Chapter 422: Almond Cabbage, Bacon Leaves, and Pandemonica's Heartbeat
This was the first time Nakiri Mana had ever decorated a room by herself. The result was a complete departure from the austere, high-class style of her previous chambers. Instead, it radiated a strong, girlish vibe, reminiscent of a young woman just starting her career and finally getting her own space.
Nakiri Mana stood with her hands planted firmly on her hips, surveying her handiwork. A satisfied nod followed, accompanied by a soft sigh. "Ah, this gives me a strange sense of accomplishment. It's really nice!"
Stare...
Stare...
Stare...
Stare...
Feeling the weight of four pairs of eyes fixed on her, the corner of Nakiri Mana's mouth twitched. She turned her head to see all her Executive Officers looking at her, their expressions a perfect blend of disbelief and amusement that clearly screamed, 'Are you kidding us?' A flush crept up Mana's neck as she snapped, "Are you all finished tidying up?!"
"Yes!" they chorused in perfect unison.
Lanterby's gaze swept across the room, a playful glint in his eyes. "Lady Mana! I never knew you had such a girlish heart!"
Nakiri Mana gave a delicate cough, trying to regain her composure. "Do I not look like a girl to you?"
Courage tilted her head, considering the question. "You do, but Lady Mana... well, it doesn't matter. Lady Mana, Ren said we can go down to eat now."
Ever since arriving, the part of the day Nakiri Mana looked forward to the most was mealtime. As the wielder of the God Tongue, it was only natural that her love for food bordered on obsession.
Given the large number of people, Chinese cuisine was the natural choice. Mana and her team were well-acquainted with its boundless variety; there was no limit to the quantity, and the sheer number of unique dishes was staggering.
Throughout the meal, Pandemonica would occasionally lift her gaze to look at Ren. She never said a word, her eyes simply lingering on him for a moment before she returned her focus to her plate. True to her quiet temperament, she ate with an exceptional, almost severe, elegance.
After dinner, Kasugano Sora scurried upstairs to play games. With Saturday and Sunday just around the corner, homework was the furthest thing from her mind. Lanterby and the others also headed up to deal with the last remnants of their work. Only Pandemonica remained seated, unmoving. The three beautiful women from Hell were the only ones left in the dining area.
Pandemonica was just about to speak when she saw Ren stand up and walk towards the kitchen. When he emerged again, he was holding a beautiful, layered dessert that looked like a black and white pudding.
"Pandemonica, your coffee jelly has set. You can eat it now."
Pandemonica's eyes fixed on the striking dessert before her. "So, Ren," she asked, her voice soft with curiosity, "you were waiting for this to set just now?"
"Of course, otherwise it wouldn't have the right texture. Go on, eat it. You seemed to be looking forward to it."
Pandemonica nodded slowly. "So this is coffee jelly... It looks good. Very... good."
She said "good" twice, but everyone present understood the two words carried entirely different weights. As for what the second "good" truly meant, perhaps only Pandemonica herself knew.
"Hmm. I know you're very particular about your coffee, Pandemonica, so I didn't use any instant powder. This was made with pure, ground black coffee, so the flavor should be much richer and more mellow."
Pandemonica looked at Ren, her gaze deep and unreadable. After a long moment of silence, a small, genuine smile touched her lips. "Hmm, as expected of you, Ren. You're always so thoughtful. That's... so nice."
"Thank you for the compliment."
"Mmm~ So delicious..." Pandemonica murmured after the first bite, her eyes closing in bliss. "As expected, Ren, you're the best..."
Lucifer raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. 'Good heavens,'she thought,'did she forget to add 'your cooking' to that sentence, or was that intentional?' As always, Lucifer found herself completely unable to decipher Pandemonica's current, placid personality.
Ren stretched lazily, a relaxed smile on his face. "I don't know why, but I have a feeling some very interesting guests will be stopping by tonight. Just thinking about that friend of Miss Kazami's, the one who was blocking her path, I already find her quite intriguing."
Lucifer let out a delicate yawn. "Interesting or not, even if they cause trouble, they're no match for you. We're going to catch Pokémon the day after tomorrow. Ren, are you coming with us?"
"Sure. Cerberus will definitely go. But Pandemonica, you..."
"I would also like to see creatures from another world," she replied softly. "But Ren, didn't you say that the people named Potts and Tony also connected their world? Why don't we go there?"
Ren considered it for a moment. "According to Tony, it's completely uninteresting. I'm not sure what there is to do there. It might be nice to go shopping if we have time. I'm more interested in the worlds of two other people, but they haven't sent anyone over yet."
Lucifer's curiosity was piqued. "Who are you talking about? A girl's world?"
Ren playfully pinched Lucifer's cheek. "Don't try to pin strange attributes on me, alright? I'm talking about the magical world of Albus Dumbledore and his people, and the pirate world of Zoro and his crew."
Lucifer looked confused. "Why are you interested in those two? Aren't you curious about Azazel's world?"
Ren paused in thought. "I am, but we can talk about that later. The reason I'm interested in those two right now is simple. For Dumbledore's world, I'm just more drawn to places where people wear robes and wield wands. As for Zoro's... it's purely because of the Devil Fruits, and the specialty foods Shanks told me about."
Lucifer mulled this over, a mischievous glint appearing in her eyes. "Can Pokémon be eaten?"
Her question hung in the air, stunning everyone into silence. After a long moment, Ren broke into a smile. "I think that would be quite interesting. We should try it... I wonder what Magikarp tastes like."
"I'm looking forward to it, too," Lucifer purred. "But you wouldn't price Magikarp cheaply, would you?"
"Hmm? Probably not. Ingredients from another world definitely wouldn't be at our usual price point. Do you want some snacks?"
Lucifer thought for a moment. "Anything is fine. I'll have a milkshake."
"Okay. How about you, Pandemonica?"
"Mocha..."
"Try something other than coffee."
"Hmm... milk tea?"
"Alright."
After Ren returned to the kitchen, Lucifer turned her gaze to Pandemonica, who was slowly, methodically savoring her coffee jelly. A playful smirk danced on the Queen of Hell's lips. "Just now... your heart rate sped up, didn't it?"
Pandemonica tilted her head, her expression serene. "Boss," she whispered, her voice barely audible, "I told you. Ren is indeed the best, isn't he?"
"I give up on you," Lucifer sighed, shaking her head. "What in the world is that mind of yours thinking about in this personality?"
"What am I thinking..." Pandemonica's gaze became distant, a thoughtful look in her eyes. "Something rather interesting... I'm thinking... what does it feel like to be in love..."
"It's wonderful."
"I'm looking forward to it."
Back in the kitchen, Ren glanced at the open refrigerator, and the corner of his mouth curved into a knowing smile. Something inside had changed, a detail he had noticed earlier when he was gathering ingredients.
He looked down at the two items in his hand, giving a slight nod. "Almond Cabbage and Bacon Leaves, huh..." he whispered to himself. "Interesting things... Quite intriguing, indeed."
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