Chapter 11: Amaterasu! Succumb to the Illusion! Aura!
In front of the town's only dessert shop, a group of greedy children watched Aura devour ice cream cone after cone, drooling. If only they could eat ice cream every day.
Stupid shop owner!
Never mind—may the shop owner stay happy so they might treat us again next time.
Aura's eyes sparkled. When her tongue curled around the creamy frost, she squinted with pleasure. This cold, sweet food...
To describe it in culinary terms:
It was a symphony of wind and fire. In the narrator's rich voice, the golden crispy cone unfurled in the rotating oven, where wheat and almonds underwent baking, transforming into vessels of sweetness.
The moment it touched the tongue, it felt like melting snow clouds—thick yak milk fat wrapped in the amber sweetness of wild honey, turning into silky smoothness in the warm mouth, yet torn open by the sharp tang of sea buckthorn crumbs.
In plain terms—it's just so delicious
For Aura, a rural Demon who grew up in small mountain caves with nothing but killing and manipulating puppets in her mind, this substance exploding across her enhanced taste buds made her instantly fall in love with this food.
Better than blood!!
"I command you to prepare this food for me every day from now on, Fingal—wait, what is this food called again?"
Aura completely forgot her resolution from just moments ago. This snow-like substance was truly delicious! The flavor far surpassed raw meat. It seemed having a rational servant who wholeheartedly considered her needs did have its benefits after all!
Eat eat eat! All you ever think about is eating! Look at what you've become!
Do you know how many families have been torn apart because of ice cream? If not for ice cream, those children would have long been admitted to prestigious universities! The children, they've been ruined by ice cream!
Really, it's all ice cream's fault.
Fingal couldn't stand seeing Aura enjoy herself like this—this was spending his money, damn woman!
Have some awareness and split the bill, you bastard!
"Don't get addicted!"
He slapped the ice cream out of Aura's hand, his expression cold and severe, like an invigilating teacher.
"...?"
Food... food... dropped?
"You..."
Aura took a long moment to process what had happened. What did this guy just do... has he gone mad?
[Triggered, Favorability Fluctuation Amplification.]
[Aura's Favorability Slightly Decreased.]
[Aura's Favorability Slightly Decreased.]
[Aura Has Developed Questions About Your Behavior.]
[Aura Has Begun Questioning Reality.]
[Current Aura Favorability: 41]
[Acquired Entry... Aura Favorability Minor Increase x2]
[Acquired Entry... Level 1 Entry: Aura Will Become Very Thirsty Within One Hour]
Three seconds later, this female Demon quickly comprehended what had occurred... killing intent rapidly accumulated as her expression darkened dramatically, countless black lines forming across her face.
Kill... yes, surely killing him would be better. How dare a mere slave repeatedly offend me? Damnable...
The rapid decline in favorability even made Fingal somewhat nervous... but he didn't regret it. He couldn't spend his entire life groveling, could he?
Some might say this could get him killed.
But it doesn't matter! For a true duelist, everything is inevitable!
My turn!
Play card! Enemy Controller, go, my hypnotic device!
Left right left right up up down down BA!
"No! Haven't you realized it yet? The temptation food holds over you—look at these people, their eyes all scream: For food, I would kill, I would disembowel! This is the seductive power of delicious food!!"
"They're definitely thinking about snatching your food right now!"
"So wicked."
Fingal righteously pointed at the drooling children, filled with indignation.
"Go home to your parents!"
He didn't want these kids to get casually eliminated by an irritated Aura. No matter what, children were innocent.
Children: "???"
Kill?
Me?
The frightened children trudged away miserably, returning home to tell their parents about encountering terrifying crazy adults—only to receive a combined beating from their parents afterward, who feared their children might have offended these nobly dressed important figures.
Want to eat some purple pills?
The shopkeeper was utterly stunned—these two adults were truly humorous! But was it really appropriate to be this humorous?
Yet when faced with the town children being bullied, he dared not say a word.
In fact, the merchant even harbored an inexplicable thought: 'This man is so handsome...'
He felt a twinge of jealousy.
[The Dessert Shop Owner has grown suspicious of your words.]
[An Entry has been generated: Slight decrease in favorability toward you]
[Use it?]
"...?"
Fingal couldn't help but glance at the owner, who was lowering his head and wiping the table. So, Entries could be generated for random passersby too? And why was this one about a decrease in favorability?
Do you have a problem with me?
"You... are you really messing with me? Tired of living?"
"I think I've grown weary of your clown-like performance, you annoying Paramecium."
Aura shot a glance at the children, her eyes filled with disbelief. These mere human youngsters, killing someone?
This guy, is he trying to fool me like I'm an idiot?
[Aura has grown suspicious of the children.]
[Aura has grown suspicious of your words.]
[Aura's favorability has slightly decreased.]
"No! Absolutely not! You must believe in my loyalty!"
"I adore you (your body)!"
Fingal, fearless in the face of danger, stared straight at Aura. His pale yellow eyes emitted a faint golden glow, like gems hidden deep within an island in the abyssal sea... Were they burning? The golden hue of his pupils seemed to ignite, shining brilliantly.
'His eyes... they really are beautiful.'
'When he dies, I should dig them out and preserve them... Is there any Magic that can keep a body from decaying?'
Aura, who was fuming, found herself momentarily dazed by his intense gaze, her mind wavering as if a fragile defense had been pierced. Those eyes saw through her withered soul.
It almost felt like some kind of mental Magic.
Aura instinctively averted her face, a bead of sweat trickling down her forehead... a feeling both familiar and unfamiliar.
It was like... back when she was weak, hiding in a cave and being glanced at by a passing dragon.
Was it fear?
No, there also seemed to be an inexplicable, bloodline-deep attraction.
Aura clutched her chest, her heart inexplicably racing... Damn it, what's happening?
For the first time, a faint blush rose to her cheeks.
Meanwhile, Fingal continued to chatter incessantly, spewing his nonsensical values and incomprehensible false Illusions.
Amaterasu!