Think about it. He seems to have a twisted idea on what constitutes a easy meal to make. He dyes eggs green for what's supposed to be a simple meatloaf easy to make on his own, and individually handstamps gnocchi with a triangle for what was supposed to be a quick lunch. Is this a coping mechanism? Does the expectations he set for himself in making new, whimsical meals help keep him stressed?

And it's not just that. Qifrey constantly acts like the girls are picky eaters, but in reality, they're little angels who love everything he makes. Most professors/parents dream of children who are half as good as eating as they are. Is he gaslighting himself that they're picky to create more of a challenge?

Qifrey does not sleep in this manga. Either he has night time fun with Olruggio, or he cooks. Notice how Qifrey will wake up at 4 AM in the morning to make lunches for the girls, or spend the entire night making a bouquet of flower apple tarts to surprise Olruggio with in the morning. By using cooking as an excuse to stay up, he's exhausting himself.

re-read this chapter yesterday and i'm bashing my head against the wall because honestly i remembered the whole star and tree maiden parallel being more subtle than THIS

literally what was once given to him,,, love for magic,,, for cooking,,, for life,,, olruggio gave it to him

and now he's giving it to "the weakest creature on the land" (an unknowing child who's going through so much)

A Ratiorine comic based off the poem 25 Lives by tongari

See the original poem here :