episode_0010

“Those who have trespassed upon this place. Who are you?”

Ellis, who was being carried on my back, peeked out! and stuck her head out.

“Glacies! It’s me! Demon King Ellis! Ah, wait, (former) now.”

At that moment, the raging blizzard slowly subsided.

As the swirling ice wind stopped, her silhouette became clearly visible within the harsh frost.

“What, Ellis? It’s been just 94 years, hasn’t it? It’s been a long time~”

…Huh?

Where did the cold and dignified demeanor from just moments ago go, replaced by the spirit’s relaxed attitude and smile?

Even her way of speaking has changed?

Didn’t it feel like we were about to have a battle?

Arte threw out a line with a poker face, as if analyzing data.

“Spirits… In the past, there were no spirits. Seeing them like this is intriguing.”

Huh? So Arte’s ancient civilization existed before the spirits?

It feels like a world-building plot point was suddenly thrown out.

But more than that,

“Just 94 years…? Ellis, you’ve lived that long? No, have you lived that long?”

“Hey, Yuan? Why are you suddenly using polite language? I’m starting to feel a little hurt!”

Ellis poked her head out from behind my back, questioning me accusatorily.

“No, after hearing the realistic number 94, I just felt like… I should show respect to the elderly…?”

“Demons live 10 times longer than humans!! I’m in the prime of my youth, prime of my youth! I’m a maiden!”

“Because you specifically emphasized the word ‘youth,’ you sound even more like an old geezer, Ellis.”

Lilien smiled sweetly and casually dropped a line.

“Yuan, there isn’t much of an age difference between you and me, so feel free to use informal speech as usual~ No, actually, using polite language and calling me ‘big sister’ might feel fresh, don’t you think?”

“No, why are you suddenly going wild, Lilien…”

That wordless smile is scary, you know.

“If we’re only talking about age, I believe my operational year is the longest.”

“Well, that’s because Arte isn’t just at the level of having lived a long time, she’s gone to Great Fun Mountain.”

It’s like that, you know.

That feeling where a 54-year-old neighbor seems older than a 1,200-year-old high elf for no reason.

Because that’s exactly what Arte was like right now.

“Anyway, let’s stop talking about age here. There’s someone who can’t follow the conversation at all right now.”

I hastily changed the subject and looked at Glacies.

She had her arms crossed, with a somewhat puzzled expression.

“So? What brings you to me with humans and even an Automata, Ellis?”

Ellis, who was being carried on my back, raised her head and smiled brightly, as if she had been waiting.

“Glacies! You’re a spirit! You can go to the spirit world, right?”

“Huh? Yeah, right? Why?”

“Bring me some eternal ice from there!”

Instantly, Glacies’s expression subtly changed.

“It’s not a difficult request, but…”

She rested her chin on one hand, looking like she was pondering, then tilted her head and asked.

“What are you going to use it for? If you’re using it for alchemy, regular eternal ice is enough.”

“Huh? I’m going to make ice cream and shaved ice with it?”

“……”

Silence. Only the sound of the gentle snow wind filled the surroundings.

The ice spirit’s eyes blinked slowly.

Lilien, Arte, and I were also in a state of eating popcorn, wondering ‘how will she react now?’.

“Huh? Really…? You’re not saying I misheard you just now, are you?”

But Ellis didn’t bat an eye.

“Eternal ice from the spirit world must be cleaner and higher quality than regular eternal ice, right?”

“Well, that’s true, but… usually the reason people look for eternal ice is for alchemy or special magic. This is the first time it’s for shaved ice?”

“Isn’t it? Maybe there’s another party like ours?”

“At least as far as I know, there isn’t, Ellis.”

“Then we’re the first! Give us more service!”

Ellis was absolutely thrilled.

She lightly tapped her feet on my back.

“Hey, Yuan! You heard that!? We’re the legendary first!”

“Why are you proud of that?!”

I hastily calmed her down and turned my gaze back towards Glacies.

“So… is it possible, Spirit-nim? It feels a bit shameless to come all this way and ask.”

“Ah, really, you demons are the same now as you were then…”

However, a very slight smile seemed to be on her lips as she grumbled.

“Wait a minute, I’ll be back in 15 minutes.”

Glacies lightly flicked her finger.

Then, a dome-shaped area formed, enveloping us.

When I reached out my hand, I felt a distinct temperature difference from the outside.

“Oh? It’s warm?”

Lilien tapped the dome with her finger, as if it were fascinating.

“As Ellis said, it seems to be the Spirit-nim’s consideration. No monster reactions are being picked up by the scanner either.”

“What should we do now? Accepting suggestions~ Lilien, we’re not playing the hug game. Shoo, shoo.”

“Oh? Yeah? Yuan, let me down now! What should we play?”

Ellis, who was being carried on my back, whined, stretching out both arms.

I carefully lowered her down and spoke to Arte.

“Arte, hand me the bag.”

“Yes, here it is.”

I took the bag from Arte and took out the ingredients and plates I had prepared, one by one.

Then, the female members naturally gathered closely in front of me.

“Wow, a lot is coming out?”

“Yuan, did you prepare this much?”

“Swift action, admirable.”

“Alright, let’s look at today’s ingredients first.”

I explained them one by one as I laid out the ingredients.

“Salt, milk, sugar, cocoa powder, and condensed milk and fruits on top.”

The first to react was Ellis.

“Hehe, did you prepare both chocolate flavor and fruit flavor?”

She stuck close to my side, lightly pulling on my arm.

“Yuan! I want to eat both! It’s all mine! The ice cream too! And Yuan too!”

Huh? Didn’t something weird get added at the end?

“Hehe, I’m looking forward to it.”

This time, Lilien approached with a smile.

She examined the ingredients one by one, then looked up at me slightly.

“I’ll request mango. Chocolate seems too sweet.”

Even as she said that, her fingertip naturally brushed across the back of my hand and passed by.

No, it came back and kept gently touching it.

…What is this? Are you initiating skinship so casually right now?

The three of them approached simultaneously and stuck close.

Ellis and Lilien were stuck close to my sides, and Arte was staring at me with a poker face from the front.

“An excellent plan. Shall I assist with the preparations from now on? Both with cooking, and with the role of a wife.”

Arte tilted her head slightly, extending one hand.

Didn’t you also add something weird at the end?

Seeing them looking at me with sparkling eyes,

It felt like being surrounded by little kids asking, ‘What’s for snack today~?’.

But these guys are adults. That’s why an extra spoon of obsession seems to have been added!

“Ah, ahaha… Let’s prepare first before Glacies comes back, okay?”

This is just normal cooking preparation, myself. There’s nothing wrong with this.

…I told myself.

But, the breath I’ve been hearing from both sides feels a little ticklish, doesn’t it?

“I’m back.”

Glacies appeared before us, floating in the air.

A lump of brilliantly shining eternal ice at her fingertip.

I carefully received it.

“Cold! The sensation transmitted through my fingertips feels a bit different too?”

“Perhaps it’s because it’s ice from the fairy world, I feel a slight flow of magic.”

“Is that so, Lilien? Ah, Mr. Spirit. Thank you!”

I looked at Glacies and greeted her brightly.

“Thank you too, Glacies!”

Ellis also waved her hand excitedly from the side.

Glacies looked at me with intriguing eyes and crossed her legs in the air.

“So, how exactly are you going to cook this?”

“Well, of course, I’m going to make shaved ice and ice cream.”

Shall we get started seriously?

I broke the lump of eternal ice into pieces, put them in a bowl, and sprinkled coarse salt evenly over them.

“Huh? Yuan, why are you sprinkling salt?”

Ellis tilted her head.

“I’m going to try the method I learned in science class.”

I took out a smaller bowl, put milk, sugar, and cocoa powder in it, and mixed them carefully.

“Now, if I place this on top of the salted ice…”

When I placed the smaller bowl on top of the bowl full of ice, the cold temperature of the ice gradually began to transfer.

“Now, if I keep stirring with a whisk, it will turn into slush-type ice cream.”

I took out the whisk I had prepared and handed it to Arte.

“Arte, can I ask you?”

“Uh… this?”

“Yeah. Keep stirring.”

Arte nodded slightly, then gripped the whisk in her hand.

“No problem.”

High-speed rotation began.

The whisk spun at an incredible speed from her fingertips.

Wheeeeeeeng—!

The whisk rotated like a blender.

But considering the ingredients didn’t splash out of the bowl…

I can feel incredible delicacy?

“They say without precision, one is merely a brute. It was true~”

“Amazing, Arte! Faster! Allegro!”

Lilien and Ellis clapped small claps in admiration.

Then, in the meantime, I’ll make the shaved ice!

Shaved ice is even simpler, you know?

I divided the remaining eternal ice into appropriate sizes, then finely crushed it with a knife.

“Now, if I mix it with milk and adjust the ratio…”

I put the crushed ice into a bowl and gently poured in milk while mixing.

As the ice and milk mixed appropriately, a soft snowflake-like texture was created.

“It would be perfect if I froze it a little more. Ellis, can you freeze it just a bit?”

“Hehe~ Leave it to me! Ice Age!”

Instantly, a chill spread smoothly over the shaved ice.

It even had the detail of adding just a slight chill so it wouldn’t freeze too hard and become solid.

“Good. Soft milk shaved ice like the kind sold at shaved ice shops is complete.”

I lightly covered it with condensed milk and beautifully topped it with mango and various fruits.

“Complete~!”

Snowflake shaved ice topped with fruit.

“Hehe, it looks cool just by looking at it.”

“Wow~! It looks so delicious! Which fruit should I eat first?”

Ellis and Lilien’s eyes sparkled.

Now is the final step.

I received the chocolate ice cream completed by Arte’s hands and carefully took it out.

Setting it on a plate is also finished!

“Alright, it’s tasting time! Eat to your heart’s content!”

The women were happily eating the shaved ice.

“As expected, it’s softer with condensed milk! I’ll end up eating three bowls of shaved ice~”

Lilien carefully ate the shaved ice with a satisfied expression—

“Ah~! This cold taste! With chocolate taste too! Haa… my head is tingling…”

Ellis was eagerly scooping it up with large spoonfuls and digging in.

“The texture is softer than expected. Is it because it’s spirit ice?”

Arte took a bite as if analyzing, and nodded slightly.

Watching them with a contented smile, I held out a plate of shaved ice towards Glacies, who was floating in the air.

“Here, especially for you, I cut the mango bigger. This is a secret from the kids over there~”

Glacies looked at me with interest, then let out a small laugh.

“I can see why Ellis fell for you.”

“Ahaha…”

She quietly raised her spoon.

And ate the shaved ice, yum.

For a moment, her expression froze slightly.

As the cold sensation that slowly melted in her mouth and the sweet scent of mango spread—

“Yeah. It’s the sweetest.”

She smiled more brightly than anyone else here.

[Eyecatch!]

Today’s Dish – Special Dessert using Spirit’s Eternal Ice!

1. Spirit’s Fruit Shaved Ice

Soft ice like snowflakes, topped generously with sweet condensed milk and fresh fruits!

I, being without magic, didn’t know, but according to the Demon King who tasted it, magic temporarily amplifies?

“After eating all the fruit, pouring condensed milk onto the remaining milk shaved ice makes it even more delicious.”

—A certain knight who, after finishing four bowls of shaved ice by himself, projected his sword onto the scale again.

2. Chocolate Ice Cream Frozen with Eternal Ice

A deep and rich chocolate flavor completed with magic, it melts away with one bite~

A dessert made by applying what I learned in science class before reincarnating.

The key point is to match the ice and salt in a 1:1 ratio.

And if you stir it using an ancient automata, which every household has, it’s easily complete!