“Hormonal Friend isn’t something to be used as explosives!”
Pastel held up the black magic stone. Her fingers brushed over the smooth surface.
“Look at this beautiful skin! It’s a friend that has naturally grown in nobility! It’s too soft for rough work!”
『That’s been ground and processed smoothly.』
“Uaaah! The cruel reality…!”
In fact, there was no noble birth at all.
Pastel looked down at the magic stone with trembling hands.
An enchanting black hue.
It looked like obsidian and honestly, she couldn’t feel a huge difference in appearance. The kind of visual that would make someone pick it up carelessly and put it in their mouth, only to scream, “Uaaah! My teeth! Demon! Demon!”
But that’s what makes it a pretty friend.
“But you turned out to be explosives!”
The trembling of her body was definitely not due to the expensive price making her head spin. It was the despair of a popular person facing the cruel reality of needing to explode her friend.
“My money…!”
A future where she had to spend gold every time she fought!
Uaaah!
『It’s useful and convenient. The cost is a problem, but few can cover the firepower with capital.』
Huh.
“Demon! How can you say such cruel things about my friend?!”
And! And!
“I have no money!”
Pastel said with a slight pout as she put the magic stone in her mouth. The black gem crunched and was chewed.
“I checked the Crafting Guild’s financial situation before coming. They’re on the brink of bankruptcy!”
Since the academy coup, they’ve been continuously operating soldiers, and soon the costs were becoming overwhelming.
Originally, the plan was to quickly mobilize for smuggling duties after the terror situation settled down. However, the Knight Corps was doing strange things, preventing the soldiers from earning any money and keeping them tied up.
“The Crafting Guild is drowning in debt.”
Before they even invaded this Holy Land, Grace, the Guild Master, had come rushing to her.
– “Sir, this is really impossible now. We need to withdraw troops.”
– “Just a little longer! Just a little longer!”
At this point, before going bankrupt, she’ll really have to pull troops away to earn some money. That’s what she originally hired them for.
“Magic stone friend. If there are family members like you, it will be very difficult.”
Having finished eating, Pastel took out a new magic stone from her snack bag and popped it into her mouth. The sweet taste spread. Her expression lightened a bit.
It’s delicious.
Huh.
This situation shouldn’t be enjoyable!
She pressed her cheeks.
“I should consult with Professor Horace or my senior. The cult’s physical assets have been recalled to the academy, so I can roll over the credit…”
Ugh.
She held her head.
“I was definitely planning to try dating when I go back, but why has it come to this?!”
『At that age, there’s no need to think about dating.』
The demon seemed somewhat pleased.
『It’s not good to work at that age either, but this is unavoidable due to the situation.』
This can’t be.
The guardian, managing curfew times.
Rebellious spirit growing.
She clenched her fists.
“I’ll make time somehow!”
#
She returned to the Academy.
Though she needed to investigate what the cult had done while remaining in the Holy Land, it was an area of non-expertise, so she left it to the experts and came out.
In fact, she wanted to see the Holy Land. However, unfortunately, some bad memories intertwined with family matters formed here, so she just gave up.
“Dad is bad.”
Completely bad.
Huh, look at that rhythm.
The number of letters is the same!
A perfect match!
However, on the way back, she discovered one problem.
It wasn’t that she lost her magic stone knife. She quickly found the knife that had fallen on the grass.
She had even stabbed the corpses of the semi-knightly and cult members killed by her hormonal friend, taking a bite of their essence. It’s not about the lack of status that prevents her from making a global friend in her inner world.
Back in the room of the airship, the demon looked at the magic sword in confusion.
『I don’t know.』
“How can you not know? You and the magic sword have been through thick and thin together. Best friends! Literally an integrated friendship!”
『I’ve never had this kind of friend.』
“Huh! Magic sword friend! Don’t be hurt! You didn’t mean it with any bad intentions!”
The demon couldn’t return to being the magic sword. It’s not a particularly problematic issue, but if there is a problem, it’s another issue.
The demon has been getting along poorly with the magic sword he usually had.
How did they become a pair that can no longer merge?!
How bad could their relationship have gotten?
“Could it be that the holy energy of the Holy Land affected it?”
The divine energy weakened the demon’s seal in a holy manner.
But if the divine energy acted in a holy way…
Then.
“It acted in a non-holy way!”
I’m just so smart.
『Hmm.』
The demon examined the magic sword. While it could change its external form, it was currently a normal, modern-looking shape.
『I don’t understand the God’s intention. It’s always been like that.』
“Is that a bad thing?”
『Not really. The sword is in better shape than the person. It seems I will need my own place going forward.』
The pink eyes widened.
“Wow! Wow!”
Her body bounced with excitement.
Demon! Demon!
“I’ll make you a congratulatory cake!”
It has to be pretty!
『Oh? Show me how.』
“Just wait a moment!”
Pastel dashed to the kitchen of the airship. The demon followed along, as if it were natural, but she quickly stopped and held out her palm.
“Don’t follow me! The honoree shouldn’t see it until the cake is finished!”
Otherwise, it’s not a surprise!
The demon looked slightly bewildered.
『I’ll only be seeing the process. How you do it.』
“Not allowed! Not allowed!”
She pushed the demon away. The demon stumbled back, looking dazed. It was like a housewife chased out of the kitchen.
『Do you even know how to make one?』
Pastel replied confidently.
“I don’t know!”
『What did you say…?』
The demon was stunned.
Just like how you taught me, everyone has their first time!
Pastel completely chased the demon who kept lingering around the kitchen away.
With a triumphant expression, she entered the kitchen. She rolled up her sleeves. An apron was tied around her.
She raised both arms high.
“Cooking! Cooking!”
Wait, is this baking?
The pink eyes rolled around.
And again, she raised her arms high.
“Baking! Baking!”
Cake! Cake!
Delicious! Delicious!
Footsteps were heard in the corridor.
Uh-oh.
“Demon! If you come again, I’ll get mad!”
How can you not trust me that much!
Even though I’ve watched the demon cook countless times!
“Huh?”
A girl neatly dressed in a wizard robe entered the kitchen.
“Ah! Melissa!”
“Who is the demon?”
Melissa asked with curiosity.
“Just pretend you didn’t hear!”
My mistake~.
“I’ll do that.”
Melissa approached.
“Are you trying to make something?”
“Cake! Maybe a strawberry cake? Do you know how to make a cake, Melissa?”
“Yes, I do.”
Oh?
She thought Melissa wouldn’t know, but…
“I made one for my parents’ wedding anniversary. With the help of a maid. I learned then.”
Melissa blushed a bit as she fiddled with her hair.
“I wanted to be included in their time.”
Heh.
“I’m trying to make a congratulatory cake now too, so it’s really similar!”
“Indeed. It’s really similar. It seems you’ve made a cake before, Pastel?”
“No!”
Melissa paused.
“Cake~! Cakecake!”
Pastel hummed as she opened a sack of flour. She scooped some into a cup and poured it onto a round plate.
“Do you want me to help you?”
Melissa’s expression turned worried.
“That’s fine!”
Pastel replied brightly.
“Melissa, do your own work!”
Melissa’s expression grew more worried. She hesitated, glancing around.
“Where did you write the cake recipe?”
Recipe?
“I’m going to make it now!”
“Yes?”
Melissa’s mouth opened slightly.
Come to think of it, she didn’t bring any paper or quill.
“Thanks, Melissa! I realized I forgot because of you!”
If she cooked but forgot to record the recipe, it would be difficult to make it the same way next time—how wasteful!
Let’s look carefully; there was already paper and a quill in the kitchen. It seemed to be for recipes.
Scribble scribble.
She wrote the words in large letters.
―Cake Recipe for the Demon!
Measurements are very important in the recipe.
Pastel carefully verified the amount as she scooped flour back into the cup. Then, she wrote it down.
―Five cups of flour!
Melissa, who was watching from the side, looked troubled. She hesitated, wandered around the kitchen, then approached again.
“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.
Then she said brightly.
“Then I’ll make a cake with a high flour content!”
Since it’s a cake for the demon, she wants to gift a cake that the demon hasn’t made before!
She raised one arm high.
“Challenge~!”
Melissa was stunned.
And then she became increasingly fidgety and brought eggs, sugar, and honey.
“If it’s not too much trouble, can I help?”
“That’s fine! I’ll just accept the thought!”
Since she wants to gift something made by her own hands, it would be a bit awkward to have too much help.
Pastel cracked the eggs into the bowl. The yolks floated around.
She poured a few cups of sugar over them.
Melissa flinched.
“That seems like a lot of sugar.”
Is it?
The white granules piled up.
Pastel thought for a moment.
Then she scooped one more cup of sugar.
“I like it sweet!”
Yeah!
The sugar was poured in.
Melissa watched in disbelief. Then, without realizing it, she muttered.
“Mother…”
