“The Gem Friend isn’t meant to be used as explosives!”
Pastel held up the black gem. Her fingers grazed its smooth surface.
“Look at this beautiful skin! It’s a friend that’s grown up nobly by birth! Too soft for rough work!”
『That’s just finely ground and polished.』
“Ugh! The cruel reality…!”
In fact, there was no noble birth to speak of.
Pastel trembled, staring down at the gem.
It shone a captivating black light.
It looked like obsidian, and honestly, there wasn’t a huge difference in appearance. If you found an obsidian stone and carelessly picked it up to put in your mouth, you’d probably be like, “Ahh! My teeth! Demon Lord! Demon Lord!” and running around, that’s the vibe.
But still, it’s a pretty friend.
“But you became an explosive!”
The shivering wasn’t because of the expensive price that was making her dizzy. It was the despair of an influencer crushed by the harsh reality of needing to blow up her friend.
“My money…!”
A future where she’d need to spend the price of gold for every battle!
Ahh!
『Useful and convenient. The cost is an issue, but funding long-range firepower is something most people can’t do even if they wanted to.』
Gasp.
“Demon Lord! How can you say such cruel things about my friend!!”
And! And!
“I have no money!”
Pastel put the gem in her mouth while trying to hide her pout. The black jewel crunched as she bit down.
“I checked the financial situation of Craft High Merchant before coming here. We’re right on the verge of bankruptcy!”
Since the academy coup, they’ve been operating soldiers, and the rising costs were becoming unbearable.
Originally, they planned to send the soldiers back into the smuggling work as soon as the terror stuff settled down. But due to the Knight Order’s strange antics, the soldiers couldn’t earn any money and have been stuck here.
“The Craft High Merchant is buried in debt.”
Before invading this holy place, the Grace High Merchant had urgently come to her.
– “Your Grace, we truly can’t keep this up. We need to withdraw some troops.”
– “Just a little longer! Please hold out just a tiny bit more!”
If this continues, they’ll genuinely have to withdraw the soldiers to earn some money before they go bankrupt. That’s why she hired them in the first place.
“Gem friend, having you in the family would be a huge, huge problem.”
Having finished eating, Pastel took out another gem from her snack bag and put it in her mouth. The sweet taste spread. Her expression lightened a bit.
So delicious.
Gasp.
It shouldn’t be delicious in this situation!
She puffed out her cheeks.
“I’ll need to consult with Professor Horace or maybe senior. We need to recover the cult’s physical assets to the academy and use credit recycling…”
Ugh.
She held her head.
“I was definitely planning to date when I got back, but why did it come to this?!”
『You don’t really need to think about dating at that age.』
The Demon was somewhat satisfied.
『It’s not great to work at that age, but this is unavoidable.』
How could this be?
Talking like a guardian managing curfew.
The rebellious spirit surged.
She clenched her fists.
“I will find a way to make time!”
#
She returned to the academy.
It was necessary to investigate what the cult had done while remaining in the holy place, but since it wasn’t in her expertise, she left it to the professionals.
Truth be told, she wanted to see the holy site. Unfortunately, she had some bad memories tied to this place, so she just gave up.
“Dad is the worst.”
So totally the worst.
Gasp, just look at the rhythm.
The number of words is the same!
Totally a perfect match!
However, she discovered a problem on the way back.
It wasn’t that she lost her gem knife. She quickly found the knife that had fallen into the grass.
The Hormone Friend was poking the corpses of the Semi-Knight-level and cult members they had killed, eating away at their existence. Currently, she couldn’t make earth friends in her inner world, not because of lack of rank.
In the returning airship cabin, the Demon inspected the Demon Sword, looking bewildered.
『I don’t know.』
“How can you not know? Demon Lord, you and the Demon Sword have been through thick and thin! Best friends! A totally integrated friend relationship!”
『I’ve never had such a friend.』
“Gasp! Demon Sword friend! Don’t take it to heart! That wasn’t said with bad intentions!”
The Demon couldn’t revert back to the Demon Sword. It’s not a major problem, but it was still a matter.
The Demon Lord’s relationship with the Demon Sword had soured.
How did they become a relationship that couldn’t even combine?!
How bad could it have gotten?
“Is it because of the sacred energy of the holy place?”
Maybe the divine energy worked in a sacred manner and weakened the Demon Lord’s seal.
If it worked in a sacred manner, then the Demon Lord’s seal…?
In that case.
“It might have worked in a non-sacred manner!”
I feel so smart.
『Hmmm.』
The Demon examined the Demon Sword. It could change its outer appearance, but right now it had a plain yet modern look.
『I don’t understand the god’s intentions. It’s always been like that.』
“Is that a bad thing?”
『Not necessarily. The state of the sword is better than that of the people. It seems that I’ll need a separate place going forward.』
Her pink eyes went wide.
“Wow! Wow!”
She hopped with excitement.
Demon Lord! Demon Lord!
“I’ll make you a celebration cake!”
Has to be pretty!
『Oh? Then show me what you can do.』
“Please wait a moment!”
Pastel dashed to the airship’s kitchen. As the Demon followed naturally, she hurriedly stopped and held out her palm.
“Don’t follow me! The celebrant should not see until the cake is finished!”
Otherwise, there’s no surprise!
The Demon looked slightly puzzled.
『I will only see the process. Just how you do it.』
“Not allowed! Not allowed!”
She pushed the Demon away. The Demon looked flustered as he was pushed back, reacting like a housewife kicked out of the kitchen.
『Do you even know how to make it?』
Pastel answered confidently.
“I have no idea!”
『What did you say…?』
The Demon stared blankly.
“But everyone has a first time, just like you taught me!”
Pastel completely chased the Demon away, who was fussing around the kitchen.
With a triumphant expression, she entered the kitchen. She rolled up her sleeves and donned her apron.
She raised both arms high.
“Cooking! Cooking!”
Or is this baking?
Her pink eyes rolled.
Then she raised both arms again.
“Baking! Baking!”
Cake! Cake!
Delicious! Delicious!
Footsteps could be heard in the hallway.
Uh-oh.
“Demon Lord! I’ll get mad if you come in again!”
How come you don’t trust me that much!
Despite my adventures, I’ve seen the Demon cook countless times!
“What?”
A girl in a neatly dressed wizard’s robe walked into the kitchen.
“Ah! Melissa!”
“Who is the Demon?”
Melissa looked puzzled.
“Just pretend you didn’t hear anything!”
My mistake~.
“I’ll do that.”
Melissa approached.
“Are you trying to make something?”
“A cake! Probably a strawberry cake? Do you know how to make a cake, Melissa?”
“Yes, I do.”
Huh?
She thought Melissa wouldn’t know.
“I once made one for my parents’ anniversary. With the help of a maid. That’s when I learned.”
Melissa twirled her hair shyly.
“I wanted to be included in their time together too.”
Hee.
“I’m trying to make a congratulatory cake too. What a coincidence!”
“Indeed. It’s really similar. You must have made a cake before, Pastel?”
“No!”
Melissa paused.
“Cake~! Cake cake!”
Pastel hummed while she opened a bag of flour. She scooped some with a cup and poured it onto a round plate.
“Can I help you?”
Melissa looked worried.
“It’s okay!”
Pastel cheerfully replied.
“You just do your thing!”
Melissa looked even more concerned. She hesitated and looked around.
“Where did you write down the cake recipe?”
Recipe?
“I’m going to make it right now!”
“Really?”
Melissa’s mouth slightly dropped open.
Come to think of it, she didn’t bring any paper or quill.
“Thanks, Melissa! You reminded me of what I forgot!”
It would be such a shame if she cooked and forgot to record the recipe to recreate it later!
Let’s look well; there was already some paper and a quill in the kitchen. Probably for recipe use.
Swiftly she wrote down.
“Recipe for the Demon Lord’s cake!”
Measuring ingredients is very important in a recipe.
Pastel carefully checked the amount while scooping the flour back into the cup. Then she wrote down.
“Five cups of flour!”
Melissa, who had been watching, looked perplexed. She hesitated, wandered the kitchen, and came back.
“Isn’t that a lot of flour? There should be more eggs than flour.”
“Oh, right! Thanks for the advice!”
Pastel pondered for a moment.
And brightly declared.
“Then I’ll make a cake with a lot of flour!”
Since it’s a cake for the Demon Lord, she wants to gift a cake that the Demon Lord has never made!
She raised one arm triumphantly.
“Challenge~!”
Melissa looked dazed.
Then gradually began to fidget and brought eggs, sugar, and honey.
“If it’s not too rude, can I help you?”
“It’s okay! I’ll just accept your thoughts!”
Since she wanted to gift a cake made by her own hands, it’d be a little awkward if Melissa helped too much.
Pastel cracked eggs into a bowl. The yolks floated.
She poured a few cups of sugar on top.
Melissa flinched.
“That seems like a lot of sugar.”
Does it?
The white crystals piled high.
Pastel pondered for a moment.
And then scooped another cup of sugar.
“I like it sweet!”
Yes yes!
Sugar was poured.
Melissa stared blankly. Then she unconsciously murmured.
“Mother…”
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