Soroi was searching for his longtime mistress, walking up and down the halls of the giant manor house. "Satsuki-sama, Ryūko-sama," he called again and again, "supper is ready." After five minutes of fruitless searching, he turned his back and proceeded to return to the kitchen. "Perhaps the both of them are occupied in the private study. I shall not disturb them." It turned out to be a wise call, though the two amorous sisters were duking it out in the library, not the private study. It went this way: While Hōōmaru had stayed behind at the REVOCS headquarters, Ryūko and Satsuki had done nothing at the house than to destroy themselves with increasingly mackadocious impulses. And, as has been stated in a prior chapter, the pair sank into utter degradation as they passionately made out in the library. Before they could plunge their fingers into one another's CROTCH BLOWTUBICLES, Satsuki suddenly jerked her head upward, her ears pricked up. "What is it, sis?" Ryūko said immediately. She was on high alert mode on the instant her sister made that sudden move. Satsuki listened for a brief moment, before bursting into laughter. "It's Soroi, of course. I'm afraid we'll have to hit pause on our playtime for the moment, Ryūko." Her little sister was startled. "Huh? Why's that, onee?" "It's dinner time," Satsuki replied with a smile. ~~~~ Ryūko was inwardly dreading the mealtime. She was not oblivious to her elder sister's high tastes, and poor Ryūko feared that she was in for a lecture regarding table etiquette. A question arose to her mind as she and Satsuki began to descend the grand staircase. "Hey, sis," she nervously began, "do you happen to know what we're eating?" "I do," said Satsuki with a sarcastic grin. "I can tell you are quite excited to learn how to eat properly, are you not?" Ryūko facepalmed and groaned. "Um, no," she said flatly. "I don't need to know how to eat quote-unquote 'properly,' anyway." Her big sister grabbed her by the arm. "Oh, yes, you do," she sweetly said. "Especially as we are in possession of the world's largest clothing conglomerate. Think about it, dear Ryūko. We must learn how to conduct ourselves with class, as we will inevitably come into contact with very wealthy and very powerful individuals in the future." "Oh, well," Ryūko said with a sigh. "I guess you have a point there. Anyway, you didn't answer my question. What are we eating?" Satsuki only smirked. "Escargot and caviar for our appetizer, foie gras and marbled short rib for our main course, and mocha soufflé with fresh fruits for our dessert." Ryūko facepalmed again. "God, sis, you really had to make things hard from the outset, huh? Well, this stuff better taste good." "Two comments on that," Satsuki retorted. "First, you should consider the drudgery of etiquette a training ground of sorts for your future. Second, you have my word that your palette will be greatly satisfied by the time we're finished." The younger one folded her arms as they reached the ground floor. "Ok, one other question, Satsuki," she said. "What in the living hell are escargott, cavyar, and FOY GRASS?" Before she could reply, Satsuki found herself pulled to Ryūko's side. "You know what," said Ryūko, "don't answer that question, sis. I'd actually rather not know and eat it blindfolded." Satsuki giggled. "Trust me, little sis," she replied, "you're really going to enjoy them. You will eat it, and you will like it!" ~~~~ Ryūko gulped. She and Satsuki were sitting across from one another, the former drawn in very tightly, the latter sitting as prim as the Cheshire cat. "Are you ready, Ryūko?" she asked the scared girl. "Dammit, sis, you're asking me that question NOW???" she retorted. "I don't know!" "Well, no you're not," said the smug Satsuki. "I forgot to mention that our meal is just a little bit on the exotic side, but, given the amount of Mankanshoku Sukuyo-san's delicious croquettes you've eaten in the past two years, it shouldn't be a sweat for you. Ah, here comes the first dish." Soroi entered the room, pushing a gilded metal cart, with the appearance of an upgraded dim-sum cart. "Good evening to you, Satsuki-sama and Ryūko-sama. I suppose you have already been briefed as to your meal tonight?" "Yes indeed," Satsuki replied. "Although, Soroi, Ryūko here seems rather nervous about this whole affair concerning the menu choice." "SHADDUP," Ryūko said. "I'm determined to master these damn manners, no matter the difficulty of eating everything properly." "Well, in that case," said Soroi, "I do think we can proceed with appetizers. Satsuki-sama, which would you like to have served first?" Satsuki paused for a moment, before giving Ryūko a flirty wink and turning to her butler once more. "We'll start it off on an easier note, Soroi. Let it be the caviar." Soroi bowed. "Very well, ladies. Here it is." With this he laid a covered dish full of the black fish eggs on the large mahogany table. "You must know, Ryūko-sama, that it is your sister's requirement, even for food, that she receives only the best of the best. This, Ryūko-sama," he said, uncovering the dish, "is Almas beluga caviar, the highest-quality of its kind in the entire world." The elder Kiryūin licked her lips hungrily at the sight, but all the younger could do was stare. "What's the matter, Ryūko?" said Satsuki, spooning the exotic roe onto her favorite milk bread and laying it on her plate. "Well," said Ryūko, "these are the most expensive fish eggs you can come by, so I'm taking it all in." Satsuki laughed. "It is so very pleasing to the taste, Ryūko," she said with a regal air. "I don't think you should exactly restrain yourself from partaking of this delicacy." With that she tore off a small portion of bread and placed the morsel in her mouth. Ryūko followed suit, taking a few of the precious fish eggs with the mother-of-pearl spoon, and spreading the tantalizing caviar all over a milk roll. Like her sister, she broke off a small portion and put in her mouth also. Her eyes widened with surprise. Though she knew the hefty price tag of the caviar, Ryūko did not expect the taste of the caviar to be this delicious. In its texture was a slightly salty taste, which was excellently balanced with the neutralizing flavor of the milk bread. "Mm, it's really good, sis," said Ryūko. Satsuki swallowed her food, before responding by waggling a finger at her sister with a teasing smile. "And just like that, you've forgotten your manners, Ryūko," she said. "No talking with food in your mouth!" All Ryūko could do was to give her a nasty look. "Alright, fine then," she grumpily replied. TO BE CONTINUED





