Munchkin Disciple Wants to Stop Being Obsessed Over

“I… I’m so… eek, eek!”
I screamed while closing my eyes, but Daphne swung her sword at me without even blinking, without hesitation.

-Swish.
A chilling sound reaching my ears.
And so my head was cut off.
“Why are you crying?”
Not the head on my neck, but my hair.
When I opened my eyes, what I saw was black hair scattered on the floor and Daphne with a strangely excited expression.
“I cut it because it seemed to be bothering you.”
“…”
The invisible force binding my body disappeared, and my weakened body slumped in the chair.
‘This damn woman…’
Judging by the way she’s smirking while putting the sword back in its scabbard, she must have been trying to tease me.
Just as I was about to say something in my indignation.
[Your favorability with Daphne has increased by 20! (Favorability: 50/100)]
A notification arrived. Wait, why?
“Pfft, someone might think I was threatening to kill you.”
You were.
“By the way, seeing you scared and crying, you really are a child, aren’t you?”
“I… I wasn’t crying.”
“Then what’s this moisture here? Oh, is it perhaps dew that formed?”
Daphne asked while rubbing my eyes with her finger. When our eyes met, I saw her eye corners curved into half-moons, annoyingly.
“…”
My face reddened with shame, and my head naturally dropped.
To be teased like this by a woman.

My pride as a man has taken quite a hit.
‘Just you wait.’
With my hurt pride, I vowed while shaking my hands.
Although I’m in a position where I need to make a good impression now, someday I’ll reverse this situation.
“Oh my, the apron is ruined?”
“…?”
While I was thinking this, Daphne showed me my apron.
“That was a close call.”
Daphne threw aside the black apron I had been wearing with a bright smile.
Seeing that, I swallowed dry saliva.
Because the apron Daphne threw wasn’t in its original state, but had been slashed.
‘In that brief moment, she not only cut my hair to tease me but also sliced through the apron?’
As I grasped the situation, my mouth fell open.
I can’t even imagine.
How excellent must her swordsmanship be to perform such a feat?
And how twisted must her personality be to display such a brutal use of the blade just to tease a child?
“Here.”
While I was lost in thought, something was placed on the floor.
“…?”
When I gave her a look that asked what this was, Daphne answered with a mischievous smile.
“An apron. I thought the black one was too gloomy, so I prepared this.”
“This is a bit…”
A parade of pink unfolds as I hold up the apron.
I reflexively felt repulsed.
For good reason.
No, even if it wasn’t me, any man would have felt the same.
‘Even gay men would dislike this.’
A bright pink background, clear-eyed baby animals happily displayed.
The apron Daphne handed me boasted an appearance that was absolutely unacceptable to me, who was born with XY chromosomes.
“Daphne, I’d rather go without an apron…”

“Wear it.”
“Pardon?”
“I said wear it.”
A cold voice interjects as I’m expressing my polite refusal.
“…”
Daphne was looking at me with an expression colder than when we first met.
It was a deplorable situation. To think that I, a man, couldn’t even properly raise my voice and had to submit like this.
‘Damn it.’
I really didn’t want to wear it, but in the end, I had no choice but to put on the apron.
Then a notification arrived.
[Your favorability with Daphne has increased by 20! (Favorability: 70/100)]
Thanks to this, I could figure out what I needed to do to complete this quest.
‘So this was her preference.’
All I had to do was cater to Daphne’s tastes.
Look at her now. Daphne’s expression, which had been utterly cold, has transformed into a very satisfied look, as if it had never been otherwise.
‘Think positively.’
My pride as a man was hurt, but this was actually better.
Better than eating gray sandwiches seven times, at least.
Ah, since things have turned out this way, I should say it right now.
That I’ll do the cooking.
If I play this right, I might even complete the quest today?
“Thank you for such a… pretty… apron.”
“Yes. You look quite cute… I mean, acceptable.”
“Ah, Daphne! Since I’m wearing this apron now, if it’s alright with you, may I repay your kindness?”
“Repay?”

When I spoke, Daphne asked back with eyes full of curiosity.
A good expression. I’m sure that when I declare I’ll cook, she’ll be moved and find me admirable.
“I know how to cook a bit!”
“Cook?”
“Yes. If you could just show me where the ingredients are, I thought I might prepare a meal myself…”
“Kamel…”
When I spoke confidently, Daphne trailed off and lowered her head.

‘She can’t help but be moved.’
I would be too. Being unable to cook, but kindly offered cooking.
From Daphne’s perspective, I must look incredibly thoughtful.
Sure enough, before long, a notification arrived.
[Your favorability with Daphne has decreased by 10! (Favorability: 60/100)]

‘Huh?’
Why did it decrease?
Perhaps sensing my puzzled look, Daphne soon raised her head and asked me.
“Did you find the food I made distasteful?”
Various emotions had seeped into Daphne’s expression.
Gloominess and hurt feelings, as well as anger and even madness.
A sense of having made a huge mistake made me involuntarily swallow a gasp.
“…”
How long did we stare at each other?
After much deliberation, I made a big decision and painfully answered.
“Yes.”

Despite investing over 10,000 hours in the game, this was a first.
One word… no, uttering just one syllable, yet favorability decreasing by 20.
[Linked Quest ‘Gain Daphne’s Favor!’ in progress. (Favorability: 40/100)]
It was truly an infuriating situation, but I had no regrets.
No, I think I did the right thing.
-“Do whatever you want.”
Although there was a minor incident where Daphne pushed out her lips and abandoned me in the kitchen.
Nevertheless, I couldn’t help but hum a tune.
“Hmm hmm.”
How could I not be happy when I’ve gained the ability to live like a human being at the cost of 30 favorability? I think this was a real bargain.
‘I can always raise the favorability again.’
From what I’ve observed, Daphne has quite a capricious personality.
So if I play along with her a bit, I’m sure I’ll naturally clear the quest.
No matter how I think about it, my choice wasn’t wrong.
“Hmm hmm.”
Thanks to this, I was able to protect my precious sense of taste.
As I put meat on the frying pan, sizzling sounds and appetizing smells begin to fill the kitchen.
The pantry was surprisingly well-stocked with fresh ingredients, allowing me to prepare various dishes.
‘This should increase favorability, right?’
Tomato pasta, chicken stew, and the pork neck steak I’m grilling now.
These are menus that would make any woman swoon, and if the cook is a man, they could create favorability where there was none.
‘To think I’d use this skill like this.’
In my previous life, I learned cooking as a hobby. To prepare food when my girlfriend visited my studio apartment.
“…”
I suddenly felt melancholic.
Come to think of it, in my previous life, I never got to showcase these dishes to anyone.
“It’s okay.”
If it helps even now, doesn’t it prove something?
That the time I invested was never in vain.
“Damn it.”
It really was okay.

When I finished all preparations and called Daphne, she still had her lips pushed out.
“…You worked quite hard.”
Not just worked hard, I gave it my all.
‘How petty.’
Seeing her still apparently sulking, I started to feel displeased, but I managed to endure and handed her a spoon.
“It’s nothing compared to the kindness you’ve shown me.”
“That’s true.”
“Please try it before it gets cold.”
“Alright. Since you worked hard, I should at least taste it.”
“Hehe…”
I laughed outwardly, but inwardly I felt utterly miserable.
Born a man, and yet receiving such treatment even after cooking.
‘Dad, I’m sorry.’
A sudden feeling of guilt.
My father in my previous life used to tell me to die like a man even in death.
‘I need to survive.’
For reference, my father bet all his assets on Dogecoin like a man, and met a manly end…
“Delicious… no, quite edible.”
While I was thinking that, I heard Daphne muttering and looked up.
‘She’s eating well.’
Daphne was continuously munching with her small mouth, focused on the meal.
Watching her, I felt a strange feeling.
‘She really is beautiful.’
And her eating with small bites is quite cute too.
‘If only her personality was good, it would have been really nice.’
As I was having such pointless thoughts and about to join the meal, consecutive notifications arrived.
[Your favorability with Daphne has increased by 20! (Favorability: 60/100)]
[Your favorability with Daphne has increased by 20! (Favorability: 80/100)]
[Your favorability with Daphne has increased by 20! (Favorability: 100/100)]
[Linked Quest ‘Gain Daphne’s Favor!’ has been completed!]
The quest completed in an instant.
In my bewilderment, I looked ahead and saw Daphne munching with a very happy expression.
“…”
Looking at her, I felt a sense of emptiness.
I had agonized so much over clearing the quest.
Yet it was this easy.
‘Oh.’
But that emptiness disappeared like snow melting in the sun with the next notification.
[Please select a reward.]
The reward list that arrived was excellent beyond measure.