Chapter 87
As soon as they entered the living room, the girls couldn't contain their gasps of surprise. The room had a new layout, and the former living room had been transformed into a kind of hallway, with soft leather armchairs and sofas. In the middle of the room was an incredibly beautiful vintage staircase leading upstairs, and to everyone's surprise, it was Kasumi who was the most curious. She immediately rushed upstairs like a graceful cat exploring every corner of her new home.
Kenshin only smiled at the beautiful girl's excitement and led the pregnant wives to follow her. For the next five minutes, the girls, like three house cats, made an inspection in their new abode, critically evaluating every detail. In the end they all agreed that everything was beautifully done.
- Okay, curiosity satisfied, that's enough. You'll have plenty of time to explore in more detail. You haven't forgotten that we're having a celebration in honour of Nakayama Kasumi today, have you? - Kenshin said, and pulled the girl to him, kissing her sweet, cherry lips.
- That's right! Our mouse finally became a cat today! - Aya said cheerfully, and hugged Kenshin and Kasumi. Natsumi didn't know where to put herself at that moment, so Kenshin helped her and slapped her on the bottom with his telekinesis, inviting her into a loving, family hug.
By the time Kenshin and the girls finally came downstairs and entered the dining room, the sons were discussing their father's plans. They couldn't understand why their father had called them to the table when their mothers weren't cooking dinner.
- Don't be so frightened. I'm not some tyrant, and I won't scold you for discussing my plans. The main thing is that it should be appropriate. - Kenshin said with a smile as the sons, who were engaged in a lively conversation, suddenly fell silent.
- Girls, take your seats. - Kenshin said, smiling slyly. He liked to stir up intrigue, and heat up the anticipation of the uncomprehending beauties.
As the girls took their seats, he walked to the middle of the table and pressed a small "button" on the inside. A menu of available dishes instantly popped up before his eyes, with a very extensive sorting by type of dish or food.
- Ah!" Aya shrieked, the one who was most surprised by the plates that had suddenly appeared on the table. Natsumi flinched in surprise, and Kasumi squinted her night-black eyes. Kenshin's sons were more resilient, and only the four youngest ones flinched.
Everyone stared at the contents of the plates, and a good half of Kenshin's sons, as well as the two pregnant wives, had their stomachs rumbling at the incredible smell. On the plates were several very large slices of filet mignon in an exquisite sauce. There was a faint vapour from the meat and a maddening aroma.
Smaller plates of Caesar salad suddenly appeared next to the large plates. Kenshin had been to an expensive French restaurant when he was a student, and remembered the incredible flavour of the wagyu filet mignon, so he decided to give Kasumi a feast that would surprise even the princess of the Nara clan.
Glasses with the best French wine appeared next to each family member, except for Natsumi and Aya. Glasses with the best apple juice appeared next to them. The system defaulted to creating the best meals possible, so both the meat and wine were of incredible quality, and would have cost a fortune in his past world.
- Kasumi, this day is a big celebration for our Nakayama family, so let me raise this glass to you. Welcome to the family, Nakayama Kasumi. - Kenshin said as he rose to his feet and raised his hand with the glass slightly upwards, then took a sip.
- Welcome to the family, Kasumi.
- Welcome, Kasumi!
- Welcome to the family, Kasumi-san.
There were toasts that rang out every now and then. There were smiles of joy and warmth on everyone's lips that instantly melted the black-haired kunoichi's little heart. She had learnt to be callous and strong all her life, but now she couldn't hold back the tears.
- Thank you... Thank you all! - Kasumi whispered, and raised her glass in response, then took a sip.
Kenshin gently stroked the girl's back, soothing her affectionately. She looked into his eyes, and smiled a happy smile through her tears. Having been raised in the Nara clan, she had never seen such displays of family bonding. She had occasionally seen something like this in the home of the Shikaku family, who doted on their beloved wife, but in the rest of the clan, outside of their private dwellings, displays of light emotion were not welcome.
Everyone began to eat slowly, savouring the incredible flavour of the excellent beef. It was the first time anyone had ever tasted something of such high quality, and Kasumi was no exception. Even in the Nara clan and in all of Konoha, no one had ever taken the time to raise cows, feed them the best fruits and vegetables, and massage them every day so that the meat would have the best texture. Something so labour-intensive had never occurred to even the richest Kage-level shinobi. This was because all the strongest and richest people in the world were used to eating mouldy breadcrumbs on long missions in foreign lands.
- God, it's delicious..." Aya murmured, being the most emotional of the bunch. She couldn't imagine where Kenshin had gotten the meat from or how it had appeared on the plates, but she assumed it was another of his personal secrets.
- Yeah, Mum, it's really incredible. It's much more tender than the stringy meat of forest hares. - Ichiro supported her. Ichiro was the only one of his sons who dared to speak his mind freely.
- Eat, but don't choke. From this day on, only the best food will always be on our table. - Kenshin said, and took a sip of wine. He loved sitting at the head of the table, surrounded by his loving family. He was truly happy at this moment, and hoped that every evening would be as peaceful and happy as this one.
When they heard Kenshin's words, everyone was visibly happy and stopped choking. Everyone was talking to each other casually, mostly in whispers. Only Kenshin, the three girls, and Ichiro could speak loudly. But even so, everyone was careful to keep quiet and not disturb each other.