"This is good..."
Gluttony put the entire ice cream sandwich in her mouth, claiming it had an unbelievable taste. Instead of swallowing it whole, she savored it very slowly, like a cow chewing its feed, enjoying every moment of the flavor.
"Various flavors fill my mouth in perfect harmony. I've never tasted anything like this before."
Gluttony exhaled with excitement, as if she never imagined such a result was possible.
"H-how did you make this?"
Gluttony stared at Raon with wide eyes, asking for the recipe, even stumbling over her words, which was rare for her.
-Hmph! Since it was good enough to make me faint, that kind of reaction is only natural.
Wrath raised his chin, saying Gluttony's reaction was to be expected.
-A glutton like you could never create such a taste even if you studied for a lifetime!
'Why are you acting so proud?'
Raon let out a hollow laugh at Wrath. He couldn't understand why someone who did nothing but eat ice cream was being so arrogant.
"First, the bead ice cream in the middle is vanilla flavored, emphasizing sweetness. I added North Grave Mountain rock salt to the classic, never-tiring vanilla for a salty touch."
He demonstrated the method by bringing out the ingredients and making it.
"I added fresh bread for a nutty flavor, and toasted the outside to create a crispy texture that makes it fun to eat."
Raon asked how it was while placing the toasted bread on a plate and adding the salted vanilla bead ice cream on top.
"That's not all there is to it."
Gluttony shook her head while watching the ice cream sandwich being made before her eyes.
"I also tasted sweet and sour fruit flavors."
She narrowed her eyes, saying the ingredients shown so far couldn't explain those flavors.
"You're perceptive? Looks like you're starting to get a feel for it."
Raon grinned and reached out to Dorian.
"Here you go!"
Dorian pulled out a bottle containing a thick liquid from his pouch.
"That's..."
"It's jam. A fruit jam mixed with apple, strawberry, and kiwi."
Raon explained the ingredients while spreading the jam on the toasted bread.
"Ah!"
Gluttony exclaimed as if she finally understood the source of the fruit flavors.
"So you spread the jam on the bread, not the ice cream!"
"That's right. Since the ice cream already has salt on it, I spread the jam very thinly only on the bread to avoid mixing the flavors too much."
Raon tossed and caught the bottle while explaining that the jam was specially made not to mix with the ice cream.
"Give me more. I want to eat more."
Gluttony flailed her hands like a child, asking for another completed ice cream sandwich.
"Of course."
Raon smiled brightly as he handed the freshly made ice cream sandwich to Gluttony.
"Thank you!"
Gluttony took the ice cream sandwich and first smelled its aroma. She took a deep breath before taking a small bite.
"The taste changes with every bite..."
She shivered with delight as she enjoyed the taste of the ice cream sandwich.
"Is this why people cook?"
Raon smiled faintly while watching Gluttony's expression.
"Not bad at all."
Seeing someone enjoy his cooking so much gave him a different kind of joy than when his martial prowess increased.
"I feel the same way."
Dorian nodded as if experiencing the same emotion.
-Hmm...
Wrath lowered his eyebrows as he watched Gluttony ecstatically eating the ice cream sandwich.
-I-I want to eat some too!
He wagged his tail, asking for an ice cream sandwich too. He looked like a cat or dog coveting human food.
'What did you do to deserve it?'
Raon frowned while making the third ice cream sandwich.
'Besides, you've already tried it.'
He shook his head since Wrath had already tasted it before giving it to Gluttony.
-I want to eat more! Give me some too!
Wrath threw a tantrum in the air, demanding an ice cream sandwich.
'Nope. Don't want to.'
Raon firmly shook his head and brought the third ice cream sandwich to Gluttony.
"..."
However, Gluttony remained motionless even with the ice cream sandwich in front of her.
"Ah!"
Raon took a deep breath as he watched Gluttony frozen with glazed eyes.
"What's wro... hup!"
[It's enlightenment.]
He sent an aura message while covering Dorian's mouth who had approached from the side.
-En-enlightenment?
Wrath's jaw trembled as he watched Gluttony with eyes as vacant as a dead fish.
-What kind of demon king achieves awakening from eating ice cream!
He couldn't close his gaping mouth, dumbfounded by the situation.
-And if anyone should achieve enlightenment, it should be me! Do you know how much I've eaten!
Wrath slammed his fist down in genuine frustration.
-This is so unfair! (E/N: Yes! We, too, want to reach enlightenment through gluttony! *currently hungry*)
***
"Ah..."
A deep exclamation escaped from Gluttony's lips. She massaged her temples as if returning to reality after being in a state of enlightenment for over a day.
"I think I understand now. What was born inside me."
Gluttony nodded, her eyes gleaming with a red vitality.
"What is it?"
Raon looked at Gluttony while sitting on a chair.
"Gastronomy."
Gluttony placed a hand on her chest and nodded.
"Within my instincts that were filled only with gluttony, a desire for gastronomy that pursues taste was born. Thanks to you."
She nodded, saying she had gained new power thanks to him.
"Thank you."
Gluttony expressed her gratitude, saying he had not only helped her experience taste but also gain new power.
"It's nothing much."
Raon waved his hand dismissively while examining Gluttony again.
'How much stronger has she become?'
Though Gluttony had certainly grown stronger, it was difficult to gauge how much she had improved since she was already stronger than him to begin with.
-This is something else...
Wrath's jaw trembled in disbelief.
-That glutton! She's clearly gotten stronger! To reach a level that would take a thousand years of eating to achieve in just one day...!
He bit his lip, saying he hadn't expected such a transformation.
-Damn it!
Wrath clenched his fist as he watched Gluttony.
'Don't tell me she's become stronger than you?'
-That's impossible!
'Then why are you so angry?'
-Because it's infuriating that she achieved awakening from eating an ice cream sandwich!
He ground his teeth, saying he was furious that Gluttony had eaten two ice cream sandwiches and achieved awakening while he only got to eat one.
-When I return to my main body, I'll stuff nothing but rocks in that glutton's mouth!
Wrath ground his teeth with childish jealousy.
'Good grief.'
Raon pushed aside Wrath, who was doing an angry dance in the air, and approached Gluttony.
"Gluttony. It's time for you to keep your promise."
Raon approached Gluttony and lowered his gaze.
"Yes. I know."
Gluttony nodded and reached out to Dorian. With a bright flash, white light bloomed from her hand and connected to Dorian's wrist, creating a white flower bracelet. However, it was slightly different from his own.
"I've imbued it not just with gluttony, but also with a bit of the gastronomy I newly acquired."
Gluttony nodded, saying it was a gift.
"Uuuurgh!"
Dorian's eyes trembled as he looked at the white flower bracelet on his wrist.
"I'm finally connected to a demon king! My arm! My arm is being torn off!"
He screamed while grabbing his wrist, as if frightened of Gluttony again.
"Shut up."
Raon hit Dorian on the back of his head and looked back at Gluttony.
"How does that ability develop?"
"Just maintain the compulsion to collect things like he does now."
Gluttony nodded, saying the authority would naturally grow if he lived as he had been.
"Then we can just leave it be."
Raon smiled and nodded.
"And..."
Gluttony slowly stood up and looked at him.
"I, Gluttony, swear to participate in the war against the Archangel whenever you wish."
She made her promise into a covenant with an unusually serious tone. Strangely, while she had looked like a little girl when first seen, now she appeared more like a boy.
"Thank you."
Raon took Gluttony's hand, saying he would ask for her help when the war began.
"Then please make me one more ice cream sandwich."
Gluttony raised a finger, saying she wanted to eat just one more.
"Of course."
Raon gestured to Dorian, saying there were still ingredients left.
-You said there weren't any left! You refused to make me one saying there weren't any ingredients!
Wrath glared in disbelief.
'Ah, I was just too lazy then.'
-You damned bastard...
Just as Wrath was about to throw a punch in anger.
[You have achieved a great feat.]
[You have earned great favor from
[You have created a new dessert that will go down in history.]
[All abilities...]
[Characteristics...]
[Titles...]
The reward messages appeared as if adding fuel to his anger.
-Haaah...
A breath of anger escaped from Wrath's mouth.
-The glutton gets new power and ice cream sandwiches, you get abilities and characteristics, and the wallet gets a demon king's authority...
He glared at him with reddened eyes.
-I got nothing at all! I'll destroy everything!
He stood up with a roar, unable to contain himself.
'Stop it.'
Of course, it took less than a minute to subdue the angry Wrath.
-Gack!
***
"Thank you for seeing us off."
Raon turned to look at Wendy, who had escorted them to House Arianne's main gate.
"I'll visit again next time."
He bowed, saying he would return before the war.
"Then I will try to reach Grandmaster before you return."
Wendy nodded heavily, asking him to look forward to it.
"The wall to Grandmaster is high. Are you sure you can do it?"
Raon looked directly into Wendy's eyes with a hint of playfulness.
"After receiving your advice many times, I must try to overcome it even if it kills me."
Wendy placed her hand on her sword hilt, saying she would overcome the barrier based on the training experience he had given her over the past few days.
"That's a good attitude. I'll wait with confidence."
Raon nodded with eyes full of trust.
"Well then."
Just as they were about to leave House Arianne after their final farewells.
"Form up!"
As Wendy stomped her foot and shouted, the swordsmen behind her straightened their backs and held their heads high.
"Pay respects to the Light Wind Palace Master, benefactor of House Arianne!"
She roared as she drew her sword and pointed it to the sky.
"Respect!"
The swordsmen of House Arianne followed Wendy, raising their swords to the sky and showing their respect along with blessings toward Raon. With a metallic ring, Raon turned and drew the Heavenly Drive. He held the sword pointed downward and extended it forward in the Zieghart sword salute.
"May glory be with House Arianne!"
He sent sincere greetings wishing for House Arianne's greater prosperity. With a sharp sound, Raon and Wendy finished their swordsmen's farewell, silently lowered their swords, and departed on their separate ways.
"I love this kind of swordsmen's romance!"
Dorian grinned while scratching his pouch.
"So you do know something. I thought you were just an idiot who only cared about supplies."
Martha grinned as she hit Dorian's shoulder hard.
"I'm a swordsman before being a quartermaster!"
Dorian raised his hand, saying that a swordsman's mindset came before being a quartermaster.
"Hmm..."
Evelyn licked her lips while looking at the white flower bracelet on Dorian's wrist.
"I wonder if it would come off if I cut it?"
She flashed a cold glint in her eyes while making a comment that could have been either a joke or serious.
-Ughh...
Wrath gaped as he looked at Evelyn.
-What kind of joke is that! She's serious! As expected, there's no such thing as a good madwoman in this world!
He pounded on Raon's shoulder, telling him to run away immediately.
"Evelyn."
Raon approached her with calm steps, unfazed by her words.
"Thanks to you bringing the sandwich, I was able to make the ice cream sandwich. Thank you."
He nodded to Evelyn, saying it had been a great help.
"Then hold my wrist."
Evelyn extended her arm, asking him to hold her wrist instead of the bracelet.
"Hmm..."
Normally he would have refused outright, but since she had been such a great help this time and seemed to really want the bracelet, he took her wrist with his right hand.
"Heh, hehe, hehehe."
Evelyn let out an eerie laugh as she looked at Raon's hand wrapped around her wrist.
"Th-that's enough, right?"
As Raon's chin trembled and he tried to pull his hand away, Evelyn's fingers intertwined with his like vines.
-Uuuurgh!
"Hup!"
Raon and Wrath screamed simultaneously, their eyes trembling.
"A little longer."
Evelyn shook her head vigorously, saying it wasn't enough yet.
"Ah..."
Just as Raon was trying to find a way to retreat, Gluttony approached from behind.
"I'll be going now."
Gluttony raised her hand, saying she would leave separately.
"Huh? Where to?"
Raon quickly seized the opportunity, freed his hand from Evelyn, and turned to Gluttony.
"Tsk."
He heard Evelyn click her tongue but pretended not to notice.
"Since you showed me what gastronomy is, I want to find my own taste."
Gluttony bowed her head, saying she would search for her own culinary style.
"I see."
Raon smiled faintly as he looked at Gluttony.
'She might become even stronger than she is now.'
If Gluttony developed her own gastronomy through her own efforts, she might grow stronger once more, just like this awakening.
-Hmph! That would only happen if everything goes perfectly.
Wrath snorted, saying she had just gotten lucky this time.
"Take this."
Raon pulled out two pouches of gold coins from his subspace pouch.
"As you now know, money is necessary in the human world. Use this instead of killing people or stealing."
"Okay."
Gluttony nodded gratefully and put the gold pouches into her mouth that opened in mid-air.
"You've got talent. Do well."
She nodded while looking at the bracelet on Dorian's wrist.
"Ah, yes!"
Dorian straightened his back tensely and took a deep breath.
"Goodbye!"
Gluttony disappeared with her white mouth after a cheerful farewell unbefitting of a demon king.
"Not much like a demon king, is she."
Martha smirked, amused by such an unusual demon king.
"Where are we going now? Heading back?"
"The Unyielding Blade of the Five Divine Orders." (E/N: Queen of Sword is leader of the Unyielding Blade)
Raon stated their destination without hesitation, as if he had already decided.
"If it's the Five Divine Orders, wouldn't it be better to visit White Whale? The Thespian Emperor is the leader after all."
Dorian tilted his head, wondering why they were going to the Unyielding Blade.
"The Thespian Emperor is at the Unyielding Blade right now."
Raon reached into his chest and unfolded a letter from the Shadow Agents.
"We can't miss the chance to gain the support of two of the Five Divine Orders at once. Besides..." (E/N: Didn't we do that 100 chapters ago...Sigh...)
He curled his lips as he read the contents of the letter.
"It seems they're holding an interesting event at the Unyielding Blade."