that still couldn’t be compared to my husband’s work inside the quiet carriage, I recalled how we came to the decision of me going to Imperial Japan hurriedly.

End of Melsa’s POV

♠♠♠

Last night, as the family were sewing Emma’s friends’ dresses, they talked about some nostalgic Japanese food.

“It’s nice that we can now drink miso soup.”

William was happy that there were some among the ninjas who could make miso and tofu.

The ninjas took turns to visit the Stuart House and would make miso, soy sauce, etc.
when the ingredients were present.
In exchange, the Stuart family would take care of their accommodation and meals.

The unused room they stuffed the ninja in before was now designated their break room.

“By the way… how about dashi[1]?”

[T/N 1: Dashi: Japanese soup stock made from fish and kelp.]

Melsa had been hearing about miso and tofu for a while now, but not about dashi at all.

“Huh? Dashi?”

‘What is Mother talking about?’ George tilted his head.

“We need dashi to make miso soup, right? Kelp, katsuobushi[2], dried sardines too…”

[T/N 2: Katsuobushi: Japanese for dried bonito flakes (often seen as a takoyaki topping)]

Dashi?

The men looked at each other blankly.

“Hmm… I thought we could substitute it with dried scallops, but… I guess we need katsuobushi, after all?”

Emma, who got pricked in a painful place, stopped sewing and agreed with Melsa.

Bonito stock was the main part of the Tanaka family’s miso soup.
The katsuobushi that were taken out of the dashi automatically became the cats’ snacks.