Goddess of Maids or Snail Girl?

What do you mean by "keep going"?! Is she lacking in qualifications? She's a 16-year-old PhD student, for goodness' sake! And Valkyrie at that!

—Could it be that the identity of Valkyrie is actually a disadvantage?

Although it's a high-paying but high-risk profession, it can't really be that bad, right?

"Seriously, you really think I was better at 15... tsk, wasn't that me last year... well, strictly speaking, the year before last?"

"Hmm... this is a difficult question to answer. If I had to say... perfect?"

"... Huh?" Himeko never expected to receive such a comment from Liu Bai.

"Although my cooking skills aren't great, I think it's at least perfectly in a broad and objective sense."

Lively, intelligent, upright, and independent.

With all these advantages, cooking skills can hardly be considered a disadvantage.

"I really can't tell if you're insulting me or praising me... Am I really that bad right now?" Himeko was quite happy to be praised as perfect by Liu Bai, but then she felt a little conflicted.

Have I changed a lot?

"No, it's not that you're bad, but... although I usually call you a scoundrel or something, to be honest, you've been maturing."

"Ha, this is fine too."

"But your problem now is that it's neither green nor ripe, neither astringent nor unripe."

"... Did I hear something strange?" Despite the language barrier, Himeko's feminine intuition sensed that something was amiss.

"Don't worry about it. Of course, the main point is... I really hate it when people your age talk about maturity... Oh well, maybe I've gotten used to it at some point."

"... The topic seems to be getting unexpectedly heavy. How about we talk about something cheerful?"

Himeko changed the subject, "How about we try the so-called 'Stargazing' dish? I've heard it's famous in Britain."

"Looking up at the stars..." Liu Bai raised an eyebrow upon hearing this name. "Did you know that when Einstein and Tesla were at the Imperial Research Institute in London, they never ate anything other than hot dogs and sandwiches in the cafeteria? My advice is to learn from the experiences of those who came before us. In a sense, your topic has already gone beyond the realm of serious matters."

The taste of stargazing... well, it's actually acceptable, since judging from the ingredients and preparation, it's definitely not something like Canned Food herring.

The "darkness" of this thing actually lies in a group of dead fish with eerie glowing eyes staring straight at you—even if they are not actually staring at you, the psychological effect will make them appear to be staring at you.

After such an event, most people will lose their appetite completely...

"A strange light, you know, a strange light—that's a really good description."

"... It's that kind of dead fish eye reflection, right? I get the gist of it."

As someone who had been managing the household for a long time Himeko immediately grasped the meaning of Liu Bai's description.

"Hmm... now that you mention it, it really does give me the creeps."

"Speaking of which..." Liu Bai suddenly remembered something, "If Himeko really wants to eat some weird food, you can ask your captain."

"Captain Ragna? Don't be ridiculous, Captain Ragna's cooking skills are top-notch in my memory." Himeko waved her hand.

"Top-notch culinary skills and the ability to make disastrous dishes don't have to be mutually exclusive... What's your team leader's name?"

"Ragna."

"Full name?"

"Ragna Rodblock".

"Friendly reminder: there was a legendary Viking pirate named Ragna Lodbrok."

Obviously, the two names are pronounced exactly the same.

"This..." Himeko felt like she understood something.

"By the way, the Vikings had a tradition of naming their children after their ancestors, and Sweden happens to be one of the Vikings' ancestral homelands."

"..."

"—In other words, your captain's family lineage must be quite ancient, and in some sense, they might be 'pure Vikings,' although the history of herring Canned Food is relatively short..."

"But there's no reason why the captain wouldn't do that, right?" Himeko finally understood.

After all, this is a traditional dish from my hometown...

"Your predecessors should be grateful for your captain's tolerance when they're drunk—if she had opened a Canned Food herring in the cabin, you'd all be dead."

Chapter 191 Maid God or Fairy Wife?

"... Let's talk about something more normal, like... um, that other 'underage alcoholic' you mentioned during the New Year?"

Himeko changed the subject, saying that while humans have an uncontrollable curiosity, they also have a corresponding sense of fear.

Forget about Canned Food herring...

"Her... although she's not really associated with the word 'alcoholic' most of the time, it wouldn't hurt to talk about it if you wanted to hear it."

After all, Mobius's main profession was as a scientist.

"... Wait a minute, that person isn't that much better than me, is he?" Himeko suddenly hesitated.

No, not at all.

"Call..."

That's good. After all, if she saw the person she knows best praising someone who is better than her in front of her... even if she wasn't jealous, she would still feel awkward, right?

"I should say I completely crush you." Liu Bai added, looking at Himeko was relieved. "You're probably only slightly better than Mobius in cooking? Well, if we're talking about people who are the same age, your stamina should be a little better than Mobius's now too."

"... Then you'd better not talk about it. Hmm, how about you tell me about your research career?"

This guy never dated in college, so this topic shouldn't involve girls he doesn't know who are better than him, right?

Although it might be a bit exaggerated, I am still a sixteen-year-old PhD student, you know!

"That goes back to fifty... um... fifty-three years ago."

"... You've really covered a long time span."

"Fifty-three years ago, in Lab 42 of the Imperial Research Institute London, I had just become Einstein and Tesla's..."

"Wait, wait, wait! Wasn't your research career in university?" Suddenly, two more women who were more outstanding than him appeared!

And it was someone I knew!

Do you have to be so outrageous? — Even though I already knew that Liu Bai knew those two great scientists.

"... Or rather, why do you think my research career took place during my university years?"

"... So what were you doing in college?"

"Strive to pass, then eat, drink, and have fun? Or rather, eat, drink, and have fun, then strive to pass?"

"Wow... you're really lazy—but even so, you still can't find a girlfriend, isn't that a bit lame? Even if you only have your looks, you could still hook up with plenty of girls, right?"

After all, this guy is the kind of person who would attract attention even if you threw him on the street.

So, people like Liu Bai can't find girlfriends... Tsk, why do I always interpret my seniors in such strange ways?

Himeko felt like she was starting to feel a tiny bit anxious herself...

"It's quite subtle coming from you... Hmm... For example?" Liu Bai was also starting to reflect on his university experience.

"For example, cocktail parties or something. Although I've never attended such events, social cocktail parties are very common everywhere, right?"

"... Sorry, I don't really like lively scenes, and I don't drink or smoke. The only alcohol I've ever had in my life so far was two small glasses of beer at a back-to-school party to keep the atmosphere lively."

(This is the author's own drinking history.)

"You're surprisingly a good man," Himeko, quite surprised.

"If your definition of a 'good man' is someone who doesn't smoke or drink, then I can only say you're incredibly gullible..."

"No, it's just that for you... it's like 89+10... no, maybe 59+1? Anyway, it's the kind of feeling that adds the finishing touch?"

Himeko was somewhat conflicted, after all, Liu Bai was too... too upright and peaceful most of the time, so much so that Himeko couldn't find a single flaw in him.

Himeko couldn't see at all that this kind of person would be the type to coast through university... No, it should be said that it's precisely because they're so upright and peaceful that they coast through university? Is this what they call being content with one's lot?

"The second half of that sentence is really hurtful... Is there any other way?"

"Of course, I volunteered when university started, helping freshmen with their luggage?"

"That's a pretty standard way..." Liu Bai stroked his chin and nodded. "But if you're not careful, you might end up being taken advantage of, right? Besides, I think it would be better to spend the time entertaining new students in the dorm playing games."

"..." If that's the case, then there's really nothing more to say.

"You didn't just play video games all college, did you?"

Himeko seemed to sense that something was amiss.

"Ah... maybe, aren't you the same way—obsessed with stargazing rather than dating?"

"What you said makes sense, but why do I still feel like my hobby has been insulted?" Himeko complained. "But if that's the case... then I'm not qualified to teach you."

Although there are still some differences, at least Himeko understands Liu Bai's views on college romance.

"Don't worry, I'm not counting on you to teach me. I'd never have that chance in my life." Liu Bai rolled his eyes. "I'm just reminiscing about my youth. To be honest, I'm... well, I'm probably not worried about getting married now."

After all, the compatibility scores that overflow to the point of making people worry about whether it will lead to a yandere route are listed on the system.

Incidentally, Liu Bai and Himeko's compatibility has now reached 80%.

"..."

Himeko suddenly felt as if her emotions had been toyed with.

... That bastard.

"I'm going to eat."

This topic will only make her, a real young woman among a group of fake single women, more anxious, okay?

She didn't want to be like her predecessors, who started planning how to get married before they were even twenty. She was still young!

"There will always be a time when you become a 'leftover woman'."

"If you bring this up again, don't blame me for getting angry!"

Himeko, sounding somewhat embarrassed and angry, said, "You should just tell your story!"

"Story?"

"Of course it's your story from London, don't try to change the subject!"

"Oh..."

As they rambled on about this and that, Liu Bai almost forgot about their previous topic.

"Okay, that was fifty-three years ago, on a dark and stormy night... Don't go! It really was a dark and stormy night!"

My name is Ragna

Ragna Rodblock, captain of the Schicksal Valkyrie Stormtroopers, Schicksal's direct combat instructor, currently residing in Manchester Valkyrie.

Since arriving in Manchester, I feel like my new team member... well, Himeko has been with the team for more than half a year now, so she's no longer considered a new member.

In short, I feel like Himeko is acting a bit strange.

Because the temporary accommodation arranged for us in Manchester by the Britain side... wasn't as good as the headquarters.

Or to put it more bluntly, the sound insulation is questionable.

If you make even a slightly loud noise, the neighbors can hear it clearly—for example, it sounds like Himeko is talking to someone.

Yes, Himeko seemed to be talking to someone. On the first night after I arrived, I had just finished my social practice and was about to go back to my dorm when I heard Himeko talking to herself in her room. She kept bringing up topics like Einstein and London, and it seemed to involve a lot of information that was... somewhat sensitive for Schicksal.

But I can't hear the other party talking to Himeko.

Is she on the phone? Could Himeko be Anti-Entropy spy?

With this question in mind, I pushed open Himeko's door and, under the pretext of cleaning, conducted a surprise inspection, but found no communicator.

But when I returned to my room to eavesdrop more carefully, I discovered something was wrong.

Himeko's soliloquy conversation has somehow turned into fermented Canned Food? It seems she's planning to make me make fermented Canned Food?

... While I did know how to make it, it wasn't the season for Canned Food herring yet. The real time to make Canned Food herring is from April to June, which is now... Wait, that's not the point.

The key point is whether it's really appropriate for a spy to discuss in a room whether or not I should make Canned Food herring.